Google has always been strict in its rules and regulations, making sure that SEO companies and brands, big or small use legitimate SEO tactics don’t go unnoticed if they violate the rules. These rules don’t just apply to websites all over the web, they equally apply to Google as well. Thus, Google has also punished itself quite a many times.

Below are five companies, including Google itself, who were penalised for violating the rules of Google.

1.     Google.co.jp

Google Japan got penalised by Google for buying links for promotion of a Google widget. As soon as the news was out, the search spam team of Google who looks after such actions immediately lowered the rank of Google Japan from PR9 to PR5.

After the time period of 11 months, the penalty was lifted because people searching for Google Japan were able to find it. This indicated that the penalty time has been completed.

2.     Forbes.com

Forbes magazine is one of the most famous publications in the world. This well known magazine was penalised not once but twice for its illegal selling of links to numerous areas online. They were making money through this, but in spite of being a big renowned company, Google didn’t spare Forbes and dropped the hammer on it. They were selling links in huge amounts and obviously in the best way possible, according to them, but it didn’t turn out the way they expected.

3.     Newsday.com

Here is another publication that got kicked by Google in the gonads. This company too, was held culprit for selling links. This website is owned by New York’s Tribune Group. While, many other websites are part of this group too, only newsday.com got a kick. Many of them were lucky enough to get away with it.

Google penalty decreased the website’s Google ranking. However, it took months to get back to normal ranking.

4.     Beat That Quote

This site was bought by Google in 2011 and soon got penalised, again, for buying links. Buying links against Google’s rules may increase your rankings temporarily but if you’re penalised once, it will eventually lower your rank. Case in point, Beat That Quote has never risen to the first page since. The penalty was raised after two days, but then it was applied again for an unknown extension of time.

5.     GourmetGiftBaskets.com

The Gourmet Gift Basket got caught due to paid links at a time when it could have increased sales to high level, just before the holidays. For a company like Gourmet, it’s quite astonishing to understand what raised the need to have paid links. Well, it faced a loss of around $4 million dollars in sales during holidays.

But things eventually got better as their ranking increased back to normal.

So if you look closely, there’s just one lesson to learn from all penalties i.e. play safe and follow the rules. Even if you intend to buy links, make sure to not hurt the search engine result pages (SERPS). You might be successful but the best solution is doing it the right way.