Links are useful weapons in the SEO warfare. Links, whether external or internal, complement the SEO picture. Over the years, many optimisers have used a wide array of link building strategies to secure higher rankings for their websites. But is there a definite formula that works? Unfortunately, not a lot of companies would care to share their secret recipe for success.

Interestingly, reports about big brands getting penalised arise time after time. One incident that particularly obtained the ire of Google and the interest of the SEO masses is the corporate website of the popular retail store in the US, JCPenney.com. This controversy disturbed the online world, especially when the company revealed that it had relied on a nefarious SEO company for its rankings.