The real test comes now for organic search engine optimization firms as they set out to gain top rankings for their class action attorney clients. Interestingly, I've just finished reading John Grisham novel, "King of Torts", about a young "mass torts" attorney that made over an hundred million dollars by being first to run nationwide television ads seeking clients injured by a faulty drug manufactured by a giant pharmaceutical company. Although protaganist in story has a web site to collect leads, nothing is mentioned of PPC advertising nor is it likely to be discussed in novels.

In "King of Torts" nothing is ever mentioned about organic search engine ranking of his web site either. Settlement seems to have come faster than would be possible to gain top rankings for a highly competitive search phrase. It will be extremely interesting to watch domain name sales related to Vioxx, since keywords in domain names always help rankings. Some that are showing up in PPC ads include previously mentioned Vioxx-heart-attack.com, Vioxx-side-effects.com, Vioxx-Claim.com VioxxRecallLawyer.com and Vioxx-Lawsuits.com.

As of October 4th, 2004 only NON-news related site in top organic results at Google that are NOT online pharmacies, government agency sites, NIH (National Institutes of Health) or an information site http://arthritis.about.com/od/vioxx/ is a site that emphasizes giant class action lawsuits at http://www.bigclassaction.com/class_action/vioxx.html which has a PageRank of 5 as of October 4th at 5pm Pacific time.

The final ranked site of top 30 for single word "Vioxx" at Google is legal information site Findlaw in their class action section at http://injury.findlaw.com/vioxx/ which asks your zip code on first visit and must use IP delivery for robots visiting first time since there is nothing on that page about Vioxx if you've never visited page before.

Now we will see what techniques are used by Search Engine Optimization firms that hurriedly post sites full of links to gain search position for word Vioxx in order to sell more links to those agressive law firms and attorneys (and they'll run expensive click-through Google Adsense ads).

Without doubt, most SEO savvy attorneys will compete at a fever pitch for top rankings over next few weeks.

Mike Banks Valentine does search engine optimization for http://www.VioxxLegalHelpCenter.org

Keep informed as new sites dominate the phrases related to Vioxx, heart attack, stroke, Vioxx recall, class action suit, Vioxx personal injury claim, Vioxx legal help, About Vioxx at http://www.RealitySEO.com

The temptation is great to jump to top of search engine rankings a few days after opening day. If you cut corners to get to top, your site will be among first to be axed when major search engines like Google tweak their algorithms, which they do often. You will appear on page one for a season, and when you come back, you are off radar. You've had your 15 minutes of fame. If you are a marathoner, you will go distance.

Getting quality and important inbound links to your site takes a lot of patience and perseverance. Take it one step at a time, one day at a time, and keep at it, even when results are not obvious. Before long, you will show up at top. The big sites that throw their weight around for practically every word that appears on their site have been around for a while. Some of them even have link managers; a fella whose sole job is to source for links and manage their link pages. If you are a small guy, you may not beat them at linking, but if you have a high quality unique content site, when content counts, you will overtake big boys.

So, don’t go about requesting for link exchanges from every Tom, Dick and Harry. Research site you want to approach. Determine if it has unique quality content that complements your site, and is useful to your audience. Take it step-by-step, day-by-day. Before long, your link pages will overflow to page two etc, and sometime soon, you will appear where it matters for valuable keywords that will bring targeted traffic to your site and boost your conversion ratio. And when you get to top, you will remain there if you do not relent in your efforts. You will not suffer a stroke when Google and Co. tweaks their algorithms. Slow and steady wins race.

Another fact webmasters often overlook is that if you have a high quality site, other webmasters will link to you, sometimes without asking for a reciprocal link. I have seen some strange links to my site in my traffic logs, from sites I never requested for a link from. If you are best in your field, world will make a beaten path to your door. That saying holds true also for linking. As a matter of fact, visitors to your site may feel so inspired by your site that they suggest your site to other sites and directories without your knowledge. They go beyond "tell-a-friend". They tell other sites about you. People are tired of low/zero content affiliate sites that litter web and jump at you as pop ups, pop unders, pop sideways and pop overs etc. They pop at you, and before you know what has hit you, you have two or more new windows open in your browser. Some are funkier. They slide like ice skaters into your view from all directions. After getting mauled by popping sites, a high quality site with unique content is like a breadth of fresh air.

So as you go about scouting for links, stop for a moment and take a second look at your site. Go out door and come in as a visitor. Is your site type of site people will willingly link to if Google and Co. does not care a hoot about links? Is linking to you a pleasure or out of obligation?

Are you here for long haul? Then get off 100 meters dash and get to work. Easy comes, easy goes. There is no easy road to top.

Best wishes in your linking campaign.