SPAMing techniques detection

[ksu]

While performing a research of leaders for selected keywords, I ran into the interesting trend. Sites with low keywords density and low number of external links rank high with Google. I suspect that they use SPAMing techniques. Unfortunately, I don't know how to detect them by looking at the source code. Could you please give me hints on what to look for? For example, this site is ranked #1 in Google for a very competitive keyword - palm application development - http://www.handheldnews.com/link.asp?ObjectID=4254. How can that be explained?

[SEOforGoogle]

ksu -
One reason they may be ranked that high is that they may have many In-Bound links with "palm application development" as the anchor text.

You can have a "spammy" looking page or site that ranks well in Google if you get enough links pointing to it.

[ksu]

Yes, I do realize the importance of external links. But, the site that I provided as an example in my first post has only 8 external links. At least it is the number of links that MarketLeap tool shows (http://tools.marketleap.com/publinkpop/plapp/). That is what I don't get: the site with low number of external links and low keywords density is listed first in Google. I just want to understand what is behind their success.

[ksu]

Am I the only one who doesn't understand why Google ranks sites with low keywords density and low numbert of external links so high? Can anyone expalin where in the html code I should look for the use of SPAMing techniques?

[Faglork]

You may not see anything in the HTML code, if the site uses cloaking techniques: The code will get served only to SE spiders. So the "source view" of your browser will reveal a different code. Just search google for "cloaking" ...

Alex