They did for ~20yrs and probs still do to an extent but it's an arms race[1]. Every time Google implement anti-spam features, SEO companies adapt. The problem is the webmaster guidelines Google published openly are often the backbone of any decent SEO.

I've been a web dev since I left uni in 2005 and worked for several SEO companies and even founded one. IN that time they've successfully destroyed multiple SEO/marketing agencies with their tweaks. They've decimated entire industries with their monopolistic practices (flight information, shopping comparison, mapping, etc).

I don't wanna get into the blame game between Google vs SEO companies except to say: Google are cunts and you should vote by leaving them. They are not a benevolent company. They are the Micro$oft of the web and have ruined businesses[2] worldwide. They're just very good at PR and keep a lot of the bullshit they do out of the public eye.

[1] Matt Cutts was a fascinating guy and was at the forefront of Google's spam fight and communicated regularly with web devs/marketers.

[2] In addition to the mentioned flight information and price comparison monopolising. They fucked smaller e-commerce companies effectively handing business to big players like Amazon and eBay by forcing PAID usage of their shopping comparison and Adwords service.

Recommended Alternative Search Engines

• You.com - has AI chatbot as well as standard search using Bing
• Searxng - a meta search engine with multiple independent & tweaked instances. E.g. https://searx.be
• DuckDuckGo - uses Bing and Yandex but also has "nag operators" to quick private search other engines.