Archive for the 'SEO Scams' Category
I just found another “SEO company” (and I use that phrase with plenty of sarcasm) offering Guaranteed Page One Listing Results on Google and to make it even better – your credit card is not charged until they email you the screenshot showing this achievment.
But don’t forget to read the fine print:
What type of keywords will my website show up on page 1 under? Your keywords tend to come directly from your website text so your keywords are going to have to do with the product or service your website is promoting. Your keywords will have to do with whatever product or services your website is promoting.
and make sure to read the pièce de résistance:
Where on page 1 will my website show up? You can show up anywhere on page 1. You can be listed in a non sponsored area, a sponsored area or both.
Well you know the saying, there is a sucker born every mintue and two to take ‘em. It looks like this site is paying good PPC with adwords since I found them in the #1 sponsored position that goes for around $1.50 a click.
I have heard of online rep management but have not really had a reason to experience it first-hand until now. I Googled my name “Jay Granofsky” and found a couple of first page results that I did not particularly like.
First off (in the number 9 position):
I started this G rated site about 6 years ago, it had a quiz on it where you had to guess who’s famous butt was in the picture (fully clothed of course). I have not owned this site in about 4 years so I have no idea why this old info is still floating around. In the meanwhile I contacted Alexa and told them that I am no longer the owner and would like my name deleted from the owners information.
Next up (in position 10) is someone that I reported on in my SEO scam section, I caught him selling search engine submissions as part of his ‘SEO’ services. He apparently did not like the fact that I outed him so he went on some relevant blog and made a horribly phrased retort. Now most people reading his comment will realize this person is just a vengeful scammer but it still does not look that great on the first page of results for my name.
I also replied to him but the comment is waiting approval, maybe the owner of the blog will realize that both comments are way off-topic and delete them? On second thought I will contact the blog owner and make that exact request. Furthermore I decided I would manage my reputation by creating a few blog posts about my favorite hobby, photography and build a few backlinks to each post in hopes they will outrank those bottom of first page ones and will actually represent me in a more true light. If you are interested in following this case study I will post the results in the case studies section of this site at a later date.
Here is a quick update, 4 hours later this post and another have moved the two offending results off the front page!! That was some speedy rep management but is probably only short-term due to the extra juice Google gives fresh news. For the longer term solution I hope the points I touched on in the above blog come into effect.
April 23, 2009 update – Just got an email back from Alexa saying they would delete my name from the ownership of the site and I should see the search result gone in the next week or so. Great!
April 29, 2009 – The Alexa listing has been gone for a few days and the other silly listing has now been pushed to 2nd spot on page 3 which is amazingly quick! If I can get it to the bottom of page 3 I will be satisfied because although it is negative it is really just a bad SEO’s ‘sour grapes’ about me calling him out on being flakey.
This myth has been around for as long as I have been involved with SEO, so about 8 years. I recently replied to a thread on DigitalPoint forums concerning this myth. The original poster mentioned that they recently bought a domain name and a hosting package and the hosting company was offering them a fantastic deal of 50% off search engine submission. The offer read something like this:
For a limited time receive 50% off the regular price of search engine submission for SEO, we submit to 13 of the top search engines to get your website indexed quickly. Regular price is $99.99 – sale price is only $49.99.
My response was that not only is search engine submission unnecessary but I think it is a ‘red flag’ for a company that does not have a clue what SEO actually is. It seems Rand over at SEOmoz agree because he is redoing Beginner’s Guide to Search Engine Optimization over there and he states:
Since 2001-2, search engine submission has not only not been required, but is actually virtually useless. The engines have all publicly noted that they rarely use the “submission” URL lists, and that the best practice is to earn links from other sites, as this will expose the engines to your content naturally.
So be careful and don’t waste you money on useless services.
The amount of misinformation floating around the web as it relates to search engine optimization is staggering. It seems that 9 out of every 10 posts I read contains blatantly wrong advice. I am begininning to think that some very sneaky SEO pro’s are spreading incorrect info on purpose.
Here is a thread I came across today over at DevShed Forums – the poster is asking the following question:
Hi all,
I’m based in Australia, and looking around for a VPS host. It’s down to 2 options, local or US hosting. I’m told that if my host is in Australia, that will help my Australian search ranking, but that if my host is in the US, it will help my US ranking. Is this really true? Why would it be so? Is it some kind of algorithm that assumes added relevance if the host is local?
Some of the responses (as quoted below) were quite interesting and only added to the confusion.
“yes it is true, but it is not necessary that you need to host in particular country.”
“Server location affects the ranking in Search Engine Result Pages (SERP) but not always”
“It depends on what and where you are targeting rather than the server location”
“this is one of the factor among 1000 which affect your ranking”
“Constant work on the website will improve the website ranking on Google dot com too”
It seems like the object of the above replies was to keep the original poster as confused as possible!!
I receive quite a few inquiries asking if I can match or beat some very low (and I mean looooowwww) prices of some overseas folks that offer SEO (and I use the term loosely here) services. I often explain that most of these companies are just making free directory submissions or spamming blog comments and nobody can do quality SEO for those prices, even in India.
I recently came across a post on DigitalPoint forums that really gets this point across – the thread is titled: Why peopel donut trust indian submisin services ? if the title does not give you enough info then you can check-it-out yourself here.
Crusing through DigtalPoint forums I found another SEO fraudster coning folks with an old style scam with a fresh new twist. the guaranteed results or your money back swindle.
In this version (as seen below) you pay in increments as this hard-working SEO moves your rankings up the ladder at Google.com – the only problem is that there is next to no competition for the keywords so my dead grandmother could guarantee these steady climb of these keywords.
In order to prove our worth and establish some credibility, we have created a performance-based payment schedule:
- $99 down payment
- $100 due once your site reaches Google top 20
- Remaining $100 due once your site reaches Google top 10
When called out by IC_IC, in this post:
With all due respect the phrase you are trying to rank for below has a competition of 5 in quotes.
Move In Free Realty: “move in free Houston”
as a matter of fact so does this one:
O.C. PC Guy: “tech consulting Orange County”
You could probably take number one spot in either of those with a handful of links.
Do you have any better examples?
He gets quite angry and has a reply similar to the last scammer (could they be studying the same ebook; how to scam using SEO)?
“Analyze the competition of my clients’ keywords all you want – they chose the keywords that they wanted to rank in the top ten…not me. Bottom line: our company delivered a Google top 10 ranking as promised. ”
The absolute best part of this guy is the URL he runs his SEO from, drum-roll please…..www.centralvalleygiftcards.com!
