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Is SEO A Big Scam?

24

Comments

  • MizGMizG subscriber Posts: 0

    A person can waste a lot of time and money while driving themself crazy trying to find an answer to the SEO question. For all the information I`ve read, all the websites I`ve tried to bolster, and all the money I`ve spent I`ve honestly never seen my search engine rank improve.  Then I read a book about improving one`s search engine rank by simply getting your name, your company`s name, your product name, etc. out there as much as possible. Post blogs and create a signature block that includes your name, your company name, URL, new book title, or whatever else you`re selling at the time. Change the signature block as you pitch new stuff. Buy things on Amazon? Make sure you write a review--again, using the signature block. What I`m finding is that the more your name(s) are out on the web, the more sites you link to and who link back to yours, the more the info pops up on search engines. The more "relevant" your name(s) are and the more it appears on a search engine`s radar, the more you`ll climb that search ranking ladder.  A lot of work? Sure. Seems to be working for me though. Perhaps one`s `web monkey` can perform the duty.
     

     
    MizG9/23/2008 1:14 PM
  • SanShayaSanShaya subscriber Posts: 0
    What do you recommend as an alternative?
  • CLPosterCLPoster subscriber Posts: 0
    SEO is really rather simple, unless you`re in `PPC or WL` (pills, porn, casinos, or weight loss).  Just have your text content match the search terms that people are using to find your product...  That`s the tricky part though: finding out what EXACTLY people are typing in their google bar when seeking your gig...  Google has a tool that provides feedback regarding this. 
    It does work, and I`m not bragging, just backing it up:  I have 4 web businesses and all 4 sites come up in the top 5 of page 1 on google.  Most in the top 2 spots.
    Oh, and google is the only SE that matters.
    If you need ads posted on craigslist try www.PostingForYou.comCLPoster9/23/2008 1:21 PM
  • shai8181shai8181 subscriber Posts: 0
    SEO is definitely not a scam.
    Targeting the right and relevant keywords for your site, having the site optimized for search engines with the correct wordings and codes, and most importantly having the site optimized for consumers and visitors, are all key factors in a successful SEO campaign.
    I am witness to the fact that more people click on the natural search results on Google than on the sponsored listings when they do a regular search on Google.
    Please note: even if your site has the best ranking on search engines, it does not guarantee that you will have more sales or any sales. Optimizing the site for visitors is what leads to purchases. Having the site organized into categories, having good readability, good fonts, clear payment methods, shipping policies, and return policies, and proving that your site is secure and provides better service than competitors are what draw actual sales.
    Good luck!
  • TrailBossTrailBoss subscriber Posts: 0
    I`m a web designer, developer, troubleshooter and increasingly SEO guy.
    I have had good results getting improved position for my clients.
    How? following the basic rules of SEO and not pulling any "Black Hat" shennagains.
    I`m sure there are plenty of rip off artist out there, but I`ve been more busy helping clients fend off Pay Per Click salesman rip offs and lies. It`s so bad one client sad it was like they`re being dropped off  like door to door magazine sales people.
    All my client`s are have been told that if the don`t buy a PPC program from the yellowpages that they won`t be on Google!
    I`ve been busy showing clients stats about organic vs paid links, investigating and countering most of the bs being spread buy these guys.
    Just a heads up to let you all know to be careful out there!
  • Frank630Frank630 subscriber Posts: 2
    Good Discussion
    SEO is a topic worth challenging because it requires a great deal of time to do it correctly. If one is putting in that much time (and money I may add), then it better return results. Google publishes "criteria" that it states are used in the algorithms to dole out page rank. Since Google is the big dog on the street, then their rules are law in the world wide west.
    Google has and continues to implement mathematical rules that are supposed to model the true value that is experienced within on and off page factors. Some of these are old and some continue to evolve. Continue to watch how the criteria that Google publishes in order to absorb and enact your website strategy and tactics in order to be in line what you know is true and what you think is true as you understand from the explicit criteria.
    So, I do not think SEO is a scam at all. I would not like to think that Google skews search towards those with big PPC budgets. With the openness that I have witnessed from Google, I think it is legitimate.
  • WhiplashDesignWhiplashDesign subscriber Posts: 0
    I agree with everything randolph198, mwhite1249, MizG,  CLPoster, shai8181, and TrailBoss have said, especially Trailboss. I have clients that are dead-set on SEO and getting their rankings, etc. from these SEO experts - one in particular who paid $300.00 and when we looked at her HTML - no sign of keywords or meta-tags. I have been calling it the "Black-Arts" because it truly is if your business is solely getting people`s site to rank in the top-10 on Google and elswhere.There are a lot of tricks you can use, and because I worked with one SEO specialist on a project, I saw those tricks and had a better understanding of what they do. Trouble is, those tricks can get you banned, and that`s no good.The thing that most people don`t understand is this: Google`s spiders and the way they operate are changing daily. The search strategy is morphing constantly, so what you do today, might not work a year from now. Right now it seems to be fresh content - not regurgitated content, because they`ll know and see it as that. That s why I always recommend my clients have a blog - it`s fresh content and it is RELEVANT.It`s all about the user, and if it is valuable information, this will help greatly. The user will probably link to you, blog about you or Twitter about you. Relevant, useful and quality material is the best route to go. Then - if you want to do extras, that`s the time to focus on that. As far as extras - (MizG already mentioned this) The best thing to focus on is getting your name, your company`s name and site address out into the world-wide-web as much as possible, in a healthy, non-tricky, valuable way. Write articles, post them to sites where you clients or prospective clients hang out on the web. Forums that are about your profession won`t do much good, you need to figure out where your market is flocking to on the web.So much more to say on this subject - smells like a new article for me to write!
  • 497secrets497secrets subscriber Posts: 0
    SEO, SEO, SEO...
    To SEO or Not SEO...
    That is the questions.
    Whether it is ....
    Sorry, was waxing poetic.
    SEO takes time to get your site up high in ranking.
    Combine it with social marketing, Videocasting & Podcasting
    and you move up a lot faster.
    Combine SEO with Pay-per-click while you are waiting
    to rank high and you’ll immeditaly buy yourself into the top spot.
    Now, ultimatly it all comes down to how fast you can monitize your site.
    Is  you site costing you money or making you money.
    IMO ther are only 2 reasons to put up a websiteTo grab immediate sales (very rare, only small percentage on first visit)Generate leads and build your list. Get people to sign up for something so you can email them and get them coming back to your site where you build your credibility and make offers.
    I know, I know... I can hear you saying that there are other reasons
    for a website like: customer support, brochure sites, branding, Generate Interest For Products/Services, provide information, establish credibility,improve client communication, customer service – support,  drive traffic from leads from other marketing sources, entice people to your brick & mortar store front, selling on-line advertising (ad sense), earn affiliate commission for sales/leads,  save money – reduce paper/labor with,on-line payment systems,on-line catalogs, and FAQ.
    Any you`re right, these are all good reasons to have a website.
    But most of those cost you money instead of making you money
    Sorry, I got excited and starting ranting.
    Anyway, for instant gratification and getting your website
    to the top of the heap, fast, you can’t beat Pay-per-click.
    Ask Sergey & Larry.
    The big difference is speed.
    Either way, it’s going to cost you some bucks.
    Happy Marketing
    Sandy Barris - President
    Business Marketing Services, Inc.
    Author: 97 Marketing Secrets to Make More Money: Your Secret Guide to Growing Your Business Right
    10 W. Square Lake Road. Suite 214
    Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
    Office: 248-335-8080
    e-mail: http://www.97MarketingSecrets.com/Guide</a>
    Click NOW on the URL above, and sign-up and receive FREE report "Your Secret Guide To Marketing Your Business Right"  - full report worth $47...
  • bighitbighit subscriber Posts: 0
    Maybe we should all use a new search engine. The current ones don`t seem to provide much clarity for the business owner. We are launching a new Search Engine, it will provide accurate targeted result vectors allowing business and customers a platform to exchange goods and services for money.the name is http://www.startupnation.com/forums/619 ... tlocal.com
    Remember "First 1 Found" gets the business.
  • ChikeChike subscriber Posts: 2
    I have a question. What do you do when you have a niche product that you are trying to sell through your website that people do not even know exists? For instance lets say your trying to sell greeting cards but a with a specific theme that people dont even know exists. If noone is searching for the theme of this product because they have never heard of it, what is the point of doing SEO?
  • WebJunkyWebJunky subscriber Posts: 8 Member
    if you truly have a niche that no one is looking for, then why would you get into that niche and go through the educational curve needed to educate people? unless you are a fortune company with a multi milion dollar ad budget so you can make the world aware of it in one day, it doesn`t make sense to do it. sooner or later you will have a bigger fish come and trump your market overnight because they have the promotion dollars.  anyway, just a thought.
     
    as to the original question in this post, no SEO is not a scam. it is time tested , proven, logical and common sense.  what is a scam is how people define it and manipulate it to serve their own good. stick to the basic fundamentals and load your website with good quality content.  that is what SEO is and over the long run you should be ahead of the game.
  • SeoSnakeoilSeoSnakeoil subscriber Posts: 0
    If there are any SEO companies left that aren`t running some sort scam or half truth they need to start policing their industry. They`re not hard to find and report. Personally I think they are all selling smoke and mirrors on some level. Even if technically legal, they know it`s still unethical as they don`t fully disclose, mislead, or straight out lie about what they are doing.
    Even some of the most respected organizations are either effected or involved.
    An excerpt from the AAFPRS Pledge reads
    " I agree to abide by the guidelines on advertising
    which are adopted by the Academy in order to
    promote legitimate and ethical advertising of
    physicians’ services and to avoid the occasion of
    unprofessional conduct through false or misleading
    advertising."
    But if you follow the links below you can clearly see that they and their members are breaking their own oath. These are only the tip of the iceberg, there are hundreds if not thousands of pages out there link these. It has been going on for over 3 years. It is hard to believe that not one member nor the organization ever noticed
  • nachiketkhannanachiketkhanna subscriber Posts: 0
    No SEO is not a big Scam, SEO gives result not 100% but it give result after some time.
  • islabucasgrandeislabucasgrande subscriber Posts: 1
    SEO is not a scam. By SEO means using Search Engine to its best advantage. How come it would be a scam when in fact you are bringing benefit and advantage to it. Granting in aguendo that it is a scam, the search engine will perhaps serve the purpose of its creation less.

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  • prasenprasen subscriber Posts: 0
    Cool posting here. please keep in continue.The best way to find the Best SEO Company for you business is toactually phone the SEO companies up. Explain your business to them. Ifthey can't understand your business, then they probably can't helpyou. The Top SEO Companies understand SEO, but they also understandthe needs of their clients. The best seo company can look into yourbusiness and figure out what your key customers are typing intoGoogle. There's no point in hiring a SEO company that doesn'tunderstand what your business is about. Without that knowledge, howwill they know what keywords do to SEO for?Thanks & Regards~Chris WilsonBusiness Development, LLC at SEO Services India.
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