Lie #5: We can guarantee you front page rankings on Google
Hello Steve,
Can you do what this letter claims to be able to do for our bed and breakfast's web site? It seems to be too good to be true, but then again we are hopeful.
Marianne B. - Virginia |
Dear Marianne,
This email you received is without a doubt, a scam. I have seen variations of this letter from several different companies and they are all flat out lies. I don't offer this as an example of what I can do because I can't promise undeliverable things. The claims in this letter make it sound easy, but the truth is web site promotion takes knowledge and work. It does not require magical partnerships with the search engines.
If you examine the letter, you'll also notice several light blue letters which were hidden between words to fool spam filters. This is an indication that this is a scam, but I'll go through the letter one piece at a time and show you the statements it makes that are just plain lies.
| The Lie: Your Web Site WILL be on the Front Page of Google in ONLY 48 Hours |
The Truth: Chances are excellent that your web site is already on the front page of Google. The question is, the front page for what search. If the search is for your exact inn's name, you are probably already on the front page for that. They could easily fulfill their guarantee without doing any work. All they have to do is fine some rare phrase on your site and search for that and magically you are on the front page of google.
For example, the page you are reading right now is on the front page of google for the search "xinthansep guaro inn" That's because this is the only page in the world that contains that phrase. But the likelihood that any real person will actually search for that phrase is extremely small. The company is making a guarantee that is easy to keep, but of absolutely no use to you or your inn. |
| The Lie: As Partners with Google.com and the Google network we can offer to place your web site Directly on the front page for your listing! |
The Truth: There simply are no partners that google has who can manipulate the search engine results.
Google's own site says
No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google.
Beware of SEOs that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a "special relationship" with Google, or advertise a "priority submit" to Google... more
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| The Lie: Your web site can be on the front page for your listing! |
The Truth: The words "your listing" are really telling here. What they are saying is that you will show up first if someone searches for your inn by name. Again, it is a pretty safe bet that your web site already shows up on the first page for search for your inn's name. If it doesn't, you should seek help, because it is an indication of a faulty web design.
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| The Lie: All For Only £79.95 for six months of Massive Exposure! |
The Truth: What? The magic potion wears off after six months? The search engines just don't work like that. You can take an ad out for a limited amount of time, or you can pay for a directory to link to you for a limited amount of time, but you can't completely manipulate the search engines for a month at a time. |
| The Lie: We research the most effective phrases for your type of web site and then reserve these phrases for your web site on the Google Network. |
The Truth: This is an absolute fabrication. There is no way to "reserve phrases" on Google or any other major search engine. |
| The Lie: To Book your site on the Front Page of Google or for more information about how it works! Press Here |
The Truth: The link actually just opens an email so you can send them an email. It doesn't take you to their web site. |
The Lie: Tele Line Telecom
World Leaders in Web Site Promotion |
The Truth: World leaders in web site promotion would show up for a search for their own name. Do a search for "tele line telecom" and you get no web site related to a web site promotion company.
This is a good indication they are a scam and have nothing real to offer. The other possibility is they have done some illegal activities and gotten their web site banned from the major search engines. |
| The Lie: This is a Business to Business email in full accordance with UK law. To be removed please go to our site and request removal. If you have received this email in error please accept our apologies. |
The Truth: There is no way from this email to get to their web site. |
If you think your web site is not drawing in the number of visitors you feel it should, it is worth investigating. Take a look at my list of common Bed and Breakfast web site mistakes and see if any of them apply to your web site. There are many things that can be done to have your site show up better in search engines, but paying someone for a non-existent connection with google is not one of them.
I hope this of some help to you.
Sincerely,
Steve Wirt
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