While drinking Santa’s milk and spying on a few of my competitor’s websites (oops), I noticed they had a fancy graphic of an award claiming their link building tool was in the “Top 5 for Best Link Building Software and Tools”. Suddenly milk shot up through my nose and I started laughing hysterically. I thought to myself, “Surely these guys just made this award up on Photoshop and inserted it on their website.” I’m very familiar with their crappy “Link Building Software” and there’s no way in Hell it’s even in the Top 5000+.
Time to Investigate
After cleaning up the spilt milk and drying my eyes from the tears of laughter I did a little research.
It turns out the so-called “independent authority on search vendors” is a company that’s been around for a few years. They go by the name of topseo(dot)com, and they claim to go out of their way to review various seo software tools and SEO consultants; and by looking at their site, they would have you believe they do this out of the kindness of their heart.
SEO companies, all you have to do is submit your information – name, website, company name, email address, and phone number and one of their representatives will contact you to rank your site.
Maybe I’ll give it a Shot
After filling out all the required information I submitted the electronic form. Almost instantly a pit hit my stomach. I’ve been snookered before by some low-life’s selling “Theatre Quality Home Speakers” out of the Back of their van…ouch! My Spidey-senses were tingling albeit I waited to see what would arise.
The Email
The first piece of evidence I’ll present is an email with some good news. After a quick scan, topseos.com was confident enough to deem my site in the Top 10, Number 6 to be exact. Heck, they even sent me one of those cool badges to post on my site! But then my excitement turned to sadness. One of my so-called competitors were still ranking above me…how could this be?
The Phone Call
Lucky for me I received a phone call from topseos.com to fill me in. He said he was the owner, (he had a weird name I can’t quite remember – something like “Jeeves”). Anyways, I expressed my concern about my site only being #6, while less worthy sites were in the Top 5. He calmly explained to me they had a formula to figure out the rankings, and there were easy instant ways to improve my sites Spot. My Spidey-Senses were tingling a lot now!
The Van with the Speakers arrives
The first thing he wanted to do was analyze my site in depth, and this was going to cost me some money! Second, he assured me after the in depth research was completed my site would rank higher, but I would have to pay $X,XXX per month to ensure my sites rankings were advertised on topseos.com. He insisted his top clients pay good money to be ranked on his site, but he was willing to let my rankings be advertised over my competitors if the cash offer was sufficient.
WTF? This is quite the racket Jeeves has here. Topseos would want you to believe they are an “Independent Authority on Search Vendors” when they are nothing more than a cheap thin affiliate site extorting money from SEO companies!
Verdict
What a scam! I have now decided I will review and investigate every SEO Tool for myself and let you know if they really are valid. Whatever you do, don’t buy or try anyone on their list until you do diligent research. Heck, you can even ask me first and I’ll let you know if you should proceed or not.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the headsup. I just started my website and need help getting it ranked so I’m searching out SEOS and found a link at htmlink.net and added a link to my site about topseos scam. I sure hope other new websites can pick up on this. I am hounded daily with calls for money for one thing or another after spending thousands on the program I’m now using. I like it and I like to believe I’m getting my money’s worth. The program is very informative and I want to learn it all so I continue at my own pace. I’m employed fulltime outside my business and the only calls I want to receive are from the program I purchased.
This whole internet seems to be filled with one kind of scam or another. Just who do you trust? People like you who have researched and been scammed that’s who. Your for me.
I just added this blog to my favorites and will be checking periodically. Thanks again and Happy New Year.
Thanks for the comment. Most new website owners try the easy route to getting their site ranked. When that doesn’t work they get scammed by so-called seo’s that promise them the world at a fraction of the price legitimate seo’s charge. The last step they do is email me and start the process of getting their site ranked the Right Way.
Trying links for the first time will see if it brings positive traffic Thanks Frank
Frank, just be sure to leave valid interesting comments about the subject of the post your are commenting on. For example your comment of “Trying links for the first time will see if it brings positive traffic Thanks Frank” is relevant however it needs to be more specific and interesting for the owner of the blog to approve it. Hint: you don’t need to kiss his/her arse. In fact, you have less of a chance of getting approved if you do. Feel Free to ask questions anytime!
interesting post, was a great read thanks! actually i use htmllink.net for all my seo now. It’s the ultimate tool out there!
You’re right, htmllink.net is probably the best FREE tool on the net. I wish I had the marketing skills to make money off of it. ; )
This is perfect blog for anyone who want to know about all of the SEO tools offered. You seem to know so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that i really would want haha:) Question: Do you think linkvana is worth the investment?
@ Mike, thanks for the compliment. I don’t claim to know everything, but I do know enough to keep my out of trouble.
I wrote about linkvana on htmllink.net before I created this blog. http://www.htmllink.net/linkvana-sucks Does the url give it away? I have a few SEO friends still claiming it works, but you have to remember they’re hardcore affiliates for linkvana!
After years of owning a website I have recently started to look into SEO. I am so glad that I ran across your site htmllink.net. The only thing is, I do not know how to work all of the software. I have the SEO power suite and am still a bit confused but catching on. Your help would be very much appreciated. I need to add quality backlinks but do not have the slightest on how. Help!? Thanks for all your imput.
Davy,
i think i bought speakers from that same van!!! Damn thing started buzzing on me the very next day — tho coulda been too much bass when I cranked “Smoke on the Water” all nite long! Yeah, a looong time ago! =;-)
So it seems like this TopSeos is a bogus listing. Does that necessarily make all those who’ve paid to be on it bogus too? Seems like some big and credible looking sites/services with big name clients on that list…? I woulnd’t mind paying $2k/month all year for real (whitehat) SEO results… Any way to get a more credible comparison of all the (too too) many SEO service options out there? And BTW, is your blog’s tagline “The only Legitmate (sp) SEO” any less an exageration than some of the “Top 5″ claims you’re ranting on above?
Thanks! =;-)
Davy, I am am an electrical contractor with a mom & pop shop now for 15 years. I backed way off yellowpages years ago and am on second website and the co. i am dealing with doesnt have a clue but are good at taking my hard earned money. I am wanting to start over again with another company and was considering a SEO Co. I have talked to a few and one of them was 1seoexpert.com a guy named Michael Guy have you heard of him, also what is my besy way to check out these companies ?
Sorry, I’ve been getting so many comments, it’s hard work to monitor and respond.
@ M.Edwards – yeah, I guess you could say I’m exaggerating a little bit. But then again, you can no I’m legit because any SEO I do is 99.9% on only my sites. Why get someone else good rankings when I can do it for myself? P.S. I still have those darn speakers!
@ Kurt – I would stay away from SEO companies. Go to my homepage and http://www.htmllink.net and click on “Do your own SEO”. It’s better to do it yourself. It’s easy and will save you lotsa money!
Kurt,
Whatever you do, do NOT get involved with Michael Guy or his company. There are bad people in the world and then there are evil people in the world. Stay. Away.