Local Rip Offs

The Local SEO Myth

Many fraudulent companies are ripping local businesses off with the promise of top positioning on Google, Yahoo and other search engines. This scam usually starts with telesale companies contacting businesses and offering them the first or top positioning on every search engine. The sales person explains this can be achieved for a fraction of the cost of a local ad in the Penny Saver or Yellow Pages. Every company is clamoring for new business in this tight economy and these con artists are trying to sell an offer that’s too good to be true. One type of offer gives the customer a limited number of highly specific keywords. The less experienced companies offer an unlimited combination of highly sought after keywords. Both usually promise first and/or top position of every search engine 24/7. The customer is further enticed with a promise of an “optimized website”. The cost to set up the site is minimal and hosting is only a fraction of a penny a month. For the telesales company this is pure profit!

Businesses are told is that they will appear in the multiple organic sections of every search engine. The newest organic section is a map that occasionally appears when a search is done for a product or service that includes a city and/or state. Several companies are listed by the map with some type of corresponding markings. The regular organic results are usually shown below the “local business results”. All organic placement is determined by algorithms that every search engine keeps a closely guarded secret. Search engines continually change algorithms and the placement continually changes.

Placing organically in search engines can take several weeks and sometimes months. This waiting period gives the telesales company plenty of time to make several billings and gives the customer time to lose interest in or forget the proposition. After a few months most businesses call in to check on their progress or try to look for their keywords online. If they are able to reach a customer service agent they will tell the customer to be patient and they will be up shortly. There is no way to control when and if Google and Yahoo will list any site in the organic listings and in what position. The customer never receives any value and is often ripped off for of hundreds, or even thousands of dollars. The result is high attrition and the reliance of multiple merchant accounts (customers do a lot of charge backs). The attrition is overcome by the rate in which customers can be brought on with massive telesales rooms . The result is high turnover, but much higher profits. The only cost to the company are the telesale rooms.

This rip off can easily be detected by asking for examples of organic positioning and referrals to the companies shown. If the company has truly helped the businesses shown they would be glad to take the calls.