SEO, MY ARSE! - BEWARE THE BULLS**T MONGERS!!

As a webmaster for many small business people for many years, I have become increasingly disturbed by so-called "Search Engine Optimizers" that, in my opinion, are taking advantage of millions of web site owners and small business people. Let me clarify here, I am not speaking of legitimate SEO professionals who put time and effort into helping their clients, and who are honest with their clients about what is involved with getting and keeping a high ranking on the important search engines, like Google, Yahoo, MSN, AOL, Ask and so forth. I am speaking of companies that continue to promote the outdated fallacy that monthly automated search engine submissions and the insertion of a few magical bits of html code will propel a web site to a top ten position for the most popular key phrases for it's subject matter. I am talking about "services" (more aptly called "disservices") that convince small business people that they need to spend a lot of money to have their web site among those included in a mysterious system that has an "in" with the search engines and can instantly get your site a high ranking.

Those who have base knowledge of how search engines are evolving and changing would likely snort coffee out their noses and hang up the phone after being presented with such a fine bit of fiction, but, unfortunately, there are too many web site owners who know little or nothing about how their site gets indexed, or who are laboring under outdated information. These web site owners are the prime targets of a growing industry that profits by preying on panic and promoting misinformation.

One such company is www.mainstreethost.com

Mainstreethost employs extremely pushy telephone sales people that make cold calls to web site owners. I've heard about many scenarios for the inital conversation. One client of mine told me that a woman called her and said that her web site was nowhere to be found on the Internet. (Hmmm... I thought, how did they find you, then??) Another client told me of a "bait and switch" scam - a woman called several times saying she had adopted a puppy from a shelter that looked exactly like one on the client's web site. Apparently this woman called several times, but refused to send a photo of the apparently identical puppy. Finally, she called to talk about the wonderful work that a company called "Mainstreethost" had done for her web site, propelling her search engine position in just days. Of course, that call was followed by a call from a pushy salesperson to close the deal.

The bottom line: Mainstreet host claims that they will "put your web site on the search engines" for a mere $400 and then $100 a month, each and every month thereafter. The $100 monthly is to "keep you on the search engines". And, better yet, if you decide to stop paying the $100, your web site will magically disappear from the search engines. (By the way, that amounts to $1600 in just 1 year! - imagine how much advertising you could buy on Google Adwords for $1600!!)

I've heard and read many second hand reports of the ridiculous claims made by this company. I've heard about how they initially employ "scare tactics" to put the potential "customer" in a state of panic by advising that this person's web site is not being found on the search engines. (Of course, this finding would be subject to the search terms entered into a given search engine when looking for a given site.)

Additionally, they even had the audacity to phone me (a webmaster and SEO specialist) to try and convince me that their "services" were needed for my web site (on which my experience and expertise are thoroughly documented). I've had first-hand experience with their hardball phone tactics. The woman that phoned me was very pushy and rude. She actually started yelling and swearing at me when I told her I was not interested in her services. After I hung up on her, she called again to continue her tirade. I can only imagine that it would be difficult to say no to this type of sales tactic if you were not forearmed with knowledge about current search engine positioning procedures.

So, my plan for this blog threefold;
1. I hope to expose the lies about SEO,
2. I plan to expose those who promote and profit from lies about search engine optimization
3. I hope to promote the truth about Search Engine Optimization, something that everyone with a web site can do for themselves, for FREE, without having to know a thing about technical matters or be fluent in Search Engine Optimization lingo.

I invite anyone who has been taken in by SES's (Search Engine Shuysters) to post comments on this blog. Let's spread the word and hopefully keep honest people who hope to succeed with their web sites on a small budget from falling victim to the SEOS (Search Engine Optimization Scam).

Please feel free to let your friends and associates know about this blog. I'll be adding information on how you can be your own SEO for FREE, or find a legitimate Search Engine Optimization specialist to help you achieve your goals.

Thanks for dropping by, and hope to see you again soon!

Princess Headbutt