If you’re like me and have a website you probably get flooded with SPAM daily. Nearly every single day I get an email from someone claiming they can help me get to the #1 spot on Google for my keywords. Unfortunately they’re wrong, because we already rank #1 for the keywords we are targeting and if they really researched our website they would know that.

Here is an example I received this morning from [email protected] (am I suppose to take that email address seriously?)

Hi,

Hope you doing well,

I was examining your website and see you have a good design and it looks fab. But it not rank on any search engine’s for your keywords.

I not finding your website on starting pages; I can rank your site #1 for all search engine if you can give us permissions.

We are best service provider in optimisation areas, and can do better in affordable charges,

Let me know if you are interested and give permissions right away,

Kind Regards,
Lisa,
Business Dev Exec

In case you haven’t figured this out, emails like this are scams! Unfortunately many small businesses fall prey to these offers, because most business owners don’t have the time and resources needed to become experts. Let take a look at the Top SEO scams so you can avoid wasting your time and money.

Guaranteed Search Engine Rankings

Most SEO scams center around some sort of guaranteed rankings. Statements like “Guaranteed #1 Rank on Google”, “Guaranteed First Page Ranking on Google”, “#1 Guaranteed Rankings On All Major Search Engines” are impossible for anyone or agency to claim. Take a look at the following article from Google, and you’ll see a section titled No One Can Guarantee A #1 Ranking On Google. Google goes on to say “Beware of SEOs that claim to guarantee rankings”. There you have it, directly from Google, no one can guarantee your rankings.

Free SEO Trial Service

SEO is a process that takes time and dedication to achieve high results. It requires devotion, and depending on the project it often requires several days per week of research and work. No legitimate company is going to offer you a free trial. Stay away from these types of promises they are too good to be true.

Cheap SEO Service

If it sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true. Just like the electric ab belt that promises a six-pack while you sit on the couch. Like I mentioned above, high rankings in search results are not going to happen without hard work and dedication. You’re better off learning SEO for yourself, than paying a so-called “SEO Expert” who makes claims that they can rank your business for an absurdly low price. Remember, you get what you pay for, please don’t waste your money.

We Know The Search Algorithm

No one knows the exact algorithm for search results, and they vary widely by each major service (Google, Bing, and Yahoo). For some sneaking suspicion I don’t believe [email protected] or any other unsolicited email marketer is privy to that knowledge either. Search algorithms are complex, and dynamic they change all the time. For those of us that practice real SEO for our clients we understand certain aspects (link popularity, content, meta tags, keywords, etc…), but we don’t know the exact algorithms. No one does.

We Are Partners With Google (Bing, Yahoo)

No you’re not. Google, Bing and Yahoo have no such partnerships in the world of SEO. Their job is to display the most relevant search results for their users, not to make special partnerships with SEO agencies. Plus, an employee or engineer at Google would be jeopardizing their job by illegally associating with an SEO or marketing company.