11 replies to this topic

[compar]

I just got a piece of spam email from [removed]. They have a product called [removed] and here is what they say about it:

[Deleted copyrighted copy.  Please just post the gist of the message. - Jill]

Is anybody familiar with this company? Do they really have the international presence and customer base they advertise. These are the kind of companies that give SEO a bad name as far as I'm concerned.

[mcanerin]

I do like the terms "non-compliant" and "compliant", as an aside. They are non-judgmental (as much as possible, anyway) and in some cases could be used in the same way that MS used to proudly announce that they were non-compliant because they were so darn advanced! (not that many believed them, but that's a different story).

Personally, I like to be compliant, but I think I mentioned that somewhere before...

I receive several emails a day from companies like this. I'm going to start a collection and post them on my website as fine examples of the latest in spammer technology and as bad examples to be noticed by all.

Hey, you can't tell me it's private correspondence when you are hiding your "reply to:" and have blasted it to 20 million people who didn't want it. Bring it on!<grins and loads web publishing software>

Ian

[Jill]

Everything I have ever read about [this company] suggests that they basically spam the engines. They make no bones about it at least, which I suppose is some credit to Mr. Bolger, their CEO.

I wouldn't recommend the service if you believe in following search engine guidelines.

Jill

[Searchaware]

As I recall there is a somewhat lengthy discussion on --- featuring a very robust defence of his service by Mr Bolger on another search engine forum.

Even if their system stays within the search engine guidelines (and I am not sure it does at all) there is no question it is certainly not within the spirit of most search engines guidelines. Of course they will insist that nobody ever made money from following guidelines either to the letter or in spirit.

Look carefully at what the service provides - will it optimise YOUR ACTUAL SITE in the long run? And how often do you buy something you first hear about through unsolicited direct contact?

Simon

[compar]

Look carefully at what the service provides - will it optimise YOUR ACTUAL SITE in the long run?  And how often do you buy something you first hear about through unsolicited direct contact?

I wasn't considering using their services.

[Scottie]

You can read threads at both ihelpyouservices.com/forum and cre8asiteforums.com where Mr. Bolger tells you about his services in his own words.

Stop and think about this- if a company e-mail spams as a marketing tactic, why would anyone consider their service?

[Searchaware]

I wasn't considering using their services.

Bob

Sorry - I did note you weren't planning to use them. That sentence was just a general suggestion for others who may read the thread!

Simon

[MakeMeTop]

Top-Pile do not believe in a thing called e-mail spam - they believe that sending hundreds of thousands of unsolicited e-mails is a totally acceptable way of doing business. They have the same attitude towards their treatment of search engines and their guidelines. They believe that auto-generating thousands of redirecting no-content pages is a perfectly reasonable way to do SEO.

At least Paddy is up-front about their methods and beliefs - many are not!

[compar]

Top-Pile do not believe in a thing called e-mail spam - they believe that sending hundreds of thousands of unsolicited e-mails is a totally acceptable way of doing business. They have the same attitude towards their treatment of search engines and their guidelines. They believe that auto-generating thousands of redirecting no-content pages is a perfectly reasonable way to do SEO.

But the other part of my question that nobody has answered is do they really have the international presence and customer base that they claim on their web site?

If they do it sure makes a lie of the old adage that says "crime doesn't pay".

[projectphp]

If they do it sure makes a lie of the old adage that says "crime doesn't pay".

Firstly, it isn't a crime to spam engines. It may bet unethical, non-comliant or even unprofessional, but certainly not a crime. Neither is it a crime for search engines to ditch your site cause they don't like you, or any other reason they can think of. No moral judgement, just facts.

That said, look at the Nigerian spam that flies around. That IS a crime, and that seems pretty profitable.

As for:

do they really have the international presence and customer base that they claim on their web site?

How many countries do they cliam? how many clients? Do they name any of them?

I am sure they do have a great many clients, probably in many countries. I bet the vast majority of them aren't doing very well in Google, and that a great deal of them either tried the product and ditched it, or else no longer use it. EVERY windows user has IE, but does that mean they all use it? I don't.

Also, what qualifies as a customer? I bought petrol @ an independant station in Switzerland many years ago, do I count as a customer?

I think, with any software, the number of users is far less than the number of downloads over a period of time, and that most of the people really can't be classified "customers" or "clients" in any sort of traditional sense.

[compar]

Firstly, it isn't a crime to spam engines. It may bet unethical, non-comliant or even unprofessional, but certainly not a crime. Neither is it a crime for search engines to ditch your site cause they don't like you, or any other reason they can think of. No moral judgement, just facts.

I knew some literalist would pick me up on the use of crime. Are you familiar with the old adage at all? It is frequently used in the broadest sense. Like something you might tell you children when caught sneaking a cookie out of the cookie jar. I'm certainly not suggesting that any law has been broken or a federal offense has been committed. I'm only using it in sense that these guys appear to be doing things that are commonly understood to be against the search engine "rules".

As for:
How many countries do they cliam? how many clients? Do they name any of them?

Why don't you go to their web site and find out?

I am sure they do have a great many clients, probably in many countries. I bet the vast majority of them aren't doing very well in Google, and that a great deal of them either tried the product and ditched it, or else no longer use it.

How can you be sure if you haven't even bothered to visit the site? The web site lists Offices and phone numbers in the US, Europe and Australia. That gives the appearance of a significant International presence. I also thought I read on the site that they claimed to have 5,000 clients although upon a revisit just now I can't find it again.

My question was a general one. Does anybody know if this is anywhere near factual or is it pure hype?

[MakeMeTop]

Oh, it's pretty factual. They have hundreds of resellers - usually small web design companies (though they have some pretty big companies too) selling this to companies.

Top-Pile is not a small company by any means. Like it or not - it is a good sales operation.