TopSEOs Sewage Leaks To Scotland via @thedrum hobo.im/xBQQzf
— Shaun Anderson (@Hobo_Web) January 16, 2012
Man. I was so disappointed when I saw the Drum Magazine today – surely recognised as one of Scotland’s – and the UK’s – top marketing and advertising publications – at least it used to be (or I had that impression) when I worked as a junior in ‘advertising’ in the 90s.
Why the disappointment?
For spreading, in my opinion, more TopSEOS sewage about. This time, wait for it – promoting “The number one SEO company in the UK” – LOL :
What an astonishing – even, misleading, claim to make about ANY SEO company in the UK.
Lets be clear – I don’t have a beef with the company mentioned – they are using a marketing channel – and it obviously works for them. Why they need to go into bed with Topseos I have no idea – we got @50 new business leads over the last 4 weeks without paid advertising – at all – anywhere – but that’s up to them – but if they want to put their name to that crap – they are putting themselves in the firing line. Big profits to make – it would seem.
My problem is actually with the Drum for spreading this sewage about companies WINNING AWARDS when they - according to many reports – ARE PAYING TOPSEOS TO WIN THESE AWARDS.
I asked the Drum if they were comfortable with that editorial on their site and (very nice of him, it has to be said) -
- the Drum’s editor, Gordon Young, replied:
Although The Drum likes to make sure all our editorial is as strong as possible, I have to confess we are not infallible. That is where we benefit from the strength of our online community who do a fantastic job providing additional balance where necessary, or at least putting forward alternative viewpoints from those reported in some of the news.
Apparently the content was not paid for, either.
So – this was an editorial?
Well this was a massive fail, in my opinion.
This one article has destroyed any trust I would have had in the Drum to publish accurate news. Hell, even publish accurate press releases.
The TopSEO website rates companies on a number of categories including needs analysis, keyword analysis, on page optimisation, off page optimisation and reporting methods.
That is laughable.
I don’t know of ONE respected SEO, from anywhere in the world, who has came forward and defended the practices of TopSEOS over the last few years – OR ANY of TOPSEOS astonishing claims.
I DO know of PLENTY of SEO who have came forward claiming Topseos awards and processes was – paraphrasing – a ‘joke’.
Want to see what the GLOBAL SEO COMMUNITY THINKS of Topseos and their worthless awards?
- TopSEOS on Hobo previously
- An informative new twist in the Topseos Awards, lead generation and accused copyright infringment (of article content) saga – opinion from Alan Bleiweiss on TOPSEOs Deceptive Practices – An Interview with Jeev Trika
- Topseos APPOLOGISE to “SEO industry” – http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/04/prweb3934014.htm – “SEO industry” not amused it seems.
- Topseos APPOLOGISE to “SEO industry” – Alan’s response – http://searchmarketingwisdom.com/2010/04/topseos-apologizes-legit-or-more-deceptive-business/
- More on Topseos here and here.
- TopSEOs.com $15,000 per month listing fees
- TopSEOs on Seobook – he knows a thing or two……
- http://sphinn.com/story/146009
- http://searchmarketingwisdom.com/2010/03/one-more-complaint-against-topseos-are-they-a-shakedown-operation-or-legitimate-service/
- http://nickwilsdon.com/sem-industry-revolt-topseos-com/
- http://www.seroundtable.com/archives/021947.html
- http://www.netmagellan.com/why-i-dont-display-my-numerous-topseos-awards-811.html
- http://www.vizioninteractive.com/top-seos-my-rant-continues/
FFS – Need I say more?
Seriously – these topseos awards are a disservice to this industry – and clients looking for good seo companies – everywhere. I can’t believe I am getting worked up about a crappy LEAD GENERATION site….but it annoys every time you go to Google and see these “TOP AWARDS” and “No1 SEO Company” all over PPC ads.
Ahem….trading standards?
Thank you – The Drum magazine – for spreading this sewage about in Scotland, and helping make it even harder to compete as a small SEO company in 2012.
HUGE disappointment.
Please join the many seo who have expressed dismay by tweeting this:
TopSEOs Sewage Leaks To Scotland via @thedrum hobo.im/xBQQzf
— Shaun Anderson (@Hobo_Web) January 16, 2012
Thanks for posting this Shaun. In particular the catalogue of references at the bottom.
[...] Opinion: TopSEOs Sewage Leaks To Scotland via The Drum Magazine, http://www.hobo-web.co.uk [...]
The topseos and the drum are both laughable and utterly pathetic. Like you if your great or even just good at what you do your results and word of mouth will take care of business no need for fake awards.
My agency (Greenlight) came 3rd apparently (stated in the Drum’s article) but we don’t pay TopSEOs a penny. So, I’m confused. Are we saying that TOPSEOs charges some agencies and not others (!) or that they are just incredibly poor at communicating their methods?
Yes. And Im saying your agency isn’t the 3rd best seo company in the UK. You should be glad :)
TBH I just laughed when I saw the article – its not worth getting p***ed off over. If these fake awards are clients look for over knowledge and results then they are welcome to them, I would rather work with clients that have more sense than to fall for that c**p
I wouldn’t pick and choose my clients so selectively, there are many businesses out there that simply don’t classify “the web” as part of their speciality… And that’s why they call upon us. For those businesses who need assistance with an online marketing strategy, searches such as ‘top SEO companies’ and ‘top marketing agencies’ are going to be a pretty reasonable place to start from… Leading them to the likes of the drivel on TopSEO’s. Not fair from a consumers point of view, they won’t know any different – they won’t even bother to research TopSEO’s to view content such as this.