Comments on: Where Can You Find America’s Best SEMs? Right Next to America’s Best Steakhouses, Of Course!

By: » One More Complaint Against TOPSEOs – Are they a shakedown operation or legitimate service? | Search Marketing Wisdom

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:21:53 +0000

[...] But let’s be clear here – this is something that’s been going on for years now. And others have complained about TOPSEOs previously. Like Mark Jackson over at Search Engine Watch back in 2008. And before that, over at Vizion Interactive the year before. And other real business people have legitimate complaints about TOPSEOs. [...]

By: John Carlos

John Carlos — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:45:33 +0000

Jeev Trika

By: John Carlos

John Carlos — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:45:11 +0000

I am wondering what this is all about ?

By: Rachel Underwood

Rachel Underwood — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:31:33 +0000

I work in the accounting department for a client of TopSeos. The company I work for have paid an exhorberent amount of money ($40,000 to date) for the services of TopSeos (I know because I pay the invoices). Up until now they were under the impression that the rankings they received on TopSeos were due to the fact they are an ethical company that provides an excellent service to their clients. My employers were approached recently by Jeev Trika who demanded that they pay more as he had other companies in the same field that he could sell the positions to for for a higher price. Well to say they were taken aback is a gross understatement as this means it is actually a bidding war for positions and not based on merit at all. I would like to point out that I am sure that many of the businesses listed on TopSeos will be equally unaware that this is case until they themselves are put in the same position. Jeev Trika is a very unpleasant and unproffessional man who has no interest in researching the sites he proposes to “rate” and his main objective is to line his own pockets. In a nutshell Topseos is a scam and should be avoided at all costs. Incidently my employers received very little business through topseos and the whole unpleasant episode has cost the company money. Avoid Avoid Avoid!!

By: Danny

Danny — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 06:51:05 +0000

This is such a great example of a search marketing local strategy!!! There's no better way to get business through the door then this.

By: John Roose

John Roose — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:28:13 +0000

David, I appreciate your opinion. But you did obtain those screenshots online at the TopSEOs site right? So obviously the information is out there and available for anyone to find. I certainly did my investigative research before going with the information posted. And the bottom line is that they connected me to good companies, and results are ultimately what I and I'm sure other businesses care about.In regard to your last question, I am not affiliated with TopSEOs. While I don't necessarily appreciate the implication I can understand the concern.

By: David Rodnitzky

David Rodnitzky — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:13:22 +0000

John, that may be true – I'm not implying that the firms are bad – but the fact that you have to pay to be ranked is problematic for many reasons: 1) the rankings are only open to people who pay the rankers money, so it is not an inclusive list; 2) there is an implicit promise of high rankings if you pay; 3) it is not disclosed to consumers that this is "for pay";Also, do you have any affiliation with TopSEOs? Just curious.

By: John Roose

John Roose — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:30:15 +0000

I have done a lot of research to find quality internet marketing firms without a whole lot of success. Every vendor that I have used that is on the TopSEOs list has provided exceptional service. They certainly have to be doing research to ensure that these companies are valid otherwise I'm sure their rankings would have been ignored a long time ago. According to the research I've done the site has been around since 2002.

By: David Rodnitzky

David Rodnitzky — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:54:22 +0000

Brian, you are right that this isn't new, and advertising to some degree is always stretching the truth.The problem I have with this – and its the same problem the FTC has with flogs – is that it is representing itself as being objective and not advertising, when in fact it is 100% advertising. It is deliberately misleading consumers in my opinion.

By: Brian Hancock

Brian Hancock — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:05:01 +0000

This isn't anything new, this site has existed under this model for quite a long time.Your 100% right that people pay for rankings there, but it's not much different from the rest of the world. Advertisers get articles in trade publications, members of organizations win bogus awards because they are a paid member, get speaking engagements at industry conferences, etc.This is the world we live in – nothing is as it seems…