1&1 SEO Tools, 1and1 search engine optimisation tools - TV Ads Firstly before I begin with what this thread is about please note the spelling of "optimisation" instead of "optimiztion" in the thread title. This is the UK spelling and something those using British English have to bear in mind with all things SEO as the market is so heavily influenecd by Americanism's such as this to ignore such things is to operate in a blinkered way. Now that said let us get on to why I have made a thread about 1and1 SEO tools. Over the past few months (this written 21st April 2013) 1and1 have had adverts on the mainstream TV in the UK advertising their services. In these TV adverts 1and1 mention that they provide "search engine optimisation" tools to help make sure you get found. Now I have been studying search and in particular SEO almost every waking hour since 2003 and to my knowledge this is the first time ever "SEO" has been mentioned in name on TV in advertising. Back in the day we saw adverts for "search this name or that name (phrase)" and even ads that said "Google this or that". Then it was more recently a case of "Find us on Facebook". Then we saw ads for "Follow us on Twitter". Today we still see this Facebook and Twitter thing going on quite a lot in TV advertising. However just recently the "search" type adverts are beginning to sneak back again. Then to top it off we have 1and1's adverts with the first ever mention of "SEO" in TV advertising on British TV actually underway right now on a regular basis. Now anyone who searches for SEO related search terms will likely have seen the one on Forbes about the "Death of SEO and Rise of Social Media" but even so does it not strike you as strange that it has taken over a decade and a half since the first use of the term SEO for it to appear in TV advertising? What is the story where you are? I mean has SEO been mentioned on TV in adverts? If so by who and when and have you thought about how you can take advatage of this tv advertising if you yourself are involved in SEO?
1and1 has a very bad reputation in online world. Hundreds or maybe thousands of scam reports about them roam everywhere on the net. First of all I am curious how they manage to carry on their business and not only that they manage to buy time on national TV which cost lots of money. Because I am sure very few people buy from them now because of their bad reputation. Probably their owner has another sucessful business going on and he can afford to lose more money in 1and1 Maybe they are having a tough time getting any real business because of their shit repo in the online world so they have no choice but to target newbie audience from national TV that are not yet familier with the bad customer service and shit support of 1and1 and are more likely to buy from them. I have seen godaddy domain adverts a few times on indian channels. Never seen any company selling seo on TV.
Plenty still host with them and buy domains from them newbie191. If my calculations are right this is going to back fire on 1and1 big time in regard to their advertiisng their "SEO tools" as no matter how many are sucked in by the ads it is now just a waiting game to pick up the unsatisfied customers months down the line IMHO. They will of course retain a good enough percentage with those for whom the tools might seem to work well (enough to justify the ad spend?), likely in uncompetitive markets, where results are gained and those gains are enouhg to keep said clients happy. However I see a backlash on the horizon where people look elsewhere at a later date and am quite happy that 1and1 have inadvertently advertised SEO as it is amazing just how many businesses don't know what SEO is or have even heard of it. Just ask a local tradesmen about their site SEO if they have a website and most don't have a clue what it is... It is as I say the first time I ever saw any company advertise SEO in name (mentioning "search engine optimisation tools") on UK TV.
Don't you just know 1and1 are heading for lots more bad/negative mentions when people are posting threads like this 1and1 scam thread and sites like SitePoint and RipOffReport have them lampooned to. I feel a bit sorry for those that will see the TV ads and get sucked in to the second rate services 1and1 will provide.
I've thought exactly the same, how long will it take until people start complaining about 1and1 SEO tools. I personally think the adverts make SEO look like a walk in the park, when in fact good SEO is far from it.
Exactly my thoughts to Steve202 I couldn't agree more. I feel for the small buisness owners most tbh. Imagine how many will want to get found online and find it a struggle with what 1and1 offer. SEO tools and some naff tempate design system. These small businesses might be looking at relying on a good percentage of work coming in from offline and thus means getting found for more then just their name. Save for the good grace of Google they will get found for little else with what the 1and1 careless sign em up and fob them off system will provide. Now I say for the good grace of Google as Google will be providing more for free than anything 1and1's SEO tools provide for a fee. 1and1 from a site owners point of view will get credit for some of what is a given anyway. However good SEO takes hard work and the more competitive the market the harder the work. What 1and1 offer makes web design and SEO look worthless in comparison as seems over priced. Small businesses will find this appealing and the seemingly simple template system with it's ease of use will pull in many looking for a cheap solution to their needs. And that's b4 we even get on to the fact their SEO tools won't provide what is needed to compete.
They changed the adverts now and dropped the Tools" mention in their TV ads. "now the ads say "with search engine optimizaiton eveyone will find you". quite amusing when you you look at the state of their search results RE their tools search terms.
That's interesting that they've dropped the tools bit. Have to admit I haven't seen the new advert yet but will keep an eye out for it.