The latest Google-gaming SEO scam: Pass on it

First, there was the million dollar pixel page and its imitators. Then cloud tag sites. Then bidding directories. All of which had little or no SEO value to the buyers to begin with and all of which were or are being nullified by Google.

Today, I read about the latest scam. The Million Dollar Wiki. Before you start thinking, "Wow! What a great idea! I need to get in on this!", please go back and read Google's guidelines on link schemes and link buying and selling, and then Matt Cutts recent stepped up campaign against paid links.

Selling or Renting Pages on Established Domains?
September 12, 2007

The tenacity of spammers and scammers never fails to amaze. P.T. Barnum said, "There's one born every minute", referring to "suckers". He might just as well have used the statement in reference to con artists - there's no shortage of those, either.

 

Nice and informative post but for me I will not spend $1,000 for page rent.

 

So it's basically the same idea as Squidoo, Hubpages, etc., except you've got to pay to have your page there and they won't take it down if it's very spammy. Yeah, anyone who buys a page on that site is a sucker.

 

There is actually a company dedicated to doing this (selling pages for SEO purposes) I ran into them at a trade show about a year ago, but can't think of their name. They sell you a dedicated page that they themselves create that is very content rich & revolves about the topic of your site.

If anyone knows the company that I'm talking about, please post.

 

I was thinking of another one. Also, from what I remember they weren't cheap with packages from $1,000 & higher

 

Wow thanks for the info. I hadn't even heard of that yet. I can see how people might fall for it. I'm sure many will find this info very useful

 

Wow amazed if this guy has sold pages worth $50k.

I think pixel website series started by Alex was actually not for SEO it was about traffic. And same is with top bids at bidding directories.

When Google has publicized the number known as "Pagerank" then it was all bound to happen. And marketing has to be done on internet and to get organic traffic.

Its not possible to keep this circle running without ppl buying links everything cannot be adjusted naturally. What's wrong if link is purchased on suitable page?

 

I think this site will be successful.. not sure if he will get to 1 million though.. but yesterday alone I beleive he sold 150 pages ($15,000)... That right there is success if the site does nothing else..

 

Any traffic it delivered lasted about 5 minutes.

Only if you're interested in traffic from other bidding directories or webmasters looking at competitors listings in bidding directories.

 

I agree with Mong - i'd buy a page on there for traffic ... $100 is no money for that, also i'd buy if it was a <no follow> - i'm buying / leasing many links for that purpose only - couldn't give a w*nk about page rank - it's so over rated.

As long as the site owner plows money in marketing the site, the 627 page owners will be happy -- may be i'll be customer 628.

Never close your mind to new marketing ideas - closed minds = closed business

 

You can't just talk about "traffic", that's the point.

Not all traffic is created equal.

I periodically get bursts of traffic from DMOZ but it doesn't go anywhere. Why not? Because they are editors looking at my sites after one of my rants against DMOZ.

You may get traffic from all sorts of places, including from competitors. That's not necessarily traffic you want or traffic that's going to benefit you in any significant way, beyond inflating your stats.

Many webmasters don't seem to get this - or fail to remember it. And of course the directory owners trying to sell you a link aren't going to tell you.

 

thanks for the link, it was a nice read

 

Yep its hit or miss situation and very clear to payers right from start. They tend to pay for taking part in the buzz idea and nothing else. It cannot be considered as long term investment or even investment.

I don't have any bidding directory so cannot tell what's the source of traffic to these kind of sites. But if i suppose what you says then i think this bubble would have busted already which is not the case even today.

 

Only because the people still bidding on those spots aren't paying attention.

 

In some cases these are those ppl who have their own bidding directories so i think they must know the reality about the source of traffic then why they should 'waste' their money?

 

All that PR selling and heavy interlinking is what got them into trouble in the first place.

Some people are just very slow learners.

 

I sometimes wonder if people even really do make valid bids. Such a shady business IMHO.

 

article was very good.

it was intresting to read.

thanks

 

Nice article. Some people might fall for it..

 

I think you are misguided and all the post you have here
on DP have gone for naught. Aswell as the reading of threads
you've done.
I see that you are one of those that lives and
breaths Google PR. some dont give a crap about PR.
alot of people just want traffic, because you never know
where your next customer will come from.
"Any traffic it delivered lasted 5 minutes"
Super bowl commercials cost Average :30 second Spot
Cost, $2.3 Million.

LOL you would tell Monster.com, Godaddy.com, e-Trade.com
that they are wasting their money for "any traffic would
last just 5 minutes"?? LMAO
obviously not employed on madison ave.

what a dumb thread and idea altogether.
LOL