12 More SEO Idiots (or Experts) to Avoid
A few months ago, I posted 7 SEO idiots and subsequently received myriad ideas for
other SEO idiots. Below you’ll find 12 more SEO idiots with dialogue and oatmeal-like
depictions. Thank you to everyone who submitted ideas. For those ideas I’ve used, I’ve
given the comment author a link.
Poor Link Requester
Three years ago, I remember hearing that 3-way link exchanges would be the new
wave of linkbuilding. Unfortunately, those who still request these types of link
exchanges are behind the curve. Many SEO idiots who request these link exchanges,
ask for a link from your main homepage and only offer you a pathetic link on their
affiliate site’s links page.
Submitted
1997 SEO
These SEOs had their glory days in the late 90s. They were able to game even the best
of search engines. However, getting SEO results in the late 90s has no bearing on the
ability to achieve rankings today. Many of these SEOs focus on meta keywords and
keyword stuffing. Stay away from these old-timers.
Blackhatter Who Continuously Raises SE Flags
I’m not out to bash any particular SEO company here, especially in lieu of recent
events. But, let’s be honest, blackhat or greyhat practices don’t just hurt the reputation
of the offending SEO company–poor practices also hurt the entire SEO industry.
Submitted by Gary Young
Garage SEO with a Confidential Client List
If no client list exists, that can only mean 1 of 2 things. Either he/she signed a
confidentiality agreement with his/her clients or he/she doesn’t have any clients worth
mentioning. I’m going to guess it’s the latter. Lack of a company website should be a
good red flag that the individual has no idea what he/she is doing.
The “I won’t come to your office for less than $5000″ SEO
Evidently, there are some pompous individuals in the industry. More power to them.
Even if an SEO can provide incredible results and charge high prices, that doesn’t give
him permission to treat others with a “holier than thou” attitude.
Backlink Buyer
Much like the Blackhatter above, the Backlink Buyer makes a living from buying and
selling links. While this SEO may be good at staying ahead of Google’s spam net, his
tactics will eventually be discovered.
Future SEO
These SEOs are thinkers but never doers. They’ll talk your ear off about new, innovative
techniques and how they could pull off the “perfect” campaign. But when it comes to
actually doing the work, they never perform.
Submitted by
Web Designer SEO
These yahoos are similar to the Conversion Expert who thinks that conversion
optimization will somehow result in higher rankings. Admittedly, I used to be one of
these SEOs. If someone is making design recommendations to improve SEO, this
person is probably a web developer who has merely dabbled in SEO.
Moon on a Stick SEO
These SEOs are great. They can make huge ranking promises with unbelievable
guarantees or warranties. However, their contracts’ fine print usually mentions that
they’ll only get rankings for long-tail or obscure keyphrases.
Off Page Only SEO
Contrasting the Sparkling, White Hat SEO, this SEO prefers to do off-page SEO only. In
fact, this SEO probably has no clue how to perform on-page optimization. Good luck
trying to get him to do keyword research and on-page SEO.
Packaging SEO
Because SEO is one of those things that can be compartmentalized into specific
packages (NOT), this SEO has taken the packaging syndrome to a whole new level. He
makes it easy on you by allowing you to choose from an internet marketing menu of
sorts. Don’t get me wrong, many SEO ‘tasks’ can be packaged, but SEO as a whole, is
too complex and constantly changing to be easily segmented into basic packages.
Submitted
PPC Guy
The PPC Guy SEO has never learned what the word, “organic,” means. Hey, PPC is
basically the same as SEO, right? At least that what he thinks. He believes his expert
PPC skills fully qualify him as an SEO expert as well.