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Vol 5 Issue 5, 5/09 website | blog | twitter | LinkedIn |
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Beware the 'sponsored link' scammers A client recently contacted me when they had been offered the chance to have their website promoted 'via sponsored links on the front page of Google'. The approach they had received seemed plausible and good value, but they wanted me to check it out.I took a look at the email correspondence. This firm was offering a 'Page 1 Google Listing' and 'Daily Exposure' as well as other enticing sounding extras such as 'monthly reports' and a 'dedicated account manager'. They were charging a £99 'activation fee' then £20 per key phrase. In the email they appeared to say all the right things, such as 'As an affiliated Google re-seller you're in safe hands. We handle your campaign from start to finish, your success is our success...' Paying for no clicks I looked at their website. At no point in the emails, nor on their website, was the phrase 'pay per click' or 'Google Adwords' mentioned. The full terms of the deal made it clear that they were not promising any actual click throughs to the client's site. Also, they would choose the keywords, with no involvement from the client, which sounded very suspicious. At first I couldn't see how they could sell pay-per-click for a flat monthly fee - until the penny dropped. It's very easy to select keywords that won't get any click throughs if you choose phrases that aren't competitive - this costs the 'reseller' absolutely nothing, but meanwhile they're taking £20 a month off the client (per keyword). The business model is based on the client getting no clicks at all. As a comparison, the Google AdWords campaign that Eggbox is currently managing for this client targets well over 60 key phrases, with over half of them producing click throughs, and this is a small campaign. Effective pay-per-click advertising means bidding on a large number of keywords (at least to start with), so saying it would be fine to target just four (another suggestion in their email) is plain bad advice. Buyer beware There were other clues that rang alarm bells - it doesn't appear to be a limited company and the 'head office' is not in the UK. The firm has a logo and a name which could easily be confused with MSN, unlikely to be a coincidence. There's no evidence that they are Google AdWords Professional qualified, either. It just goes to show how easy it is to assume a business is legitimate and its practices fair, when in fact it's quite the opposite. It makes me sick that small businesses must fall prey to this kind of offer every day - because the amounts of money involved aren't huge, they try it, it doesn't work and they just put it down to experience. Perhaps they go away thinking that 'pay per click doesn't work' or that the internet is a load of hype. All I can say is, buyer beware. Do some investigation before signing up for something that seems 'worth a try', especially if you've been approached by email. Just because it's not illegal that doesn't make it OK. Spread the word and let's not put money in the pockets of these people. |
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Copyright ©2009 Eggbox Marketing Ltd, 1 Lansdown Place, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2JT, Tel: 01273 470010. Company registered in England number 5141855 |
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