In a recent, rather vigorous thread about internet marketing, I was at loggerheads with a gentleman called Jim (it may have been Friday or Saturday). The one rant was so long that I only read the last couple of lines). I was asked to put up or shut up about what really affected positioning in the SERP’s.
Like a fool, I took the bait.
For the record Jim, I get my information from two sources..
1/ The six sites I am paid to look after.
2/ Now, six sites is way too small a sample to get good information. Instead I pay a hefty fee to an internet research company. They employ programmers to analyse and test several hundred sites across the web. Their (expensive) data is amazing. That’s where the keywords in domain name stuff came from.
In an attempt to prove things, I stupidly spent most of Sunday checking search results with tracking software. This was whilst I waited for replies to some e- mails I sent out (just to be doubly sure).
These included one to the research company outlining what was happening. I said it had brought home to me the value of their service. I got a reply today.
Here it is…
“Gary,
You are in the right place.
We Do What We Talk About. No hand waving here.
We are living it, studying it, analyzing it everyday. This is what XXXXX XX X XXXXXX is and this is what we do. Cut through the BS and get it done. Glad to have
you here and glad that we can help you to save time and money.
XXXXX - X….) …”
I sent another to... (You’ll love this one Jim), one of those internet marketing experts you mentioned. I trained with them a few years ago and we have remained friends. In it I requested a bit of back up (for credibility).
Here’s a copy of my E mail.
“Hi Xxxxxxx,
Hope you are well.
Look, I really could do with your help here.
Before I ask, I want you to remember what it was like when you first started in business. You know, when you felt alone and did not know whether people were offering good advice or bad?
I take part in a forum for carpet cleaners.
There are a lot of start up businesses and a load of one man bands who are struggling to stay afloat. A lot of the posts are about internet marketing. Lads are paying a few hundred quid for a site, then get no business off them.
Out of the blue a "website designer and SEO expert" has joined and is spouting crap.
I have challenged him and things have turned nasty.
Normally, I would not get involved but this idiot is now showing them borderline black hat techniques (stuff that is guaranteed to get them penalised). I have to fight for these start up guys.
Now, I don't want you to actually do anything. What I need to ask is...
Can I say...
1/ I know you.
2/ Who you are.
3/ You've taught me a lot about online marketing.
4/ Who you have JV’d with (the guys you quote on the site.. XXXXXX XXXXX, XXX XXXXXX etc).
In return, I promise I'll send as many as I can to your site or blog.
G.
ps I've sent this to both your addresses. If you get it twice just delete…”
The reply arrived today. Here it is….
“Hi Gary
I have seen this before on forums, that's why I teach all of my students in a 30 minute session the correct use of forums.
My advice is this.
1. Report him to the forum owner.
2. DO NOT debate with him.
3. Ignore him.
4. Feed the forum factual pieces but NEVER reply to any comments.
Forums can be a swamp for anyone not understanding the minds behind them. I avoid them!
Use me if you like but with a forum addict it won't make any difference... they are generally total losers that get their life significance from a forum.
Xxxxxxx ”
I replied. I thanked him for making me realise how much time and energy I had wasted doing all that research for free. This was his second reply.
“Gary ... think about this...
You know those EXPERTS on forums that type and type and type endlessly?. In fact they could create 5 books with a year of typing How can they also be working and creating wealth? Impossible.
Leave them to what they know best ... NOTHING!
Have a forum free day mate……..” The rest was private stuff.
Kind of says it all really.
So there you have it Jim. I've decided to shut up after this.
I just wish I'd thought to do it earlier. I would not have wasted so much time. I still cannot believe I allowed myself to get drawn into this but … you live and learn.
I am not going to educate you for free.
If the Moderators feel this is a personal attack and I should resign, that’s OK. I’ll respect their views.
G
Gary 22,
You refer to me as a GURU in your rather tasteless thread headline. Why did you start a new topic, to draw attention to yourself, in a blatant attempt to belittle me and basically call me a liar. You have gone off thread. I would like you to point out where, exactly, I referred to myself as an expert.
You sound upset, touched a nerve. I have asked you twice to quote correctly if you are going to quote from a post. It has not sunk in has it? You still mis-quote. In fact you rather answer the reason for this in the following sentence :
"QUOTE" In a recent, rather vigorous thread about internet marketing, I was at loggerheads with a gentleman called Jim (it may have been Friday or Saturday). The one rant was so long that I only read the last couple of lines). I was asked to put up or shut up about what really affected positioning in the SERP’s.
"I only read the last couple of lines" . Now I know why you mis-quote - You don't even bother to read the post you are commenting on.!! Loggerheads?
I did not get that impression. If you had bothered to read the all of my posts you would have noticed that I stated that I was nothing like an expert, but had a little knowledge which I offered in good faith, it was open to anyone who read my comments to make up their own minds. I can assure you, that I would never deceive anyone purposely. If anyone reads my posts on this topic, I think most will agree that it was certainly not ranting. I can't find the put up or shut up, all I asked was that if you were going to quote from a post "put some time in and do it correctly".
"Quote" Like a fool, I took the bait.
What bait?
Gary, your 2 sources and eMails. How do we know you did not just make them up?
What exactly are they supposed to prove - your position?
What about this little beauty.
"QUOTE"
"Out of the blue a "website designer and SEO expert" has joined and is spouting crap".
So, if anyone has a different slant on things, that's "Crap" in your opinion?
Just 1 more and we are done, That's if you bother to read the reply - doubt it!!
"QUOTE"
"Normally, I would not get involved but this idiot is now showing them borderline black hat techniques (stuff that is guaranteed to get them penalised). I have to fight for these start up guys".
Good job you are saving the world, now that Tony Blair has moved on, we can all sleep safe in our beds !! Do you actually know yourself, without input from your mates what Blackhat techniques are? If you did you would certainly know that landing pages and gateway pages are not Blackhat. In fact if you bothered to pop over to google for some advice, they actually recommend it. I have seen it within the last 2 days on the google site. Go on, have a look, surprise yourself.
The two best parts of your post were:
"So there you have it Jim. I've decided to shut up after this". There is a GOD""
" I am not going to educate you for free". Now who sounds like the all knowing GURU!! What a disappointment!!
And I could go on and on Quoting your Mis-Quotes. But there are better things in life
than corresponding with someone so obviously filled with hate in his soul.
If you do not agree with someone, so what, how many do on this forum, just move on.
Gary, Pick up your ball and go home.
Jim G
P.S.
For someone so knowledgeable, you do not give a lot away in your profile do you? And where are your websites, where are you involved in cleaning. Most of your posts seem to cover SEO and YOUR expertise in it for your clients.