If you received a call from a company offering “front page domination” of the Google Search Results, be careful. These sorts of false SEO claims are all to common these days.
False SEO Claims: Google Files Suit
Google is taking legal action against a southern California SEO company who Google claims went too far. The company allegedly claimed to be “working for Google” and that the fee for services went to Google.
What’s Legal, What’s Not?
“There’s a range of SEO practices, from white hat ones that are endorsed by search engines, to black hat practices that, while they may not be illegal, violate search engine rules.”
“Now Google is taking a rare legal action against one Southern California SEO company it says went too far and broke the law. In its complaint (PDF), Google says that Tustin, California-based Local Lighthouse has bombarded consumers with ‘incessant, unsolicited automated telephone calls’ since mid-2014, making ‘false guarantees of first-page placement in Google search results.'”
“Google lawyers also say Local Lighthouse misrepresents its relationship with Google. The company’s salespeople call themselves Google Local Listing representatives. According to complaints Google has received, Local Lighthouse sales agents have made statements including ‘We’re a Google subcontractor,’ ‘we’re working for Google,’ and ‘the $100 fee [to buy Local Lighthouse services] goes to Google.’ Lighthouse promises customer webpages ‘will show up multiple times on the front page and get what’s called Front Page Domination.'”
There are a myriad of companies offering help with your local SEO. Some are great companies, some are scams. Caveat emptor rules the day. For information on how we can help you with local SEO, please call Luke Schulze or Allen Jezouit today at 413-458-1721.