Joe Ant & GoGuides -- are you aware of this?

[WebSavvy]

Just a heads up for DMOZ, JoeAnt, and GoGuides

Geez. A friend of mine sent me this link because she thought it made it sound like this place is trying to give the impression that people can buy their way into directories via this company's service:

http://www.customermagnetism.com/link-building.htm (http://tinyurl.com/8nu73)

They have DMOZ, JoeAnt, GoGuides and others listed there. I'm guessing because the majority of them charge a fee?

However, DMOZ doesn't charge but this company is making it sound like they have the authority to "get you in at dmoz" for a fee.

RIP OFF! RIP OFF! RIP OFF!

[ihelpyou]

Directory Submissions - These are quality online directories whose directory listings are known to show up as permanent, one-way back links in Google, Yahoo and/or MSN. Starting as low as $1,495 for 25 directory listings.
What a scam. Any owner can submit to the paid directories themselves for only a couple hundred bucks.

Make this thread "public" Deb. This firm needs to be "outed".

[WebSavvy]

OK. I'm sure the directory owners listed there would like to be made aware of this.

I'll just move this thread to the Best Practices forum. OK?

[Connie]

That is nothing but a Scam and a big ripoff.

[Blue]

No surprise they are members of SEMPO and take a booth at SES.

[WebSavvy]

Wonder how many of their submission clients ended up being clients based on the "impress factor" that they're members of SEMPO and speakers at SES (like either of those matter or are important)?

There are plenty of ethical SEOs who won't rip someone off that are NOT members of SEMPO and do NOT speak at SES.

However, someone new to this industry doesn't know that the "impress factor" means nothing.

[Quadrille]

So long as these organizations tolerate shysters, spammers and dweebs*, the 'impress factor' is negative

In this context:

DWEEB, n; [list=1]
friend of spammers, shysters and hucksters
apologist for, spammers, shysters and hucksters
one who proceeds with head where the sun don't shine
[/list=1]

[ihelpyou]

This is an example of our so-called "leaders" not caring one bit about the general public. They will sell advertising to anyone and everyone. They will allow anyone to be a member of SEMPO. They will take the money of "anyone" for advertising. They will take the money for a text ad or a banner ad to be shown "all by itself" at the top of the front page of the SEW forums. Yeah, have you all seen the latest over there? Companies who have a crap service are being advertised in that place as a stand-alone ad now.

This industry is total twaddle with many of the players looking out for their own interests and not caring about others in this industry who only exist to rip others off.

1500 bucks for 25 directory listings? Heck; there are only a few good directories out there worth being in right now. Those worth being in can be submitted by the damn owner of the site. That owner can submit all by themselves and does not need to hire a scammer for $1500 to do so.

Pathetic.