Scam Warning: Do You Get These Unsolicited SEO Emails?
Scam Warning: Do You Get These Unsolicited SEO Emails?
You’ve received email messages about your website that make you wonder if you should respond. SEO “experts” claim to have examined your website and your Google rankings. They promise that their Search Engine Optimization (SEO) skills will rescue your site, or your Google Business Profile, from a desperate lack of results. You’re pretty sure these unsolicited SEO emails are a scam, but how do you know?
Thankfully, there are often several clues. Here, we’ll show you what to look out for, what’s at risk, and what to expect from a reputable SEO firm.
In other words, we’ll help you avoid falling for unsolicited SEO emails and their misleading promises. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Don’t Fall for Fake Urgency
False urgency is a classic scam tactic. SEO scam emails often use phrases such as, “You are losing valuable website traffic”, “need to act”, “don’t get left behind”, “we’ve run a report on your site and it gets a failing grade,” etc.
This language can fool recipients of these unsolicited SEO emails into thinking they need to act quickly to protect their business. When people act quickly, out of fear, they often make decisions they wouldn’t otherwise make.
When it comes to your website’s SEO results, there is no urgency. The notion that terrible things will happen if you don’t act doesn’t apply. The effective use of SEO to boost your site’s organic search results is a thoughtful, intentional process. It requires keyword and competitive research, followed by strategic implementation.
If you’re receiving unsolicited SEO emails in your inbox, insisting that you need to act quickly, you’re likely looking at a scam.
2. Watch for Other Tell-Tale Signs
There are other ways to tell if an email could be a scam, as well. Thankfully, many unsolicited SEO emails use the same formula, claiming to have evaluated your website or Google Business Profile rankings, with dismal results. While, at first glance, these emails can be convincing, a closer look will help you realize that they are a scam.
Here are a few things to look out for:
Sending Email Address — Hover over the sending email address, is it a random Gmail email address?
No personalization — Does the email fail to use your name? Does the greeting look something like, “Hello!”, “Greetings”, or “Dear Sir/Maam”? These unsolicited SEO emails don’t have your name because you’ve not agreed to receive emails from them.
Vague claims — Many of these unsolicited SEO emails have broad claims. While they may suggest they’ve examined your website and analyzed how they can help you improve your SEO results, they don’t mention specifics about your keyword phrases, the structure of your content, or your code. Keep in mind, that it’s highly unlikely that they’ve looked at your site at all. As a result, they can only make vague, questionable claims.
Suspicious language — As you’ve likely noticed with other email scams, the language used in unsolicited SEO emails can be distant and robotic. Because they are spamming large audiences with the same email, they can’t be specific enough to sound genuine. Even if they use your business name, it can sound repetitive and poorly written. In addition, the language is often littered with spelling mistakes or poor grammar.
Questionable follow-up — Unsolicited SEO emails will often close with a call-to-action that has your instinct on guard. Some common red flags include:
- We found “errors” on your website
- We can get you to the top of Google search results
- We guarantee to get you results
- We’ll upgrade your site – we need your login information
- We’ll write your content for free
Never click on a link within an email that looks suspicious. If you want to know more about a company, you can always open a new browser window and go to their website, or search to see if the company is a scam.
3. The Risk Posed
So, what happens if you have been receiving unsolicited SEO emails? Is there any real risk to your business? The answer depends on the structure of your business, your vendor policies, and the trust you have in your employees.
Any SEO scam email should be deleted and reported as spam or junk. If you run a small operation, you can likely keep an eye on your business inbox yourself, or ask your admin employees to delete them, as they come in. If you have a process in place to source and vet vendors, you can easily have your employees on the lookout for these and other scam messages.
If you respond to the message, you will validate your email and likely receive more frequent messaging. Worse, if you click on a link and log in to a fake site with your credentials, you could fall subject to a phishing scam.
As with any suspicious email, it’s important to delete unsolicited SEO emails without clicking on any links. Do not respond or otherwise engage. If the offer looks tempting and you want to check the company out, do some research online to see if they work with integrity, or if they should be avoided at all costs.
4. How it Should be Done
As you can imagine, there are plenty of trustworthy SEO companies. Sometimes, they may cold call you to see if you could use their services. A company that operates with integrity will make it clear that they’re familiar with your site. They will invite you to check out their website and read their reviews and client testimonials. They won’t make promises to land you on the first page of Google results (although they might).
A true SEO partner will work closely with you to understand your business objectives. They will conduct a thorough assessment of your site, from current search engine rankings to code structure, page load speed, and more. They will research relevant keywords and write new website copy with specific keyword density in mind, allowing you to climb higher in organic search results.
At no point will a reputable company promise to land your website on the first page of Google search results. Nor will they ask you to provide login details for your site, especially not off the bat.
5. Trust Your Instinct
Unfortunately, plenty of unsuspecting business owners fall prey to unsolicited SEO emails. To protect yourself and your business from known scams, be wary of unsolicited SEO emails. Your instinct is often a good guide on this front. As you process clues like poor grammar, unnecessary urgency, and a vague, impersonal tone, something within you will likely wonder if this company is legit.
To protect yourself, delete unsolicited SEO emails, without responding or clicking on them. Report them as spam or junk, and then decide if you want to pursue an SEO upgrade to your site using a reputable firm.
To start, do some research to find an SEO team you can trust. Look for vendors with excellent ratings and strong client reviews. Ask potential vendors about their success rates and stories, and whether they’ve done work in a similar industry to yours.
SEO services can lift your site within organic search results and elevate your Google Business Profile ranking. While many SEO tactics go into an overall strategy, the most important step is to find an SEO team that you trust.
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