A contact forwarded an email from an “SEO company” and asked, “Is this B.S.?” (Actual note — and I loved it.) LOL — yes, it is B.S.!

Unfortunately, online marketing and SEO have become the new spam/snake oil, because anyone with a computer and a Facebook account can claim to be an “expert.” While colleges are beginning to offer degrees in this field, the only currently recognized certifications are Google Analytics Certification and Google Partnership status. Google also provides recommended guidelines for hiring an SEO expert.

The email they received included the line: “There are high chances that your website will be a victim of Penguin 3.0.” (Nice scare tactic.) To be a “victim” of Penguin 3.0 — which was a Google algorithm update designed to penalize manipulative link-building — you wouldn’t be a victim so much as someone who got caught. If your site was truly affected, you would have seen a dramatic drop in traffic. But if your traffic over the past month has increased compared to the same time last year, you’re likely in the clear.

Again, this kind of update doesn’t affect websites that follow above-board, white-hat tactics. The BIGGEST lie in this email (or any email from someone phishing for SEO business) is the claim: “Your website has low rankings.” If your site supposedly has no visibility… how did they even find you?

I always appreciate it when someone shares a phishing email like this. A good SEO expert will happily explain standards, tactics, and — most importantly — provide proof of how their strategies have helped clients succeed.