Another brand-new shady keyword service

Posted on November 28, 2006 by Dave J.

Just got a call from a new keyword marketing service called Realfrases.

(Well that’s not their real name, but I don’t want to attract their attention just yet, because Googling their actual name generates just six results. If you substitute a ‘ph’ for the ‘f’, you’ll find their website.)

1. The service:
They are offering a IE7 plug-in that creates a peek-a-boo of your webpage on top of whatever search engine their users are using. The idea is that users will find this ‘preview’ of your website valuable and then you beat out the actual search results below. No idea how they are going to get their tool installed on so many browsers. The plug-in on their site is offered as an .exe, not a true IE plug-in.

2. The pitch:
Because their tools shows only one website, its first come, first served…at around $1-2K per search term for one year. Cash upfront, according to their contract. Their website is skimpy. The person I spoke to was promising a specific number of views per month.

The sales pitch and lack of supporting information smacks of other shady SEM services I have been approached about before. Regardless, there are too many questions to be taking a risk on this one.

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  • Michael Anders, CEO Broadgate Business Financial

    The most shady keyword service solicitation that I have ever received came in the mail yesterday to my business. They made it look like a fake invoice which I had to pay, or I would lose my website’s domain. I actually read the whole piece of mail insteading of tossing it like I would normally done because I thought it could be legit. On the back, it said in very fine print that it was just an ad.

  • Michael Anders, CEO Broadgate

    The most shady keyword service solicitation that I have ever received came in the mail yesterday to my business. They made it look like a fake invoice which I had to pay, or I would lose my website’s domain. I actually read the whole piece of mail insteading of tossing it like I would normally done because I thought it could be legit. On the back, it said in very fine print that it was just an ad.

  • Dave J.

    The ‘ol fake invoice trick. It’s a classic, but at least you can read all the copy unlike a phone solicitation.

  • Dave J.

    The ‘ol fake invoice trick. It’s a classic, but at least you can read all the copy unlike a phone solicitation.

  • SEO Ruby

    Oh my! Stay away from those guys! They called on one of my clients under the name “American Keywords”. You can check out a post I made on Search Engine Watch. I did a bunch of research and learned that this guy has had the “product” under a half dozen names… it’s nuts. People have been really ripped off by this guy.

  • Dave J.

    Thanks Ruby. The thread was just what I expected. Here’s the < HREF="http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?t=12540" REL="nofollow">thread<> for those of you stumbling on this.

  • Dave J.

    for those of you stumbling on this.

  • SEO Ruby

    Oh my! Stay away from those guys! They called on one of my clients under the name “American Keywords”. You can check out a post I made on Search Engine Watch. < />< />I did a bunch of research and learned that this guy has had the “product” under a half dozen names… it's nuts. People have been really ripped off by this guy.