Comments on: SEO Firms Beware: Goldline Research and INC Magazine SEO Competition

By: gary

gary — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:59:15 +0000

In a way it reminds of Google ad words. You pay (bid) for a better position on the Google first page. However does that mean the company who paid for the position is better than the companies on the same page that fall after the paid for position. Of course not. What’s really annoying about this whole thing is not so much Goldine’s model of making money, but the fact that publications like Inc. and Forbes passes it off as editorial type material and readers can’t see through it.

By: Compliance gal

Compliance gal — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:13:54 +0000

I posted this reply somewhere else I was able to retrieve your note about not “falling” for Goldline, but I’ll repeat here. I just completed a compliance review for an insurance broker who had “fallen” for the Goldline seal and thought I’d caution any other brokers of insurance or securities about putting the seal on your websit or ads.

You need to be VERY cautious about vendors like this with whom you do business, as the “seal of approval” can be considered misleading to your customers unless the vendor adheres to the necessary compliance review processes. In my review, this one doesn’t even adhere to their own standards (which are quite vague), much less the very specific ones of insurance commissioners and other regulatory authorities. I’d steer clear of them and save my money. The gold seal is attention-grabbing, but signifies nothing of note and could cost you some serious regulatory fines, if found to be a case of unfair market practice/misleading the consumer (which it very well could be).

By: Patience Merriman

Patience Merriman — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:48:50 +0000

Guess what? I can’t access their web site! Something must be up — hopefully they’re shut down for fraud. It looks like Forbes magazine might have been party to the scam on some level. That would not surprise me at all: they surely made a ton of money on the ad placements. It’s a slick scam when you think about it.

By: Advertising

Advertising — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 14:05:43 +0000

They are coordinating coop advertising. They buy ad space in Forbes, and charge all the “winners” to pay for the ad space listing the winners. And they make a spread.

By: Nick Stamoulis

Nick Stamoulis — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:04:35 +0000

Hi Tracy,
Glad you found this post about Goldline Research and how they are a true “pay to play” type of scam…

Thanks & Take Care,
Nick

By: Tracy

Tracy — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 21:11:35 +0000

I just saw a marketing firm advertising on their home page that they proudly have been picked as one of the top web design firms in the central U.S. by Goldline Research. It immediately smelled fishy. Glad I ran across your article! It doesn’t surprise me now to know that you have to “pay to play” and get the “award”.

By: Nick Stamoulis

Nick Stamoulis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:34:46 +0000

Thanks for checking in Pat! Agreed!

It is amazing that some folks will think that Goldine Research is a good measurement of an SEO firm…