Here at Addison Technologies, we help businesses expand and succeed using powerful, proven social media and SEO strategies. However, we frequently run into the very dangerous myth that success can come quick and cheap. This myth and the people that spread it can destroy your business if you aren’t careful.
Low Barrier Of Entry
The social media marketing and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) industries have some of the lowest barriers of entry right now. With nothing but a smartphone, laptop, or even just library access, anybody can label themselves a “social media guru,” “expert” or “consultant.” This has led to a market dominated primarily by scam artists. These people, often labeling themselves as “agencies,” promise get-rich-quick strategies using “viral content” or some mumbo jumbo like that. But when you peel back the facade, virtually none of these companies have a true winning track record, and most of them have only been around for a few months. Any real digital marketing company capable of quick, rapid results will be worth millions of dollars, charge five figures a month, and have a team of at least a hundred people working for them. If you’re a small business in the Pottstown area or anywhere in Eastern Pennsylvania like most of our clients, you can’t afford that.
Ponzi Schemes
These flash-in-the-pan “agencies” usually boast quick results, eagerly showing you numerous examples of posts that they’ve done for other companies that have tons of engagement and traffic. They’ll sweeten the offer by telling you that you don’t have to sign a contract until the end of a one or three-month trial period. However, these are set up much like a Ponzi scheme. They take your money for the first month, and they spend it all on what are known as “black hat” tactics. They artificially run up the numbers - showing you skyrocketing analytics and promising you that they’ll continue to grow.
Black Hat Tactics
What are “black hat” tactics? “Black hat” is a term made popular by the cybersecurity industry, and is generally used to refer to hackers - people and strategies that blatantly violate both laws and platform terms of service, usually attempting to do so in a way that avoids detection as long as possible. Often, the “engagement” you are seeing is the result of a botnet (network of automated robots) that can easily be purchased on the shadier parts of the internet. In fact, many of the widespread viruses across the world today are used to power these botnets, using random people’s computers to create false profiles or hack existing accounts and engage with your posts.
These interactions can often seem very real, due to the integration of Artificial Intelligence techniques. In fact, there is an entire underground industry built around nothing but selling these “black hat” services to fake social media and SEO agencies like the ones pitching you. They are usually run by international hacker collectives, and the money often goes to terrorist organizations or enemy nations.
The Hook
Once they get you on the hook, they reel you in. They show you impressive early results and promise that the momentum will continue. After the trial period, they are counting on you to be so impressed with their work that you will happily sign a long-term contract with them. As soon as you put pen to paper, the fake traffic begins to fade away. Before you know it, they aren’t returning your calls except to demand payment.
The Real Danger
The risk to your company extends far beyond the financial loss to these scam artists, though. The major social networks and search engine spend hundreds of millions of dollars every year in attempts to detect these groups and shut them down. If your accounts are flagged for malicious activity, you are done - you can never recover them. Google will demote your website in search results, and Facebook will shut you down. And don’t think that creating new accounts or a new website will help - both of those companies will actually flag your IP address, credit cards, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers. If any of that information is used to create new accounts, they too will automatically be flagged and shut down or demoted.
Successful Social Takes Time
Social media and SEO are like any other part of life. There are no shortcuts. If you try to cheat, you will be punished. Successful social takes time. Despite what anyone else may tell you, social media and SEO are both very similar to other forms of marketing: they require patience. Success in either of these fields is not terribly difficult if you have the right tools and the right education. It simply takes a lot of work, and a lot of time. Addison Technologies has been around as a digital marketing agency since the year 2000 - before the concept of social media even existed. We’ve been learning the ropes and leading the charge in Eastern Pennsylvania since the Dot Com Boom.
Real Results
At Addison Technologies, we won’t promise you quick, easy results. We promise you real results. Our strategies and tools have been refined for 18 years into what they are today. Our team is experienced and professional. We know how to rank your website higher on search engines. We know how to raise your visibility and elevate your brand on social media. We’re in it for the long haul. We’re here to work hard to make your business better.
So contact us today.