Semrush Scams Exposed: Red Flags to Protect Your Business

Scammers are getting creative with their tactics, and Semrush is no exception. They're using fake tools, fake reviews, and even fake employees to deceive businesses into handing over their hard-earned cash.

Be wary of fake Semrush tools that promise unrealistic results or guaranteed rankings. These scams often use fake screenshots and testimonials to make their claims seem legitimate.

Some scammers are even posing as Semrush employees to gain your trust. They might offer to "optimize" your account or provide "exclusive" services that aren't actually available.

Don't fall for these tricks – stay informed and stay vigilant.

As you're considering using SEMrush to improve your online presence, it's essential to be aware of the scams that exist in the SEO world. Unsolicited audits are a common scam tactic, where fake auditors come out of nowhere, highlighting supposed errors and claiming immediate fixes are needed.

You might be surprised at how convincing these scammers can be, but it's crucial to remember that reputable SEO companies typically provide free audits as part of their initial consultation. Paid audits are often filled with misleading information and can cost you a pretty penny.

Some scammers go as far as to claim they work directly with Google, but be aware that these individuals are not Google Partners. They might even use fake Google affiliations to gain your trust.

Blackhat SEO is another type of scam that involves unethical practices to trick search engines into ranking a website higher. This can include keyword stuffing, cloaking, and using private blog networks (PBNs).

New website scams are also on the rise, where businesses are convinced they need a new website, often poorly constructed and failing to adhere to SEO best practices. Here are some common types of scams to watch out for:

If an agency claims to be affiliated with Google, it's a red flag. Google does not conduct unsolicited SEO audits or offer ranking guarantees.

Scammers often promise #1 rankings on Google, but no reputable SEO agency can guarantee this, as Google's algorithms are complex and constantly changing.

Check this out: Semrush Agency Growth Kit

Be wary of agencies that use scare tactics, suggesting your site will be penalized or disappear from search results unless you take immediate action. This is a common tactic used to invoke fear and prompt you into paying for their services.

Some fake SEO auditors push for a new website, claiming your current one is beyond repair. But most websites can be improved without needing a complete overhaul.

Here are some common techniques fake SEO auditors use:

Automated reports often miss the nuance of a true SEO analysis, so a legitimate audit should include a manual review of your website.

Unsolicited emails or cold calls from supposed SEO experts are a red flag. These scammers often claim to be affiliated with SEMrush or Google, and offer a "free audit" of your website.

No reputable agency will send unsolicited emails or make random cold calls. In fact, they're so confident in their services that they don't need to resort to such tactics.

Fake SEO audits often follow a predictable pattern. Here's how they typically work:

Some common techniques fake SEO auditors use include:

SEMrush scams are a real concern for businesses, especially those unfamiliar with SEO. Unsolicited emails or cold calls from supposed SEO experts claiming to be affiliated with SEMrush or Google are a common tactic.

Businesses often fall for these scams because they're unaware of the red flags. For instance, no reputable agency will send unsolicited emails or make random cold calls. They usually have a high demand for their services, so they don't need to resort to these tactics.

Fake SEO audits often follow a predictable pattern. Here's how they typically work:

A legitimate SEO audit should include a manual review of your website. Automated reports are useful, but they often miss the nuance of a true SEO analysis. Reputable SEO companies typically provide free audits as part of their initial consultation.

Some red flags to watch out for include:

If an agency asks for payment upfront for an audit, it's worth reconsidering. Be wary of agencies that promise #1 rankings or a certain amount of traffic within a specific time frame. SEO is a long-term process, and no one can guarantee results.

Scammers often use recurring monthly fees as a way to charge for unnecessary work, making the same false claims as legitimate vendors.

They may claim to have already completed specific SEO work, only to pitch the same services again. This can be a red flag.

Some scammers pose as Google employees, claiming to have noticed issues with your business listings, such as inconsistent NAP. But Google employees won't contact you about this, and they can't be employees of both Google and a marketing business.

Be wary of "free" content offers, as they often come with a link to a questionable website. Legitimate guest posters may want to include a link back to their site, but be cautious of links to spurious websites.

A fresh viewpoint: How Does Semrush Work

Recurring fees can be a legitimate practice for professional SEO specialists, but scammers often use them to extract extra money from unsuspecting victims. They'll claim you need urgent work done that's been recently completed by a legitimate vendor.

Be wary of pitches that make false claims about unnecessary work that needs to be done. This is a common tactic used by scammers to get you to pay recurring fees for services you don't need.

If you're considering a service that charges recurring fees, make sure to carefully review your contract to understand the fee structure and what services are included. A clear contract can help you avoid costly surprises.

Here are some red flags to watch out for:

By being aware of these tactics, you can protect yourself from scammers and ensure you're only paying for services you need.

SEO scams often involve black hat techniques that can do more harm than good to a website.

One major red flag is when an SEO agency convinces a business to abandon a well-performing site. This happened in the case of a Hawthorne, NJ company that was convinced to change its website.

Placing all targeted SEO-optimized location pages on the homepage is considered a low-quality SEO practice. This is exactly what the SEO agency did, resulting in a poorly designed website.

Even Google can't predict what will wind up on page 1 or when. The ranking of web pages is in relation to a keyword, not all search queries are worth ranking for. For example, a local electrician's site ranked high for “halloween pumpkin LED lights” but it's unlikely people searching for that keyword have any intent to hire an electrician.

Unfortunately, even big brands aren't immune to sending out scammy emails.

A famous web hosting brand sent a ridiculous SEO email to their customers, showcasing that no one is above using deceitful tactics.

Big brands often have the resources to create convincing emails that can fool even the most cautious recipients.

As a result, it's essential to remain vigilant and not automatically trust emails from well-known companies.

Scammers often use tactics that are similar to those used by big brands, making it harder to detect counterfeits.

Google Employee Calls are a red flag. No one from Google will call you about your business listings, as they're not responsible for monitoring or fixing individual listings.

Be wary of calls from individuals claiming to work for Google, as they often mention working for a marketing business as well. This is a clear sign of a scam.

Google Partners are certified Google Ads specialists who've been vetted by Google, but that's different from being a Google employee. To verify if a business is a Google Partner, search for them in the Google Partners directory.

Remember, Google won't call you about your NAP or business listings, so if someone claims to be a Google employee with this information, it's likely a scam.

Here's an interesting read: Seo for Small Business Packages

Fake traffic is a scam tactic that's hard to spot, but there are some red flags to look out for. Some marketers will try to sell you on boosting traffic, but be aware that they may use bots to create an illusion of increased traffic.

Bots don't sign up for newsletters, read articles, or buy things, so there's no benefit to acquiring fake traffic. This means that fake traffic is not a key performance indicator (KPI), it's a means to an end.

Businesses may measure web traffic, but it's only meaningful when traffic increases are linked to increased sales. So, while freelance or in-house marketers may measure traffic, businesses see revenue and sales as KPIs.

Broaden your view: How to Measure Traffic to a Website

Group buying of software tools is often done by resellers who don't actually have the tools to sell. Most marketing tools are sold on a "per user" basis, making it illegal for resellers to share the same account among multiple users.

The Terms of Service for these tools usually prohibit group buying, but resellers often don't care about the legality of their actions as long as they're making a profit. In fact, the author of the article has personally dealt with group buying of AdEspresso and has had to shut down the resellers.

Resellers often use fake names and websites to disguise their activities, and they may even use multiple payment methods to avoid detection. The author notes that Ahref and Semrush are actively hunting down and suspending the accounts of group buying resellers.

A unique perspective: How to Use Semrush for Free

The group tool purchase experience can be overwhelming, with numerous providers and resellers offering a wide range of tools.

Be prepared for a complex and confusing process, as evidenced by one provider that had a warning sign at each step of the subscription process.

Expect to pay extra for Mac compatibility, but don't worry about how to pay for it, as it's not mentioned at checkout.

The custom-made software to access the tools is slow and routes you through another server, making it difficult to use.

You might need to use a third-party service like Wetransfer to upload files, and don't even think about logging into your email on this computer.

Only about 30 tools out of the 60 declared on the landing page are actually available, and most of them are not good ones.

Customer support will tell you that most tools are not available "right now", and you might need to try multiple procedures to access them.

You might find that only one user at a time can access the tools through LastPass, making it difficult to use them simultaneously.

The tools that are available are often slow and have huge privacy issues, allowing previous users to see what you've done.

It's not uncommon for the tools to be maxed out and over the limit, making them unusable.

Some group buy sites might be willing to refund your money, but don't count on it.

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Software group buying laws are murky and often come down to the Terms of Service of each tool.

Most marketing tools are sold on a "per user" basis, which means sharing the same account among multiple users is not allowed.

I've dealt with group buying of AdEspresso as a startup founder and can guarantee that the developer will do everything possible to shut them down.

Group buying is often a cat and mouse game between the tool maker and the resellers.

Ahref and Semrush are actively hunting down and suspending accounts of those who engage in SEO group buying.

It's morally wrong to engage in software group buying, even if it's technically legal.

Most tools have a free trial or a $1 trial, making it unnecessary to resort to group buying.

Refunds are also an issue, and it's likely that PayPal will suspend accounts if people complain about the product in disputes.

Discover more: Semrush 30 Day Trial

Websites aren't perfect, and some companies use this as an excuse to sell you services you don't need. They'll list technical issues to justify their services, using fear to drive sales.

On a similar theme: Seo Services Web Design

Some marketers will even fake Google Lighthouse reports to make your site look slow, but they never actually ran the test. They'll send you an email with a fake image of your low speed score, making it look like it's from Google.

You can check your site's speed score for free using the Google Lighthouse Chrome extension or Google PageSpeed Insights. This will give you a real score, not a made-up one.

Check this out: Sem Rush Site Audit

Inflated traffic numbers can be a major issue for websites, making it seem like you're doing better than you actually are. This can happen when bots are used to artificially inflate traffic numbers, follower numbers, and engagement metrics.

If your website is getting a lot of engagement and high traffic numbers but it doesn't translate into leads or sales, it could be a sign of inflated traffic. This discrepancy between traffic and sales is a common red flag.

Here's an interesting read: Engagement Rate vs Bounce Rate

Extraordinary engagement without conversions is another warning sign. If your posts are getting an unusual amount of likes, comments, or shares without a corresponding increase in conversions or sales, it's possible that bots are inflating your numbers.

Unusual traffic sources can also indicate inflated traffic. Check where your traffic is coming from and if you see a lot of traffic from regions or sources that don't align with your target audience, it might be manufactured.

Here are some steps to verify your traffic numbers:

Website performance issues can be a major concern for website owners, but some companies use them as a marketing tactic to sell their services.

Some companies have websites with issues that need optimization and correcting, but that doesn't mean they should use these issues to threaten you into signing a contract.

A fraudulent marketer will often approach you with a repetitive list of technical issues with your site to justify their services, using fear to drive their sales.

For your interest: What Is Content Marketing in Seo

Site loading speed is an SEO ranking factor, and legitimate companies will use tools like Google Lighthouse to measure it.

Google Lighthouse is a web performance measurement tool used by professionals to gauge site loading speed and other metrics.

The email may include an image of your very low speed score, but it's not from a real Google report - it's made up to scare you into buying their services.

You can use the Google Lighthouse Chrome extension to see your actual score, and it's the same as the one you can get from Google PageSpeed Insights.