I posted about this when Google was still in the process of aquiring Doubleclick, which also owns Performics, which is an SEO company. Many in the SEO industry, including Danny Sullivan warned that Google would use this to monopolize the SEO industry. Original post on google getting into the seo business was here.

Now Matt Cutts will be moving over to Performics to capitalize on the name he has built through his blog about google. The perception being that since matt Cutts worked at google and yahoo before that, he will have a better chance of ranking your website with those search engines. (April Fools Prank I feel for. ) (edited so I do not disaparage Matt Cutts)

From SEO Round Table; As of press time, Mr. Cutts was unavailable for comment. His personal press attaché, Ozzie Houndslayer, did confirm that Matt would be moving over to Performics, but would not comment on the allegation that Performics would be listed as a primary recommended SEO in the Google Webmaster Guidelines.

Fact: Google is now selling SEO services through Performics. An investigative team recently contacted Performics directly and was told that Performics was unable to offer SEO services to anyone not spending over $1Million U.S. per year with Google AdSense. This seems to be strong evidence that there is in fact a correlation between Paid Search spending and organic rankings, as long suspected . Search Engine maven Danny Sullivan is one of many who have officially suggested that Google should divest itself from Performics. The transfer of Matt Cutts is obviously a sign that this discussion is far from being over.

Good prank. Got me.

Google has manipulated users into the content network without their knowledge and by default, they have allowed domain tasters to make money with google adsense when they know it is a scam, they have been sued over click fraud in regards to adsense, and now they are trying to tell you they will be the trusted name in SEO?

This is the same company that had to pay Yahoo a settlement due to promising Yahoo that Google would never be a search portal. Anyone who trusts any company owned by Google is totally out of their mind.

Google going into the SEO business is totally unethical. It is an attempt to hoodwink companies into thinking that only Performics can get them placed well in Google. To insiders this is obvious and it’s a joke. Unfortunately it is a joke that many companies will fall for.

From Search Engine Land; Open Letter To Google: Do The Right Thing, Divest Yourself Of Performics

At long last, Google owns DoubleClick. In doing so, the company has done something else that many people would have never believed possible. Become an SEO. That’s right — Google’s in the SEO business now, selling services through DoubleClick’s Performics to people who want to rank well on — um — Google.

Conflict of interest? You bet. And worse from an image perspective, the purchase puts Google in the paid inclusion business, something it dissed as evil back in 2004, when it went public.

Don’t get me wrong, I have absolutely no problem with Performics as a company and have good friends that work there. But Google shouldn’t own it. The Google announcement yesterday should have said that Performics was being quickly spun off. Larry, Sergey, Eric, Google! Please do the right thing and make this a priority. Below, more on why this should be done, plus the official Google stance, so far.

Google has a webpage that gives advice about choosing an SEO company. On that page it says, “While Google doesn’t have a special relationship with any SEO company”.

Yes they do. It will imply that performics has a special relationship with Google. This is an outright lie on google’s own page.

Here is an image of the current google seo advice page. I linked it to the page so anyone can see if that lie is changed anytime soon.

It also says “No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google. Beware of SEOs that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a “special relationship” with Google, or advertise a “priority submit” to Google. There is no priority submit for Google. In fact, the only way to submit a site to Google directly is through our Add URL page or through the Webmaster Tools and you can do this yourself at no cost whatsoever.”

Yet, now Google has given Performics a special relationship with Google. They don’t have to use it in solicitations.

The board of directors in any public company is bound by law to assure that they will do their best to make a profit for their shareholders. So if performics needs to improve their bottom line, it is the board members duty to try to improve it, including making sure that performics gets some kind of priority submit or other advantages other seo companies do not have. That simple.

Fortunately, Google also includes this on that page;

If you feel that you were deceived by an SEO in some way, you may want to report it.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) handles complaints about deceptive or unfair business practices. To file a complaint, visit: http://www.ftc.gov/ and click on “File a Complaint Online,” call 1-877-FTC-HELP, or write to:

Federal Trade Commission
CRC-240
Washington, D.C. 20580

Hmmm, someone should lodge a complaint.

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