The internet is a fantastic tool. Not only does it help connect people, but you can also use it to promote businesses, interact with clients, and reach a larger audience with your products. However, one of the significant downsides of the internet is the prevalence of scams.

The second you open a business email, your inbox is inundated with sellers, potential clients, offers, and more, all trying to target your wallet. Social media accounts are no better, with spam bots and scammers scurrying into your DMs faster than you can block them. If you’re new to online marketing, it can be hard to tell what is a legit business opportunity and what is the modern-day “Nigerian Prince” scheme. Even if you’re not the one doing the scamming, engaging in shady following gaining activity can get your account or website banned, which can strike a death blow to your online presence.

5 Signs You’re Getting Scammed

Seeing The Word “Instant”

When growing your online following, be aware of working with anyone that uses the word “instant.” As the old saying goes, “there is no such thing as a free lunch;” these instant services may offer you backlinks, followers, or exponential growth, but in reality, they’ll harm your business. This is because followers are more than a number. Fake followers are not only against the terms of service on most social media platforms but also don’t contribute to real outreach. 

Each fake follower you buy is an empty number, and not only will they not offer the connections and outreach you hope for, but they can also get your account banned or worse – removed. While you may be tempted to grow that follower number, this can seriously impact your engagement, leading to severe problems when building your follower count for real. While organic follower growth is slow, it’s solid. Buying followers is like trying to build a house on tapioca pudding: you will be in a sticky situation fast. 

Also, if you see your account get a sudden influx of followers without making any posts, you could be in trouble; it’s clearly a sign of purchased followers. The same goes for any “instant” SEO ranking schemes, as these can signal “black hat” SEO techniques that can get your website penalized by Google. If this has happened without a prior conversation about it, cut off whoever promised you “instant” results and do your best to weed out the fake social media accounts. Not only does this kind of growth not hold up in the long run, but it can also reflect poorly on your online presence. 

SEO Ranking in a Week or Less

While it may be tempting to get your website on the front page of Google in a single business week, it’s always too good to be true. Real SEO takes time, and legitimate SEO involves more than just jamming keywords into your website. “Black hat” SEO techniques will likely get you penalized by Google, and often these penalties are not easy to bounce back from. 

You want to make sure you are posting quality content and avoid sketchy backlink deals that can harm your site’s growth in the future. In addition, Google is constantly updating its algorithm, so the more natural your SEO is, the more likely you’ll hold your spot on the front page even after a significant update. 

Being Promised Tons of Reviews

Reviews are your bread in butter if you run an e-commerce site or work through Amazon. However, paying for fake reviews is the easiest way to get your profile in trouble. Not only are fake reviews against the terms of service for many of these sites, but they may also ward off potential customers. Today’s online shoppers are highly critical of online reviews and rankings, and if they feel like your reviews are overly inflated, your brand will suffer for it. Remember, there is a difference between asking verified customers for reviews after purchase and buying reviews. Genuine reviews from real customers help build trust for your clientele, while purchased reviews are about as effective as buying Monopoly money in the long run. 

Being Guaranteed A Media Listing or TV Spot

Everyone dreams of having their business shown on TV. But, from Shark Tank scams to Good Morning America interviews, the best way to approach media spotlight offers is with a heavy dose of skepticism. A real contact should be traceable; you should be able to find their email listed somewhere in connection with the company. 

Beware of copy-and-paste emails that are too formulaic, as anyone reaching out to interview you should have at least a basic understanding of your business. While these features may sometimes be real, only hand over money or private information after conducting extensive research on the company. Ask for a Zoom interview, or find a way to verify the person contacting you is, in fact, the real deal. 

It’s always a good idea to remember that genuine interview requests are likely to sound like they come from a human being. While there is a level of flattery to being chosen for an interview, most of these scams use any and every email they can find, so approach all “miraculous” offers with caution. 

The Same Influencer Post Over and Over

Influencers are an excellent way to advertise your products when paired with other marketing techniques. When you work with an agency that guarantees influencer reviews (especially without paying the influencer), run for the hills!

Influencer Marketing is hard work and often requires a fee. You want to work with influencers who take the time to use your product, create high-quality content, and write an honest review. If you work with quick, free influencers, you’ll often see the same message copy and pasted from the agency in charge of the coordination.

Good influencer recommendations will feel real because they will be honest reviews of your products. If the influencer posts have the same caption or follow the same formula for each video, they’re likely not going to attract any customers and may even hurt your business. You are paying for quality reviews, not just the air time, so make sure you’re investing in the real deal. 

Influencer agencies should be able to tell you about their influencers. Unfortunately, some influencer agencies reach out to a network and know nothing about their influencers, which is a red flag. If they don’t know the influencers and their niches, then they have no guarantee that you’re reaching your target audience and that they’re reviewing your product. Your best bet is to find an influencer agency that reviews their influencers and puts you in contact with people who will take the time to honestly review your product instead of churning out a formulated review. 

Yellow Flags and Bad Ideas

“Yellow flags” are strategies that may not be directly scams but are not the best ideas. Once again, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but you also get what you pay for, especially in online marketing. When starting your business, it can be tempting to go for the lowest-priced options, especially if you’re low on funds, but you truly get what you pay for in marketing. 

Highly-priced options from reputable sources reflect time investment and experience, and having an expert on your team can make a world of difference when it comes to growing your business. Sure, you can go for a cheaper option, but this can make it hard to get any marketing traction and slow your overall growth, meaning you spend the same amount of money over a longer period of time. 

If you’re a small business owner and looking for a professional, experienced marketing team, we offer a special small-business program to help grow your online engagement. If your business isn’t currently making any sales, has a business plan in place, is in pre-launch or launched in the last six months, and can commit to a 6-month contract, this plan may be a good fit for you. 

How to Find a Trustworthy Business Partner

Thankfully, many ways to find a good business partner online are similar to having a good business partner in person. If there is a way to meet face-to-face, even if that means a Zoom call or other video call, this is the best way to establish a feel for your potential business partner. While it can be hard to get a read on someone across the internet, a video call is an excellent way to get a general feel for someone and see if they mesh well with your business and your values. 

Doing your research before committing to a partnership is crucial to avoiding scams. Research their website, social media accounts, reviewers, and profiles on different sites. Check their testimonials, ask to see case studies, and be wary of anyone saying they’re new to the field or are just starting. While working with someone new to the area can be a great way to branch out, it can also be a sign of potential issues down the road, so it’s always best to work with people who can at least provide proof of concept before starting.

Finally, protect yourself by using a contract. Getting things in writing is a huge lifesaver and can help protect you from losing money in the long run. Set things like time limits, deliverables, non-compete information, and more in stone before beginning a contract or business relationship. 

It can be hard to tell if you’re working with a trustworthy company, especially with the daily influx of offers and messages businesses receive. However, following the above guidelines can protect you from some of the more common online scams and safeguard your business against potentially catastrophic marketing scams that can damage your online reputation. To find out more about online marketing strategies, check out our other blogs, or contact us today. Here at Planted Marketing, we encourage steady, natural marketing growth for small to mid-sized businesses and work hard to help your business grow to its true potential. 

Planted Marketing is a full-service digital marketing agency that specializes in content marketing and organic solutions for woman-owned brands. Our wide variety of services allows for customized plans that work best for your brand and each stage of growth. Want to learn more? Send us a message at info@planedmarketing.com. Talk soon!