2 years ago a small web development company named VKI studios hired me to do the SEO for their client canadaygroup.com in Orange county. We did the link building as well as some onpage SEO for the site and got it to the top of the search engines for "Orange County Real Estate" and many other terms.

VKI has sinse gone on to use this ranking example to sign many other realtors (Which I suppose is their perogative as it is their client, but of course they dont mention the fact that it was us that got their client there) - now if they want to learn how to do it, and offer SEO to their clients that's fine. But this company has been engaging in some very unethical practices over the last year.

Example 1 - soliciting other web development companies clients (Like ours) and stating that we are not optimizing their website correctly (Of course saying they will do it right) - Even if this were true (which we all know its not) - this is completely unethical - if you are going to solicit a client you should do so by citing your strengths and abilities, not putting down other companies. What was the most hilarious was when this was first reported - it was by our las vegas client who is top 3 in google for "las vegas real estate" - they were trying to sell them by saying "our client is top 20 in google, we could do this for you to! I mean did they even look? Our client outranks theirs considerably lol - anyways that is my first problem with them, thier pushy salespeople are appearantly not very polite - these people really need a lesson in how to conduct business.

This has happened (Badmouthing of REW and attempted client poaching a few times sinse) - Finally I got fed up and called the company owner. He said (Oh im sorry, it must be my sales people, I will talk to them they shouldnt be doing that) - after talking at length with him, I decided to leave it alone even though it is the managments responsibility to train their staff, and are accountable for their actions.

Some time goes by, and AGAIN I get a complaint from an existing client about VKI's staff slandering other dev companies (Ours and others) - so needless to say, at this point I am seriously pissed off.

Then I get a call from a prospect who says they are considering using ours / VKI's services - Pardon me! This prospect said that VKI claimed to be in partnership with us, and that they had access to all of our technologies / techniques etc. This is not true, not even close! I would never parnter with a company like this.

So I start looking around their website, and what do I find?

Listen to this:

I have NEVER signed any kind of marketing deal wiht VKI and they are trying to use my name and reputation to sell their services. I wrote them the other day demanding they take it off their website or they would be hearing from my lawyers. As of Friday, they have not. I mean a prospect saying that, I would certainly take with a grain of salt, but when they blatantly post it on thier website, there is no doubt in my mind that it is true.

So what is my next move?
What would you do?

I hate getting into these kinds of battles and wish people would just offer decent services and sell based on the merits of those services instead resorting to slander and taking credit for others work.

Maybe im just venting (And yes I titled this thread the way I did on purpose) but I am understandably fed up with VKI Studios and thier lies.

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Looks like they've taken it down now.
That is pretty lame of them.

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Brevard MLS Search
Satellite Beach Real Estate
Advanced Brevard MLS Search

Agreed, thats some shady buisness practices.

Nope still there, do a ctrl f for Morgan Carey on this page vkistudios.com/press.html its near the bottom.

The funny thing is at the top of that page it says

"Browse some of our recent accomplishments and see how we are improving the industry:"

Improving the industry? By lies and deception? Thank god more people dont troy to improve the industry.

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Want to save up to 50% off Real estate webmasters product websites & common upgrades? Check out my latest blog post regarding our end of the year sale.

yep still there. Time to call the attorneys. What about you posting the truth in all the forums? I know it is time consuming, but it would get their attention.
john

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Fort Lauderdale Real Estate | Fort Lauderdale Condo | Fort Lauderdale MLS

Morgan,

I had a very BAD situation happen with a client in Denver. We were actively working on serious PPC and looking for alternative solutions. MY underline MY client, contacted VKI, and they told him that he could be at the top of the search engines for Denver in 90 days. Can you believe that? Needless to say, I lost the client and he was ripped off. It not only made me look not credible, I was telling him at least a year for Denver, but lost a great client because they lied. Of course, this client is nowhere near the top of Google and he called me and apologized. Not his fault that VKI LIED.

Well, I spoke to a sales rep at VKI a couple of weeks ago, had a deal that was not going to work for me. The sales guy was nice enough, and said they had some problems with their outsourcing not being truthful to clients.

I don't normally like to share these types of things with a prospect or client, but I couldn't help myself. They are downright scary and bottom line ripping clients off. RUN!

I would speak to an attorney, but also consider doing an informational campaign on the forum sites as explained. You can leave it as objective facts and people should get a good idea of what you are trying to say without saying it. Hrmm... maybe a new googlebomb would be appropriate :-)

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Aaron

Minneapolis Real Estate | Twin Cities Real Estate | Edina Realty Agent

I wish I had the time or disposition for something like this, but I dont. I only get my one forum rant, and that is here at my home away from home. Thanks for the feeback guys, if it isnt taken down by Monday they get one more phone call and then a letter from my attorneys.

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Want to save up to 50% off Real estate webmasters product websites & common upgrades? Check out my latest blog post regarding our end of the year sale.

It is amazing what a letterhead from a law firm will accomplish! I think I would have one going out on Monday.

P.S. remember how text links were used for Google to point idiot to George Bush? How about blog entries with the whole story / chain of events pointing to the perpatrator using "unethical seo" or "unethical business practices" as anchor text . Of course this may start some pi**ing match that brings no good at all and would lower you to their level, but may make you feel better just thinking about it while waiting for the attorneys letter to arrive at their threshold.

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Cal
Orange Beach Condos | Gulf Shores Condos | Keller Williams Gulf States

The Gulfshoreslife.com Team serves the Baldwin County Alabama Real Estate market from The Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay to the Southern Shores of the Alabama Gulf Coast: Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Fort Morgan, Point Clear, Fairhope, Montrose, Daphne, Spanish Fort, AL. Referals are welcomed. For more information on AL Gulf Coast Real Estate, please contact me or visit our website.

Sarasota Association of Realtors

The BEST revenge would be to take the website www.*group.com (name abbrev'd) down from top positions! So then VKI couldn't use them as an example of how good they are... Now lets see... who could you work with to take positions away from www.*group.com for "Orange County real estate"... hmmmm... I KNOW! ME!

I've been watching www.*group.com rise the ranks, which has made me get on the ball and fight back... so you're the one causing me all this work! But seriously... I would like to hire you for an hour or so of your SEO Consulting Services. Contact me ASAP.

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Deanna Mazurek
Find Orange County real estate information for buying or selling your next home.