I think partly it’s because not everyone is familiar with the situation, but I remember when the SEO known as “hulk” was rumbled with a major fake story a few years ago.

However, Alek provided detailed traffic breakdowns on sources – useful. He also donated money earned from charity – good.

I wonder if had Lyndon done similar, the reaction would have been significantly different?

I’m sure JillDanRand Associates will now say I agreed with you that marketing is about lying.. which I do not. But that’s how it works, isn’t it? Frame the issue as you need to, in order to influence your audience? And that is what you are saying here, right? That it’s not new news but old news?

I don’t blame people for choosing to live blindly. Reality is often distasteful. In my view, they also miss much beauty, which is the reward for accommodating the ugliness. But, when you push your beliefs onto others, you enter a different realm and take on additional responsibilities. It’s so much like religion, eh?

Poor Lyndon, even after all these years in SEO world, wasn’t rewarded enough by the system and felt the need to talk about his success. A classic tragic flaw…will we see tarnishing of money.co.uk or the raising of the GoogleStick to complete the Tragedy?

The outcry against Lyndon has been interesting to follow – I suspect that The Sun newspaper couldn’t care less about whether that or any other story in their newspaper is factually accurate. It gave them a story to stick in their newspaper without them having to expend any effort.

I’m not entirely sure why people in the SEM community were so upset about this whole thing. Were they upset that they were duped or were they upset by proxy on behalf of other people? Think of the children!!! Or were they upset that they have never managed to achieve such success?

Thank you for exploring the wider picture and the effect that marketing has on our ‘completely impartial’ media.

Gregor

Storytellers are crucial to the marketing mix and good ones get amazing results and can charge high prices for their work.