My friend Mr Google

It was recently brought to my attention that there is a trend among some people in the WDI (Web Design Industry) to claim an inflated personal affiliation with Google. It seems, that in an attempt to impress potential (and existing) clients they are making certain remarkable statements (via insinuation), with regard to their relationship to Google. One particular fellow of dubious repute is reported to have told his SEO clients (who were concerned about their flagging positions), that he would ring up Google and find out what was going on. This same chap, whilst pitching to another prospective SEO client, is said to have reassured them with the prestigious claim that they would be in safe hands, as he was a Google Webmaster.

This type of fallacious practice is what I have come to term ‘RAE’ (Remote Affiliate Embellishment), which tenuous connections are most commonly used in context with a Microsoft Partnership, though it seems there can be no bounds for the inventive.

RAE is often used by people who don’t have any paying advertisers on their sites. While this is not to be demeaned in itself,  a small minority of these join affiliate programmes with the express purpose of being able to state that Marks & Spencers are advertising with them, and cleverly use this as a method of attracting actual paying advertisers…

I’m not sure how many advertisers would actually fall for this type of foolery, but what is certain, is that there are some peope out there who just can’t resist bending the truth.

Tags: Google, Google webmaster, Humour, SEO