Scam Programs - Review Sites
Hello WA,
I really have to say something, probably not so pleasant for some of you...
A lot of people started with a Scam review site in the beginning of their WA career... Which is, of course, very good.
Now, I surfed the last 2 weeks to inform myself in some matter and when you surf on the internet and you check things that have something to do with websites, well, there is more than 50% chance that the first website you see is a Scam website of a WA member...
(Which is great: SEO is working well and we are very (VERY) present in the reviewing niche.)
But and of course there is a but: WA does not have a good name regarding reviews. Apparently there are sites for whom everything is a scam, also businesses that exist for more than 25 years. (A scam business cannot exist 25 years or more)
Let's start with the word "Scam", in the dictionary it says: "scam (skam) Informal: A fraudulent business scheme; a swindle." So my interpretation of this is: they do something that does not conform with the law. They are doing illegal activities.
I have seen a site where somebody said: "concerning reviews do not read those where Wealthy affiliate is the nr1 recommended program and also not the reviews from DS domination, they can only write a positive thing about their own program"
Ouch!
I saw indeed sites where only WA was a good program and the rest was crap, even things I know, that are perfectly legit, were scams. And I have informed me about a program somebody wrote a review about and in the review he told that he had joined it and that nothing was working and so on and so on... And as feedback here, he said he did not join that program at all... (???)
I mean... ???? So, we have the right to break down programs without checking them, just because it fits better in our strategy? Personally, I don't like that mentality. Sorry...
But I also saw some great review sites. But what appealed me was that most of those did not use the word "scam". They used terms like: "Excellent, Good,OK, Bad and Awful" or "Highly recommended, recommended, NOT recommended".
And there was more than 1 program in the Excellent or Highly recommended menu.£
That was it for me, I just wanted to share this with you and maybe it is something some of us have to think about.
You can do with it what you want, of course...
Grtz,
Bert
Recent Comments
118
Great post and something that needed to be said. I love WA and that's why I decided to promote it, but I never went down the scam review site, and I totally agree that people shouldn't be calling companies scams purely because they're not WA.
I can see someone landing themselves in hot water with this approach sooner or later unless they can back up what they are saying.
In the certification course, Kyle walks people through choosing a niche, and then builds out a site about how to lose belly fat.
Now, I haven't seen a thousand and one belly fat sites pop up as people tend to take the training and apply it to their own niche which the right thing to do.
When it comes to boot camp, people tend to copy kyles example of a scam review site, and I'm not really sure why. Kyle's been in the business over ten years now and can spot the true scams a while away, but not everyone can.
Especially when just starting out.
There's hundreds of ways to promote WA without bashing legit companies for the sake out it, and quite a few are laid out the in the tutorial below. Target Audiences for Wealthy Affiliate Some great ideas in there, but I think many people tend to miss or skip over it, which is why they go down the scam route.
That's something that I also thought a few times: "What will happen when the program that is called a scam goes to the judge to have this corrected and claims a financial compensation?"
I don't want be the guy (or woman) that wrote that review!
I think that the scam site and the way of working is actually choosing for the easy solution with not too much work...
While writing a good review, is a lot of work, I can assure you...
Exactly. Have you ever seen any other than WA member who have written reviews on scam sites and said WA is a scam? I haven't.
Chittranjan
Hi Bert, Great observation! This is something I stumbled on to as well. I'm doing the bootcamp now and as a newbie of course I also went with the reviews... But soon I thought by myself this is not the way it should be. Or you do it correctly, or you don't give a review! This is why I've decided to take another look at my website and rethink the method I'm going to use. Thank you for sharing this!
You are welcome of course and please inform us when you have found a new method, maybe it can help other people...
I agree to an extent but I have a different interpretation of scam, that being that a scam does not have to be illegal but can be unethical, immoral or just plain ole made with the intent to get folks money without any real concern for the persons well being.
In fact, believe it or not ... we have (in the U.S.) several laws that are unethical. in fact many things our own congress does are unethical and they've been around for hundreds of years. I don't at all feel that time is a factor of determining a scam.
Pyramid schemes are a scam and always will be ... all MLM's are a pyramid - hence, SCAM. I tried some and did very very well in one but lost sleep because I knew I was ripping people off. I am sure others (maybe who've been brainwashed by the ra ra sis boom bah of an MLM) will highly disagree with me on this though taking the time to reflect, honestly, may enlighten them.
These are just my thoughts. :-)
ROCK ON!
E
I can follow E, certainly concerning some MLM's, but there are good MLM's also, with the best intention...
But to be honest: "made with the intent to get folks money without any real concern for the persons wellbeing."
I suppose those people are not getting what is promised for their money? In my opinion, this is a fraud and so illegal...
But it is true: How do you interpret "Scam"?.
That can be already very confusing...
Something pretty new and (of course ;-) ) it has his roots in Europe, the name is Lopoca and they exist now 4 years...
They have a great compensation plan and are standing for 100% behind their people... Of course: They are now active in 6 countries, what will it be when they are active in 60?
That is something I wonder...
I agree with you Bert, not every MLM can be a scam or ripping money out of people's pocket. People join it by knowing everything and eventually they have the option to dis-join it.
Thanks,
Chittranjan
OK, but it's a scam as all MLM's are - think about how a pyramid is built ....
One block on top and several at that bottom to hold it up. It is basically getting several folks to work for you for peanuts, many times only using products and not making many sales to relatives and loved ones. They probably use scripts too, that were produced from the tip of the pyramid. Many of the folks at the bottom levels do not even understand what a pyramid is or how it works and find out only after using products they would have never purchased in the first place or could have found elsewhere for huge percentages less cost. I could go on and on. There is no MLM that isn't a scam.
What is the product that Lopoca is selling?
Everything works for me and legit in front of law is the best instrument for earning money, even if it is MLM. Eventually you work hard to reach your goals, then why to close the doors for something and remain bias for something. Yes if it does not work for me I will quit but that does not mean that it will not work for anybody so obviously I won't write a blog about it being bad to me. We have very short time in this life, move on and try something else if one does not work. Simple. I would never bond my mind for one thing as far as making money concern except that the model is working for me. I would never listen to reviews of scam site, instead I will go and try myself. We all are unique from each other.
Thanks,
Chittranjan
Life is short and I wished someone was watching out for me before I got involved in MLM's. Legal does not mean right. If your conscious can handle being part of a scheme like an MLM then that's your right and I applaud you for sticking to your guns. I have my right as well and I will share with the world, every chance I get, the unethical and immoral MLM process. I'll sleep at night as well.
:-)
Yes, you always have the point of saturation...
Lopoca their product is online gambling and a casino, a very popular product by the way....
But to be honest: Isn't that the case with every company that is bigger than 100 people: you have a tip and then it goes down like a pyramid? And after so many years, most companies reach their max growth...
The goal of a company is to get out that situation by: Discovering new territory or adding new products/services in their offer...
And I know MLM's that are trying to aim for the same approach by adding new products or discovering new territory...
But now we are far away from the topic about the reviews E;.. ;-)
We are - but regular companies do not work that way, there are several differences but we can discuss that some other time. :-)
No it doesn always like that - there is tons of online MLM (even within goods base like Amway) so nobody needs a storehouse.
About pyramid you forget of efforts of upperline to succeed - a MLM company owners created a business with all legal, production, advertisement, logistics, education etc structure. They need to return their investment with profit and great ROI, and those credits, investmetns for angels, vc and etc.
The guys under them join very early when nobody knows a thing about company or products and they construct a line with effort - recruiting others, selling them goods to consume/resell, than teach a lot of constanly leaving lazybums that dont wanna make any business (just wanna their free cash like salary) then teach those who dont leave how to teach new lazybums not to quit and consume products to know them, and so fourth. They already earned their status and commission structure!
About all those small fries(whom everyone last bank, goverment and employee eat on breakfast every month by bills) that just join, most of them will leave cause they donna wanna do a shit to earn money (or goals to earn huge money or determination),
They were sold a pipe dream by some scammer in line that it is easy - meaning no work, not its a hardcore business than need a lot of attention. Easy means everything is established and polished except newbee people(thats why they call higher uppers with success -diamonds).
They dont have time (cause they work 9 to 5), they donna want to sacrifice their time on TV shows or boring low paid job/second job(high paid workers join MLM only to do business and succeed fast - not some job), or some other lame activity and very rarely money and effort. People always go easy way - they need leader to follow and kick their asses to go get a newb and train him.
Really I have no simpathy for them - you are there to create business not for a love of people, or some blabla talks, community or kindess, If you are lazybum - just follow the recipe(method, mentors) or leave and be a processed waste.
In any smallest offline shop every sale staff member must know the assortiment and every aspect of product, but they dont sell the business to customers or teach them products - they dont care about feedback (just buy that crap one time and dont ever return) and they are the lazybums also. So they get their smallest salary, do occasional sales for commission and leave as soon as they are bored talking that their mother company give them too small a commission and stupid customers dont wanna buy anything from them(cause they have no talent for sale or do their job helping warm customer to choose and leave some money). Thats why sales networks constantly hire a bunch of losers (nobody needs them anywhere else) teach a "course" of blabla marketing and voula after a few months most newbees leave their shop like the real lazybums they are.
At MLM this offline shop attitude is always present - people that must learn how to create their own business and to recruit and teach newbees consume/sale/teach/recruit - be taught some sales pitching and mlm commision structure and voula they gonna leave a few months later.
Affiliate marketing is the same, a lot of lazybums that cant make any business with any opportunity.
Don't they? I see a lot of review sites where the nr1 recommended site is WA.... ;-)
No, I did see lists from people that had nothing to do with WA and they mention WA as a very trustable program, but always the negative part is the review sites...
There is a lot of different things here. There are real scam programs which only purpose is get someone money without providing any results possible regardless of effort, there are programs and courses and services that are great for some percentage of audience. They dont work for lazy bums, for dummies,unfocused people and ones that cant control time themselves or money. Some guys who failed wanna blame the real deal just cause they are crappy and have no dignity left in first place for themselves. And there is a group of clowns and liers that didnt even try once or test a product really with effort money and time. They dont invest but review. I hate them most cause they distract people and destroy opportunity. Dont review a product until you try it hard twice - compare what you didnt do OK, pretend that something is scam or dont work at all and become a clown and a lier. I do comparisons and links but positive only on tested by me things and negative about when only hadfull can profit in.
I think that is indeed the right intention to write reviews or making comparisons... I think this is a useful comment to others: make comparisons when you did not try it yourself and be not that harsh...
And I know, there are sites where you put money in for something and you never hear or receive anything anymore and those sites have to be exposed.. .For sure...
But do not do that with things where people do like the program, cause then there has to be a good part and it will probably not be a scam at all...
Hey Bert,
Great observation, I have observed the same, you just write site reviews in google and it will come up with bunch of WA promoting websites on first page which will show the company is SCAM and their first choice is WA and then they put their ref. link. Come on this is wrong way to promote. I have joined many of other networks and they all are fine whom WA promoting websites are saying scam. I believe if they are really keeping them self away from all other businesses and just want to promote WA and earn money it is not going to work. It is a long long way until you earn your first dollar. I am yearly member of WA, I love only two things about WA and that is training and community. But if it has to be anything to do with making 6 figures you cant make it with affiliate marketing even in 1 year. I have a niche site and followed all the training (Getting Started Here) its been 30 days and my situation is I have 0 visitors, I post 1 blog everyday still. So just imagine how much time it will take even to earn 1 dollar. I mean how can you expect, that you make a website, put some associate ads on it, write a blog each day hoping to come on top in google and then hope that somebody will click on your ad and buy something, and then you get some commission. Well for sake of a model it is good. But practically it is very tough to reach 6 figures with this method. I am not saying you do not stay with WA. You stay with WA for great training, SiteRubix, Community but earning, think about it. I am writing all of this after my in-depth research on all types of Internet models available.
Thanks,
Chittranjan
I agree with what you say about the review sites, but I do not know what to say about your site and the earnings after 1 month...
When there is only 0 visitor on average, how will I earn. I am doing everything WA taught to me and that is also step by step.
It takes a lot more time than 1 month to make money and get visitors. This goes for any kind of business. I am in my 9th month and I am now getting about 500-600 visitors through google searches. In my first month I had 0, in my second month I had 6, in my 3rd month I had 15. As you can see the number keeps growing.
I have made some sales (via amazon) but still nothing that I would brag about (under $100 total). However, I am not giving up.
I also don't need to make 6 figures. I would be extremely happy making about $3000 a month.
Hello,
Yes true it takes time, but 9 months is a lots of time and earn under $100, it is too long, of course I am also keep going and not going to give up. 6 Figures in a year is my year down goal. I would be also happy to get $3000 a month. But if it is going to take 2 years to reach to $3000 a month it wont work for me as I have situation to earn that amount from April.
Thanks for your reply on my comment.
Chittranjan
I guess I look at it as starting a brick and mortar business. I have several friends who have done this and they did not even break even until about 3-4 years in. I do not have the same expenses as a brick and mortar business either.
I know that I am in an extremely competitive niche as well and the products I am promoting are all quite inexpensive. As a result, it will take much more time for me to make $3000 a month.
Yes I understand, I wish you all the best for your venture. Unfortunately I do not have that advantage to wait for that long.
Thanks,
Chittranjan
Yes, I am very fortunate. I am a stay at home mom right now. I will need to go back to work in about 2-3 years if I am not making about $3000 a month by then, which I better be!
No I think the problem is in WA people tend to concentrate on search engine which is only one traffic platform - you must add 30-150 at least and a lot of them are paid - forums, bbs, newsaggregators, rss feeds, reviews by some known in field, social networks, partners (up to 100% first month commission),
If you dont pay - you dont gain, have no new cahflow to pay more and get a lot of traffic.
And sorry did you measure your conversion to leads and sales? Casually any blog/infosite/etc generate 1.5% visitor-to-lead conversion, and 6-9% conversion to sales from 1 lead if you have email list, new hot deals and offers and constant feedback for new return purchases. Conversion to vistor from a search engine can be 5-10-50% from 5 page of search to advertisment below the search line.
So it is number game for 100 new referrals a month you need 111-200k views on search engine. And Kyle talks about 50 views a month niches and keywords - is it sane?
We just have very low conversion rate,
For real business you need 30-50% conversion from 150 platforms to visitors, then 6% to lead, than 14% for sales. The number must be 39400 views or 1322 per day or 9 per platform - that is possible for real.
But how on earth do you expect results quick if you dont buy traffic, have just 3-5 search engines as a traffic generating platform and a stupid 1.5% inital conversion. 2 visitor a day cant produce a single sale in months.You need 20 000 or 2000 or at least 200.
Keyword for uncompetitive niche - who needs it. Ultracompetitive niches are goof cause they have volume! You need to put words in text that everyone search - all news hot topic on twitter and google trends and write a blog post. Use consumer generated content! Make them go to you in droves. Or you will not have a traffic even for analytics not to mention sales.
We here to sale - sale like crazy, help like Maxwell demons, seduce like succubies and kick the asses like real leaders so lazybums become great leaders with huge business. I lost patience with this - wait a little longer while pay me your next month. If you dont make money you leave, if referrals dont - they leave you without money.
Targeted traffic - who need it - you need to place a different hook for every visitor you get so conversion can go to 8% or 10%. Sale everything - who need those stupid reviews - I dont need trust, my referrals dont need it. They need profit and quick. They need to pay bills now, have fun in life now, not some two-tree years away that never come.
I agree and not speaking about WA, but just review sites in general for any product_____ (fill in the blank) because I know that almost every review site has a particular agenda, when I am looking to buy a product personally I have to sift through a myriad of review sites to find one that feels honest or that I feel I can trust. My daughter and my new grandson just moved to Hawaii and I was looking for the best Skype camera to go with mine and my daughters Sony smart TV's. After about 20 minutes of sifting through variety of sites I ended up just going directly to Amazon and comparing reviews of various products myself because I could not find an honest feeling comparison site.
Indeed, this is a great example that review sites sometimes are not an added value, they are actually misleading with their info...
Agree with that 100%. It's one of the things about WA I disagree with. .
Providing competitors websites and then attempting to get all members to write negative things about competitors without them having any real knowledge of affiliate marketing let alone sites competing with WA, isn't the most ethical way to do business.
If you're reviewing WA as a member, then you should also be comparing others having been a paid member of them too. Fair, no?
I do not experience in the same way...
For me it is only: Please write honest and correct reviews...
And of course, you can not compare WA against with a Clickbank University, that is impossible...
Ah, but indeed, I understand what you want to say: they use the same comparison table for every product... Yes, sometimes it is really not comparable and then it is stupid to use that comparison table...
Cause of course, for a micro job website or a copywriter site, you need other requirements then mentioned in that table...
Perfect. First go be paid member, do as much work as you do at WA and then compare. For me WA is nothing more than Community and Training.
Thanks,
Chittranjan
This is one of the biggest reasons why I have not started a "bootcamp" website. I really have no interest in reviewing other programs. I know that I am not going to purchase these programs to do a good, thorough review. So I would just be going off of what others have said.
I use site comments a lot and so many WA sites show up and they are all very similar from one another. The only thing that sets one apart from the next (for most, not all) is writing style. But the content and site layout seems pretty much that same.
I know that you can promote WA without having a review or scam advisory site, but I haven't come up with an idea yet.
So I will continue to work on my niche site!
I understand what you mean, but to be honest: You can do Bootcamp without doing a review if you want and still learn a lot of interesting stuff...
But I do understand, you don't like to judge other people's work....
There are a lot of other ways to promote WA. You can easily tie it into a lifestyle site / travel site / single parenting site etc etc.
The sites all look the same as everyone follows a template. And they'll be a handful of older sites where people get most info on the other programs, then rewrite it.
Fortunately, most of these sites won't get anywhere near page 1 of SERPs and will be abandoned.
If you're thinking of making a generic WA scam site. A bit of info, I scraped Street Articles, used pretty much only by WA members, for expired domains to see if there were any worth grabbing & found links to over 2000 of these type sites which are no longer online.
Look for an original angle for your site.
To be honest: my site where I promote WA with is "How Single Adult buy a house", and there I describe the situation they're in and they need some extra money to be able to buy and so and so on;..
And as a solution: you can earn online money with WA...
(I did do a comparison between Farrell membership and WA, but I said they were almost the same...
And there is one scam site listed where I put money in, and I never saw anything in return, some vague answers on mail and that was it...
But the rest of the site is handling the "buy a house" subject or the earn from home subject in general...
I am glad I chose that subject...
I really do want to do the bootcamp classes just for more information. But at this point I probably won't make a website.
Thanks for the suggestions. I will keep them in mind!
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Thank you for sharing, I just said to Louie when he said I need some more reviews, I don't know how to review other sites, because I'm not signing up for everything, I would go crazy.
And for me to write an honest review, I have to belong to them and go through whatever they have to offer - otherwise I might be lying if I go on what other people say.
Own personal experience is the only way to give a real true review.
Blessings in abundance
Linda
It is good to hear that it is indeed not simple to write good reviews and you have to invest a lot of time and energy into it...