Matchmaker Marketing trick Irish businesses - beware

[Frank Fullard]

I'm sorry for the long post but feel there is a lot of information that is important everyone knows to help stop this happening anymore.

Over the last 10 days it came to our attention at Whatswhat.ie that a UK company is calling companies on our directory. We have over 65,000 companies listed and believe they have contacted 1,000’s to date. This company is called Matchmaker Marketing. There are others but Matchmaker has a vigorous campaign going on at the moment targeting Irish companies and probably from other directories too.

It is bad enough they are calling our customers and sometimes being detrimental about our service, however it is difficult for us to stop this as being an online business directory we are in the public domain and companies listed with us show their details in order to be seen.

The problem is that this company infers they are Google from the start of the conversation and are tricking Irish businesses into thinking they are being called by Google so the call must therefore be bona fide.

Those that know a bit better realise that Google wouldn’t be calling them direct so they ask who they actually are and they admit to being Matchmaker Marketing. However they then claim to be affiliated with Google or a Google reseller or Google’s largest reseller in the UK. “As in Carphone Warehouse is to Vodafone” (their words)

The sales spiel then starts and they say many different things. The main ones being:-

• We can get you on the first page of Google in the top 3 organic listings and guarantee that you stay there
• We can get you on the first page of Google in the top 10 organic listings and guarantee that you stay there
• We can get you in the top 3 sponsored links on Google and guarantee that you stay there
• We can guarantee you stay on the first page of Google somewhere
• We’re only selling these spots to one type of company in your area
• Google have allocated us one space in the natural listings and we are the only reseller that can do this
• Blah blah blah


How do I know this? Because they contacted me directly not realising my connection with Whatswhat or that I actually knew what they were saying could not be true. I also have about 150 emails from people who have been contacted by them. And that number is growing daily. Unfortunately some that have paid too. Whatswhat.ie hopes to stop this misrepresentation happening to businesses with the best of our ability. We do not condone this type of business behaviour and intend to stamp it out.

We contacted Google and they have their legal team investigating the matter. Firstly because this company are using the Google logo on their email correspondence without permission by Google and secondly because they have seen a batch of the emails I’ve been receiving whereby people have said they thought they were being contacted by Google so they paid over money. Here are two statements that Google have given me to use in order to warn people about this:-

“Thanks for the complaint and we can understand your frustration. It's been forwarded to the appropriate team, which will investigate. Essentially, it's up to advertisers to work with agencies they trust. MatchMaker Marketing and Sphere Marketing have no affiliation with Google” Google UK & Ireland (dated 20/5/09)

“We’re extremely concerned to learn of companies without affiliation to Google using our name to mislead or mistreat small businesses who want to advertise online. Our legal team investigates such abuses and we continue to work with the relevant authorities to combat the problems caused. We always urge businesses in the UK and Ireland to work only with agencies they know and trust. We have established a programme of Authorised Google AdWords Resellers whom businesses can trust to manage their advertising on Google. Alternatively, they can do this directly with us at adwords.google.com." - Google UK & Ireland (dated 22/5/09)

Basically what they are selling is Google Adwords for a fixed price per month. We’ve been told prices that range from €90 to €250 so far. It varies with the company they contact.

Google Adwords do NOT get you on the natural listings in Google – on any page. They get you in the sponsored listings and not always guaranteed the top 3 or first page.

With Google Adwords you would normally pay per click (ppc) for the words that you want to come up on Google for. You will show in the sponsored listings on the right hand side and very top randomly. For a full and easy to understand description of the difference please use this link - http://www.webmentor.ie/how-to-guides/s ... o-sem.html courtesy of Webmentor.ie

Only today I spoke to a company that had paid them €90 for one search term (adwords) for one month. I have checked and last month that search term had less than 10 searches on Google Ireland. If they’d gone direct with Google the adwords would have cost them approximately 5 cents per click therefore approximately 50 cents for the month. Can you see how much the UK company made with that company therefore??? It is possible they get the Adwords pay per click even cheaper as they are ‘buying in bulk’ but we don’t know that. Ironically our customer was also second in the organic listings for that search term via Whatswhat.

Unfortunately they are contacting people that may never read this because they don’t use the computer or internet very often or at all. One man contacted us about it and did not know how to forward the email he’d got from them so is sending it in the post!!! All they know is that the first page of Google is the be all and end all. They don’t understand they could go direct to Google.adwords and choose how much they pay per click and get it a lot cheaper. Or use a bona fide adwords company (preferably in Ireland) that will work with them for a much cheaper cost and no false promises.

This company probably isn’t targeting London companies where the Adwords pay per click would cost a lot more. No, they are targeting companies in rural areas in Ireland where using, for example Youghal, tagged on to a search term the cost would be minimal via a legitimate Adwords campaign.

We are not saying Matchmaker Marketing is not a legitimate company and they cannot offer a legitimate service. They have been Google accredited for selling Adwords. That is not ‘Google affiliated’ or a ‘Google reseller’. They can put together a Google adword campaign for you. Unfortunately they are not saying that when they ring Joe Bloggs plumber who thinks he’s been called by Google because they picked him out of the hat for his area to make sure he gets onto the first page of Google.

You can read more on these forums:-

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forum ... hp?t=88096
http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/01619417944

or just type in Matchmaker Marketing on Google.co.uk and you’ll see a lot. Seems they have moved from targeting UK companies to Irish ones now.

Please warn everyone about this as we really have to stop this happening to the small businesses in Ireland. Especially in this time of recession.

If anyone has more information please email me on sian@whatswhat.ie as I am compiling information for Google plus we are going to the media with this.

Good luck and take care

[AileenH]

Well done to www.whatswhat.ie for highlighting this.

Silicon Republic carries the story here:

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/art ... -the-loose

[Sian Phillips]

Hi Aileen

Thanks for pointing that out too. We got a piece in the Sunday Business Post yesterday and getting more media attention today. The more people that are aware of this the better so please pass the word on.

Take care

Sian

[Belgiantreasures]

yep, I heard it on the radio this morning...
Let's hope people don't fall for their tricks....
They contacted me too, but never actually emailed me.. I was promised to be on the first page for 99 euros for a whole month( in the yellow box)
I explained I can get that by using the adwords, but she was very sure it would be cheaper....
K

[Sian Phillips]

Hi K

Thanks for letting me know and glad you were wise enough not to sign up. Just heard from a lady who agreed to pay €25 last week with a view to increasing to €99 if it worked. They took €99 from the start!!

Do you mind telling me what radio show you heard it on this morning?

Thanks

Sian

[Anthea]

Sian,

Thanks for all the work you have put into chasing this & keeping us informed. I know it has not been pleasant or easy.

I am sure your customers can see how genuine you are & that you are doing your utmost to protect them.

Take care
Anthea

[Sian Phillips]

Hi Anthea

Thank you for your kind words. We just dont like seeing people tricked. Unfortunately it's the people who don't really understand the internet that are tricked because they really think that Google is ringing them.

The more people like that we can warn then the better.

Thanks again

Sian

[Belgiantreasures]

Hi Sian,
It was on on 4FM...my new favourite station:) I love the music on it!!
K

[Sian Phillips]

Hi K

Thanks for letting me know. They contacted us this morning and Barbara is being interviewed tomorrow about 7.45am

Enjoy

Take care

Sian

[Mary New]

Hello Sian

Thank you for the post and the efforts that both yourself and Barbara are making to inform Irish businesses of this trickery.

Having been targeted by this company, I know how convincing they are and understand fully why people who may not understand how google search results/ranking and adwords work hand over their credit card details. I have a friend who did just that (to another UK based company) as she was convinced that the call came directly from Google.

While they didn't tell me they were calling from Google, they told me that their relationship with Google gave them the authority to guarantee first page Google rankings in sponsored links, ads and organic searches. I was also told that they had been so successful selling this "service" in the UK that they were now moving into Ireland. Fortunately I have a good understanding of this system and when I received the call I asked some questions as I wanted to confirm that they were mispresenting the situation.

While much of what they claimed is at the very least questionable, it is their abuse of the Google Adwords Company Qualified logo on their website and their claim that this means that they have a special relationship with Google that allows them to fulfill their, in fact, ineffective promises that infuriates me most, as this is what convinces people to part with their money.

I won't go into the details of why their claims are ineffective here or this post will go on forever. I will say that there are many reputable companies and individuals who have the qualification that this company claims to have. If you do require a service to help improve your rankings I am sure that reputable companies will discuss your goals, your budget, their proposed strategy (in detail) etc. and then provide you with a quotation.

I urge everybody here to pass Sian's post on to any business owner/person who may be targeted by these companies so that they get the message that Irish businesses are not an easy target.

Kind regards,

Mary

[Sian Phillips]

Hi Mary

Thank you so much for your post and kind comments. You were great on Newstalk on Friday too thank you.

These people have so many different aspects to their sales spiel. Our main problem is suggesting their releationship with Google which makes people trust them straight away.

I am still getting emails from people that have been contacted and it's very frustrating.

I can say that Google's legal team are investigating this further - especially the use of their logo and their claims to be either Google, Google affiliated or a reseller of Google. When I hear more from them I will let everyone know.

Take care

Sian

[Belgiantreasures]

Heard the interview on the radio this morning... very well explained!
K

[Sian Phillips]

Hi K

Thanks. ANd Iknow what you mean about the music. Will be listening to that show more often now

I'll be in touch with Google again soon so will post an update if there is anything.

Take care

Sian

[Annette at Shugal]

Hi sian

thanks for post and it also highlights what a terrific forum this is and why we need it, I have been telling anyone I know in business to join this site and here is another important reason why


Annette

[eoin.oleary]

Hi Sian,

Thanks for getting this information out there so quickly.

Eoin