Serious question, did anyone else buy a bunch of those 'expert' SEO ebooks back in the day?

I just found a folder on my old hard drive with like 15 PDFs I bought between 2010 and 2014. Probably dropped close to $500 total on guides promising secret ranking tricks. Most of it was outdated the second Google updated its algorithm. The worst was a $75 guide on 'exact match keyword domains' that became useless fast. Now all that info is free in Google's own docs or on good blogs. What's the modern version of this waste? Are people still buying sketchy online courses?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_jordan21d ago

My cousin just spent $300 on a "TikTok organic growth masterclass" that was basically common sense tips you could find for free. The course seller used fake screenshots of earnings too. It feels like the same old scam with a new social media name on it. People still fall for the promise of a shortcut instead of putting in real work.

verawhite21d ago

Oh, the classic "pay for the secret" that's just "post good stuff regularly.

emmawood21d ago

Ever try just telling them to search for free guides first? I saved my own brother from a similar course by showing him the same advice was already on YouTube, @the_jordan. Sometimes people just need to hear it from someone they trust.