Because I have called Tom Antion out on one of his spamming methods, this blog has received a good amount of traffic. Traffic of those searching for, you guessed it, Tom Antion.

Tom gave a comment here implying that this site will never rank, that “seo’s are full of it” and used some language that really impressed my educated readers. But, in one day that article was on page 2 of google for your name (while people STILL pay PPC for that) But, I’m “full of it” according to Tom Antion.

Since then, I have received email from past “Mentees” as well as hired by some to teach them the RIGHT and ethical way of doing things.

One person has commented that Tom Antion (this person’s former “Mentor”) had today received an email from Tom shaking her down for 25% of ANYTHING she made online in the future and if she is working on any new projects then $50,000.00 !!!! (Tom, can you say restraint of trade?!)

I intend to publish this as I’ve been GIFTED the letter that was GIFTED to your mentee, and hope that all of you out there searching and learning about the true nature of Tom Antion take these comments to heart.

More articles about Tom Antion can be found here and here and here.

Tom should think about and ask himself – and honestly consider: WHY are these articles popping up? Well, Mr. Antion, I’ll be decontructing your claims here, yes, with copies of your alledged agreement you use in attempt to shake-down people who have already paid you (way too much).

Contact me with your true Tom Antion stories – the truth needs to be known to everyone considering the investment he requires to teach you how to make HIM money.

I don’t decry the practice of boosting, I’M AN SEO! HOWEVER, I do object to the means that some firms and people use to achieve it.

I’ve written on the disgust I have for spammers and the tactics used by self-proclaimed gurus and web marketers. I’ve also held back while biting my tongue when I read blogs by some copywriters masquerading as SEOs trying to promote their “methods” and “secrets”, often in book form, while failing the SEO game themselves – especially when considering the very websites they use to promote these “methods”.

There are a few camps with SEO.

One – The true SEO, technical and ethical. They’ve walked the line in the past and now know where it is and have evolved to where they can do it with honest methods while providing an income stream for themselves as well as their clients.

Two – The “web marketers” – they are not SEOs. They’re email harvesters and mass mailers. They produce pages like toilet paper that promise the world – scroll after scroll before revealing the cost to purchase, well, usually a method to produce more of this very type of pollution. Their failure in SEO is evident it the fact that they define SEO in terms of “landing pages”, “email marketing” and more obviously spun excuses for not achieving honest top ranking sites that people actually look for in Google. These sites are either thrown at them in email or they’re discovered by click-through from other sites – usually just like them. These “SEOs” usually advocate the use of PPC as a traffic generator – a sign that natural search is out of their league.

Third – The true spammers and hackers – these are evil people, scum of the earth and deserve no further mention. They’ve passed the line and enjoy hell.

I’m focusing on #2 now. Maybe SEO terms have become muddy. But, the truth remains regardless of semantics or opinion, mine or yours.

You have not learned anything from an affiliate purchase that simply tells (re-sells) you to bid high in AdWords in order to achieve top rank. Nor have you achieved anything other than have gifted your money to someone by purchasing a product from some “guru” who pushes their “methods” by crappy SEO efforts. (email marketing)

These self-back-patters usually source their claims when their methods are questioned by directing you to ANOTHER article pushing similar wares, secrets and methods, full of affiliate links and absolutely horrible on-page SEO.

The problem is circular.

One of my big pet peeves with this type of web marketer is when they source an article to defend a claim when that very article is of the same type of pollution that’s initially questioned, a seemingly blind group that subscribes to each others “methods” as the truth and simply refer visitors in an unending circle of falsehoods and self-praise.

Those that preach usually learned from the methods they now promote, in book form or seminar, and it goes round and round and round…. barely escaping to actual search, to NEW customers. These circles are groups, communities and associations that appear to choose their “experts” by the amount of propaganda and pollution the candidates have presented their circle.

Sadly, because their customers are already within the circle, the community is hindered in terms of growth and education, ripe for exploitation. For some associations – it’s too late.

Tom called SEO’s “full of it” within this blog when some of his spam was noticed and his remarks were also commented on at Digg.com.

Several people have emailed me more screenshots and proof of his spam methods as well as copies of his seminar kit for online marketing (I already have that). Also sent was a map of his mass interlinking strategy that provides great information about his house of cards. I talked at length with one of these “mentees” about how he PAID TOM ANTION to show him how to sell TOM ANTION’S CRAP. Tom, are you going to refund them?

Truth is that Tom isn’t challenged often because he only allows one-way lectures, and dismisses those that are smarter by making fun of them at public speaking engagements, his target audience.

Tom Antion hires people to make video casts that LOOK like news programs and begins his infomercials with the typical late night (targeted to the unemployed and desperate – is that you?) with the venerable “get rich”, “take vacations whenever you want, “fire your boss” and more garbage while hiring eLance to ghost-write books saying he’s an authority, further propagating the “Guru” status he currently enjoys.

Sad that people fall for this.Tom NEVER reveals the success ratio of his customers.

But, since I wrote the article I had 2 (4) (9) (16) (21), of his past “mentees” hire me and yes, if they don’t succeed I don’t get paid. Does Tom do that?

Find someone who can help you promote YOU, not train you to promote them.

The subject line states “your links are wrong on your website”

Hey Tom, thanks for the analysis, thanks for the lies. It certainly set the tone for the rest of your email for it consists of more lies – an evident characteristic of your web marketing strategies.

Tom Antion, in my deservingly arrogant and expert opinion, you’re a hypocrite.

Your message warns that inappropriate linking methods can hurt our websites. WOW, you are a guru. Is this news?

Here’s his message:

The way you are linking to and from your website could get you banned in search engines.

Tom Antion has a really cheap program with a happy hour discount nto tell you what to do about it.

Check out {link drop}

Knowing this stuff not only will keep you from getting banned, it will help your website climb to the top where all the action and greenbacks are.

Visit {link drop}

Catch ya
Tom Antion

What’s funny is that with the email he offers a 39$ CD explaining this claim. WOW, 39 bucks for public knowledge. Tom, you’re so clever. Do you know what you’re talking about? – But because you lied and said you checked my site, let’s take a look at yours.

WOW, a mark of your character, Tom Antion? – HIDDEN LINKS.

(Public site screenshot 3/16/07 – antion.com)

Is this what you teach those you scare into buying your products? Do you teach them to spam, to cheat?

Tom Antion mentions that he holds #1 positions in Google, umm, for what? Your Name??

Hidden links. Tom, have you even read the Google webmasters guidelines?

(Public site screenshot 3/16/07 – powerpointstinks.com)

Wow, more spam. (While selling a CD about bad linking) How’s it doing? Friends, no “internet marketing guru” receives so little traffic. Please, let these numbers be false! (or don’t make them public)

(public stats – antion.com)

Does Tom Antion REALLY know what he’s talking about?

Friends, contact a real web marketer or SEO if you want to know the truth about this spammy link method, they’ll explain for free what he wants to charge you for.

The world of internet marketing has changed, Tom hasn’t.

Here’s a question for those of you who have bought into his “system” – Are you still paying for AdWords? If so, you’ve been failed. Proof? This article is written at midnight, March 18 2007 – let’s see when it appears on Google for ‘Tom Antion’. Also consider this is a pretty new domain.

Go ahead and retort with PR and Alexa numbers, the only thing that matters is the SERPS.

Credit due though – if you want to be a great public speaker I’m sure he’s a great coach. Just practice what you preach about the Internet!

Selling a CD by scary email about bad linking while employing bad linking on your site is highly hypocritical.

ADDED – Many have emailed me saying “put your numbers up” and the like. FINE – here’s my last public snapshot of UNIQUE traffic - so you Antion check writers can now scratch your heads. Oh, and it’s doubled since then, I’ll have a year end snapshot later.