Buying phrases for a Google search?

[Margo6786]

This guy called me today trying to sell me a phrase, "houses in Colorado Springs" and then guaranteed me that when folks search that phrase on Google, my website would be in the top three on the first page. 

It costs $75 a month and there is no contract so I can cancel at any time.

What do you guys think?  First of all, does that work to get business or leads? Have any of you tried something like this? 

I was almost hoping when he told me the price that it would be so expensive the answer would be a no-brainer.

Any advice would be appreciated. I told him I would let him know tomorrow morning.

[Jennifer Allan]

BLECH.

I don't know anything about it, but I don't like the idea of buying your way onto google - I just don't believe it.

BTW, I'm having a SWS party in Denver at the end of February - for my birthday actually... Feel like making a road trip?

J

[Margo6786]

Thanks, Jennifer!

Yes, I would love to make a road trip to Denver. Barring a snow storm, I'll be there! 

BTW, what day in Feb is your birthday? My husband's is the 12th.

~Carol (AKA Margo6786)

[Carol Kerr]

That's too funny.... My birthday is the 10th.  Maybe we should plan one big joint party

As far as buying the phrase.  Seems very pricey to me for a single phrase.  Also, it seems that savvy google users recognize that the only reason that top listing is there is because they paid to be there and therefore skip them to get to the ones with real content -- not to imply that your site wouldn't have real content.   I believe they are also flagged as ads.

From what I've gathered, it seems it's a better strategy to focus on having relevant, fresh, unique and frequent content on the internet.  That will improve your position on ALL search engines.

[Jennifer Allan]

My birthday is February 26th, which is a Friday. Plan A is to have a party at some restaurant in Lakewood - the place that used to be Simms Landing, but is now something else. Apparently, there's a little SWS fan club that call themselves the Soul Sistas, so that's what started it all.

Anyway, I'd pass on the offer to buy that search term. I'm doing a teleseminar in February on Internet Marketing - well, I'M not doing it, but I'll have guests on who do it successfully. I have no clue.

I did just hire an SEO expert who is going to "optimize" my site, so we'll see how that goes!

[Margo6786]

Thanks, everyone.  I told him, thanks, but no thanks when he called me back this morning.