Are SEOs shady by nature or do I lack trust

wwsosop

wwsosop

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Long story short I got scammed a good bit by the "trust in me" guys of SEO. From helping clients, competeing against competitors and etc, you get to see what people are really up to.

I make vein but honest attempts to speak, talk to and collaborate with local SEOs where I live and in the same niche but these mf'ers just live on a island are remain silent. I met a cool SEO in a gym and found out he had his own company but caught dude lying as well and he didnt want to do any business. They always want to know or see all your sites... ghost you and yesterday a local SEO had me a little wtf.

He ask me to show me all my client sites. I said yeah "show me all of your". Have any of you had success collaborating or working with others. TBH I am starting to notice forum spaces like these is the highest probably you have of dealing with SEOs being legit ppl or when you spend money. Does no one make friends and collab. I am probably doing it wrong, not giving up, but no way would I expose all my assets, even if I knew you for 5 years I would not do it knowing what I know now.

Long story short whats the deal with these one sided conversations trying to deal with others. I really prefer not to own 100 domains or more.
 
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Actually I have been working in an SEO agency for more then 10 years.

They have had hundreds of clients.

They have an office in Dubai as well.

Does pretty well.
 
Agree...Forums where people actually share knowledge seem like the only place to deal with legit SEOs these days. I’ve stopped expecting anything else.
 
Yo, man, I feel your frustration—the "island" mentality is real in this industry, and for good reason, tbh. You aren't doing it wrong; you're just experiencing the trust-gap that defines high-level SEO.

Here is the reality of why those conversations feel so one-sided:

Assets are Targets: In SEO, your site list isn't just a portfolio; it’s a blueprint. If a shady SEO sees your successful niche and backlink profile, they can clone it or, worse, send a negative SEO blast to knock you off page one

The Scarcity Mindset: Local SEOs often view collaboration as "giving away the secret sauce" to a potential competitor. Most are terrified of losing their edge, so they default to ghosting or lying to protect their rankings.

Collaboration is Rare: True collaboration usually only happens in closed masterminds or on BHW where reputations are public. Successful partnerships are built on shared revenue, not just "showing sites."
 
Unless you have a huge portfolio, it's better to do on-page SEO yourself (or hire a VA) and outsource link building to a real agency or a trustworthy person from the forums. Most of us don't casually share our portfolio for a reason. We keep a few surface sites to test services while the actual sites stay protected from spam and scams. If we find any quality services or reliable SEOs, we'll just purchase links and handle rest of the things ourselves.
 
wwsosop said:
Long story short I got scammed a good bit by the "trust in me" guys of SEO. From helping clients, competeing against competitors and etc, you get to see what people are really up to.

I make vein but honest attempts to speak, talk to and collaborate with local SEOs where I live and in the same niche but these mf'ers just live on a island are remain silent. I met a cool SEO in a gym and found out he had his own company but caught dude lying as well and he didnt want to do any business. They always want to know or see all your sites... ghost you and yesterday a local SEO had me a little wtf.

He ask me to show me all my client sites. I said yeah "show me all of your". Have any of you had success collaborating or working with others. TBH I am starting to notice forum spaces like these is the highest probably you have of dealing with SEOs being legit ppl or when you spend money. Does no one make friends and collab. I am probably doing it wrong, not giving up, but no way would I expose all my assets, even if I knew you for 5 years I would not do it knowing what I know now.

Long story short whats the deal with these one sided conversations trying to deal with others. I really prefer not to own 100 domains or more.
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You should choose SEO provider based on referral. Less chance of getting scammed there.
 
wwsosop said:
Long story short I got scammed a good bit by the "trust in me" guys of SEO. From helping clients, competeing against competitors and etc, you get to see what people are really up to.

I make vein but honest attempts to speak, talk to and collaborate with local SEOs where I live and in the same niche but these mf'ers just live on a island are remain silent. I met a cool SEO in a gym and found out he had his own company but caught dude lying as well and he didnt want to do any business. They always want to know or see all your sites... ghost you and yesterday a local SEO had me a little wtf.

He ask me to show me all my client sites. I said yeah "show me all of your". Have any of you had success collaborating or working with others. TBH I am starting to notice forum spaces like these is the highest probably you have of dealing with SEOs being legit ppl or when you spend money. Does no one make friends and collab. I am probably doing it wrong, not giving up, but no way would I expose all my assets, even if I knew you for 5 years I would not do it knowing what I know now.

Long story short whats the deal with these one sided conversations trying to deal with others. I really prefer not to own 100 domains or more.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that’s pretty normal in SEO, sadly. A lot of people are guarded because they’ve been burned too, or they’re fishing for info rather than real collaboration. Anyone asking to see all your sites while hiding theirs is a red flag. Real collabs usually start small, one project, one site, clear boundaries. Forums tend to be safer because there’s reputation on the line. You’re not doing it wrong, just being realistic in a very paranoid industry.
 
This is normal in SEO. It’s a competitive industry, so experienced SEOs don’t openly share client sites or assets, that is just risk management, not being shady.

Forums work better because they are reputation based and transactional. You are not doing it wrong, protecting your assets is part of the game.
 
SEOs aren’t shady by nature. your lack of trust usually comes from past burn experiences and an industry where shortcuts exist but ethics vary.
 
SEOs aren’t shady by nature. Like any field, there are a few bad actors, but most focus on helping websites rank better ethically. It’s normal to feel cautious, just look for SEOs who are transparent, explain their strategies, and follow best practices.
 
You’re not wrong — a lot of SEOs are guarded, not because they’re shady, but because the industry rewards secrecy. Most people have been burned at least once, so trust is earned very slowly. Asking to see all client sites or assets is a red flag, though — collaboration should never be one-sided.

Real collaboration does exist, but it usually starts small: sharing ideas, testing things together, or working on limited projects before any deep trust. Forums like this often feel safer because boundaries are clearer. You’re not doing it wrong — being cautious is just part of surviving in SEO.
 
I've noticed this is quite common in the SEO industry. Many people keep things secret for fear of revealing resources, so conversations are often one-sided. In my opinion, collaboration should start with small tasks, with clear boundaries, and only move forward after the work is done. Nobody distributes all the content from the beginning.
 
SEO collaboration is usually people fishing for your assets, not real partnership, because this industry rewards secrecy and leverage, not openness or trust.
 
Furious Man said:
SEO collaboration is usually people fishing for your assets, not real partnership, because this industry rewards secrecy and leverage, not openness or trust.
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Yes lesson learned, I am over my SEO collab stage unless it is very meaningful
 
nip said:
Agree...Forums where people actually share knowledge seem like the only place to deal with legit SEOs these days. I’ve stopped expecting anything else.
Click to expand...
The place where you really learn is if you're in the online casino world either on the casino team, an affiliate or agency.

There's shitloads to learn and it's one of the most niche and competitive environments out there.

But yeah, you kinda have to be in Malta or such , where the headquarters are , remote won't be the same as far exchange goes.

Even if you're in an adjacent department, you still get to learn a couple things, or if you're curious and speak with the folks in cig breaks or a drink after work.

There's no track record like being on a team which ranks number one for casino bonus and such keywords.

Sure, that's the top of the pyramid and they spend vast amounts of money, but certainly the epitome of knowledge
 
Rule of thumb in the industry has always been: a SEO shares their "trade secrets" once they have milked the cow to death or it has been patched or it is old news.

I mean its the same for any competitive sport as well.

My advice? Don't ask directly for "advice" but built up relationships locally. Make yourself trustable, maybe also share some old stories, and then maybe others will open up as well.
 
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