Yesterday evening I received in my inbox a request to add a link from ‘my blog’ to a site in exchange for a link back from it. I get these several times a week because Google considers Telecare Aware to be ‘an authority site’ (i.e. well established source of information, frequently updated and with links to it from serious and relevant sites) and so, in the arcane world of search engine results page promotion (SERP), a live link from Telecare Aware is an asset that any telecare/telehealth related site would value. Most of these requests are irrelevant and are quickly trashed. However, this one was the most stupid, ham-fisted request for a link from a site (www.newdoctor.com) which is being linked to – it really is, I checked them – from Telemedicine.com, TeleHealth World and ATA (well, its Latin American & Caribbean Chapter, at least).
I say ‘ham-fisted’ because it begins with what looks like an image from a Viagra spam email (see screenshot, below. In fact there is no mention of erectile dysfunction on the site). It is addressed to ‘Dear Webmaster’ and continues in this generic fashion. Some of the sites it claims link to it do not, or maybe they did until recently. So, whether it is for real, or whether it is an elaborate scam (there is no real person or company information and the About page is a hilarious mish-mash of what looks like machine-translated text) it’s not going to get a link from Telecare Aware.
I am actually fairly generous with links, but if you want one, address me personally, show some understanding of the site (read ‘About’ at least!) and have something relevant for Telecare Aware readers. Now here’s that screenshot:
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Oh, it gets funnier… I then receive a copy of an email to the above supposed webmaster for this site, Ryan Flaherty, from a johndeerjr101[at]aol.com which has the text of the above, plus various other, badly spelt suggestions for text, which, presumably ‘Ryan Flaherty’ chose to ignore. Perhaps it is very appropriate that their link request spam also looks like spam.
Sorry
We apologize for sending you a link request in such an unprofessional way. We wanted to use you as a resource for our members on NewDoctor [now http://www.medcko.com – July 2013] . I had an issue with email accounts and we have corrected it. I have added you as a resource on Newdoctor and hope you do the same. I apologize again Mr. Hards. Your site is great and deserved a better email.
[Well, that’s a handsome apology and, having received confirmation that your site and service is ‘for real’, I’ve given you a live link. Steve]