Did you get a letter from “US Domain Authority” that looks like a bill for $289 for an “Annual Website Domain Listing?” If you’re wondering whether or not you need to pay it, you don’t, it’s not a bill or invoice, it’s a sales pitch.
Our clients have asked us the same question, “should I pay for this?”
The answer we tell our clients is “NO!”
[biz_ad]
These letters look like legitimate bills.
with the statement printed in bold letters:
“please remit payment to address on reverse side by [a specific date],”
The letters also have a large section on the back titled “HOW TO MAKE A PAYMENT:” with separate instructions on how to “Instant Pay Online,” and “By Mail” with a check or credit card.
There is also a return envelope included with the letter for sending a payment to “US Domain Authority,” similar to the type included with bills that a company would normally receive and pay.
These letters are NOT actually bills.
Rather they are “solicitations” from US Domain Authority to be listed in a website directory located at USDomainAuthority.com. The front of the letter states, “THIS IS NOT A BILL. THIS IS A SOLICITATION. YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO PAY THE AMOUNT STATED ABOVE UNLESS YOU ACCEPT THIS OFFER.”
According to the company’s own FAQ page:
“Q: I received a mailer that looks like a bill.”
“A: What you received in the mail is not a bill. This is an advertisement for our domain listing services.”
USDomainAuthority.com is indeed a website directory of businesses and organizations. We were even able to locate our own listing here: bizmktg.com listing
Note that we didn’t pay for this listing and it states: “Verified by Owner?” with a red circle and white “X” next to it.
The information on our listing appears to be a combination of data gathered from a scan of our website and data from our Google Maps listing. The listing also includes links to our social media accounts and our email address.
Based on research via DomainTools.com, this domain name “usdomainauthority.com” was originally registered by someone in 2009, then was delisted sometime in 2011. Fast forward to 2021 where someone privately registered the domain on March 21, 2021.
So, should you pay $289 a year for a website domain listing with this website?
We tell our clients no, because we believe there are better ways to spend money on digital marketing.
For example, start by claiming and optimizing your free “Google My Business” listing. Here are some educational resources we created about Google My Business:
- Podcast Episode: “What Is Google My Business And Why Should I Care?”
- Blog Post: “What Is Google My Business Why Does It Matter To SEO?”
Next, get a citation audit report for your business.
A citation audit checks your businesses information across the web for consistency of Business Name, Address, Phone, and Website. If your business has moved, changed names or phone numbers, then there may be inconsistencies or duplicates. This can cause issues with your search ranking on Google and other search engines.
We currently offer a citation audit report for $25 one-time. Once your report is finalized, we can help you fix most citation issues for less than $200. If you have no citation issues, then there is no need to even spend the $200.
Want help with your digital marketing?
Get started by scheduling a free marketing audit. We’ll analyze your current marketing and let you know where to invest your time and money for the best results.
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