This is part one of the series. Part two will continue on June 5, 2009.

Welcome to my post on what to look for,  and,  what not to look for while shopping online for hemorrhoid treatment products and services. Together, we will explore the different choices out there as well as all the crazy “claims” that are being made.

Examples of Misleading Search Engine Results Pages (click to enlarge)

First, let’s look at the state of our (my) country. Companies in the United States thrive on deceit and bending the truth. Just look at any television commercial. For example, do you ever have time to read the fine print at the bottom of the commercial, which basicly states that all the offers they’re telling you about are not really going to happen because of all the restrictions? The United States FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is also depleted, and can ‘t keep up with all the false claims being made on the net. The internet has become the “Wild, Wild, West” of “BS” health care marketing.

Ok, here we go. First, let’s get used to this term, “Black Hat Marketing.” What does it mean? Black Hat Marketing or BHM is one way a company can market their products on the net. However, it is frowned upon by many major companies and by all internet search engines, such as Google and Yahoo. One of the things BHM companies do is buy lots of domain names to target what you’re looking for. For example, type the phrase bleeding hemorrhoids in Google search.

Notice the first choice Google brings up!

Now, the domain name is www.bleedinghemorrhoids.org. The “.org” stands for organization. Ok, now let’s find out what this bleedinghemorrhoids.org is all about. Are they doctors that write about bleeding hemorrhoids? Is that the company name? Who wrote this information you are suppose to trust? Does the website have a phone number? Is there information on who anybody is or their location?

What then is this website and how did I get here? The answer is you got there because this company has bought the domain name you put in the Google search field.

More misleading results from Google (click to enlarge)

Now, I found it interesting how this site sells different products for hemorrhoid treatments. They rank in order of popularity, so they say, whoever “THEY” are. How long would it take me to buy a domain like this,  get “some friends” to review my hemorrhoid treatment, and put up a quick website saying that your hemorrhoids will disappear in a day? About 48 hours!

Let me first state that I own part of a company that sells hemorrhoid treatment products. Just so that we are clear on that, and, yes, that’s part of my motivation for writing this blog series. The bigger part is that I left my job to work in a field were I thought I could help people? Someone’s health is priceless to me. We are not selling cars or pizzas here. The thought of misleading people to make even a single dollar at the expense of their health is unimaginable to me, and, no, I am not a saint.

This buying of domain names is a formula used by BHM charlatans. There are thousands of domain names which have been bought up in all areas of health care and millions all over the net for everything and anything you can buy.

Part two will blow you away. We are going to look at these “so-called” consumer health review sites, not to be confused with the real Consumer Reports magazine which we grew up with and is truthful.

Mitch Rimland

Founder of HIC