There are many reputable SEO companies. I can recommend several, in fact. Both from the perspective of companies that to excellent work to the fact that their owners are some of the most honest and trustworthy individuals I’ve ever come to meet. Here’s just a few: Outspoken Media Vertical Measures Dream Systems Media.

Thank you for your perspective on this topic. As far as having some well thought-out solutions to propose, I invite you to read my article entitled “Cleaning Up the SEO Cesspool” over at SearchEngineJournal.com from January of this year

i would advice the good guys to stay out of the bad companies, no matter how much profitable it is, maintaining a good business standard/reputation is as hard as creating one, no point wasting the image by joining hands with the bad guys…

1) This is true in every industry. I only arrived in SEO a few years ago (though in IT for 15), and I have seen far worse stuff there.

2) I firmly fall in the camp of: “If you are going to rant on something (especially this hard), you had better have some well thought-out solutions to propose.”

Not trying to sound harsh on that, and they may be posted elsewhere and I missed them. But what is the alternative you are proposing? This strikes me as similar to the problems with the ratings institutions on Wall Street – who failed to steer millions of investors away from toxic asset investments, instead opting to keep them at AAA status – sometimes with clandestine financial arrangements in the back-office… But in the end, nobody really had a better alternative, so the rating agencies remain… Isn’t the marketplace supposed to sort these things out in the end?

Just a few random thoughts. Interesting discussion you had with Bruce.
Adam´s last blog ..Googles Next Big Move- Voice

You’re right. Bruce needs to pull the plug on TopSEOs and any company wishing to be seen as legitimate who is currently a member should also do the same. There are no excuses on this point.

I personally respect Bruce Clay, his company and for what he does and has done to help evolve our industry. I have not meet him in person yet, but have spoken with him via email in the past.

That said, I also have been reading all of the great articles about the who Top SEOs scam. I personally would NEVER pay $2,500 a month for a membership for something that is a “pay for play” type of thing. I tested Top SEOs in the past for my SEO/SEM firm (through a banner membership) and no surprise I had a terrible ROI.

I think that Bruce (along with others out there) should pull the plug on Top SEOs! Seriously, legitimate SEO service providers should be able to generate their own business through SEO, PPC, Social Media, etc and should not have to rely on Top SEOs. Maybe if the honest folks like Bruce Clay pull their business from them then others will follow?

Anyway, this is my 2 cents!