WebCEO paid updates

Burf.com · #1 (**permalink**) 06-20-2006, 07:05 AM

Well I am a big fan of WebCEO and have a paid version and thought life was great until they now gone over to charging for updates?

Why did they need to do this, they have a popular product, offer good deals with courses and stuff and now people will start to drift away as the product gets more and more out of date

Is anyone else affected by this? Is IBP going this way?

internet-marketing-cr · #2 (**permalink**) 06-20-2006, 12:05 PM

I recently got the professional version of Web CEO, about a couple months ago and so far they have not mentioned anything to me, I have been getting the updates from them periodically, no word on charging for them. If that's so, it is a bad step for this Company, as you mentioned the product is popular but many people will start going away, including myself.

Burf.com · #3 (**permalink**) 06-20-2006, 01:10 PM

Your get 3 months of updates for free then it stops

http://www.webceo.com/pricing/comparison-chart.htm

See for yourself mate

internet-marketing-cr · #4 (**permalink**) 06-20-2006, 05:05 PM

Thanks for the info burf.com, I really didn't know about it, grrrrr...

**dharrison** · #5 (**permalink**) 06-20-2006, 06:32 PM

I got exactly the same thing. When I bought the SmallBiz version per year.

Basically you are paying for the Knowledge Base to be updated. The first 100 days or so are free, but then you pay to get the latest stats and findings ref keyword trends (and only recently, suggestions).

The knowledge base does automatically update on a daily basis (sometimes more than once) and it can be a powerful tool for SEO. I paid for the 500 day update and it does work out quite cheap as a daily rate.

HTH

palconit · #6 (**permalink**) 06-20-2006, 10:33 PM

I'm currently using WebCEO Free because i'm still new to the product. Anyone can convince me to purchase a professional version? Is it worth the money? Thanks.

webecho · #7 (**permalink**) 06-20-2006, 10:47 PM

Yep, it's a shame!
Unfortunately, without the updates it can render the ranking part fairly useless - I no longer get any listings on Google for a couple of sites, although they are all there in the top three when I check.

Webecho

**dharrison** · #8 (**permalink**) 06-21-2006, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by palconit

I'm currently using WebCEO Free because i'm still new to the product. Anyone can convince me to purchase a professional version? Is it worth the money? Thanks.

If you offer a professional SEO service then I would definitely recommend it. The features are powerful, and save you a lot of time in the long run and the Support is excellent. The Diploma course is very informative and certainly gives you a bit of insight if you are a newbie.

I bought the SmallBiz version because thats who I cater for and I am happy with it.

Basically like anything, you get what you pay for. Although you have to pay to use the Knowledge Base (that was a shock to me as well) it doesn't work out much per day.

HTH

cz · #9 (**permalink**) 06-21-2006, 03:51 AM

Don't mean to make a useless post but I checked out the programs and prices (didn't get if each of the big sections is additional Pulse - Hitlens - Big Bro) do you pay for each one or do they all come with a certain package?

I did notice that they appear very sophisticated - I couldn't believe everything it's supposed to offer and the prices were cheap - but higher if you stack them according to the features. They each had prices - confusing to me.

Plus I didn't even understand a lot of it but it looked pretty comprehensive. Tough learning curve to use it well? Looks like it might be a great bargain to a tech-head, I'm just an e-comm retailer not a computer science guy.

sdrury · #10 (**permalink**) 06-21-2006, 04:19 AM

Having updated to the smallbiz version I was also unaware of the 3 months grace period - so complained to WebCEO that I had felt I'd been mislead - they reciprocated by offering a further 3 months knowledgebase updates for free. (I would recommend their pro course for any newbies out there.)

However I also use IBP business - and having run both in tangent for over 18 months am now starting to favour this product. Their new release version 9 is a great improvement featurewise - and I have yet to be slapped with any payment request.

I'm sure Webtrends are watching both of these organisations closely.

TrafficProducer · #11 (**permalink**) 06-21-2006, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Your get 3 months of updates for free then it stops

May this is the issue??

I don't use a paid version so I can't really comment about this isue but in general most applications will not charge for minor updates, but will charge, (hopefully at a reduced cost), for a larger uddate or releases.

Example Windows XP has allowed updates for free but there will be a charge fo Windows Vista.

This apply's to most applications.

webcass · #12 (**permalink**) 06-21-2006, 07:29 AM

So what is the best?

I am going to buy one of these but is one better at the job than the other?

I need something that actually really does what it says on the tin

I need to get a tool that actually does help with getting your site a good listing

Any help or advice would be great

Cheers

Cass

**dharrison** · #13 (**permalink**) 06-21-2006, 08:25 AM

Cass, Web CEO has the tools to aid you to achieve a good listing for your site, but its no magic bullet, its no "get you there quickly", miracle product. Nothing is!

You still have to wait for new sites to get any sort of listing, you still have to be aware of certain guidelines, what is appropriate SEO and whats not.

Web CEO provides an excellent course to both assist you in using their software and informing you on white hat (safe) techniques to use.

HTH

webcass · #14 (**permalink**) 06-21-2006, 09:26 AM

Hi Debbie and thanks for the reply

I do realise that but i just want to know before i buy, which one is the best, or are they equal?

I have recently had a play with IBP and it does look like it can do the job but i dont want to buy one and then wish i had bought the other

I do have some sites ranking very well in google but if something can provide time saving, i would be very happy

Cheers

Cass

sdrury · #15 (**permalink**) 12-01-2006, 12:23 PM

On hindsite to these postings - There are now a number of very good free online resources.

**dharrison** · #16 (**permalink**) 12-01-2006, 01:02 PM

For example?

TrafficProducer · #17 (**permalink**) 12-01-2006, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dharrison

For example?

Free on-line Resouces.. For example:-

(A lot of Freeware is just as good as paid stuff)

Freeware, shareware, downloads and software links

Even More Freeware Shareware Links, Software Page

Freeware Extra. Free Software. Free Downloads

Steven1976a · #18 (**permalink**) 12-03-2006, 04:51 AM

I have never tried WEB CEO but IBP seems to be good for us and our update seems to keep going.

Webnauts · #19 (**permalink**) 12-03-2006, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrafficProducer

Quote:

Originally Posted by dharrison

For example?

Free on-line Resouces.. For example:-

(A lot of Freeware is just as good as paid stuff)

Freeware, shareware, downloads and software links

Even More Freeware Shareware Links, Software Page

Freeware Extra. Free Software. Free Downloads

First of all the topic is not about Freebie software. But if you think that is on topic, can you please point us out which SEO software can we download there? And if possible, one that can be used to replace WebCEO?

Second, WebCEO offers hundreds of thousands of free version downloads, which is good enough for people beginning with SEO. Also they offer free courses too.

Besides, WebCEO does not require us to pay when the software is upgraded. Remember last upgrade? v.6.5?

What they are asking us to pay is search engine algos updates, which I think after all it is very fair.

And by the way, lets face it. It is the most useful and valuable SEO and Quality Assurance (both in one) on our planet.

That they want just some dollars for those knowledge base updates, I think is very OK! You get most recent info about SE updates (algorithms), which if you think you do not need them, as you can find them out yourself anyway, then don't purchase the updates.

And if we want to use it for business, that means we get money with it, so why shouldn't we pay them too, for supporting us to make that cash?

Just my 2 cents.