StandardsGirl.com – Views From Within

We Control The Internet! Maybe? A Note From SES San Jose 2008

August 27, 2008

Pretty daring statement YES? But as I just returned from SES San Jose (2008) (Search Engine Strategies for those who do not know) and as I looked around at the probably 1,000′s of SEO’ers at the always incredible, Google Dance, it struck me -

Do we control the internet?

Hmm…Ok again, pretty daring statement – I know. But before you flame me, or whatever the proper term is these days*, I believe the question is valid.

So what do I mean by this? Since an estimated 85-90% of users never make it past page one in Google (or as far as I know Yahoo or MSN) AND these engines control almost all of search and WE as SEO professionals vie routinely for the top spots in these engines – then the question is – Do we control the Internet? Or at least do we control what most people view? Do users see what they see because we put it there?

Now mind you, I have no issue with this being the case. SEO is as open as professional fields come and anyone can jump into the deep end of the pool anytime they get the urge. Truly, if you wanted to take your mom and pop “blue widget” store and rank it number one for blue widgets you would have a lot to learn, but the only barrier is the time you put in and how eagerly you slurp up the information that is out there – because it is out there.

There is no truly secret sauce – in that there is no grandma safeguarding here secret recipe and no one but her knows. It as all good cooks know – trial and error – experimentation – AND of course listening to what the great chefs say. The gastronomically great already know this and that is really the only secret. So read Danny Sullivan and Matt Cutts and subscribe to SearchEngineLand and talk to everyone better than you at SES and blog and read SEO for Dummies** AND over time you can be a great chef – you CAN be number one for blue widgets too.

But for those already in the deep end of the pool – for all your SEO’ers out there – what do you think? Are there enough of us out there, that for most competitive searches that we can – that we do control the users view of the net? Is there truly free space out there AND if not what do you think that will do to the face of search in the future?

Ok well – I will leave that for you to ponder as I have hit the 12 hr mark at work and my belly is yelling at me… but would be interested if anyone finds this post – what do you think? Bandy a bit with me.. and each other. I see SEO’ers mentioning how boring the net has become for us. Well – then let’s start the debates again ..

Though before I go – one note to the regular internet users out there –

If your search terms return 10 MILLION results, then why do you NOT go past page one? Why do you not look beyond the surface to see what is lurking below? I hear all the time, people outside of our world, talking about how everything is paid for there is no free internet. Yet my sites rank, sometimes without a link or PR to them, they will appear in the top ten within weeks of launch. (And yes on competitive terms too, but that is another post ) So to all your searchers out there – spend some time – refine your results – go past page one and two and maybe even three and four. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Ok time for food! Night all!

* I work about 80-100 hrs a week, so you will have to forgive me that – well you don’t have to, but it would be nice!

** Note there are many amazing people in search, so do not want to overlook then – just used two of the most well known at random – there is Rand Fishkin and Jim Hedgers and Kevin Ryan and Kirsten Mangers and Dave Naylor and Greg Boser and Neil Pateil and Gregory Markel and Dave Davies and and and and… others I cannot spell their names, so I will not try ;P.. but these are all the “rockstars” of search – check them out on webmaster radio .. or SES as you can see them there (AND no I DO NOT work for SES ) or SMX or Pub Con — you know the deal!

Entry Filed under: 2008,Google,SES San Jose,search,search engines,seo. Tags: blogging, Blogroll, danny sullivan, dave davies, dave naylor, events, Google, Google Dance, internet, kevin ryan, matt cutts, msn, random, San Jose, San Jose 2008, search, search engine, search engine land, search engine optimization, Search Engine Strategies, searchengineland, secret sauce, seo, seo bandy, SES, technology, thoughts, yahoo.