Over the last couple of years Search Engine People has grown tremendously. But we didn't come out of left field: we came out of the SEO community.
We studied together, we learned together, we researched together; together we've been flabbergasted by moves that Google has made, have wondered why they killed a good site but boosted a dirty one to the top. We shared compliments and ducked out of the way when mud was being slung.
Together.
And now, frankly, it's enough.
No more taking; we want to give back to the community. More than that: we want to invest in the community.
When we started it was about e-groups, Yahoo groups, forums (which we sometimes refered to as Web boards). There were just a few Names in the industry and everybody knew them.
These days we're scattered all over the place: we're at Sphinn, Twitter, forums, and of course we write on our own blogs.
We're scattered, we're divided.
It's harder than ever for a newcomer to find her place in the industry, to make an impact, to build her name. Unless you know somebody who knows somebody it's really hard to get a break somewhere, somehow.
We want to turn SEO Scoop into that break; we want SEO Scoop to be that somebody, that somewhere, that somehow.
To begin with SEO Scoop will be used as a platform for new SEO bloggers, to give them a podium and provide them with an industry respected audience so they can showcase their knowledge and grab the chance to establish themselves.
Additionally, continuing Donna's brilliant initiative of highlighting search bloggers, we'll continue to put the spotlight on people who've already established themselves and deserve some extra attention.
Together we're of course going to establish a solid team of regular contributors. In fact, you might be one of them, right?
Throughout 2009 we'll continue to roll out ideas and changes that we think will benefit the SEO community as a whole.
That said, those are our ideas; the ideas of Search Engine People and some of our friends.but what do you think the SEO community really needs? What do you need? What do you want, what would you like?
As Barry Schwartz would say, discussion continues at Sphinn.
I’m new I’m trying but not ready yet 😉 Kudos to you though for the launch platform will be back soon! 😉
How about honesty and transparency in the industry and players?
As a web developer, my techniques and code are available for all to see, and even the backend code (PHP in my case) is given to the client – there are no secret methods or sauces involved.
The reason I get paid (ha) is the skill in blending all the open ingredients into a unique something that works well for a client, and remixing into a diffferent form for a different client.
Sure, they *could* do it themselves, with a LOT of struggle, heartache, commitment and time to learn, but they choose instead (wisely) to pay me (or other qualified webdev folks) for something great.
I find that the SEO world hides a lot of the secret sauce, for fear of either being duplicated (or as I believe, there really is no secret sauce, just a lot of snake oil)
Sure, we see articles about proper coding (tags, structure,etc) and link-baiting, er, building. But I will say that after contacting about a dozen so-called SEO firms, not ONE could explain exactly what they do in coherent terms – in other words, they hide behind blah-blah-blah because, IMO, they don’t do much of anything I could not do, if I knew what exactly they were going to do.
Sorry for the ramble and soap box, but that’s what I’m thinking as I read this notion of community and sharing.
fantastic! what a great idea. 🙂 i look forward to seeing this evolve 😀
Nice idea. I would like to be a part of your team.
I too look forward to see how you will develop this community for new SEO bloggers
You forgot about the black hat people hiding in their grandmothers basement in your opening paragraph that ruin it for us good online marketeers.
Hoping that the hard work Donna has put into this blog will permeate into the other bloggers – and give people good stuff to read! There’s nothing to be afraid of about sharing your opinions or predictions. They are exactly that and not set in stone, I’d like to see more people sharing their thoughts and not only techniques.
Looking forward to this..let the good times roll 🙂
I agree, Donna has put in a lot of hard work into the site. I think the community will be a great addition.
Lets see how things go 🙂
Huh, and here I just started to break into the SEO community by starting my own SEO blog (after years of writing for other people’s). Always one step behind. I’ll be keeping an eye out…
I agree, now a days we are scattered and we are divided. I am willing to be a part in your team and we will make a new revolution in 2009.
It is going to be interesting to see where the web goes in 2009. Are we going to see a huge split in the direction SEO goes with G**gle going one way with user comments and perhaps Yah** going in another direction.
Where will that leave SEO – or is it time to concentrate on SEM
Good luck in it! Hope you guys achieve what you want to!
This is a brilliant initiative and one that needs to be given a lot of importance. It was hard starting out in SEO because there was no where I could feel comfortable to ask questions for fear of being flamed or that my ideas would be stolen by someone more experienced from me.
If you can provide a community where knowledge can be spread and we can help new business owners while also build relationships with other SEOs than that would be something very powerful.
Where do I sign?
Bosnai Jon