Convergence of PPC and Dark Lords of SEO

Last week I was going over some items on my “to do” list that for some reason or another, I never got around to in 2007.

As I scanned over my chicken scratched notepad, I came across an entry that read “check SEO skills – SEO test/seomoz”. I remember reading about this test somewhere online so I jotted it down real quick and thought “I’ll have to comeback and see how bad I suck at SEO.”

As a PPC marketer, it’s easy to get wrapped up in “your baby” for the week. You tend to spend most your time analyzing a new market your excited about, you start building landing pages, structuring keywords, uploading campaigns etc. while envisioning how great you’ll look on the cover of TIME magazine as “Brilliant Marketer of the Year”. No Google fridge or 2 GB pocket drives for you buddy, this is the big time

Unfortunately, thats not enough.

With the convergence of PPC and SEO, you have to think long term. Gone are the days of 1 cent bids and direct-to-merchant affiliate linking while you sit at home and wallpaper your living room with hundred dollar bills. Nowadays, you need your own freakin Wiki about “the past, present and future of boy bands” if you want to continue bidding on “backstreet boy fanny pack”.

Don’t think thin affiliate sites and fast offers – think big, content-rich SEO’d super sites! This should be your goal in 2008 and beyond – if it’s not already.

Case in point: Being lazy will eventually kill you in this business. Build a visitor worthy site, not crap.

Ok, back to the quiz…

So the other night, I went over to the SEOmoz and took the SEO Quiz. To my surprise, I was considered a “Dark Lord” of SEO. I don’t know exactly what that means, (you trying to tell me I’m a black hat or what?) but my score was 93%.

I was REALLY surprised. I expected my score to be lower because it’s difficult to keep up in the ever-changing worlds of PPC, SEO and Boy Band Reunion Tours for my Wiki.

No doubt the test is fun, but to be honest, there were a couple questions that I thought were debatable and there were two or so I wasn’t 100% sure about but I made a best guess stab at em.

I recommend that you take the quiz, you will learn a few NEW things about SEO while you brush up on your current skills – (it’s a mix of SEO techniques everyone should know, the SEO industry, and some PPC).

I’m interested in what you think about it so please feel free to comment with your thoughts and scores if you take it.

Amit will be returning from India and be back to his regular postings soon. I hope you all have a great and prosperous 2008 and look forward to meeting some of you at the Affiliate Summit in Vegas this year.

-Thomas