Hello, I'm Dan Thies. I've been writing about, teaching, and practicing search engine optimization for over 12 years.
In spite of what you may have heard, SEO is very simple. If you don't believe that, then you really need to read my book! It's only 100 pages long, and it's free.
February 2, 2008
SEO Fast Start Video Contest – Cash Prizes
The game is afoot! The first SEO Fast Start video contest is on! I'm looking for the best instructional videos I can find, in two categories, and I am willing to pay for it:
- Search Engine Optimization – $500 prize
- Pay Per Click – $500 prize
I will be the sole judge. I alone will decide the two winner in each category. This means that you might want to steer toward the "white hat" side. You might want to actually read my book. You might want to bring your best stuff.
The rules, such as they are:
- Videos should be your own original content.
- Videos must be no more than 12 minutes in length. Science proves that everyone falls asleep after that.
- Videos should be posted to an open, public site – your blog is OK, YouTube is OK, etc. – I personally recommend FreeIQ.
- Your entry becomes an entry when you post the title, a short description, and the URL in the comments on this post.
- The contest will run until March 1, 2008 – or a total of 100 valid entries, whichever comes first.
- It's my contest, I make the rules. I reserve the right to add new rules or to change these rules. I don't owe you anything.
- If I decide to hand out additional prizes, that's my business.
- Anyone who has paid me large sums of money in the past year is not eligible.
- If you bought me a drink at a conference or something, that's OK, because I will have forgotten about it by now. I probably forgot about it as soon as you handed me the drink. But thank you anyway.
Game on. Let's see your entries!
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Comments on SEO Fast Start Video Contest – Cash Prizes
Nice idea Dan, look forward to seeing the results.
Some questions have come in, so here are some answers:
The topics can be pretty much anything related to SEO or PPC, as long as you're teaching something. I'm looking for good instruction, radical new ideas are not required.
No, you don't need a 12-minute video, that's the longest I want to look at. If you can deliver a great message in 5 minutes, I'm going to be just as impressed by that.
Can we do more than one entry. I.E. a PPC and also a SEO video. If so can we win more than once? Several folks have asked me after I mentioned it being on the http://freelinereport.com site by Brad Fallon.
Win or lose yes or no I'm sure this will be useful for all.
Peace
Darth, if you want to enter a video in both categories, knock yourself out!
I have some friends who would love to join in this contest. I will send them over.
Will include my friends to this contest as well.
By the way any clue where we can get SEOFS 2008 ? It's February, probably that version will use material in that contest ?:)
Alexander, the 2007 edition was published in May 2007. The 2008 edition will be published before May 2008.
This is the link to the video that I made for the Pay Per Click section of the contest. It takes you through the programs that Google runs to give you an idea of how pay per click works.
I though it would include the url that I posted but it only put it for when you click my name.
Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEe6EzQESvo
Thanks, Kevin!
Hi Dan
Do you mind if the videos are funny? Factual, but funny.
Lazy
Funny's good if it keeps people engaged.
Hi Dan
Got my video up on Youtube.
Title: Lazy Rock Star Explains Search Engine Optimization
Description: The Definitive Rock Star Guide to SEO. If you prefer an expert try Dan Thies at http://seofaststart.com
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_JF69og77I
It's still being processed as I write so if that url doesn't work it is embedded here
http://www.lazyrockstar.com/Lazy_Explains_SEO.html
Regards
LRS
It's still before Midnight in CA
https://freeiq.com/mcguiness
https://freeiq.com/timmcguiness
Well, the freeiq site is still processing my video, so I put it on youtube.
Here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9_gMBBTvnI
Here is a link to the mind map I created:
http://www.mindmeister.com/maps/show_public/4913614
Lazy, my "good friend," I'm still laughing at your intro… "Internet Marketing Protocol."
Thies rhymes with "peace," change out the s for an f and it would sound like "thief." Although, in the old country, I'm told it sounds like "Tice." So maybe I'm the one who's got it wrong.
Less than 24 hours to go… looks like this is going to be an easy contest to judge.
Dan
Sorry about that. You just can't get good research assistants theses days.
Regards
LRS
Here is my entry for the Search Engine Optimization side… looks like I will run out of time for the Adwords side.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3wnaDMYae4
Thank you for having the contest.
After all that… it looks like the video did not post… (too long on You Tube)
Same video different location… http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4593368236231535025&hl=en
I was wondering when you will have the results of the contests posted.
I'm traveling right now, I'll post results on Monday.
Thanks! Dan
Just wondering if there was an update on when the winners would be posted.
Thanks, Kevin coveredwagon1@sbcglobal.net
Our winners are:
PPC – Kevin (that's you, with the only entry…) @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEe6EzQESvo
SEO – Michael @ http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4593368236231535025&hl=en
Thanks! So, what do we do now? I mean, how do we go about recieving our prize?
Kevin Olson coveredwagon1@sbcglobal.net
Thanks Dan!
I used some of the information from Andy's video classes in SMARTS to develop the video.
Michael
I would be willing to travel to Frisco. Weekend or weekday is fine.
Becky
Congrats to both winners,
I really liked Michael's SEO Video Really good you mentioned really good points their to choose keywords based on traffic and conversion each keyword gets.
Hi Dan: If your workshop is on the weekend, you can count me in. I am willing to travel to listen to anything you have to say.
Hi Dan,
The course talks about videos, but I cant find any on the site and I didnt get any delivered by email after I signed up.
Please let me know how I can go about finding them.
Thanks Bob Nelson
Hi Dan,
This comment is only loosely associated with the specific blog because I couldn't find a general contact us form or a more relevant place – so apologies.
I've just signed up and downloaded the '6 week' link building course: I found that: - the week 4 pdf's text says it is for week 5 - the week 5 pdf's text says it is for week 6 - the week 6 pdf's text says it is for week 7
The intro slides on the associated videos are the same. Is week 4 missing or are they all number incorrectly ?
I also found on your site a mention that ppcfaststart is to be available by November 2007 – but I couldn't find it. Could you please tell me where it is or (if it's been delayed) when you now expect to launch it ?
Regards Tony
Tony, we constructed that series from the best of several class sessions, so the delivery order changed up a bit, but the right PDFs are there with the right videos.
The 2008 edition of SEOFS will be out May 15, the PPC Fast Start book will finally be out June 1. I'm working on a "Website Conversion Fast Start," and I hope to have that out in July.
Hey Dan, thanks for the useful information. Am actually in the middle of an Irish based seo competition (organic) and am currently doing pretty well.