Sphinn - Why The SEO World Is Full Of Sh*t

48
Sphinn It!

Why The SEO World Is Full Of Sh*t - Part 1

Went Hot: January 15, 2008 - 10:19 am
Posted By: bigpond 537 days ago
Topic Type: News Story (Jump to http://www.themadhat.com)
Category: Search Marketing

The Mad Hat vents his spleen on the recent bust up between John Andrews and Rand Fishkin over the notorious SEL Wired post.

16 Comments

Who Desphunn This (0)

Comments

from SpostareDuro 537 days ago #

Votes: 1 | Vote:

+ -

Awe..harmless fun..Just ask Ann..(giggle)

from annie7 537 days ago #

Votes: 0 | Vote:

+ -

Ok, I am here! Ask me please ;)

from emanuelh 537 days ago # - show/hide this comment

Votes: -1 | Vote:

+ -

I have observed this kind of behavior for a very long time. Some people who commented on my rather controversial posts and comments (for instance "Is SEO a Technical Profession?") even
seriously advised me to consider choosing another profession. I think that it has to do with the existential misery of most experienced SEO workers, who are considered "experts" by the public (and what is an expert if not someone who knows a lot?) but secretly have to admit that they know very little about Google's ranking algorithm and practically nothing about the actual relevance scores of the websites they service.

from SpostareDuro 537 days ago #

Votes: 0 | Vote:

+ -

There she is! Ann, whassup??

MadHat said "It’s shit like this that makes me want to turn off comments, shut down the internet, and become Amish..."

Tell him Ann, a little bit of drama breaks the monotony ey? (giggle)

It's all in good fun round these parts..

from Halfdeck 537 days ago #

Votes: 2 | Vote:

+ -

I can understand commenting while infuriated. I've flamed someone at least once on Sphinn (I called him a spam-happy cocks*cker after he called me a "looser", "an eye for an eye", as the Old Testemant says - which, as Danny informed me, doesn't quite fly on Sphinn.).

I can also understand Rand taking the issue personally after being nailed to the stake for "outing" link sellers on SEOmoz. I'm guessing he sees that and this to be pretty similar (though I don't). The common thread? He mentions "a similar one from another source" -I'm guessing he's referring to Michael VanDeMar:

http://smackdown.blogsblogsblogs.com/2008/01/12/oh-just-grow-a-pair/

John Andrew's article also contained some things that could be taken personally (e.g. calling Danny a former spammer, with no facts to back that up), though all in all, I think John fought a clean fight.

So I understand the anger. I understand the urge to flame. But John didn't deserve it. He was just voicing his opinion.

"Tell him he's full of it, but say why."

Exactly. And its a little disappointing because its deja vu.

http://smackdown.blogsblogsblogs.com/2007/11/21/rand-fishkin-chooses-between-putting-up-and-shutting-up-guess-which-he-chose/

Rand: "I don't think he shows validity. I think his arguments generally lack merit"

Yuri asks Rand repeatedly to back up that personal attack with facts. Yuri held his breath - nothing came of it.

from dannysullivan 537 days ago #

Votes: 0 | Vote:

+ -

I appreciate that Aaron (Mad Hat) respected my stance on the entire issue. Part of that stance was asking if we could push the reset button overall and move on. That would mean not trying to dissect if Rand was fair to John; John was fair to Rand; I was fair to John; John was fair to me and so on.

Instead, that's what we get in part 1 - a dissection of Rand. And we know where that will go inevitably. Those who agree John was hard done by will weigh in. Then those who think Rand was OK with what he posted will weigh in. And then ironically, we to some degree get more of exactly what Aaron doesn't like.

Personally, part 2 sounds more interesting: the general idea that there are "cults" or "communities" out there.

from Hobo 537 days ago #

Votes: 1 | Vote:

+ -

Ha ha

"I can understand commenting while infuriated. I've flamed someone at least once on Sphinn (I called him a spam-happy cocks*cker after he called me a "looser", "an eye for an eye", as the Old Testemant says - which, as Danny informed me, doesn't quite fly on Sphinn.)."

God SEO Land is getting funnier as I get older.....

from 0thelisa 537 days ago #

Votes: 0 | Vote:

+ -

Can I offer up an "amen"?

from johnandrews 537 days ago #

Votes: 0 | Vote:

+ -

Obviously from the title, this is a multi-part series. Hollywood isn't usually able to get past "Part 3" of any series without self destructing, but I have a feeling the search industry is capable of way more than that. Good to see TheMadHat taking a break from his drinking, too ;-)

from TheMadHat 537 days ago #

Votes: 1 | Vote:

+ -

@Everyone - Although I knew it would happen, it wasn't really my intention to get into and rand vs john vs whoever discussion. It was more of a let's look at what we're saying sometimes. Flame the hell out of someone but include the reasoning behind why he's a spam-happy-cocks*cker and why he should stop.

@Halfdeck - :) We're all guilty of it every now and then, including me.

@john - lol...only for a moment :)

@Danny, also posted on my blog:

Thanks for your input. I know I singled out Rand in this post, I had to single out someone to illustrate the point that I see it happening all the time.

I'd be happy to push the reset button on this particular issue (the wired post, the rand response, ect) but my opinion on the same kind of useless attack comments happening all the time stays the same.

I knew it would turn somewhat into rand vs john and who did what but an example had to be made to place emphasis on what I was trying to get across. Let's forget the wired issue...it still happens all the damn time.

Stay tuned for part 2 (no part 3, that's too many)

from crimsongirl 537 days ago #

Votes: 0 | Vote:

+ -

I don't understand anything about the argument, or what SEL did that was so bad. Maybe when the dust settles someone will tell us the whole story and it will make sense.

from seanmag 537 days ago #

Votes: 2 | Vote:

+ -

First of all, it's great to be a nobody in the search community. You can just sit back and enjoy all this stuff rather than be a target of it!

Second: @ Halfdeck, to your quote:

"I called him a Spam-happy cocks*cker after he called me a "looser", "an eye for an eye"

That is freaking brilliant. If you call that "an eye for an eye", the next time I'm in a bar fight, I want you on my side.

No offense, but that's more akin to "an eye for two femurs, an elbow and your genitals". You're not from Brooklyn by any chance, are you?

from TheMadHat 537 days ago #

Votes: 0 | Vote:

+ -

"an eye for two femurs, an elbow and your genitals". - that made my day.

@crimsongirl - my post wasn't really about what SEL did, more about useless attack commenting. There is a whole other post for the SEL argument. Actually several I think.

from Halfdeck 537 days ago #

Votes: 0 | Vote:

+ -

"No offense, but that's more akin to "an eye for two femurs, an elbow and your genitals".

Heh, none taken. Yeah actually after I wrote that, the same thought crossed my mind. My aim with that comment was to not take the "holier than thou" route, call a spade a spade (or a spade, two hearts, and a joker), and try to be even handed to all involved.

"I don't understand anything about the argument, or what SEL did that was so bad."

crimsongirl, I know you don't like spam and you believe in reporting spam, but this issue was less about SEL "outing" a spam opportunity (though that was part of it) and more about unintended consequences.

from Gab 537 days ago #

Votes: 0 | Vote:

+ -

The Mad Hatter calls it like it is. I was thinking similar stuff reading it all, and applaud the articulate piece telling both sides to keep it civil and straight to the point.

Next I'd like to see someone write a 'how to linkbait' article killing off the 'flamebait' idea as no longer having validity in the long term and hurting your brand.

from Hobo 536 days ago #

Votes: 0 | Vote:

+ -

"an eye for two femurs, an elbow and your genitals". - Comment Magic!