SEO SUCKS At SES San
Day 2 at SES I thought I would spice it up a bit and wear my “Seo Sucks” t-shirt as a bit of a social experiment to see what kind of reaction it would get. Being at the largest and most respected SEO gathering/conference I was curious to the reaction.
Every female who stopped me and asked about the shirt had a very positive reaction. They all thought it was pretty funny. Most asked me what booth was handing them out…. lol…
On the Males it was a very mixed reaction. I got a lot of double takes and weird looks. Most of the people who know me just wrote me off for the dipshit that I am and knew what I was doing but those that did not were willing to take me to task and have a interesting conversation about SEO and its future. I do not think they were ready to be shown the light ;).
I would say about 50-60 different people stopped me to ask me why I had a shirt that said “Seo Sucks”. I razzed a few of them and said that I hated SEO and all SEO people just to get their reaction. Then I pretty much said the same thing to most - “No seriously are you telling me SEO has never sucked for you? Its kind of like having pocket aces in poker. For a very very short time you have the nuts (best hand possible) but as soon as the flop comes there is a good chance that goes a way.”
Anyway I really feel like with about anything that SEO does suck. Just consider this.
1 - It makes you stop trying to innovate. When people suddenly rank #1 for their keywords a lot of times they stop working on new things and settle.
2 - Its hard work. Its no joke SEO is hard work and its rules are constantly changing.. which means what you are doing today might not be acceptable tomorrow. While I feel there is no distant future of seo there is defiantly a ton more evolution.
There are several other reasons why i feel SEO sucks at times but right now I am craving a omlette.
Anyway the results might have been a little skewed being I was with some of the the oldest, most respected SEO people in the industry throughout the day. So what was their take? I think all were pretty much stunned at the people who came up to me and were offended. Some even looked at them and said “Do you make money for your clients or not? The proof is in the pudding.”
So probably the most interesting response I got was when one guy came up to me and said “I am with you brother fuck those spammers”. Which was really funny because I was standing right next to David Naylor, Todd Friesen, Matt Cutts, and Greg Boser at the time.
Geez I was going to write about the Google Dance last night too but I will save that for another post 
Here are some day 2 Seo Sucks pictures:
With SEO legends David Naylor and Todd Friesen
Social Media and PR Master Chris Winfield 
SEO Lee Odin 
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Ha, that’s great. I want the t-shirt too!
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Really, SEO sucks if you are not the 1st, but if you are the 1st LONG LIVE SEO. Another reason why SEO sucks is because each search engine has its own rules. What you do for Google, you cannot do for Yahoo and MSN search. Now there is Cuil. It would soon bring its own rule. WHAT THE HELL!!!
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You have a “SEO SUCKS” t-shirt written on comic sans? Ohh. You’re really in for the linkbait. Ha ha. Looking forward to meeting you somewhere here at SES.
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A lot of truth to #1, especially if you are in a niche that’s not too competitive. It’s easy to get lazy and lose sight of who is moving up. Sucks when you wake up one day and you are no longer on top and you have not paid attention on how to stay there.
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I cannot believe I am missing out on all the fun at SES! Great post.
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My opinion, SEO will only die if the web and search engines die. Otherwise as long as there is a G or any other search engine giving results, there will always be webmasters trying to figure out how to get on top.
You may want to call it spam or black hat whatever it is, it will die only when the web dies.
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Interesting that that women found it more funny than the men!
Maybe you have a woman’s sense of humour!
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Jeremy needs to work on his style… enough with the t-shirts… time to mature.
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Putting a twist on things, ehh Shoe???
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By the way there is a picture of you on Marketing Pilgrim with this SEO Sucks tshirt. Great marketing as usual Jeremy..
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Makes me laugh… You should have shot some video of you walking around. I bet some of the expressions were priceless.
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lol
lets wait for a blast
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I also hate SEO because it sucks many times.
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I agree with Chris Kovac — can’t believe I’m missing the fun.
I’m on to you though Jeremy: you’re using that t-shirt to meet women, just admit it. It’s like PPC, only in real life. Stop-em-in-their tracks messaging that’s a perfect excuse to come talk to you. Have you A/B tested followup lines on your “landing page”? What is your conversion rate?
I’m showing up at the next conference with a wounded puppy dog.
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SEO sucks because it is like SCHOOL. And of course everybody knows, School Sucks right.
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I’ve never claimed to be an seo expert - in fact I kinda think that seo experts by definition are frauds.
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I just ordered 500 T-shirts that say Shoemoney Sucks. I will give them away for Free to whoever wants one.
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Wow jeremy every day u have a new Tshirt. I call you as a Tshirt Man.
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that’s some pretty sweet real-life linkbait!
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@Bubba I think shoe would love that idea. Any press is good press!
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I love the I am a tool tshirt- Use me. Its perfect
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Awesome social experiment- thanks for sharing the results!!
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@ cheap used cars, haha… “any press is good press” @Bubba, in a way you are marketing shoemoney right? People will still come check it out!!!
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haha love the SEO sucks t-shirt hook me up with one shoe great post!
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Looks like some good times. Did you make that t-shirt or did someone send it to you?
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Awesome way to get reactions out of people, props
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Jeremy, Great photos, and what a great way to wake up those sleepy booth attendents! Trade shows need a bit of controversy, otherwise it’s just another sales pitch. Respectfully, Nicholas http://www.donotreadthisblogunless.blogspot.com
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Doh! Missed another SES - drat
But, I’d like to congratulate you on your whole ‘counter-culture’ experience. Kinda like showing up to a rodeo with a “Bin Laden for President” t-shirt on. Sasha Cohen would be proud
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Love the shirt!! Where or how did you get it? I’ve tried cafepress before, but their quality isn’t that good and the logos come out too small. Or maybe it’s something I’m not doing right.
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I wish I was there as well, I know the information is priceless, too bad the registration was so pricey!
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The sheep avatar is cute!! How about I get a different colored one for each successive comment
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You can tell it’s a joke because the font is Comic Sans!
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LOL. I love that shirt. I want one.
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Nice T-shirt Jeremy
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That is pure awesome, I love people who don’t give a shit and have the balls to do and say what they really feel. Good on you Jeremy.
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I have to get one of those shirt or make one. You’re idea was awesome
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What a great way to bring attention to yourself during this.I like the idea,plus sometimes it is fun just being a dip shit.
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Well, considering that half the people there make their day-to-day income on SEO (as do I), it’s no wonder they’re reluctant to adopt your viewpoint. I don’t agree with you on your SEO’s future thing by the way.
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Well in that case, does PPC, affiliate marketing, web development, conversion rate optimization, this blog, life…
lol
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it is funny because it is true…
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I could use the same principle to make many more t-shirts.
Nice stunt though
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it’s written on the back of the t-shirt too ?
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Well done, sir! Some of these SEOs are the biggest bunch of goddamn primadonnas you’d ever want to meet. Then again, some are pretty cool. Wished I could have made it down but some of us SEOs have to work for a living and there are too many good conferences ’round these parts. Hopefully next year.
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LMFAO See? Us women have more of a sense of humor than men do!
Nice shirt.
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That’s awesome! That’s like the guy who walked into a WoW convention with a Glider cap
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Let me spell what this post means…L I N K B A I T
Good one too. SEO doesn’t suck, it made you rich.
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LOL Pretty great… always a rebel.
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Always the rabble rouser, Jeremy!
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Yo Shoemoney. Start selling those shirts on your site. I will take one in large.
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Nice pics, thanks. One question is that which WP plugin are you using for comments?
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The guys who were taking the shirt too seriously probably live with their parents.
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I agree everything sucks about SEO. The amount of time and research or even money. And the investment is never ending because of no clear cut public standards in an ever changing world of search engines.
Here lets just have a cold beer and ease the pain, no wait back to SEO on your blog!
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whats on the back side?
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btw when do you plan on promoting shirts rather than t-shirts…
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@SEO Sucks And Shoemoney Swallows At SES: Send shoe a picture, he might just post it…
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SEO may suck but not being ranked for any keywords sucks worse
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why SEO sucks ?
PPC would cause you a lot.. so SEO rocks.
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LOL @ the shirt, I wish I had a similar one
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I think this shirt looks a little roughness. However, the time has been chosen well, this is a fact.
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If you are a webmaster trying to get a site to rank then SEO sucks. If you are a webmaster with a site that ranks or an SEO expert then SEO is the nuts!
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I like the idea of the name/links you posted above the images
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Great Slogan Jeremy but you know all that’s going to change is the buzzword. You may not call it SEO in 10 years but gaming algorithms to improve authority and getting more eyeballs will outlast every one of us.
As Internet Marketing finally becomes a mature industry, perhaps it is time to adopt your more all-inclusive view of building a successful Web site as you constantly remind us instead of focusing on SEO as some kind of holy grail. Its only one trick you need in your bag if you want to pay the bills and SEOs selling Clients on SEO as a sure bet are like the snake oil salesman of the Web.
Thanks for telling it like it is.
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in fact - SEO really sucks
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Comic Sans? What the hell are you thinking lol
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this is a trick shoe learned from calacanis, and I have to say he does it pretty well.
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SEO does not suck all the time. But seriously, SEO does suck when applied towards wrong clients who would have a lot more to gain via other advertising venues besides natural search.
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SEO Rocks!! :@
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I want that “SEO Sucks” T-Shirt too please
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cool “seo sucks” tshirt and the font is comic sans serif. seo not totally sucks.
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haha very awesome! i bet that was one hell of a day
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Surely SEO is going to suck even more in the future as an ever increasing amount of competition for a limited number of top spots increases? There can only ever be one number one for any given keyword and over time the competition can only ever increase right?
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I’m thinking you need to start selling them SEO Sucks T-shirts to the masses. I suspect you’ll get a few hundred sales at Google at least.
My “Matt Cutts can Bite Me” T-shirt has been a big hit at conferences in Australia.
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Ya me too need it….
It rocks..>SEO really sucks.
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Shoe! You’re Awesome! Oh and nice shirt btw. Keep the attitude up dude, it’s great.
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“I want that “SEO Sucks” T-Shirt too please”
Then go to cafepress or zazzle and make the fucking thing yourself.
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That’s pretty funny.
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A good PR will enable businesses to grow faster.
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It would actually be cool if my last name were Odin, a pretty big nod to Norse Mytholgy (Odin is akin to Zeuss in Greek Mythology) but the reality is that it’s just plain old Odden. Pronounced, “Oh - den” rather than “Ah-den” - a note to all the SES moderators and friends at WebmasterRadio.FM.
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An even better phrase for a t-shirt that came out of SES San Jose was from Jill Whalen: “If you suck at SEO and you get paid for it, you suck.” Priceless.
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yes.. seo sucks.. thats why i made lot of comments here… lol
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Whats with the comments that start and end with [...] ? Please excuse my ignorance, it’s probably something really obvious
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SEO does suck at times….
BUT
That font sucks even more…
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love the shirt and that you wore it to that conference awesome. not to be a kiss ass but i totally agree i hate seo. As soon as i think i get it, it changes! damn you GOOGLE
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Now that’s attitude alright. Must say it was quite gutsy of you to do that stunt.
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God agrees with Shoemoney people! I mean didn’t you see the signs outside the convention center in San Jose? Photo:
http://www.conferencenotebook.com/god-hates-link-sellers-seo-sem
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A whole load of things to be learnt from you… thanks Jeremy
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When i first saw you wearing that shirt i thoguht it was just black and you had added the text in with photoshop.
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What an interesting blog post. Thank you for the share
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I like the SEO Sucks T-shirt, Can I have one please
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Ur tshirt looks really nice, i wanna have one,
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SEO is like Heart Surgery, it only sucks when it fails!
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Nice shirt , you should make it available for the comment winners instead
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SEOsucks.com and SEOsucks.net are available for sale!
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Ha! That is like wearing a shirt that says “Bacon Sucks.” People freak OUT!
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SEO really sucks.Every site need SEO
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People’s reactions are so funny, I get a kick out of stuff like that also. People always judge a book by it’s cover.
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