I know Shoe’s a fan of the HBO show Entourage, and I watch it as well. It’s an enjoyable show that provides a solid half hour of entertainment. I thought I’d explore parallels between SEO and the television show and present 7 reasons why Entourage is like SEO.
- It’s underrated. Entourage has been on for six seasons and is still going strong, yet a lot of people don’t watch it or probably think, “Geez, that show’s still on the air?” Likewise, a lot of fundamental SEO tactics are important when it comes to building, marketing and ranking a website but a lot of webmasters, site owners and businesses still don’t know much about SEO or how it can help their business.
- It’s overrated. You’re probably wondering how something can be both underrated and overrated, but I think that both Entourage and SEO fit that description. I mean, yeah, Entourage is an entertaining show and it’s fun to watch, but I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s award-worthy (save for some Emmy wins for Jeremy Piven, who I’ll get to in a moment), yet somehow the show managed to snag a Peabody award earlier this year (for those of you who aren’t in the know about what the Peabody is, I’ll half-ass throw a Wikipedia link at you). Similarly, SEO can get pretty GD overrated. I’m all for implementing best practices and using common sense, but some people in this industry can get pretty eye rolling when they go on about 15 million factors their paranoid brains are convinced make a difference when in reality they probably have little to no impact on rankings.
- It’s a tried and true formula. Like I said, SEO does have some common sense fundamentals (static vs. dynamic links, keywords in the URL, optimized anchor text, spiderable content, all that jazz). Solid best practices that are tried and true. The same goes for Entourage — why fix what ain’t broken? Vincent Chase lays on the charm, tries to get work, bangs some girls, his friends spout amusing dialogue, Ari screams at Lloyd, lather rinse repeat. It’s been essentially the same plot for the past 6 years, but hey, if it still provides entertainment to viewers then who the hell cares?
- It highlights charisma vs. talent. Speaking of Vincent Chase, he’s clearly not the best actor in Hollywood, nor is he the hardest working man in showbiz. His charisma carries him pretty far, even though he’s not the most talented guy in LA. The SEO industry has its share of big names who are great networkers and schmoozers but aren’t the best or most knowledgeable SEOs and Internet marketers in the field. Oftentimes it’s all about who you know and how you can work them to your advantage, even if that means shaking some hands and flashing some smiles to get work.
- Its hardest worker is an asshole. Some of the hardest working and smartest people I know in this industry can be pretty polarizing — lots of people respect and admire them, while others hate them for being blunt, direct, outspoken, etc. Sometimes you’ve gotta be an asshole if you’re trying to make your way to the top, whether that’s by speaking your point of view, firing someone who’s not working out, or providing tough love to a client. I think the hardest worker on Entourage is Ari Gold (played by Jeremy Piven), and he’s arguably the biggest asshole on the show. He knows when to kiss ass and when to yell and put his foot down, and although a ton of people hate him, there are plenty of people who love him because of the results he can deliver.
- It doesn’t count anyone out. Johnny Drama had a joke of a career and was thought to be riding on his brother’s coattails, but he ended up scoring a part on a hit TV show and is getting steady work. Vincent Chase starred in Medellin, which bombed at Cannes and put a black mark on his career for a whole year until he was able to bounce back with a Scorsese film. In Entourage, nobody’s down for the count. In comparison, John Chow was blacklisted in Google and recently got back in the index after Google threw in the towel. Lots of sites are able to bounce back from a penalty or make their way up the rankings with a little bit of work and optimization, so don’t think about giving up quite yet because it ain’t over ’til it’s over.
- It’s (mostly) a sausagefest. Hah, ’nuff said. ;P
- Comment Likes 
- Comment Dislikes
February 2, 2010 at 3:37 pm
(I know, I answer lately.) To learn SEO has helped me a lot, so I will not talk against it. But some rules penalize the webmaster who tries to make fully accessible pages. Since it is almost impossible to have pages that are pleasant for the sighted, the blind, and the deaf, the solution is to duplicate content.I doubt I ever get an award (first page!) and I think it is not fair.
September 25, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Not a fan but to each there own
September 23, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Great, great article!
I try not to rely on search engines too much, but this article helped me to realize that there are still a lot of avenues I need to enter to help me promote my site.
Remember: The more people know you (your Internet persona, your company), the easier it is for them to spread your word. Get out there and be seen!
September 23, 2009 at 8:45 am
In this modern world all businesses are dependent on the internet. Having a high ranking especially in Google would surely increase your inquiries and sales. And SEO nowadays are very affordable, there’s even an offer of a free one month trial.
September 20, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Its interesting & some of the points are really valid. However, its got another point I would love to add. SEO has got dimensions that are dynamic & changing all the time. What would you say, Rebecca?
September 18, 2009 at 8:24 am
funny article… it’s surprising how many people still don’t value SEO. What’s even funnier is that there are some firms out there who try and make people believe it’s alchemy, and only a select few can do it.
Anyway… good stuff… you’re on my delicious list now
September 17, 2009 at 1:49 am
SEO helps add potential customers and the number of quality leads to your website as well. In fact, most organizations can adopt Internet marketing and advertising strategies to generate better business.
September 16, 2009 at 8:25 pm
nice sharing.. i have read this article twice and just found the true meaning of this…. good
September 16, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Great. thank you!!
September 16, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Now you got too much SEO in your head, man! Comparing it with celebs like that
Anyway, I never liked that band.
September 16, 2009 at 11:41 am
Hi Rebecca,
Great show and great analogies! SEO is also like Entourage in that you always hear about how important it is but you don’t care that much until you start…and then you become hooked
Paul
September 16, 2009 at 11:23 am
HA! I’d definitely put myself in the Ari Gold category. I have a tendency to be a blow-hard if I don’t get my way. At the end of the day the shit gets done.
SEO is definitely not as sexy as doing almost anything in Hollywood though. I mean, link building? C’mon. Thus the sausage-fest. It is more exciting to be Johnny Drama and get clowned daily. At least that is entertaining.
September 16, 2009 at 9:00 am
Great comparision and I love the fact that they are both underrated and overrated at the same time. How very true!
September 16, 2009 at 8:38 am
Great relation made within the show and SEO
September 16, 2009 at 6:13 am
ok, its correct, i will watch the movie anyway
September 16, 2009 at 6:11 am
i think i am gona watch this movie , it made me interested,
September 16, 2009 at 6:05 am
Great analogy. I love Entourage..
September 16, 2009 at 3:31 am
nice way to put it but I never watch Entourage before.
September 16, 2009 at 3:08 am
great post!
September 16, 2009 at 2:10 am
Nice Artic
September 16, 2009 at 1:41 am
Hi Rebecca,
Very very good post, I also like Entourage, Comparing SEO and Entourage is good.
Thanks
September 16, 2009 at 1:33 am
Good post, I love watching Entourage.
September 16, 2009 at 12:54 am
Ha ha, thought this article was gonna suck, but I enjoyed the ending. SEO needs more SEO chicks.
seoprofessional.info – the Vincent Chase of SEO
September 16, 2009 at 12:10 am
Hi Rebecca,
Very stimulating 7 points in your post. Well, maybe except point #7.
I have to admit that I know nothing about the show, heard of it but never watched it.
But #1 I know that shows can be underrated just like SEO is by most people.
#2 SEO may be overrated since as you point out so many things go into it that nobody really knows if what they know how to do will really make that much of a difference.
But they do believe that it will make a big difference and talk about it a lot.
#3 It’s tried and true formula, if it didn’t work it would have disappeared a long time ago.
#4 It highlights charisma vs talent, yes and where is this not true?
#5 Its hardest worker is an a–hole, not sure about that one.
#6 It doesn’t count anyone out, this is definitely true of SEO.
#7 It’s (mostly) a sausage fest, could be but can’t relate that one to SEO myself.
Now I know I have to watch the show to be able to make a complete sense of how the two relate.
Vance.
September 15, 2009 at 10:55 pm
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September 15, 2009 at 9:29 pm
First of all
Rebecca, its nice to see your post again on Shoemoney. We enjoyed your last couple of posts.
But why every one is now comparing things by SEO. Like a guy at John blog compare Girls and Google … and few other guys did as well.
So what is the reason of this comparison ?
September 15, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Hey Rebecca, you sure do love your italic fonts ^-^. Nice article. I love Entourage, but not so much for SEO.
September 15, 2009 at 5:35 pm
C’mon, sausagefest? Shoe just got back from a ‘work’ trip at the playboy mansion!
September 15, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Haha u would never ever ever see a seo event like that.
That was a affiliate marketing event
September 15, 2009 at 7:32 pm
LMAO, If that was an SEO event the bunnies would of been killed with boredom. I also doubt that they would be able to afford it minus the top 2% earners in the WHOLE industry.
September 15, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Rebecca, you were going great until you had to ruin it by quoting the “Google gives in to John Chow by throwing in the towel” thing… I think anybody who actually read the post knows that the Chowmeister actually gave in to Google by making his site compliant with Google’s guidelines. Google never changed their position. Just sayin’ is all…
September 15, 2009 at 5:36 pm
lol if you only knew the backstory on that deal.
September 15, 2009 at 5:49 pm
We all made comments on that past post questioning the deal Shoe, but nothing was acknowledged. As the post read, John worked with Matt Cutts to make his site Google compliant. And when it was, it was reincluded in index. So what’s the deal, was it simply a sensationalist headline or is there more to the story?
September 15, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Awesome Post! I love Entourage.
I agree, make sure to interview the person(s) you are about to do SEO. I’ve had my share of horrible $$$ costly experiences.
About SEO, I just started to work with someone that does SEO work. Luckily he also lives in Santa Barbara.
September 15, 2009 at 2:54 pm
SEO is data entry monkey work. Any asshole can be an SEO expert. the “industry” as a whole is laughable.
September 15, 2009 at 4:22 pm
I partially agree with you.
September 15, 2009 at 1:27 pm
#1 on digg tommrow?
September 15, 2009 at 1:24 pm
RK- The snarky angle is pretty thoroughly played out. Suggestion: how about writing some actual useful content about the industry?
September 15, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Except that Entourage doesn’t have a prevailing level of sleaze or charge for things they can’t guarantee…
September 15, 2009 at 4:22 pm
I dunno, the movie industry can be pretty sleazy…
September 15, 2009 at 4:31 pm
I agree, I just have a hard time not getting a bit annoyed when seeing everyone and their mothers selling “expert seo” when they’re spamming for business on Craigslist.
You wouldn’t believe how much SEO email spam I get whenever I post a help wanted classified.
September 15, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Are you kidding?! The movie industry is probably known for that more than online marketing. Climbing your way to the top is who you know, and producers and studios charge outrageous amounts for movie and premiere sponsorships that tank at the box office.
September 15, 2009 at 1:12 pm
You went with the Sausage Fest. Nice reminder of some of the important characteristics of SEO. Maybe limit the use of the tag next time.
September 15, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Agreed. A little too much emphasis makes it a little annoying to read. Still a great post though
September 15, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Love points 4 and 5 – incredibly true. I could list a few folks here that fit one or the other, but it’s probably a bad idea.
All in all – a brilliant post. I’m going to have to hang out here more often.
September 15, 2009 at 12:25 pm
geez. this was a horrible post and very unoriginal. I think your next post topic should be “Why I Decided To Stop Guest Posting On Shoemoney’s Blog”
September 15, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Thanks for the feedback. I’ll be sure to write a new post called “12 Reasons Why I Blog Solely to Please Some Guy Named Dave.”
September 15, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Dave, you are weird!
Its an awesome post by Rebecca.
Its very original and has great content. It’s also great to talk about Entourage as well. hehe
September 15, 2009 at 12:18 pm
So, if Turtle messes up with Jamie-Lynn Sigler and I have to quit watching Entourage does that also mean I have to quit SEO?
September 15, 2009 at 12:20 pm
That is funny. I must admit though…I have never watch Entourage. Oops..am I supposed to admit that?
September 15, 2009 at 7:30 pm
It’s okay to admit it, but you would be crazy not to watch it now that you know Jamie-Lynn Sigler is in it…
September 15, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Yeah, a lot of people in affiliate marketing, especially the top dogs just don’t want to respond. I’ve actually got several responses from Shoemoney on the vast majority of my questions. I respect that a lot, even if they are typically pretty short. Then again, you have to be on Twitter!
September 15, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Great post and I think this applies to a lot of industries not just SEO. It is funny how charisma does play a huge role because I know people who are top in knowledge of SEO but don’t have a 1/4th as many clients as an outgoing SEO consultant who is always at all the conferences.
September 15, 2009 at 12:02 pm
So basically you are saying SEO is awesome…at least Entourage is anyway.
September 15, 2009 at 11:44 am
Great analogy!! Although Robby’s right, watching TV seems more fun than working on SEO.
September 15, 2009 at 11:39 am
You have a saucy writing style there Rebecca! good article thanks
September 15, 2009 at 11:46 am
Haha at “saucy.”
September 15, 2009 at 11:12 am
I dont know about the show but its good to know the link with the SEO.
September 15, 2009 at 11:10 am
Love it. You should have given a correlation to a SEO king with an attitude for number five, though.
September 15, 2009 at 11:06 am
Ooooh.. Creepy parallels. The last one is no joke. haha
September 15, 2009 at 11:04 am
What a smart post. Loved it! Thank you!
September 15, 2009 at 10:46 am
Only difference is I hate working on SEO, but love watching Entourage. Best show on the tele these days. I don’t think it’s under- OR over-rated actually, though SEO is definitely under-rated by most bloggers.
September 15, 2009 at 10:34 am
I guess i must be the only one around who hasn’t seen the show more than once.. some good points though.. i really do feel SEO is underrated and at the same time some people (usually those with out the best knowledge) agonize or some things that just dont matter.