The author of this post, an 11-year veteran of SEO marketing, would like to suggest that the top SEO’s are not necessarily measured by their income, but rather by how much they have been able to help increase the income of their clients. Some of the top SEO minds have retired and now just write and educate others about SEO marketing. So I ask, who in this world really understands how to drive massive organic traffic to a Website through optimization and white hat search engine promotion methods? Who can optimize content in their sleep, and it works? Who can quickly troubleshoot any domain and prescribe a solution the same day, a solution that works? Which SEO’s understand the importance of social media marketing to the SEO industry and how to leverage them together? Which SEO guru’s have paid their dues in the industry and have kept their swords edge as sharp as can be? Which Search Engine Optimizers can sit down at their desk and git er dun!

If you answer these questions, you will find an SEO genius that you should do whatever it takes to get them on board with you. After all, we all want to be successful right, and to expedite our successes? Ok, so we are on the same page so far.

Written by SEO Expert Robert Wright with help from Steve Wiideman, this list is derived from a mix of industry reputation, years of metric-centered writing, and a bit of pure bias.

Not necessarily in order, they’ve just simply made the list for 2009:

Danny Sullivan
CEO/Author
SearchEngineLand, Third Door Media, SMX, Daggle

Danny’s expertise about search engines is often sought by the media, and he has been quoted in places like The Wall St. Journal, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, Forbes, The New Yorker and Newsweek and ABC’s Nightline.

Danny began covering search engines in late 1995, when he undertook a study of how they indexed web pages. The results were published online as “A Webmaster’s Guide To Search Engines,” a pioneering effort to answer the many questions site designers and Internet publicists had about search engines.

Brad Fallon
CEO/Blogger
StomperNet, BradFallon.com

Brad Fallon is the author of Creating Customers Out of Thin Air: Secrets of Online Marketing for Offline Businesses and the co-founder of Smart Marketing, Inc. (a network of wholesale and retail e-commerce businesses) and other endeavors related to internet marketing. Beginning with a $2,000 start-up investment for My Wedding Favors in January, 2004, Brad’s online businesses grew from $1.2 million in first year revenue to $7.8 million in 2005 and $32 million in 2006.

Rand Fishkin
CEO/Author
SEOMoz.org

Undeniably one of the biggest rock stars in the Search Engine Optimization field, Rand travels the world doing keynotes for international conferences, creates robust analytical tools for the SEO community and SEOMoz.org members.

Rand Fishkin is the CEO & Co-Founder of SEOmoz, a leader in the field of search engine optimization tools, resources & community. In 2009, he co-authored the Art of SEO from O’Reilly Media and was named among the 30 Best Young Tech Entrepreneurs Under 30 by BusinessWeek. Rand has been written about it in The Seattle Times, Newsweek and the NY Times among others and keynoted conferences on search around the world. He’s particularly passionate about the SEOmoz blog, read by tens of thousands of search professionals each day. In his miniscule spare time, Rand enjoys the company of his amazing wife, Geraldine.

Aaron Wall
Author, Speaker, Partner
SEOBook, ClientSide SEM

Aaron Wall is the author of SEO Book, a dynamic website offering marketing tips and coverage of the search space, free SEO videos, and free SEO tools. He is a regular conference speaker, partner in Clientside SEM, and publishes dozens of independent websites.

Todd Friesen (“Oilman”)
VP Search, Speaker
PositionTech

A true vet in the SEO industry, the “Oilman” Todd Friesen has worked on projects with Fortune 100 corporations, been an administrator at WebmasterWorld.com, moderated for Search Engine Watch, and is a co-host of SEO Rockstars for WebmasterRadio.fm. You can find Todd at just about any search engine conference either speaking, paneling, or networking with other SEO vets.

Michael Gray
Owner, President, Blogger
Atlas Web Service

Michael Gray became involved in web development and website management in 1998. He was Webmaster for a major specialty retailer, helping create their website presence and growing their online sales from less than $10,000 a month to over $25 million in annual web sales. Michael has been involved with affiliate marketing campaigns for several years and does consulting work on a variety of topics such as SEO, Social Media and Blog Management.

Michael has been a speaker at SMX, Search Engine Strategies and PubCon He is moderator at Webmaster World and Sphinn and an editor at ThreadWatch. He has been a guest speaker on SEO RockStars, Good Karma, and The Daily Search Cast. Michael has also been interviewed for SEO articles in CNET and Forbes.com.

Michael is owner and President of Atlas Web Service; a NY based Internet Consulting Firm.

Brad Callen
Author, Developer, Owner
Bryxen Software, BradCallen.com

Brad Callen is most known for developing Bryxen software a company that has released some very significant internet marketing tools such as Keyword Elite and SEO Elite. His software pioneered the conquest for backlink data that has helped SEO’s for over half a decade.

Bruce Clay
Owner, Speaker
Bruce Clay, Inc.

One of the Founding Fathers of SEO, Bruce has operated as an executive with several high-technology businesses, and comes from a long career as a technical executive with leading Silicon Valley firms, and since 1996 in the Internet Business Consulting arena. Bruce holds a BS in Math and Computer Science and also has his MBA from Pepperdine University, has had many articles published, has been a speaker at over 100 sessions including Search Engine Strategies, WebmasterWorld, ad:Tech, Search Marketing Expo, and many more, and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, PC Week, Wired Magazine, Smart Money, several books, and many other publications.

He has also been featured on many podcasts and WebmasterRadio shows, as well as appearing on the NHK 1-hour TV special “Google’s Deep Impact”. He has personally authored many advanced search engine optimization tools that are available from the company Web sites.

Steve Wiideman (“SEO Steve”)
SEO Consultant, eBook Author
Steve Wiideman, SEO Expert, LLC

Wiideman is Fortune 100 corporate SEO/SEM vet who creates information products and consults with a handful of clients. He’s been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, National Journal and several other publications. Wiideman hosts an annual SEO summit in Orange County for those interested in learning search engine optimization. He also shares videos and interacts with fans on his SEOExpert.tv blog.

Robert Wright (“Maharishi”)
SEO Expert, Marketing Strategist, Trusted Advisor
MrWebGuru.com

A veteran and pioneer of SEO experimentation, Robert started altering Web content for improved search engine rankings in 1999 while living in Alaska. In 2000, Robert developed Alaska’s first algorithmic search engine and fast fell in love with search technologies. Since 1997, he has helped hundreds of businesses get online and has personally optimized over 100 Websites. He is an 8-year certified “Advanced Search Engine Marketing Strategist” from Search Engine Workshops, and he regularly attends the best search industry conferences, including Webmaster World/PubCon, SMX, SES and others of importance. Robert has been integral in the very successful Internet marketing strategies of many businesses, including Ski.com, Webroot and Ring Central. He has been featured in CNN Money, The Miami Herald and repeatedly interviewed on the “e- Marketing Talk Show.” From the SEO trenches daily, Robert still helps “mom and pops” and “mid-sized businesses” with optimization and solution driven marketing, a distinction amongst SEO experts of his caliber. Mr. Wright prefers the quiet and peaceful setting of the Rocky Mountains, where he lives with his family and works on enlightening his professional and personal life.

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Honorable Mentions:

John Alexander
Search Engine Workshops, Beyond SEO

Lisa Barone
Outspoken Media

Greg Boser
Web Guerrilla

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Readers, please feel free to leave a comment suggesting other candidates and why you believe they should be on this list. This list will cap at 100 entries. The next 90 SEO experts may not have made this list but none to their discredit. Feel free to introduce yourself or add a brief listing via comment. No resumes please.

The networking at PubCon 2009 was awesome and it is great to get to see so many industry associates at the same place and time. Now there are some of my friends that I only see once a year in Vegas. Great job this year Brett, keep up the excellence.

http://www.vickfuneralhome.com/index.cfm

This is what others have said so far:

Martin Roy Preece (April 23, 1951 – October 19, 2009)
Bill & Kathy Long Eastpointe, Mi. October 22, 2009 11:08 AM		Our deepest sympathies go out to the Preece family. Martin would give the shirt off his back to help a friend,and I sure needed computer help. He was truely a genius, thanks again buddy. Martin and I went to school together and ran in the same music circles. We really missed you at the 40th class reunion last month. In 1970 we started Killer Sound Gear in his garage, a company that built from scratch and sold band speaker cabinets. I went on to play music and Martin went on to build Fanfare into one of the nations first and largest P.A rental companies. As President, he did the sound for the some of the biggest acts in the world, including John Lennon. Thanks for the backstage passes! My wife and I have very fond memories of going for rides in the country with him. He showed us a secret hilltop on Drahner Road, overlooking a beautiful valley. We had many great times there. God Bless you friend, we love you and will miss you. If I don’t see you in this world, I’ll meet you in the next one, don’t be late. Bill & Kathy Long
Cindy Turrietta San Diego, CA October 21, 2009 10:26 PM		Martin was a wonderful guy. Always willing to help when he could and so mindful of his mother. Everybody needs a “Martin”. He will be missed and remembered fondly.
Robert Wright Hotchkiss, Colorado October 21, 2009 7:45 PM		I only had the pleasure of meeting Martin one time, in Vegas, at a Search Engine Workshop. We hit it off well and had a lot in common. He once humorously witted to me, “I can’t believe it man, you are more of a hippy than I am!” and we both chuckled heartily. See, it was funny because I’m 45, but Martin was a teenager during the Summer of Love! How enviable. Anyways, Martin and I went on to forge business relations together, working with a couple clients I sent his way for SEO programming and Dev. In this regard I can never forget Martin, as he is one of the most likable, professional, astute, positive, ethical, trustworthy, intelligent, reliable, and prompt persons I have ever met. I do dearly wish I could have talked with Martin for just 10 minutes before his journey transcended this realm; I had some really good news for him. Martin certainly has earned a place in my thoughts and prayers. Martin, you did a great job here buddy, you made great contributions and touched the hearts of us all. Your parents deserve to be commended, and your entire family consoled. I look forward to the day our paths cross again. Namaste Brother!
greg cryns Paso Robles, CA October 21, 2009 6:31 PM		I will never forget Martin’s kindness to me. I had some questions and he suggested I call him. I did and we spent about 45 minutes discussing ways to improve my SEO. Thank you Martin! See you later!
Caleb Schmidt Neenah, Wisconsin October 21, 2009 5:30 PM		I’m very sorry to hear about Martin. He was a great man to work with. He was very understanding and kind. I will miss him dearly. My prayers and sympathies go out to his family and close friends.
Doug Lamoureux Mankato, MN October 21, 2009 5:22 PM		I never met Martin but I was very appreciative of his patience and kindness when working with him. He was a good man and will be missed. My condolences to friends and family.
Laurie Macomber Fort Collins CO October 21, 2009 5:11 PM		Martin was a dear dear man. Gentle. Ultra informative. Thanks to him for SEO knowledge and for Such Exquisite Optimism.
Tamara Deal Kansas City, MO October 21, 2009 12:55 AM		My sincere sympathies to Martin’s family and close friends. I knew him through his work with SEO and really appreciated his clever observations and helpfulness! A life too short.
Leo Beattie United States October 20, 2009 9:51 PM		I am sorry to hear of Martin’s passing I met Martin as the drummer of The Frut of the Loom in 1967 we worked together with Alice Cooper and built sound systems together.Martin was brilliant when it came to electronics and came up with innovative ideas at that time,including Alice Coopers electric chair. I lost contact with Martin over the years and had hoped to see him again. God Bless, Leo Beattie
John Alexander Newmarket, Ontario – Canada October 19, 2009 8:41 PM		I extend my deepest sympathies to Martin’s family (as well as all of those who are feeling the sudden loss of a dear family member.) I’m sure there is a crowd that feels that way. Anyone who had the opportunity to know Martin, will also know what a great support person he was, how much he cared about genuine relationships with people. He was a very dear friend and colleague who performed beyond anyones highest expectations. He never ceased to amaze me with his powers of 360 degree surround observation, and his ability to manage our peoples reputation. He had enough caring for everyone. He was just as gifted (in the real world) as he was online and his sense of humor and even the sound of his voice, were comforting. The last few conversations that I had with Martin, were very encouraging. I guess that’s what he did best, “encourage people” and “support people.” He also had the most remarkable and diverse gift of knowing a lot about a wide array of helpful things. He was always the first to show proof, that he cared. May God grant each of us the ability to be everything that He (God) intended for us. I am so glad for the years of learning and working together with Martin Preece (and for a friend more dedicated than most friends I’ve known.) I feel certain we’ll someday see Martin again. Please be lifted and my deepest condolences for this time. John Alexander

What is “Search Engine Optimization?”

Robert Wright 10-09-2009

Often I am asked the question, “ What exactly is Search Engine Optimization?” I’ll usually answer, “It is the practice of refining and focusing your Web site for the purpose of improved search engine performance.” Or, I’ve also answered, “SEO is the optimization of a Website for better search findability.”

It is a proven and established fact that good SEO will help a Web site perform better in major search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. All fortune 500 companies are now using SEO practices. Search engine optimization addresses visibility, brand and traffic needs from the organic side of search. The organic side is the unpaid search results. The free listings which are not labeled “sponsored,” or paid for, like Google AdWords, Yahoo Search Marketing or MSN’s Overture driven PPC programs.

Search Engine Optimization usually belongs to the Marketing/Internet/Search division of a company but also is used for public relations. Search engine optimization should influence and integrate with your code rehabilitation, site design, programming, keyword forensics, competitive Intelligence, site usability, as well, conversion and analytics. SEO should be considered with all Web development decisions.

“SEO” also refers to the person who executes the practice. It is the title of their position.

The most noticeable effect of good search engine optimization is increased traffic to a Web site. And, as traffic is a huge contributing metric to the rankings and positioning of a site on search results pages, Web sites that deploy good SEO practices, will always enjoy an advantage in organic search results.

Keep in mind that there are even bigger contributing factors to top search engine rankings than optimization, such as links, reputation and importance, which each search engines algorithm calculates. But you can safely assume that good optimization carries about 30% of the weight given to rankings in a search engine like Google.

So identify your keywords with professional tools like Wordtracker or Keyword Discovery and use them in key places on your Web pages. Use known searched for phrases in your page titles, headers, URL’s, body text, and even in your anchor text (text of your links) and any inbound links (IBL’s) you have influence over and you will exploit the constant power of search engine optimization for huge gains in traffic for your Web site, which is your branch office to the world. Remember, “optimization” is about “focus,” therefore it is usually best to treat optimization as a page specific strategy as well as a domain/homepage one.

I strongly caution you to use due diligence when selecting an SEO firm or SEO expert to work with. The industry is wrought with amateurs and charlatans. But there is real help available.

Whatever you do for your business from here forward, it is strongly recommended that you learn more about search engine optimization and how it can be utilized to help your online business reach it true potential.

Optimized regards,

Robert

My drive to San Diego was excellent, nice weather and I got to take care of some important business in Los Angeles on the way home, and I was able to spend a day at the Search Engine Workshops in Vegas on the way home and see some long time mates.

I got to roll on the mat a couple times with 6x world Brazilian Jui-jitsu Champion Robert Drysdale. When I got home I realized I was bruised from head to toe; big gnarly bruises too. I’ve trained in a few of the Martial Arts and wrestled for about 10 years. My prediction is that Robert Drysdale will wear the belt in UFC as fast as anyone has ever gotten it shortly after they sign him. I stopped by his Dojo in Vegas at 1234 Rainbow Boulevard and he is doing a great job over there. The guys a true Jui-Jitsu Rock Star! I’ll post some pictures later.

DK’s ThinkTank gets two thumbs up for great food, merriment, networking, idea sharing, and extracurricular activities. Way to Go DK!

DK is the chiropractor who got his Web marketing efforts adjusted by Matt Cutts at a search marketing conference a few years back, I remember it, I was there. He also facilitates the search marketers charity poker tournament during the Webmaster World Conference in Vegas the past two years. I played in both. Last year I was the “bubble boy” that is, the last player not to make the final table (I predict that this year, if I make it past the first hour, I will be in the final heads up!)

So I’ve decided to check out DK’s ThinkTank this year and I’ll be down in San Diego September 17th-19th figuring out how to surf waves of cashola. When I get back I’ll have a review but till then you can read about the purpose Inc ThinkTank here: http://www.purposeinc.com/pwp/thinktank
I wish I could stay in SoCal for an extra week but I’ll have to get back here cause I’m helping you and others ascend and it’s a big task.

Feel free to leave a comment.

1. In-bound Links from Diverse Topically Related Domains

2. Keyword Usage with Prominence in Page Title

3. In-bound Link Anchor Text (Reputation)

4. Social Media / Blog Presence

5. In-bound Links from Topical Authorities (Your Industries: Directories, Forums, and High PR Pages)

6. Content Optimization and Theming

7. Age and History of Domain and Traffic Data

8. Growth and Freshness

9. Clean Code

10. Vertical Search Presence (News, Groups, Video, Local/Mobile, etc.)

Theming a document helps Google see that a document is about a phrase even if that phrase isn’t on the document. Theming does not replace search engine optimization, but it certainly does enhance optimization. I can extract the entire list of theme words for any phrase and then remove the words that your document already uses from the list, providing you with a prioritized list of words to add to your document so it will rank better for the target phrase. Like I said, “theming” with processes like LSI, does not replace optimization, however, my recent tests are showing that it certainly is an excellent and innovative way to better optimization. Mild rewrites are yielding real results for visitors and in Google search. This is new! If you are interested in this new optimization strategy feel free to contact me at 970-945-5191. You need training from me on how to use the data, and I will provide you with the data you need to succeed.

This is new, bleeding edge, enterprise level search marketing intelligence at mom and pops prices.

Trust me, you want it!

Thematic regards,

Da Goor00.10.110.0010.0100

Some questions you might ask are:

1. Can I talk with the person who will be doing my optimization and marketing work? (you don’t really want to talk to a sales rep or even the manager as much as seeing if you can communicate well with the person executing your work and do they themselves have a deep understanding of SEO or are they just an employee who has their fingers crossed on the other side of the phone. Don’t be sold by a hotshot and then delivered to some newbie account manager. You don’t want to be part of a learning curve)

2. How many years have you been providing SEO? (Remember, it takes ten years at anything to truly gain a degree of mastery)

3. What is the process utilized that will help me realize my goals with SEO marketing? (An expert can answer this question without hesitation in a clear and informative manner)

4. Do you guarantee top positions in Google? (This is a trick question. Google has published: “No person can guarantee positions in Google.” The only true guarantee for positions is by using pay per click to get listed in the “sponsored” section of the results pages. “No” is the better answer to this question. definitely beware of any “SEO expert” who offers a “money back guarantee” as they know their own abilities as well as their limitations and will tend to word the contract with loopholes that allow them to keep your investment if they can not get you top positions as promised. True Search Optimization is an art form and some science, coupled with some very cool software applications, a lot of passion and some downright gritty experience. If the “SEO expert” says “yes” to this question, keep shopping)

5. Can you show me that you have a track record of being able to get your clients to the top of the organic search positions? (this is the natural question to follow a “no” answer to the previous question)

6. Can you provide references? (Check more than three)

7. Can you show me how your own site performs for your industry keywords? (If they are an Expert at SEO, claiming to be able to help you to rank and position and convert better, wouldn’t you agree that they should also be able to do well for their own business?)

7. What is the first step to helping me? (Pro answers will be “rehabilitative analysis” or “keyword research” or something along those lines).

There is more. Maybe I’ll comment them in later. or you can comment on this. If you would like more information and tips about hiring an SEO Expert you can also contact me, maybe hire me or hire me to help you hire an appropriate SEO. Search optimization professional.

I guess the moral of the post is: A lot of money is wasted investing in “SEO experts” who just simply are not able to deliver what is possible. Be aware and keep vigilant.

Cheers!

Robert

The Networking is always nice. Microsoft sponsored a huge ravesque party at RAIN in the Palms hotel. I had to leave it after 40 minutes though so I could get to Purpose Inc’s No Limit Hold’em charity tournament at the Venetian. 30% of the proceeds were contributed to a disabled Iraq war veterans charity. Last year I was out in 20 minutes, this year I was the “bubble boy,” finishing in tenth place, one away from the final table and the money. The networking at this event was great and I saw many of my associates whom I only get to see once a year or so.

I would wager that the Conference attendance was down at least 20% from last year, but reliable sources told me the conference substance was really good this year.

The Webmaster World Expo was great. I meet some interesting people with new and innovative SEO related products and services. All in all, the Expo was great.

The 2008 PubCon event was held at the Hofbrauhaus. Great size for the event. This is one of, if not the best Marketer/Webmaster networking events on the planet. I look forward to next years event.