There is some talk about “SEO Fame” going around started off by Lee Odden and then continued today with a post over on SEOmoz by Rand Fishkin - they both seem to be saying the same thing… It’s not an end in and of itself. Well, yeah, duh… But it sure doesn’t hurt… Both Odden and Fishkin are “famous” - How many people do they have reading every word that they write? Well, just looking at subscriber stats 40k+ between the two of them. How much ad money is brought in, how many clients actually find them because they are famous? Sure does make sales a little more simple when people are searching for you by name.
They do make a good point though - Fame is not your end game. So then, why chase it? For me it is not fame I’m seeking but just powerful networking. The fruits of my social media and SEO network labor are already starting to pay off.
Case in point: I was downsized last Monday from my agency job - Two hours later I had a better paying agency job and started Tuesday thanks to my interviewers knowing who I was because they had seen my blog on Sphinn a few times. Awesome. I’m totally famous, well… not really. BUT I AM KNOWN BY SOME. Cool.
Example 2 of my awesome power of networking: I’m looking to buy some kind of rad 4×4 for escapes to back country mountain camp sites. I get on Twitter and ask “Anyone know what car is good to get for offroading? I’m thinking about a Jeep Wrangler” A couple hours later Dan Perry who works SEO and Online Marketing for Cars.com calls me up and gives me a rundown on what’s good and what’s not - Now that is just straight up cool… I’ll be getting an FJ Cruiser, by the way - Thanks Dan 
Becoming “famous” is really just a side bonus of networking. The more people you are nice to and know… the more people will be nice to and know you. That’s what SEO fame is good for. It’s so helpful being known by all the other great SEO’s out there - being friends with - friends help friends out - they will answer questions and help you meet other people… Social networkers are social people… social people are generally good to have on your side.
Well, that’s all I have to say about that. Fame would be nice to have - Do I want it? Sure, who doesn’t. If it helps me reach my goal of not being someones grunt and either running my own agency or just being happy doing freelance because I’m known great… You just have to understand what Lee and Rand both said - Fame is not an end game in and of itself, but it’s one hell of a helpful thing for any career.
Responses to “Fame Game”
February 19th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
haha you make it sound so “friendly” but beware the power of the clique. It works both ways unfortunately. “friends help friends out” isn’t always a good thing, if the individuals are acting like a mob.
February 20th, 2008 at 8:11 am
“I just want to be able to flip open my contact list and immediately get an answer”. That’s the best.
P.S. Thanks for the shout-out! Glad I could help.
February 20th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
[…] posts resulted in a blog volley from a different perspective … the Fame Game and Take Your Fame and Shove It. All posts caused me to think even harder about the subject of […]
February 21st, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Man, certainly a great subject. I have no desire to be FAMOUS, necessarily - but having resources to fall back on (a network, you could say) and a certain amount of credibility can’t hurt.
I get what Rand and Lee are saying!
Thanks for the great discussion!
February 19th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Well said. I don’t want to be famous, I just want to be able to flip open my contact list and immediately get an answer to “hey do you know anyone that does X” or “what do you think about X” or “lets collaborate on X”…and I want it from sources that I trust. You get these types of sources by being knowledgeable and friendly.
This for me is networking and not trying to get famous. And I want cool people to drink with at conferences.
Unless you mean famous like dating Kate Hudson or something…I’d take that in a second.