Who is the coolest guy on the planet? A search engine optimization experiment by Matt Walker-Wilson
Is it my vanity that has compelled me to create this website? Do I really think that I am cooler than every other guy in the whole world? Well, I suppose I could admit to being a little conceited (I'll discuss more of that later), but the real reason for this website is a serious SEO experiment. You see, I wanted to discover if I, Matt Walker-Wilson, can get to the top of google.com for the phrase "the coolest guy on the planet".
"Why do you want to do that, Matt?" I hear you ask. Believe me, you are not the first person to ask me that question. After all, it's been done before. If you search Google for this exact phrase you will see that there are plenty of other guys with websites claiming they are the coolest.
So what is the point in trying, if someone else has already done it? Well, let me explain. Search engine optimization experts want to prove that they know what they are talking about. You can't really call yourself an SEO expert unless you can actually get results. And the best way to prove that you are really good at something is to be the best in the world. So getting to the to of Google for this precise phrase is quite a challenge - especially as other SEO experts are trying to do the exact same thing. It's a bit like the Olympics for search engine optimization experts. So getting to the top of Google, for the exact phrase "the coolest guy on the planet" would be like winning a gold medal.
So I thought, as I actually present training courses in web design, I would throw my hat into the ring to see how well I can score on this specific phrase. If I can do it, then I will have proved to myself, and my clients, that these search engine optimization techniques that I teach, really do work. I am being guided by Google's Webmaster Guidelines, and what I have learned over my years in the industry. And I am using 100% "white hat", completely ethical methods, all of which can be learned and used by ordinary people.
No hype. No false promises. Just facts.
There will be no hype or marketing blurb. No slick sales pitches or special offers. This is an experiment to show exactly how to get to the top of Google for the very competitive phrase "the coolest guy on the planet".
I will either succeed - or I won't. And that is one of the great things about the web - everything can be measured. And everyone in the whole world can see your success - if you want them to.
To be honest, that is one of the reasons why I like the web. It is probably one of the things that has helped my success so far - having a reliable indicator of how well my work is received. Most kinds of creative work are judges by opinion. Have you ever thought something is really cool, only to find out that none of your friends think so? Or maybe the other way round - all your friends like something that you think is terrible? But with search engine results, opinions simply don't matter. Your website is on the first page of Google or it's not. and that's what I think is really cool about SEO. An SEO expert can prove they are good and they can show that proof to the world. Whatever anyone else thinks simply does not matter.
In SEO, Opinions are worthless - Only Actual Results count
The same objectiveness can be applied to website design. We all know of websites that we like and others that we dislike. But the real test of a "good website" is whether it work or not. And when I say "works" I'm not talking about the technology. I'm talking about the aims and goas of the website. If it is a e-commerce site, does it sell to as many customers possible and make a profit? If it is employment agency website, does it actually help get people a job? If it is a charity website does it actually collect as many donations as possible? These things can be measured and it is this measurement that counts.
No opinion will change how well your website scores. Even your own opinion will not make a difference. It is the actions you take that make a difference. It is the SEO techniques you employ that will improve my Google ranking.
I want to prove that I can get to the top using these methods. My competitors are some of the world's best SEO experts, so let's see how well this simple website compares against some of the big boys of Search Engine Optimization. I want uncover the truth that these SEO techniques really do work and that I can get to the top of Google for the phrase "the coolest guy on the planet".
So here are the steps that I will be following to try to get to the top.
Steps towards SEO success
