Thread: Net Builders SEO Contest

It's 2009 and we haven't seen a really great SEO contest in the last few years. Meanwhile, Google has not slowed down the pace of algorithm changes.

Google uses over 200 factors to determine the order of their search engine results and makes over 300 changes to their algorithm every year.

It's pretty obvious that no one, inside or outside of Google, really truly understands the ranking algorithm.

So, let's do some testing!

Net Builders SEO Contest Rules

Goal: To win, you must place first, second, or third in Google's organic SERPs for the targeted keywords. Indented listing do not count -- each domain can win only one prize.

Start Date: 15 March, 2009

Finish Date: 15 August, 2009 - High Noon GMT

Prizes:

First Place: $1,000
Second Place: $500
Third Place: $250

Contest Entry

To enter the contest, you must post the domain you are entering into the contest in a message here at NetBuilders.

Determination of Winners

I will determine the official winners by using a manual search to google.com. As Google returns different results from different data centers and to different searchers, the results you see may not be the results that I see.

Targeted Keywords: The targeted keywords for our contest are "sulumits retsambew" (without the quotes)

Credits

• Chris Ridings for inventing the concept of an SEO contest.
• John Scott for popularizing the idea and running probably the best SEO contest ever.
• Mike Dammann for kicking me until I finally ran this contest.

Sounds excellent! Are moderators allowed to participate?

Originally Posted by Charles

Sounds excellent! Are moderators allowed to participate?

Yes, because their moderator status doesn't get them any pull with Google.

Employees of Google are not allowed to participate. Sorry Matt!

Let´s make this one the best one yet!

will it be with new domain or aged domain also qualify

Sounds like fun. I'm no good with SEO, but maybe this will mean a chance to learn a thing or two

Originally Posted by biz08

will it be with new domain or aged domain also qualify

Either way works. This is a good chance to measure the power of exact match keyword domains vs. authoritative domains.

I personally will probably digg out the oldest domain I can find, or just do it with firetown.com

Am I eligible btw.?

Originally Posted by firetown

I personally will probably digg out the oldest domain I can find, or just do it with firetown.com

That was the winning strategy in 2006. But with Google's increased weighting of the exact match keyword bonus for domains and with the recent "Vince" update pushing the value of "brands" -- who knows how it will work out this time?

Originally Posted by firetown

Am I eligible btw.?

Yes, unless you accept a job offer from Google.

Originally Posted by Will.Spencer

Yes, unless you accept a job offer from Google.

I would be more corrupt than a Costa Rican traffic cop.