Third Door Media

[ihelpyou]

Okay; I know damn well I'll get bashed and trashed by the people in this industry who are buddies with Danny Sullivan, but so be it.

http://sphinn.com/

First off; this sphinn.com "blog" is another "blog" created by the people of Third Door Media of which one owner is Danny Sullivan. There are other "high profile" people involved with it.

There is also www.searchengineland.com also owned by Third Door Media.

There are a few other "blogs" owned by the same people... don't know the names right off.

Funny how ALL these blogs look the same but all use different domains. I'd like to think people of high profile and touted widely by this industry could come up with something unique and fresh, but I guess installing blog software now means you built a new website? You all could have been a bit more creative I think.

Second; read this particular blog thread:

http://sphinn.com/story/878

That is a blog member "sphinning" there very own blog website.

NOW: Read that blog of which was "sphinned"

http://www.seo-scoop.com/2007/07/19/new-free-google-rank-checker-by-datacenter/

Not only are these "sphinn" members allowed to post about their very own blogs for self-promotion, but they also allow USELESS tools to get promoted as well.

Check that "useless tool" they are promoting:

http://www.bad-neighborhood.com/google-multidc-rank-check.htm

Does that tool require a Google API?? I think not.

Well; I read a few threads on that sphinn.com site. It appears to be a bunch of self-promoting people back-slapping each other and their own websites........ and all linking up with each other as well. I find it bad stuff..... sorry.

Bash away I say!! I'm thick skinned as you all know very well. :)

Trust me; I'm not the only one who feels this way; I just happen to be the only one with guts enough to post something like this about "elites" in this industry.


BTW: Sphinn.com was created as "another" place where SEM people in this industry could promote themselves by commenting on other member blogs, etc. At least that is why they state it was created. Gee; like this industry doesn't have enough back-slappers already with SEMPO.org and ALL the search engine conferences out there?? sheesh.

Whatever happened to the idea of "teaching" people outside our industry? It appears the main goal of this damn industry is to make sure ALL other SEM marketeers are promoting each other.

[Mel66]

Have you read this?

http://sphinn.com/story/714

Interesting comments on all sides of the issue.

Melissa

[ihelpyou]

Yeah, I read it. Lots of spin in it as well.

The fact is; that "blog" was created solely as another place for this industry to back-slap. That is what it is.

What finally crossed that line for me was the "fact" they allow the outright promotion of "tools" that are totally useless to any website owner. Totally and completely..... and against ALL search engine guidelines.

[polarmate]

Looks like a clone of Digg, with a focus on search marketing and some social networking thrown into it.

Like how Hugg (http://www.hugg.com/) is focused on user-generated environment friendly news.

I much prefer the latter. ;)

[ihelpyou]

ah yes. It sure does resemble Digg. It's Digg geared to "marketeers". Good one. It's almost exactly like Digg. :)

Big prob in that it allows the promotion of anything. Hardly what this industry really needs though.

[g1smd]

They have stated several times that it is basically a Digg-clone for SEO topics.

[polarmate]

And it uses Pligg, which was inspired by Digg.

It's all part of trying to keep up with the buzz of social media targeted at SEO folks.

Personally, for me, it becomes yet another site to keep up with and I'd rather not. Most newbies will jump onto it to be seen rubbing shoulders with the "names" in SEO.

[ihelpyou]

I'm personally seeing this industry become more child-like as it moves forward. I see nothing that makes me think it's growing up. It's like "I kissed you, so kiss me back please". "Look at me, I can play tag and I can play ...you're it, and I can play with Danny Sullivan..... uuuueeeeiiiiii, toss another one please".

With the way the industry acts these days, makes me wanna puke. And we wonder why the "outside" thinks the way they do?

[ihelpyou]

http://andybeard.eu/2007/07/sphinn-sem-attention-wars.html

Great stuff!!

It appears Mr. Sullivan is a tad bit "defensive". :D

A very nice read. Here is one comment in there:
I hate to be negative about a new service, but Sphinn (Sfin) sure does appear to me to be the same old "talking heads" and SEO Rockstars (haha) that already dominate the small SEO niche. I've never felt like part of their "community" so far, and I doubt this offering will be any different.

If this website plans on being anything other than another derivative Digg/Pligg clone, then Danny will have to do his best to bring in some new blood from the huge majority of SEO "community types" who aren't part of the in-crowd. Otherwise, it looks just like one more gratuitous ass-kissing and pseudo-link-exchanging circle jerking website to me. In essence, it's not hard to believe that a website like this is designed to promote web conferences, rather than do much for the community at large.

Of course I could be wrong, and time will tell.
I couldn't have said it better myself. He posted what I have stated for awhile, and what others who might be afraid to speak out, clearly think about some things in this silly industry.

All of this reminds me of "children" and how they play and run around and compete for attention, etc. I see the entire circle of "friends" who back certain people and hang together with ass-kissing frenzy, as those same little kids playing in the street.

The biggest problem I see is that SPhinn is just another place where spammers and the "elite" can kiss each other while promoting each other's products, no matter how useless and harmful the products are.

[g1smd]

Hmm. Click the graphic on that blog that has "Pay per Post $130" in big characters on it.

It looks like you can buy an article, and therefore a link, for $130 right there.

[ihelpyou]

Amazing then. A spammer actually speaking out against Danny Sullivan?? LOL That's got to be a first!

Although; I'm not sure if pay per post offerings can be considered spamming.

It's all good though that more people are voicing their opinions and concerns about this industry, no matter who they are. The industry is in dire need of being fixed in one way or the other.