Considering the fact that there are so many contests available today (like the unusual contest for blowing water out from a teapot), it does not come as a surprise to find out there is a contest to see who is the biggest geek in the world of search engine marketing. But unlike many other contests out there, this one is something you can actually make some serious money training for, as well as, from the different clients that you can draw in.
The Biggest Search Geek brings people from all walks of life together in the name of search engine marketing. Anyone can enter online (except those who work for Marin Software, and it’s affiliates of course) by simply going to The Biggest Search Geek” website and filling out the online application and following the instructions on the website. The contest begins on December 1, 2009 and ends on February 19, 2010. The official rules are also available online, but here is a brief summary:
Participants test their skills by answering 20 amazingly tough questions about search engine marketing (the ins and outs, and everything in between). Each entry will be judged and scored based on the number of questions correctly answered in a timely fashion (so if you think you can take a month to answer one question, think again). Each question has a possible total score of 5 points, and you can get a maximum of 100 points if you answer all the questions correctly. Partial credit for multi-part questions will be given so it does help to guess, but keep in mind this contest is designed to separate the men from the boys (or the geeksters from the posseurs). The final score will be represented as a percentage of the total questions answered correctly. Last year’s winner, Keri Morgret, went up against well over 1,600 search engine marketers to score a 76.8% and claim the title of Biggest Search Geek. This year, Keri is looking to reign supreme once again – and for good reason.
This year’s grand prize will be a free trip for two people to the Search Engine Marketing Expo (SMX) West to be held in beautiful Santa Clara, CA. The grand prize also includes round-trip airfare, and hotel accommodations. The winner will also receive an award on stage from SMX West chair Danny Sullivan, who also serves as Search Engine Land’s editor in chief. Even if you don’t win the grand prize, the SMX West expo is still an awesome happening to check out for those in the search engine marketing world.
The SMX West Expo is three days of intensive seminars, and exhibits that can help just about any search engine marketing enthusiast elevate their level of game play. A plethora of companies will be on hand to demonstrate the latest in search engine marketing tech, and grandly display highly guarded secrets to dominating your niche with SEM. Some of the topics covered will include search engine optimization (SEO), paid search advertising, analytics, social media marketing, and much more. It’s amazing how much information the event coordinators and demonstrators can cram into a few days time. Industry experts, and hopefuls come from all around to learn, network and share in the experience of the expo. If you are looking for a way to improve your skills in SEM, and be around like minded people looking to do the same, this expo is the place to be.
The SMX West expo is truly a gathering of the most elite minds and offers some of the brightest ideas in technology (some of which the outside world has never seen before). Participants get treated to some amazing information, lectures, and demonstrations (plus you get a kick butt party to boot!). If you’re in the area at the beginning of March, you are NOT going to want to miss this major event. And for those with mad skills in search engine marketing that still lack the fat pocketbook for all your hard work, you might want to check out The Biggest Search Geek contest. Who knows? You and a friend might soon find yourselves on your way to Santa Barbara, CA courtesy of a free trip to the SMX West expo – THE tradeshow to end all SEM tradeshows. Carpe Diem!
