Keith Shirley | 
November 6, 2008| 
Damien Mulley has started a competition to test peoples Search Engine Optimisation skills (SEO). Unfortunately I won’t have time to dedicate to it but I couldn’t resist adding a quick ad for tests when I was messing around with Google Adwords.
So now you know – If you see ads from me for Geansai Gorm it’s not because I’ve gone into the clothes business or gone mad. I’m also not wasting my own money on this – I’m using a coupon.
Update: As I’m not taking part I’d be glad for anyone to gain a bit of link love. Feel free to add a comment here with links. There is a spam filter in place but I won’t be blocking anything that is reasonable.
Update 1 Dec 2008: I will be publishing a new post later today with some details of how the Geansai Gorm ads actually did. Keep an eye out for it.
Update 1 Dec 2008: 15:12: The Geansai Gorm Analysis is now available.
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November 6th, 2008 at 18:58
It’s funny – Searching for geansai gorm in Google.ie at the moment is like getting a directory list of Irish IT people and blog writers.
November 7th, 2008 at 18:01
Yesterday there were 10,000 results in Google for Geansai Gorm – today there are 26,700. I wonder how much spam this has actually caused.
November 12th, 2008 at 23:41
well right now it’s just under 46k. I guess Damien has a lot to answer for.
Paul
November 13th, 2008 at 19:20
I was giving a introduction training on Google Adwords yesterday and showed everyone the test advert I had done. I think everyone was quite surprised at both how many pages appeared in the index and at how many impressions I had received in such a short time.
I see I’m no longer the only one running ads.
November 16th, 2008 at 00:28
The Google Ads are fantastic. A great way to get the attention of a niche bunch of people.
November 16th, 2008 at 16:32
@Damien Thanks. The first tests were a bit cheeky but I was too chicken to leave them running.
November 17th, 2008 at 20:42
You should have had a go at the competition yourself Keith! I’m surprised you don’t have loads more comments via your ad.
November 17th, 2008 at 21:49
Thanks Dara. Other commitments at the moment prevent me from having a proper go. I’ve only just “opened” the comments for links – I’ll presume that people would be wary of spamming otherwise.
I could imagine that Damien would tear verbal strips off anybody that tries blackhat techniques to get ahead.
November 18th, 2008 at 23:16
Hi Keith, I just thought I’d stop by to say hello, and to let you know that your Ad raised a smile (even before the offer of a free link!). Nice site you have (of course) – I will return later when I’ve finished writing some more rubbish about jumpers.
There’s now 51,100 results – ridiculous!
All the best,
Mike
November 20th, 2008 at 11:19
Hi Keith,
Advertising for the GG
?? 
Yesterday there were 70k+ hits for GG … today its down to 53K or else I’m going slightly crazy which I could be anyways
November 20th, 2008 at 15:01
@Forbairt I started off the ads partly as a joke and partly because I was preparing an Adwords training course and I thought the participants would find it interesting. I had a spare voucher that I was able to use so it was put to good use.
I had visions of Damien Mulley taking the piss so I was relieved when he left a comment.
I regret not having more time to maintain/optimise the ads as I think some statistics would be useful to the SEO community.
The stats so far (keep in mind I only threw the ads together)
- Running since 6 Nov.
- 11,079 impressions on the content network. 7 clicks
- 5,690 impressions on search. 76 clicks.
Not very impressive results but it was still fun.
November 22nd, 2008 at 00:07
Loved the ad, had to check it out!
November 22nd, 2008 at 18:50
Just seen your ad, might as well get a free linky
ta,
Keith
November 22nd, 2008 at 23:08
@Keith You’re very welcome – Hopefully more people cash in on it – otherwise I’m going to have some very boring statistics as a basis for a blog post on how well the Adwords worked.
November 23rd, 2008 at 22:50
nice way to grab people’s attention although i hope you’re not paying for those ads
suppose it worked getting me in here to comment
November 24th, 2008 at 05:13
Free link Shirley ?
Err…Yes M’am thank you very much !
I promise to don’t click on your Google Ads
P.S. Crap…I forgot to add my link
November 24th, 2008 at 05:16
Sorry Keith, I just called you Shirley…
Ts,ts…I’m confused on this wee hour
November 25th, 2008 at 18:37
Damien Mulley’s rules don’t state it’s an organic position do they? Do you think you could win Keith
November 25th, 2008 at 18:52
If I even came close to the top of the list it will probably make a complete farce of the SEO industry – all I have done is create the ads and make this Blog post.
No matter what happens – it will be interesting to see how well one single blog post can do with almost no extra work.
November 28th, 2008 at 11:55
Long term the blog posts will dwindle down the SERPs and the more authoritative and focused domains will maintain their current SERP position.
I’m surprised that Mulley’s blog isn’t ranking higher than what it current is as it has the most inbounds from the competing sites.
It’s a good thing on Google’s part that his blog post isn’t outranking the domains!
November 28th, 2008 at 12:28
“I’m surprised that Mulley’s blog isn’t ranking higher than what it current is as it has the most inbounds from the competing sites. ”
It will rank higher after middle december and will be on top …talking about the long term, all this SEO comp is doing only good to his blog.
November 28th, 2008 at 12:45
The only way his blog will top the SERPS is if he posts again about the comp using Genasai Gorm in the page title, and even then I severely doubt a single blog post will acquire enough authority from Google to rank above a dedicated site.
As for the comp only benefiting Damien; some of us have already had expressions of interest from people looking for services and the winner will get a fair bit of attention.
November 29th, 2008 at 03:51
I never suggested that only Damien will benefit from this.
I still think that everyone involved is a winner one way or another – learning,experimenting…interacting or just advertising their services.
As for Damien, well he will have to write at least a blog post about the comp. at the end of it and I think that most of the gg sites will either be removed after middle December either will change topic…
December 1st, 2008 at 14:46
[...] connection with the Geansai Gorm competition I ran a Google Adwords campaign. It fit very nicely with a training I was providing and [...]
December 1st, 2008 at 15:14
The results are now available:
http://www.keithshirley.ie/blog/2008/12/01/geansai-gorm-an-analysis/
December 2nd, 2008 at 08:25
[...] connection with the Geansai Gorm competition I ran a Google Adwords campaign. It fit very nicely with a training I was providing and [...]