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I can’t count how many times I’ve been approached by people I meet that claim to be SEO (Search Engine Optimization) experts. And more often than not, it is simply a buzzword used by most web developers and companies looking to hook someone into their business. Over time I’ve learned to be a bit skeptical whenever someone tells me that – even if they are legit. In my book, you have to prove your SEO worth – I’m not just going to take your word for it. Typically, this involves just some conversation on the subject, where I can in a matter of minutes gauge their true value.

Well, I’ve just added another tool to my SEO gauge arsenal brought to you from SEOmoz. What is it might you ask? Their SEOquiz. With 75 questions covering a variety of Search Engine Optimzation subjects, varying from beginner knowledge to questions only the “Dark Lords of SEO” possess the answers to.

How did I fare might you ask?
SEO Master – 83%

Gauging from the reaction on their blog post about the quiz, I fared better than most (and the SEOmoz crowd is mostly filled with SEO professionals). But what this really means for me is that I’m going to have to start toting around a laptop with an aircard everywhere I go. Just so the next time I run into one of these guys that proclaim themselves an SEO expert, I can whip out this quiz on the fly and make them prove it to me. The quiz is pretty tough, so I’ve got respect for anyone doing nominally well. My only request from SEOmoz is twofold:

1) Mobile version: Save me the need to have my laptop everywhere
2) Have an SEO certification process, something a little more official that qualifies SEOs as actually knowledgeable or full of shit

And while you may not be as critical as I am about “SEOs” proving their worth – this tool can still benefit you. How? Well, if you’re looking to engage with an SEO firm for some SEO work, have them complete this quiz – ON THE SPOT. The key here is that there is no timer, so it’d be pretty easy to get any score you want just by popping open another browser window and searching for the answer as you’re taking it. So make sure they’re doing it live. Along the same lines, if you’re to a point of hiring an employee or a contractor for some internal SEO work, same thing, have them complete the quiz on the spot.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 11th, 2007 at 9:30 pm and is filed under Search Engine Optimization - SEO. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.