Loved Leslie’s videos. I remembered you when I saw the videos because I remember our conversations on LSI around 2003 – 2004. Interesting, this SEO world and how fast things become obsolete (or never were what we thought they were).

I laugh every time I see the pic of you in the spam can! You should have posted Leslie’s pic as a nun for complete disclosure on the matter.

You’re probably right. After all, you are closer to the source than any of us.

However, in choosing to launch a viral campaign using controversy — speculation, and gossip is what the marketer is banking on and if any of it goes off base, I think the marketer holds a responsibility to do what they can to keep it from getting negative towards the wrong people.

Things got negative on SN blog. They approved the comments without responding to them, which probably a big reason for the speculation.

You’ve taken it upon yourself to correct me, based on what you know and understand. I appreciate that and humbled.

StomperNet should have done the same and squashed this misinterpretation of their marketing message when it began. I don’t consider myself a total layman, but clearly I took things the wrong way… as many others did.

I think addressing this on their video comments, directly on their blog, will corroborate what you’ve told us and lay this to rest. I don’t think that’s unreasonable.

And I know Russell doesn’t need defending. Like I said on my blog, he’s probably the most intelligent person I’ve ever met and every conversation with him makes my head hurt and checking balance grow… his value to the market place is mindblowing and is beyond the scope of any internet marketing SEO product.

Thanks for your replies.

-Ferny

P.S. Could you answer Raymond’s question regarding “LSI components” on your site? I’m not even sure how you would add “LSI” components. When Leslie referred to LSI as an “Advance SEO technique”, it made no sense since LSI is not a verb. You can’t “LSI” a website, which is what perplexed Russell & I when this was presented as “controversy”. Clarification on this would be appreciated.

I’ve only used LSI for market and keyword research, but ultimately I’m the one who picks the silos and article keywords, which will go in those silos — not LSI.

As I have said, I consider a Russell a close friend and I say this with all due respect: Russell doesn’t need defending. He has a solid service. He knows it. I know it. His loyal customers know it.

You can’t conclude what the intention was unless you were actually there in the planning stages or if you’re a mind reader. You’re just drawing conclusions which aren’t right.

How do I know?

Because not only was I there in the planning stages, I was at Andy’s house this past weekend. I saw and heard everything. There wsa no “intent” of going after Russell or Bruce … and if I can quote Andy, “Why would I do that, they aren’t even my competitors?”

I’ll say it again … the intent was against bad information, not against any individual. Any “connecting of the dots” any other way is just pure speculation.

Thanks for the response, Jerry. I’m not arguing that his info isn’t solid. I watched the videos. Like I said, technically they are awesome.

But the frenzy on their blog with people bashing Russell is what irks me and could have been seen coming a mile away. I just don’t see how you could have not predicted that.

(I mean I know the people who posted that on the blog are off base, but I haven’t seen the StomperNet folks address these attacks on their blog.)

As soon as I saw Andy’s email, I thought “Uh oh…” knowing exactly what was going to happen.

I have no doubt Leslie is the man when it comes to SEO and results. The teaching in those videos were great. But they knew what was going to happen and how people were going to misinterpret the promo for the video.

And I happen to conclude that that was the intention. If it wasn’t, they should come out and clarify. But they haven’t and they are just letting the negative buzz carry the videos.

Good marketing, but quite a bit disingenuous.

I also respect your position and trying to clarify things on their behalf. Nothing wrong with that. Your their friend and colleague.

I don’t think Leslie or Andy are bad guys. This issue aside, I’m sure their product will sell great and provide tons of value to their customers. Their technical teaching is solid.

I just hope they choose to clarify the issue themselves so the negative buzz gets stomped. (No pun intended).

I don’t think leslie is trying to pull any punches.

@ Dan – I know what Russell has stated and I agree with that, but it wasn’t what Leslie was covering. The same can be said if you have listings in the Yahoo! directory, DMOZ and Best of the Web, you will need fewer inbounds to rank well. The real takeaway from Leslie’s video is the internal linking component.

@ Andrew – I am STILL laughing at your comment. Nice.

@ Peter – Good points. I will add to your point that “Link Bait” is most effective when there is controversy involved. SN has always pushed the envelope, but at the same time taught some killer tactics – for free. Andy’s Google Double-Listing, Dan Thies’ AdWords Triangulation Method, and now Leslie with the Internal Linking piece. And just wait for Dan’s video up next. I read the script last night. Good stuff and he goes over one of the techniques I have used for years to do my testing.

Michael – Agreed. SN has had issues with order fulfillment, but they did the right thing and when their provider failed, they closed the offer and fixed it and tested it. And then tested it again. AJ didn’t want a repeat and that’s why it is open again. The system they have won’t have the same problems.

So, you think Leslie’s stuff is “smoke and mirrors”? Try it out on your site and watch your rankings go up.

If only they themselves could learn another direct marketing art called…wait for it…wait for it….ORDER FULFILLMENT!

They can sell it…they are just completely incompetent at packaging and shipping it!

Michael Rytter

However the thing is: experts can research and people can draw their own conclusions how Google works. But the fact is, very few people even at the heart of Google know for sure. Exact alogrithm it uses is vital to its very existence (just like Coke’s exact ingredients are to Coca Cola, Inc). It is protected well and only a handful of Google’s top technical brass with highest security clearance have access to it, and even that on a ‘need to’ basis.

It is hard to imagine how any one can come out with conclusions ‘for sure’ (no offence to Leslie or any one else).

Google remains a company led by intensely intelligent people with deep roots in academia. On that basis alone Leslie’s conclusion in second video that Google perhaps prefers peer reviewed ranking system makes sense. But his conclusion in the first video without any hard evidence does not make much sense.

But StomperNet’s video has created controversy and caused viral effect (and not the first time either). It is best to take them with a pinch of salt. Else SN would not be what it is today if they weren’t good at marketing.

Peter