SMX West + Interviews

The Search Marketing Expo (SMX) West conference was a blast, and now I’m trying to recover and catch up on the things I missed at work. It was great seeing a bunch of familiar faces, and I met quite a few new folks as well. One of my favorite activities was the “Lunch with a Google Engineer” tables at lunch. For all three days of the conference, we had two tables at lunch, and each table had 1-2 Googlers to chat with conference attendees about anything webmaster-related. It was a great way to connect with new people.

Another favorite event was the SMX Search Bowl, where search engines and SEOs matched wits on search trivia. Google got to take home the trophy this time around, and the trophy looks like this:

SMX Search Bowl Trophy, with my cat Ozzie

(My cat Ozzie volunteered to be in the photo to provide a sense of scale.) Check out the quiz questions to see how you do.

I’ll try to write up some more of my thoughts, but if you’re craving other search-y information, several Googlers have done interviews recently:

I’m really happy that Google reaches out to webmasters in many languages, from our German webmaster blog or our Chinese webmaster blog to our webmaster discussion groups in Hebrew, Russian, and many, many languages in between. I’m proud to work with such a great group of colleagues in webspam and search quality. Google can still continue to ramp up our international communication with webmasters, but when you compare to even a couple years ago, we’ve really come a long way.

38 Responses to SMX West + Interviews (Leave a comment)

  1. For all three days of the conference, we had two tables, and each table had 1-2 Googlers to chat with conference attendees about anything webmaster-related. It was a great way to connect with new people.

    It means nothing if none of the Webmasters care enough to blog or do a podcast about those conversations.

    As had been said many times before – those chats only help a few then most of the info fades away in memory.

    By blogging or doing a podcast, the info lives on for years and will help THOUSANDS around the world who can not afford or do not have the luxury of visiting conferences.

    It seems you all are just too self absorbed to really-really understand. πŸ™

    BTW:
    Google is now using the Webmasters tools site to convince members to report paid links. What will happen to the buyers and sellers?
    This is not an ethical thing to do! Remove the Sponsor Links from above the organic SERPs before criticizing others for also trying to thrive on the competitive Web.
    http://blogoscoped.com/forum/125191.html

  2. Matt, you really should put on some boxer at the very least before taking a photo of a shiny trophy.

  3. Oh dammit, I was wondering why were you pinging my blog since your link is on my dashboard, but of course you are pinging the brazilian blog of the same url with an additional .br at the end πŸ™‚
    Google Blogsearch often presents me backlinks to that blog… why? go figure. I don’t mind because is an excellent blog but that would be an interesting puzzle for the blog search team.

    Btw, Pedro does not write much nowadays but he keeps his blog at http://www.egostrip.com and I’d personally recommend it to any portuguese speaking webmasters reading your blog.

  4. I wish I had been there!

    I am consistently very grateful to Google for giving us the info that you do and helping to demystify the rumors and give the straight information. I was reviewing the word camp info this weekend and how valuable it has been.

    Congratulations on the win. The Googlers I have met have all been extremely bright, positive and helpful people.

    Ozzie does appear to look a little shocked.
    Is it because;
    1. Ozzie knows something about you we don’t and he is surprised you won?
    2. Ozzie can’t believe what you are wearing when you are taking the picture?
    or
    3. Ozzie is hoping you won’t look over in the corner and discover the little gift he left you in the corner on the carpet?

    dk

  5. Matt,

    “(My cat Ozzie volunteered to be in the photo to provide a sense of scale.) ”

    Not quite true. In fact it was Ozzie who won SMX Search Bowl 2008. Very intelligent SEO cat indeed. Btw, how could you get speedy Oz to sit so quite πŸ™‚

  6. Dave (original)

    It means nothing if none of the Webmasters care enough to blog or do a podcast about those conversations.

    Even IF they do, the fact are, statements are misquoted, taken out of context and become nothing more that Chinese whispers.

    In Year 2008 and with SE being at the forefront of technology, there MUST be video.

  7. Thanks for sharing.

  8. Hi Matt,

    Google leads all other search engine in the internet., so as Google employees in the Quiz at SMX. Really its a pride to have that CUP. congratzzzz

  9. The interview was very interesting Matt, I didn’t know that whole you joining Google story.

    I am happy we had another cat post but he does look very angry, did you force him to stay still?

  10. Matt, great meeting up with you again at SMX West, and swapping cat stories (“Hermie the Hermaphrodite”). I give incredible props to anyone claiming to have the Daily Searchcast in their car stereo.

    Great job dealing with the “boo crew” and I hope to run into you again soon.

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  12. Hi Matt,

    Pedro Dias is a great guy and the interview was great.

    You are lucky having this guy at your side.

    The next step will be your interview! =)

    Regards,

  13. “and now I’m trying to recover”

    All that Sprite, carrying that big flag, and escaping the post search bowl crowd outside must have worn you out. πŸ™‚

  14. Hey Matt, it was great to finally meet you. (I was part of the Boo Crew at the search bowl) I had a blast at the event. Next time the search marketers will take home the prize, but congrats this time πŸ™‚

    Darrell aka BooCrew

  15. Eric, it was very nice talking to you too. And now you can confirm that I do listen to the SearchCast in my car. I guess there’s a reason I know some search trivia/facts — I listen to that instead of the radio.

    Harith, I can neither confirm nor deny that cat treats played a vital role in getting Ozzie to sit still for a minute with the trophy. πŸ™‚

  16. I’m sure the cat picture posts are read far more than any of the others.

    I know that’s the only reason _I_ read this blog… πŸ™‚

  17. “Another favorite event was the SMX Search Bowl, where search engines and SEOs matched wits on search trivia. Google got to take home the trophy this time around”

    From searchengineland.com β€œGoogle won the contest by a landslide, but the All Star SEM Team did come back from a negative score, which would have been embarrassing.”

    Matt congrats on the win. I checked out the questions, some tough ones for sure.

  18. lol, nice pic. Congrats on winning!

  19. You have a 3 foot tall cat!?

  20. Matt you need to get your cat a jersey now with a number. I wonder what “The Googlers” jersey would look like? πŸ™‚

  21. Morris Rosenthal

    Matt,

    Missed another conference, but I did fill out the Webmaster Console questionaire last time I logged in. One of the questions asked about features we’d like to see. After the fact, it occured to me that in addition to internal links and incoming external links, I’d like to see outgoing external links. Yes, they’re my web pages and I could laboriously work it out myself, but with around 400 blog posts on the site in addition to the regular pages, it would be interesting to get them all in one report. If you agree, please pass along to them:-)

    Morris

  22. Matt,

    Congrats on winning the trophy. Also, I just wanted to say thank you for sharing as much as you do with the Webmaster and SEO community. Obviously, you cannot divulge information at the rate many want you too, but that’s OK by me. I appreciate any tidbit you can muster up.

    To the whiners out there… Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Don’t give Matt a reason to hate providing us with insight and information, even if it’s not immediately pertinent or beneficial for yourself.

    Go Chargers!

    Eric Itzkowitz

  23. Matt

    OK, so it took a really long time for me to edit and post it, but the Pubcon interview you gave me is finally online.
    http://www.alchemistmedia.com/blog/matt-cutts-on-the-hot-seat

  24. To those interested in conference recaps, I’d recommend keeping an eye on the Webmaster Central blog and Help Group:

    http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/
    http://groups.google.com/group/Google_Webmaster_Help

    Googlers have been posting recaps of the conferences we attend, and we’ll likely post something from SMX West this month.

    http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2007/11/bringing-conference-to-you.html

  25. Nice looking cat, SMX was a blast, well good for you, glad you had a good time.

  26. When you were mentioning Google being all international and such, I was feeling left out with no mention of bridging the language barrier to Google Australia.

    I mean, ebay.com.au now says “G’day Judd” when I log in. Instead of “I’m feeling lucky” couldn’t Google Australia say something like, “Gizza wooperangadoo” or some such? HAHHAHAAaaa… I kill me.

    Your cat, like most cats, is psychotic. I hope it sleeps in another room.

  27. SMX this!!!

    Google Groups is where the real action happens! =P

  28. great post, I really your cat as it looks like mine here

  29. Matt, do you know any SMX in China? if so, i will for sure to take part in.

  30. Nice trophy!!!

  31. Hi Matt,

    I just wanted to say that it was a pleasure to meet you in person at SMX. You are definitely very friendly and helpful πŸ™‚

    When you get a chance to check our SEO software, please let me know. As I said, we are more interested in working with the search engines than fighting with them with black hat methods.

    Best,
    Hamlet

    PS: Did you get to check that website I mentioned that was potentially penalized?

  32. Although video would be an excellent way for the lucky few webmasters to share what they are being told, it’s a great opportunity for them the learn and they aren’t obligated to do us any favors.

    I guess if we want to knowledge bad enough, we’ll get off our tooshies and attend the next event.

    Brad

  33. No such “seo software” will replace the human brain or common sense.

  34. Matt, do you know any SMX in China? if so, i will for sure to take part in.
    I can answer that! SMX China is in Xiamen April 18-19. http://searchmarketingexpo.com/china/

    Also, The China Search Marketing Tour (CSMT) will be held April 13-22, and it includes a tour of Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen with fellow search marketers, as well as hotel and conference passes to SMX China. It will be our 3rd year, and we’d love to have you come along! http://www.chinasearchmarketingtour.com/

    Matt, you and other interested Googlers should also come on the tour. Lot’s of fun, and since this is the Olympic year in China, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.

    Ian

  35. But it does fill the space created by a lack of either (or both) quite nicely.

  36. Why can’t we have something like that in the UK. Our events are so starchy and predictable. Ohhhh thats right we’re British….. Stiff upper lip and all that! πŸ™‚

  37. Congratulations, where can i find out who won in 2010?

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