Comments on: Correcting the History of Search Engine Optimization

By: Kyle

Kyle — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 04:27:56 +0000

That is why this site is filled to the brim with free tutorials like this one on search engine optimization. When you create real value and give it away for free, people want to link to your site - and they do. People want to tell their friends and colleagues about your site - and they do.
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Kyle
http://www.widecircles.com

By: Wpromote

Wpromote — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 22:27:47 +0000

Very interesting post.

By: Adam Audette

Adam Audette — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 21:20:50 +0000

To update everyone: the reference cited above in the first comment contains no actual documentation. This may in fact (until proven otherwise) be the earliest known reference to SEO. Cool!

By: Adam Audette

Adam Audette — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:25:59 +0000

@Mani thanks. Here’s the Sphinn entry (on the home page today): http://sphinn.com/story/79220

By: Mani Karthik

Mani Karthik — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 05:11:59 +0000

Ahha…very interesting news there Adam…Hope the Wiki will be corrected soon.

(I followed a sphinn story.)

Cheers!
Mani

By: John Audette

John Audette — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:59:27 +0000

I’m totally open to documentation earlier than what Adam has provided. But the book, Net Results, was published March 17, 1998 and recounts an event from 1995. It’s informative, but it doesn’t provide concrete documentation equivalent to what Adam has provided here. It would be nice to have emails or somesuch from that time.

The computer that I used when launching MMG in 1995 is somewhere in my attic. This inspires me to dig it out as I think everything is still on there. When I’m done with it, maybe I should give it to the Smithsonian.

In any event, Jason whatever his name is, is irrelevant.

- John

By: Andre Jensen

Andre Jensen — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:05:57 +0000

Nice screenshots.

Good to know that in 97 SEO at MMG was “including meta tags.” Good times.

-Andre

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:54:08 +0000

Oh, that’s a shame after all your detective work! Still, either way, it’s better to know it didn’t all begin with a spammer…

By: Nick Wilsdon

Nick Wilsdon — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:50:28 +0000

Yep but these historical posts are very useful. If only to show how rediculous Jason Gambert is to try and patent the phrase (based on his claim of first usage in 2007).

By: Adam Audette

Adam Audette — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:06:44 +0000

Danny just emailed me a post of his which somehow I missed this month: http://searchengineland.com/wh.....-14916.php

Looks like SEO was invented prior to John’s use, sometime in 1995. Check out the book Net Results for more juicy tidbits.

However, it doesn’t contain any actual documentation - just anecdotal evidence.