How big is the SEO market?

[Brett_Tabke]

How big is the SEO market?
I said $2 to 5billion a year.

What do you think? bigger or smaller than that?

[littleman]

It would be very hard to measure, but that sounds like a reasonable range. I guess it would depend on how broad of a brush you use. If we figured in the sales of products that resulted from seo promotion the number would be much higher. It would be interesting to see the income displacement that is a result of seo, I know that number would be impressive.

[rcjordan]

>how broad of a brush you use
True, true. Also, lots of SEO work is done that isn't really listed in the job description. I'd list myself as a publisher, but since Nov 1999, 70% of my effort has been SEO-related.

All in all, using all my fingers and toes, the $2 billion sounds a little low, maybe $3 billion. Think of all those keyword bids going into GoTo, BizExpress, LS paid submit (INK coming?).

Just remember what the late Sen Everett Dirksen said:

A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money.

[sagerock]

You probably read about the SEO firm Website Results being purchased by 24/7 Media in a $95 million stock deal.
Somebody thinks this industry is a big deal.

[drbill]

I would tend to agree with RcJordan.

in the middle of 2-3 billion.

Yea and a lot more people are getting in to BUYING them selves a SEO Expert.

[ritualcoffee]

Also the job market and the SEO industry itself is creating a unique position for SEO people. The more I hear about companies having bad experiences with hack submission companies the more I hear about them just hiring a specialist inhouse for the long term. If this post doesn't make sense I apologise - I'm not done with my first cup of coffee yet. (Is there a smilie for a yawn?)