20 replies to this topic

[storyspinner]

Lets just say ... Danny leaving SES & SEW was a real eye opener at 6:15 a.m.

[bragadocchio]

I'm sorry to see Danny leave Search Engine Watch, and I hope that the folks at Incisive Media will try to work to try to keep him there.

I remember the first time I found Search Engine Watch on the web, when a friend sent me a link to the site sometime shortly after it started.

I've had the pleasure of working with Danny on the Search Engine Watch blog, and was graciously invited to give a couple of presentations at Search Engine Strategies Conferences. Danny is the center of both the site and the Conferences, and I'm sure that neither will be the same without his presence.

I wish him great fortune and best wishes in whatever he does in the future.

Thank you Danny, for ten great years of news and striving to make the Search Marketing industry what it has become today.

[Nadir]

Wow, I'm stunned!... Everyone in the SEM industry gonna miss him. How is it going to affect SEW?

[Black_Knight]

What Danny has built in ten years is almost certainly strong enough to survive his leaving - but it shouldn't have to.

SEW has become ever less "Danny dependant", ever since he first brought Chris Sherman aboard five years ago. But Danny's guiding presence will most certainly be missed, no matter what. If any one person can be said to be the spokesman, ambasador, and figurehead of the SEM industry then it is certainly Danny.

[storyspinner]

Last year at SES San Jose when it was announced that Jupiter sold to the SES conferences and SEW to Incisive, I silently speculated about how long Danny would stay with both.

Of the two, if any will suffer it would be SES, as Black_Knight pointed out, SEW has been less Danny-centric for a few years now, but SES is a bit different. Danny is pretty much the face of SES, his personality is one that really grabs you and reels you in to listen, and his knowledge of the industry is respected most of all.

I think SES NY is going to be interesting to say the least, it'll also be the indicator of how the conferences will survive without Danny.

[edited cuz i can't spell]

Edited by storyspinner, 29 August 2006 - 09:33 PM.

[bwelford]

That certainly is a shocker. I'm sure Danny will do just fine. SES will undoubtedly be different and I would guess will follow a lower trajectory. Not least because it will no longer stand way above its competitors.

Who knows it may now be time for people to turn to the more inclusive Internet Marketing Strategies and drop this somewhat narrow-minded scrutiny of those information-challenged spiders and algorithms.

Edited by bwelford, 29 August 2006 - 08:34 AM.

[joedolson]

It's definitely the end of an era - whatever Danny does he'll do fine, I'm sure. His reputation will provide with any number of great options for landing. SEW itself, and SES as well, are strong enough that they'll certainly survive - but they'll be very different, certainly.

Whoever takes over for Danny, I wish that person a lot of luck - they've got some BIG shoes to fill, and will inevitably be compared to Danny.

Who knows it may now be time for people to turn to the more inclusive Internet Marketing Strategies and drop this somewhat narrow-minded scrutiny of those information-challenged spiders and algorithms.

In some ways, this is the end of the "first generation" of SEO scrutiny - the culture is changing into a more complex and rich analysis of internet marketing. Danny led the way into real search analysis - and his departure (not that he's likely to leave search marketing, but you know what I mean...) could certainly be described as a turning point.

[cre8pc]

I think Mike Grehan and Danny Sullivan are going to join together and create a whole new spectacular new thing. :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

And, my bets are on them grabbing Ammon, for good measure.

(Um, HELLO! We NEED a popcorn emoticon.) :hmmmm:

[storyspinner]

I was just contemplating the same thing!!

I think Mike Grehan and Danny Sullivan are going to join together and create a whole new spectacular new thing.

[Nick_W]

Quite amazing that Incisive would let Danny slip through the net -- if he decides to compete, they're toast...

it's people we follow, not brands. Though BK is right that SEW is less Danny than it once was.

[cre8pc]

it's people we follow, not brands.

Yep. I said the same in my blog, but in another way. Danny did so much for people on an individual basis. He was never Mr. Corporate. He was always approachable.

Chris Sherman is the real deal too. Not as much in the limelight, but also not one I'd abandon. I have faith in him.

In general, the whole SEO/M/search engine environment feels a bit like it's exploding. There's often a nice rebirth of something wonderful, so I'm watching out for that

[Wit]

I'm not gonna miss him, since I've never met him and I'm not a SEW member. I've heard he's a great and knowledgeable guy - and he probably is - so for those who are gonna miss him: I'm sure he will be active in some web biz soon. Please lighten up



@ Kim:

[cre8pc]

Thanks Wit!

It's quite moving to see the avalanche of comments his blog is receiving.

Daggle

There's blog posts all over the place. Some notables:

Andrew Goodman in Traffick - What, No Comment? Danny Sullivan's Bombshell

For one thing, Danny sets the programs for most of the major shows, vetting proposals and deciding on speaker orders. He sends prep notes for every single session and reconsiders the topic mix for each show. It's interesting to consider all the permutations: personalities, audience needs, and the status of the major vendors on panels needs to be rethought nearly every time out. It's not a job most would want.

and also

Barry (RustyBrick) - He's covering the coverage:
Reaction from the Search Community on Danny Sullivan's Departure

[corrected minor typo]

Edited by Respree, 29 August 2006 - 02:05 PM.

[Black_Knight]

I'm a little worried at some of the (so far as we have evidence) villification of Incisive Media (elsewhere, especially in the comments at Daggle I mean, you guys are far too civilised and mature for that). There's absolutely no need for such excess that Danny has shown or given in his statements at SEW or at Daggle.

Last year, Jupitermedia sold the site and the series to Incisive Media. I wasn't unhappy with the sale and chose to let my contract be extended through the end of 2006 as part of it.

No just cause for complaint, nor any complaint stated. It is important to see this.

I'm far from the only reason behind the success of SEW and SES, but I've played a major role. I helped build both of those assets.

I'm sure that the financial, managerial and networking assets that Jupiter Media brought to the table, including paying wages is another of those reasons behind the success, and also helped build up SEW and SES from where it was when they first took it on.

I wasn't going to help this new company grow the business out of the sheer kindness of my heart.

Of course not. You'd do it because it was part of that contract that had been agreed to run to the end of 2006. I would assume that was what they were paying for. I for sure don't pay staff to sit around keeping the status quo. Sorry if this comes across as cheeky to Danny, as it surely isn't meant to. I'm just trying to highlight that there are different viewpoints.

Personally, I believe Danny is well worth giving equity in the assets, but I don't know what was offered and rejected, and don't expect to know. I doubt many if any of those who are giving grief to Incisive were privvy to all negotiations either.

I'm not on Incisive's side. I'm trying to point out that it is not our place to take sides at all. Nobody asked us to, and we are not equipped to do so.

Incisive, so far as I can see, quite reasonably bought up two assets. Danny, also reasonably wanted to later renegotiate his part. Whether or not Incisive decided that such renegotiation was reasonable isn't the point. The point is that it was a renegotiation and their choice.

Letting Danny get away is all the punishment that coud ever be deserved, because we all know that if anyone, even Jupiter, wanted to hire Danny and create a new event, that Incisive would be in a world of lost market-share.

Danny Sullivan is such an important and beloved figure in our industry. He has been the statesman for so long. It seems horribly inappropriate to use his name to spread ill-researched or unfounded nastiness about Incisive as some seem to be doing.

My support is 100% behind Danny Sullivan, should he ever need it, and I can only take this news as calmly as I am because I have no doubts that he'll soon be active in a new role, and that I'll have cause to meet Danny again at other events. I trust this is so, because like almost anyone who's met Danny, I really like him.

There is simply neither call nor cause that I can see for that support for Danny to equate to any ill-will or emnity towards Incisive, the company that has kept the SES tradition growing in strength since they purchased it, and for whom the inability to offer Danny enough to stay with them is the first criticism I have really heard.

[joedolson]

I'm not certain I've seen so much of this negative feeling towards Incisive that you're referring to, BK - I've seen a lot of comments from people saying they feel that Incisive has made a mistake in "allowing" Danny to leave (and, as you say, we don't know the circumstances - it's always possible that there wasn't anything they could offer which would make him stay - that he was ready to move on).

However, Incisive hasn't really come off as a villain at any point, at least to me.

I think there's an undertone to almost every post which mentions the circumstances of Danny's departure which implies that Incisive has failed to properly reward Danny - but none of the "...ill-researched or unfounded nastiness about Incisive..." you refer to.

Granted, I may not be reading what you are - could you cite some sources?

What's bizarre to me is the number of articles that sound almost like eulogies...

Sullivan’s contributions to the search marketing industry cannot be overstated. He was the first professional journalist dedicated to covering search engines and, as such, he popularized search marketing.

I mean, come on! What's with the past tense here?

[Wit]

Exactly




Oops, pardon the one-liner (one-worder even). Old habit.........

[bwelford]

I agree, Joe. I've not seen any vilification of Incisive Media. However I would guess that the negotiating process went off the rails. This is probably not the best outcome for Danny or for Incisive.

[sanity]

Wow what a surprise. I'm sure whatever Danny chooses to do will turn out well and I wish his every success.

[cre8pc]

Thank you for that Ammon. I appreciate getting a different perspective. My feeling is that many of the comments around the 'Net on this are knee-jerk, emotional reactions. The news is coming as quite a shock.

I was thinking, to myself today, that this may be something Danny wants. Freedom can be a wonderful thing :thumbup_baby:

[storyspinner]

Danny's clarifying even more this morning: Danny's Daggle Blog