I think there’s been interesting discussion on both sides, each having good points. Something Yura said in the comments above is softening my stance a little and making me see the benefit of standards in the sense of being educational only.

I do agree with you that standards in the sense of regulation or certification would lead to less qualified people becoming successes. I am beginning to see another side to this whole debate, though.

I can imagine now a well written guide of the basics. The stuff most of us can agree on. Less about specific tacts and more about general ideas. Imagine Danny Sullivan wrote an intro guide to SEO. Would it perfect? No. Would everyone agree with all of it? Not likely. But I would think Danny could write a useful guide for someone new to SEO. Not perfect, but still very useful to someone first learning.

Now imagine that guide was so well promoted that someone just entering the industry or someone looking to hire an SEO would be able to find it easily. I think for those people having that standard would be beneficial.

I wouldn’t suggest Danny write this on his own and I wouldn’t think everyone would find the guide, but I am beginning to see how it could help those who are looking and in a way help the industry as a whole, but helping people unfamiliar with SEO to see through so much of the misinformation. I’m beginning to see standards as a simply a useful intro guide that gains authority with those unfamiliar with SEO due to the association with a standards board of some kind.

I’m still not 100% sold on the idea and I can see several pitfalls along the way, but I am getting closer to seeing the benefit standards could offer.

You might be right that having a trusted source for outsiders to go to could be a good thing for the industry.

I think the hard part for me in all this is the idea of this turning into a regulatory body. Even if that’s not the point, it still keeps sticking in my head. But that’s my problem and not necessarily where this would be headed.

Maybe a set of standards might not work for everyone, but I think I’m beginning to see how it could be useful to some.

I guess we simply need a trusted place that outsiders would recognize as trustworthy and start from there. Maybe have a list of trusted companies there (only Danny can organize this without someone saying the spots are bought/sold). So far, I don’t see it happen.

There needs to be a place, where better practices are outlined and a list of signs of a good SEO company. SEL might do it easily, I’d imagine.

The beef is making sure it is seen by the right people, who haven’t yet chosen a SEO or who are confused by the industry. It means that SEOs need to use their skills to market themselves, after all.

A best practices guide would be useful for those entering the industry and the clients that would choose to read it. But is it necessary? Isn’t the information already available in a handful of pretty good guides that exist?

I’m not sure what the answers are so I’m glad we can have a discussion about it.

@Federal Watch – It can be hard to explain what we do to other people, though it’s not impossible. But I think I know the conversations you mean and I think I’ve had them myself.

My question still is are standards necessary. I think the guide that would be created already exists in several forms in a handful of good books.

When I said regulate, I didn’t mean make anyone follow any standards. More like outline the best practices in the form of the ClueTrain Manifesto and educate the outer world about what we do and how they can benefit from it.

Then again, that’s what we are all trying to do, right? May be not hard enough, if we get such discussions going.