New Google Contest - Online Marketing Challenge

Looks like Google is having a contest to ask students across the world to help local business’ become more optimized in the Google SERPs:

Tips on Businesses to Avoid

When searching for likely candidates, remember that regardless of the business’ size, you may compete against many companies who have large advertising budgets to spend on the same keywords you want to use. With this in mind, there are a few businesses you should avoid:

* Web Hosting
* Web Design Agencies
* Insurance Companies
* Mortgage Agencies
* Debt Consolidation Companies
* Multi-level marketers
* Distributors
* Affiliate Companies

Also bear in mind that Travel and Finance businesses can be difficult to utilise for this competition – many of the big players in these industries have advertised and optimised their campaigns for years, and have significant online advertising budgets. It might be tough for you to compete against them.

I am wondering what’s the angle here? What is Google trying to get from this?

1. Better local SERP results for localized queries?

2. Better Google map results i.e. more inventory?

3. Teaching SEO from the ground up? Maybe G finally realizes the disconnect SEO intrinsically has with most of the public, namely college students. Realizing that no colleges really offer a satisfactory SEO course, that can be properly maintained, Google might feel that this type of contest will help the next generation of college students become more familiar with the practice of SEO.

I will say number 3. By plugging an SEO contest into many college curriculums that otherwise might not have it, could be good for Google AdWords bottom line long term. This will also cause a dependency from the local business on Google if they have success in the initial spending, Not bad thinking Google.

What do you think?

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