This week, I have THE Dan Thies, with me.

That's THE Dan Thies!

The audio recording of our interview is at the end of this blog post. Just look for the “play” button and listen. It’s free!

Here's more about Dan, so you can see why I think he's cool. (And, yes, you've probably seen this picture about 20 times on my blog, but can you blame me? It's Warren Whitlock AND Dan Thies! – yes, I'm a bit star struck.)

Warren Whitlock, me, and Dan Thies

Dan Thies, former Dean of Faculty for StomperNet, has been a heavy hitter in the SEO world for a long time now, and he's respected among his peers as THE keyword guru.

He has been helping his clients (and friends) promote their businesses online since Netscape was a start-up. He is the author and publisher of the top-selling e-book “Search Engine Optimization Fast Start,” now in its 4th edition. Dan launched SEO Research Labs in early 2003, following numerous requests from readers for keyword research services.

That's the most recent bio I could find and it sure doesn't do him justice. He's freaking brilliant, super funny, and a link building mad-man.  Plus, unlike many SEO guys I've met, he's focused on building a quality business, not just gaming the search engines. He makes so much sense. In fact, he is referred to as the “White Hat Black Belt”.

If you're just learning about SEO, white hat means that you do things according to the rules. Black hat – means not so much. (A cute take on the Wild West.) And, much like in the Westerns, the bad guys may run off with a big ole bag of cash, but it's not too long until the Good Guys win.

That's my take on it, anyway. I'm a White Hat girl. I'll gamble on the Nickel Slots, but not in my business.

I think I say this every week, but this is another of my favorite interviews. I just love having the opportunity to talk with smart people so frequently. It's a dream come true! And, Dan is one of my heroes from several years back. Although he probably doesn't know it, a lot of my interest in SEO came from hearing him speak a few years ago.

Be sure to listen to the entire interview. It's another great one.

“Must Have” Online Business Tools Recommended by Dan:

• Mailing List. I recommend Aweber.
• Shopping Cart (A Way to Process Orders).
• Content Management System. Recommend WordPress.org Blog
• And, a MAC.

Great Resources from Dan Thies:

Check out these free videos from Dan and get thy butt on their notification list, pronto:

• Dan Thies Case Study Video
• Better Rankings and Traffic Video
• Rapid Rankings Video

Be sure to post your comments below. I'd love to hear what you learned and will apply from this interview.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. If you can make a phone call, you can have a podcast like mine: Click to learn  How to Record a Telephone Interview like I do.