DDMA Search Committee (2012): member for Linkbuilding Specialist

On 28 February 2012, Emerce and Dutch Cowboys reported that the industry association DDMA had been expanded with a Search Committee (Commissie Search). I was one of its seven members, on behalf of Linkbuilding Specialist. Both publications ran the news through their editorial teams, on the same day.

Who was on the committee

Emerce and Dutch Cowboys name the same members:

• Wouter Theijsmeijer (Ematters), initiator
• Jan Dirkzwager (S&D Interactive Media)
• Robert de Boer (LeadToday)
• Judith Nissen (iProspect)
• Gijs Bodenstaff (Linkbuilding Specialist)
• Marielle Konijn (Nuon)
• Jeroen Beelen (Het Nederlandse Rode Kruis)

In a comment below the article on Emerce, Wouter Theijsmeijer reported that Eduard Blacquière of OrangeValley would join as of 14 March.

What the committee wanted to achieve

• More knowledge about search among DDMA members, in the industry and in education.
• As a first step, universities of applied sciences and universities, with guest lectures and parts of curricula.
• Narrowing the gap between education and the labour market.
• An online Search Marketing helpdesk (Searchmarketing Vraagbaak) that answers questions within a week.

The committee saw a gap between what students learned and what companies needed in the field of search. Guest lectures and teaching material were meant to narrow that gap. The helpdesk was intended for anyone with a practical question about search engine marketing.

Why this mattered to me

After Stageplaza, a platform that brought students and companies together, a committee that wanted to bring search into education suited me well. It was also one of the first times trade media mentioned my name in the same list as people from agencies such as iProspect and from organisations such as Nuon and the Red Cross. On my profile page the role is listed as DDMA Commissie Search, 2012.

Two trade publications, the same news

The fact that two independent publications report the same thing makes it a strong confirmation of my name, my agency and the year for search engines. Today I mainly share knowledge in masterclasses and training on local SEO and GEO and in my books. You can read more about the agency of that time in the Emerce item about the Finest 50.