@innozemec - True, true! Every SEO thinks they're an expert. But in reality very few, if any, actually are in the fullest sense of the word. Here's why: Take your average SEO guy working for some agency. He knows how to source quality links. He knows about on-page optimisation. He also understands the need to have a varied backlink profile, so he mixes the different type of links he aquires up. However, ask him to get a payday loan site on the 1st page within a matter of weeks and he doesn't know where to start. That's because he doesn't know much about blackhat methods. Expert = No. Then take your blackhatter. Wow! He can get some serious rankings with seeming little effort & cost. He can even deal succesfully with a Google penalty & get a site re-indexed. He's like a magician! However, sit him at a desk in the city centre, working on some big household brand website where every link is uber-scrutinized for cleanliness & naturalness, where they pay more attention to Google's guidelines than Google do, and he doesn't know where to start. That's because he doesn't know much about running a clean campaign aimed at ranking in the long-term. Expert = No. There are a few exceptions. But not many...
As far as i know, no one is seo expert if we except some webmasters like Rand Fishkin, Danny Sullivan, Amit Singhal, etc. because Google is changing daily new updated to avoid spam and we can't keep eyes on that everytime.
Very few are experts, and it takes so much skill. Its why most fail, even when they rank for the lowest competition.
Yup. still an expert.... Hasn't changed since 3:53 pm today... I'm sure it has for others though...lol Holla!