Zen Garden > "Internet Marketing - SPECIAL ARTICLE -What the HECK is a "GURU?"

We hear the term ALL the time - guru. On the internet it would seem anybody who is anybody is a GURU. So, what the HECK is a guru?

The Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary defines a guru as follows:

1. a personal religious teacher and spiritual guide in Hinduism,
2. a teacher and intellectual guide in matters of fundamental concern,
3. one who is an acknowledged leader or chief proponent of a cult, a movement or an idea.

I suppose, therefore, that when somebody is called an "internet guru" then they are being hailed as some sort of teacher or leader.

Guru. It's a stupid sounding word. Say it: Goo-roo. It sounds silly, doesn't it? In particular it is silly to call somebody a name or give them a title that has no formal qualification of any distinction.

What determines a guru? Is it because somebody self-proclaims it? That seems to be the way that it is used on the internet. Moreover, it seems that a bunch of people all get together in a Joint Venture scheme and all determine to call themselves guru. Guru A promotes Guru B who promotes Guru C who promotes Guru D who promotes Guru A. Hey presto - we have a guru ring!

Let's examine the different types of guru that we find on the internet. We have the:

• Copy Writing Guru - it is very fashionable to be one of these - once there were hundreds, now there are thousands - all claim to be able to write a letter of psychological warfare against mere mortals so that the mortals will be beating down your door to hand you money

• List Building Guru - often thought of as the most valuable gurus because a big list = big potential profits. These guys are the gods of "squeeze pages" that get your name and email address in return for information that you simply cannot afford to be without.

• Marketing Guru - anybody can be one of these - just throw out the shingle and make a lot of noise. These are the gurus who advocate adding thirty seven "bonuses" (of incredibly dubious worth) just to get you to buy something that needs a lot of extra credibility to help sell it.

• Financial Guru - this "guru-ship" can be very difficult to obtain because to be one of these one has to have formal qualifications. To be a financial guru you need to have a license from an accredited licensing body.

• Search Engine Optimization Guru - these "gurus" will be right one day then blown out of the game the next because Google changes its algorithms like most people change their underpants. SEO gurus can fall from grace virtually overnight. Position 3 one day then position 33 the next.

• Traffic Guru - there are many false gurus claiming this status. They write all sorts of worthless, out-dated text claiming that if you follow their advice then you will have an armada of visitors beating a path to your website.

In reality, the term "guru" has been bandied about on the internet so freely and willingly that it has reached farcical proportions.

Anyone and everyone is a guru. People we have never heard of are put up as gurus. Oddly enough, I have never heard of a female guru on the internet. I guess that would be called a guru-ess. Now that really sounds stupid, doesn't it?

I am waiting for some person to anoint another or proclaim himself a "super-guru." You see, there are so many gurus around these days that it has become, well... far too common to denote any distinction at all.

The sooner the hackneyed term "guru" falls from grace and stops being used by all and sundry the better. That's what I think anyway.

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Gary Simpson is the author of nine books covering a diverse range of subjects such as motivation, self esteem, affirmations, self defense, wealth creation and much more. His many motivation and success articles appear all over the web.

Gary Simpson is a 7th Dan karate master who teaches self defense, motivation, self help and wealth building to students around the world through home study courses. You may reprint this article as you include this author credit and an active link to his web site. Finance - Self Help - Motivation - Self Defense - Personal Growth MotivationSelfEsteem.com