Digital ad management software provider Marin Software and Search Marketing Expo (SMX) are calling for search marketing geeks to come forward and prove their SEM chops.

The Biggest Search Geek Contest is an online quiz to test marketers’ industry knowledge, and this year expands to include Australia and the UK, after last year attracting 2000 participants.

The contest is open to anyone willing to test their mettle, and includes 20 questions on search marketing topics from ad bidding, quality score, the history of search, SEO, Facebook, mobile and retargeting.

But be warned, search marketers, the contest gets harder every year, reflecting the increased competitiveness, growth and complexity of the industry.

“Marin have made no exceptions to the toughness of this year’s SMX Biggest Search Geek contest. We hope that Australian search marketers get onboard and have some fun with this competition. We would love the winner to be an Australian so we can put Australia on the map as the stomping ground of the world’s Biggest Search Geek,” says Nick Gill, managing director of Marin Software Australia.

And despite the global expansion, reigning champion Tomislav Maric, director of performance marketing at Beeby, Clark + Meyler is confident of holding onto his title, after scoring 90% last year in 24 minutes: “I’m aiming to do something never done before and repeat my win of the Biggest Search Geek contest… I’ve been brushing up on my Adwords and adCenter knowledge, my algorithms, and campaign management tricks. I look forward to setting the bar once again.”

The winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to SMX West 2013 and an iPad mini, with the contest open from now until 16 February 2013.