What is the difference between a full blown SEO (Search Engine Optimizer) and someone that dabbles in Internet marketing without any technique or goal in mind? Spend some time reading forums, blogs and even Twitter and you will see it very quickly.
Honestly, anyone can build links, write content and say they are an expert. But by just doing those things, does that make them an expert? NO!
A true SEO is creative. They think outside the box. They always have a plan and goal for how they want things to turn out. They don’t conform to one way of marketing a website or blog, they do things their own way. They know what works and what doesn’t. A true SEO doesn’t start out an expert. They learn from trial and error. They make mistakes and learn from them. That is what makes them great.
I am not claiming to be an expert by any means. But I have spent enough time in the industry that I can see who is and who isn’t. Take a look at my blogroll and you will find some individuals that are a great example and have never-ending knowledge when it comes to all-things-SEO. That is a great place to start.
So what do you have to do to become a true SEO and to serve your clients better?
- Find out who the authorities are and pay attention to what they are saying/doing. A great place to start is Twitter or subscribing to the top SEO blogs such as SearchEngineJournal.com or SearchEngineLand.com just to name a few.
- Be creative. Find new ways to get a link. Whether it is creating content that goes viral or just writing up some quality information that people find useful. You have also got to plan out your link building campaign, that way if you run into a wall, you can back up and take a new route.
- If you fail, don’t give up. Keep trying. This is a real big one. I can definitely relate here. If you are just getting started in the SEO world if can seem like everything has already been said or done. That may be true but we all have our own way of delivering that information. Just because ten people have said they build links one way, does not mean it will work for everyone. Your input is extremely valuable so don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.
- Have a plan. This is a must. You should do your research so you know where your client’s site is at before you start, where you want to have them in a month or year and how you are going to get them there. This works great for someone that gets easily distracted because they always have a path they can stay on. I guess it would be the “straight and narrow of SEO”.
- Don’t be afraid to join the conversation. Most people that know a thing or two about SEO welcome questions. If you need advice or need a suggestion, don’t be afraid to ask. They were probably in the same position you are in now.
Hopefully those few things will help to get your started. Like I said before, I am not the authority when it comes to SEO, but I would be happy to answer any questions that you have. Feel free to contact me or leave a comment. Thanks for reading!
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Very good article thanks for some great tips
Very interesting, I definitely agree that before you get a first client and start calling yourself an “expert” you should do some serious reading AND cross reference whatever you read!
There’s plenty of rumours out there about SEO and what should you believe when two SEO experts take a different stance on one topic?
Now about testing, never test new stuff on a clients site, you can easily get it banned or flagged on Google and it’s not worth it.
Setup free blogs on wordpress or blogspot and test on them, build links to one blog in a certain way, to another in a different way, write content with one keyword density to one blog to another in other and see how they behave on Google using different search terms.
Anyway, thanks for the good blog post, got me thinking.
There are so many different avenues to take for SEO. There are so many different social sites and blogs to subscribe to on the internet. It is sometimes hard to find a balance between giving good valid information and pushing the website your are trying to promote. No body wants to feel like they are getting a sales pitch. I like how you write about having a plan. Even though it seems like social media marketing is not such a hard thing it takes a lot of strategy and creativity to become successful. Great blog!
SEO Information
Thanks for the Great tips…
Keep posting great articles on SEO
Great tips Jeremy, and I can tell you are practicing what you preach because I just found your blog by your following me on Twitter today.
On your tip about having a plan, I would also add “have measurable goals that impact the bottom line”, such as “increasing the number of sales leads generated by organic search traffic by 50% in 6 months”. Often SEO program fixate on ranking for specific terms and success is measured only by that, instead of metrics that really matter, like lead generation volume or sales.
Hey Rob. Thanks for the comment. I agree 100%. I work with a lot of doctors across the US and when it comes to SEO or getting the rankings they really have no idea. They like to see themselves at or towards the top of the SERPs but in reality, they just need the referrals from their site. At the end of the day, all they care about is how many consultations did they get or have scheduled and how much revenue is being brought in with the money they are spending on Internet advertising. Good points!
PS- I looked at your blog, very good stuff there. I look forward to going through it and reading your new posts! Thanks for stopping by.