Tips for Starting and Developing a Successful Career in SEO
SEO is still a relatively new discipline, yet it is a critical component of any business' marketing strategy. What are the keys to success?
Few people set out for a career in SEO or study it at university. It is one of those lines of work where people fall into it, almost by accident.
Yet it is also incredibly fast moving and an ever more important way for businesses to increase their sales, profits, market share and reputation. Surely there is no better time to build a career as an SEO consultant.
Getting started
Many of today's top SEO experts started out doing something else, often in more traditional areas of marketing. They typically developed an interest in improving online exposure, from which SEO as a discipline was born.
While SEO is a more mature discipline now than it was, for example, five years ago, it is still evolving at a rapid rate. Any good consultant is still self-taught to a certain extent, and gaining experience is everything.
Set up your own website and blog, then get to work experimenting with different ways of driving traffic. Initially, be prepared to work for nothing and offer to help anyone you know with their online marketing. As with any industry, prospective employers like to hear about real-life experience and this is relatively easy to gain in the world of SEO.
Be flexible
In a fast moving and dynamic industry, you need to be fast moving and dynamic. This could mean moving from one employer to another, in order to get a wide range of experience and to really find your niche.
Working for an agency can also be a great way to get the maximum exposure to different websites and industries.
Keep learning
By running your own website and blog, you can gain first hand experience, but in such a dynamic environment, it is important to keep learning. Read anything and everything you can get your hands on, and always look at websites with a critical eye. What works and what does not? How would you do it better?
Keep a close eye on Google and Bing's own blogs to stay up to date with the hot topics of the day, and be aware of any innovations or patents Google are registering.
Every few months a new development is announced that will “change the face of SEO.” From Penguin to Accelerated Mobile Pages, the reality does not always live up to the hype, but you need to know what is coming and be prepared to refine your approach to SEO accordingly.
In conclusion
SEO is one of the most important aspects of digital marketing. It is an industry that is constantly growing and evolving. The most successful practitioners need to really understand SEO from the inside, in order to grow and evolve with the same rapidity.
This means getting your hands dirty – the best way to gain experience is to build something in WordPress and understand SEO through implementation.
Listen to various opinions, but always have your own – this means lots of reading and keeping up with what is happening in the industry.
As with any career, though, the most important ingredient for success is a passion for what you are doing, an open mind and a willingness to learn.