Walking the path – how to start a career in SEO?
The new millennium brought about many changes in all aspects of life. Professional digital marketing agencies have risen above traditional marketing companies, with a clear focus on building brand awareness online. So, we dedicate this brief article in the form of a step-by-step guide to all of you out there looking to start a career in SEO.
Seven simple steps for anyone to start a career in SEO
#1: Build up your SEO skills
Whether we’re talking about physical or mental work – having the right set of skills for it can save you a lot of time and effort. And the same applies when you pursue a career in SEO. By investing time in learning how search engines work, what SEO is all about, how to optimize websites, create an SEO strategy, etc. – you gather the knowledge you need to get into the machinery of it all.
#2: Work on your copywriting skills
Copywriting is an essential skill for anyone looking to start a career in SEO. Whether we’re discussing taglines, meta descriptions, headings, web page content, or using high-quality SEO tools – it all relies on the ability to create good copy.
#3: Embrace basic development skills
Being a web developer has its own set of rules and challenges. And you don’t have to become a developer to do SEO, but you do need to learn the basics that web development agencies implement:
- Reading HTML code;
- Understanding website structure;
- Working with CMS solutions;
- Analyzing website performance.
#4: Develop your analytical skills
Your superiors and clients will expect detailed reports on the progress of the SEO strategy they are investing in. And it will be your job to create those reports based on the data you gather from a variety of digital marketing analytics tools. But before you create the report, you need to understand how to read and interpret the data you collect.
#5: Learn how to use SEO tools
Every apprentice needs the tools of the trade if he/she hopes to become a master of their trade. And the same goes here – you will want to put in time and energy into learning how to use basic SEO tools. Google Search Console and Google Analytics would be a good starting point, in addition to popular tools such as:
- SEMrush
- Yoast SEO
- Chrome Developer Tools
Of course, there are other tailored and well-developed tools from digital marketing agencies and software development companies.
#6: Study the Google Webmaster Guidelines
- Google Webmaster Guidelines is a document in which Google explains everything there is to know about their quality standards and rules.
This is an excellent entry read for anyone looking to start a career in SEO. The last thing you want is for your website to get penalized by Google simply because you failed to follow a simple rule.
#7: Learn through experience
Your background or certification aside – clients are mainly interested in whether or not you can improve their website rankings and organic traffic. So, it would help if you found an opportunity to practice your skills, preferably under the guidance of a reputable SEO company. This will not only offer you the chance to learn more about SEO but also gain a working knowledge of other digital marketing fields.
