A couple of weeks ago we wrote a post about the basics of online marketing (link to week 7 day 2), aimed at online marketing professionals.
That might seem a tad strange to some but in actual fact, the way that this profession has developed has meant the creation of lots of new positions and, oftentimes, the internal promotion of people who were previously in related roles. The result is that many people working in the world of SEO have followed a unique career path and may have the odd knowledge gap. If this sounds like you then please read on.
Previously we discussed the marketing element of our roles. In this post we will take a brief look at the wider profession, as well as touching on the scientific and analytical nature of what an SEO professional does. Hopefully this post will be helpful to new search professionals but even if you’re not new to the game it might be worth your time anyway, which leads to our first tip….
Always Keep Learning
The nature of SEO is that there will always be a lot to learn and online will always be one of the best places to do it. Your peers, as well as a whole host of other experts in the field, are writing daily about their specialist subject and their blogs can be a mine of information.
Of course, you must test every theory yourself. As we well know, anyone can publish anything online. If you stick to authoritative, well regarded blogs you are more likely to get quality information but some of the most innovative thinking comes from the little guys and wherever you get your info, you need to properly trial new ideas every time to make sure they work for you and your clients.
And Now For the Science Part
That’s right, to be a search professional you have to embrace a certain amount of geekiness. You’re an analyst by trade, as are all marketeers, and there are a whole lot of numbers to get to grips with. A lot of SEO is about data – the gathering, monitoring and interpreting thereof. Interpreting data in new and unique ways can be incredibly creative and fulfilling (but then we would say that).
One important tip to add to this section however, is learn the tools of your trade – get to know Microsoft Excel and everything that it does very well indeed. It will help you no end, can automate a lot and will save you time if you know how to use it.
In Google we Trust
Test, optimise, repeat will become your mantra. It is the basis of what we do. There are lots of ways to go about this and you should certainly learn them but Google’s Website Optimiser is a very good place to start.
In fact, while we’re at it, we might as well point you in the direction of a few other Google goodies like:
At the End of the Day, Take the Dog for a Walk…
… or do whatever it is you do when your computer is switched off (which, occasionally, it should be). This is important. We don’t mean, turn your computer off and sit surrounded by Blackberry’s and ipads, we mean switch it all off and live outside of the digital world for at least a short time every day. It’s important for your own sanity and, ultimately, will make you better at your job.
