To become an SEO specialist, you don't need any specific prior experience. People who work in SEO often come from a variety of backgrounds, including marketing and communications, business, and information technology. You'd be stuck going through endless pages of web content in a frustrating and generally vain struggle to find super important things like “chiropractors near me” or “Best Picture Winner of 1976”. I've probably interviewed and hired more than 100 different people in SEO & search marketing positions over the past 20 years, and I've learned a lot of things that can help you make the right impression.
Did you grow organic traffic by 32%? Your resume should show it. A good rule of thumb is to ask for 10% more than you think you'll receive. Once your career as an SEO expert is underway, take it to the next level by networking with SEO agencies, as well as other professionals in SEO, digital marketing and content marketing, and increase your personal profile. I mentioned earlier that the job role of an SEO is not limited to knowing the concepts and theory of SEO, but is above all practical.
I noted the interview as a good learning experience and something I could use to apply for other SEO jobs at smaller agencies. If I were looking now, I would look at AngelList and also search each of the SEO agency websites in my local area to see if they have a job posting page. If you're new to SEO and want to achieve that steep learning curve, then I'd recommend applying for positions within a more specialized agency rather than a larger media company. But now, I've been fortunate enough to provide SEO consulting from startups to billion-dollar companies and interviewed more than a hundred candidates for SEO positions.
While there are several ways to become an SEO expert, there is no single path to becoming an SEO expert. If you are a marketer looking to learn the basics as a way to help you differentiate yourself from the rest, the first step is to acquire the basic technical skills that an SEO expert needs: in SEO and SEM techniques and best practices, HTML and CSS, link analysis and construction, as well as related experience such as content marketing and increasing brand awareness. But while a title isn't usually necessary, many SEO job postings require you to be familiar with one or more specific SEO tools. Learn about the different components that make up the SEO process, such as technical SEO, On-page SEO and Off-Page SEO.
I mentioned in step 6 that you must first build your SEO experience by creating and doing SEO work on your own website. If you're too nervous about offering an SEO audit, you can send an email to your favorite agencies and see if they have internship positions available. For example, this short Layer3 post attempts to educate clients on whether to hire in-house or agency SEO. A digital marketing bootcamp or other SEO-focused course is a great way to learn the fundamental technical SEO concepts and tools that SEO specialists need to know in a structured environment that prioritizes in-depth, efficient and up-to-date learning.
Other agencies are most likely looking for the same thing, so follow the tips below to increase your chances of getting your first job as an SEO.
