How to Become a SEO Specialist

While a majority of careers have succinct protocols which lead to success in that particular industry or field, there are no concise delineations or specific pathways leading to success as an SEO specialist. That being said, it will be up to you to make a purposeful and concerted effort to come up with a game plan or strategy to realizing your career goals and maximizing your personal potential.

 In order to become an SEO specialist, you must acquire the following knowledge, experience and skills. 

Become Adept at Keyword Research

It will be imperative for you to learn how to identify the specific and relevant keywords that will be pertinent to the content within your chosen industry. You might encourage yourself by relating it to the days when prospectors or miners would search for gold deposits to be extracted. As an SEO researcher, you will have to dig for the “gold” or keywords regarding whatever topic is being published on the web. By learning the technical verbiage, industry-specific vernacular, lingo, or buzzwords, you will be able to optimize the language usage within the framework of content.

Master On-Page SEO

Once you have become familiarized with the keywords which are relevant to your project, you will want to discover how to weave these words into the content, headings, meta tags, titles, descriptions, and the like. This skill will ensure that users will be guided easily to your page when performing a query or search. The nature of this endeavor is this are as follows.

1. One aspect of on-page SEO is developing high-quality content which informs and engages visitors on the page or site. Part of creating exemplary content is mastery of the English language and grammar. If you do not intend to write your own content, at the very least you will need to be able to distinguish the difference between a well-written, solid piece of information or entertainment, and a fluff piece which merely rewords other articles on the web. 
2. A factor inherent to on-page SEO knowledge is understanding title tags and meta descriptions. You should learn how to craft compelling, keyword, rich title tags and meta descriptions for every page. 
3. A working knowledge of header tags and URL structure is also imperative to achieve. Generating clean content incorporating SEO-friendly URLs and relevant keywords will provide accuracy in representing the page’s content. When header tags are properly utilized, the value of the page escalates in profitability because the content is both end-user friendly as well as easily accessible to search engines.
4. Develop a working knowledge of image compression and browser caching to increase the speed at which your pages will load.
5. Learn how to optimize mobile versions of your website which will provide the user with a satisfying experience. There is nothing more frustrating than finding a site on a mobile platform which has not optimized its presentation.
6. Internal linking, or the linking to other important and relevant pages within your website will not only improve navigation, but it will also assist you in distributing link equity.
7. Concentrate on incorporating high-quality backlinks from distinguished, established, reputable and respected external websites. For example, create backlinks to not-for-profit trade associations and publications, well-established educational resources, and international organizations which set the standard for quality, in addition to focusing on natural and organic link-building strategies.

Become a Qualified SEO Manager by Enrolling in a Related College Degree & Pursue Certifications

1. There are numerous educational opportunities which offer you the chance to further develop your competence as an SEO manager. Having a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree in marketing, communications, media studies or even a carefully tailored business degree, are all strong foundations on which to build your future. Be hypervigilant when you are researching your options to separate educational institutions which are accredited and have a solid reputation for academic excellence, from those which can make no claims to a respected and bona fide degree-granting program.
2. In addition to your formal degree (BA, MA), survey specialized SEO training events, seminars, classes, programs, and the like, by well-known companies, such as MOZ, HubSpot and Google. These and other educational sites may also provide certifications which will help to build your reputation in the field and your resume.

Discover the Tools of the Trade and Become a Master of SEO Management 

1. While you are getting your BA or MA, or even in the interim, become an expert in analytics and data analysis. It is imperative to your success that you are skilled in measuring the success of SEO strategies as well as being adept at having the ability to subsequently make decisions which are market-data driven.
2. Learn how to create content. At the heart of every SEO manager’s success is mastery of recognizing or creating high-quality, relevant content. One skill woven into content creation is a solid understanding of marketing, or a sense of what will appeal to end users and search engines. 
3. Discover and take advantage of any opportunities steeped in practical experience. The work of an SEO manager requires hands-on experience which can be achieved by participating in internships or engaging in free-lance projects. Seek out groups which focus on SEO careers and become familiar with what is currently happening in the field. You might even consider finding a mentor who could guide you in boots-on-the-ground practical experience.

The most important consideration in becoming an SEO manager is realizing it is a field which will require a substantial amount of thinking outside of the box. By grounding yourself in a degree program from an accredited institution, you can assure yourself of success because you will have choices within industries which would not otherwise be yours. Stay on the cutting edge of the field’s developments and your future as an SEO manager is bright!