How to Become SEO Specialist? - Rennie Bottali

Become SEO Specialist is not impossible but it is certainly a long and complex path. Probably for this reason, in Italy, we are few to really live SEO, although there are many who offer the market to do so. In any case, like all processes, even this route can be shortened by using the method, planning and intelligence. If you want to become an expert SEO but despite generalist courses you took and the tips of the forum has spent a few years and you're not there yet, I suggest you read this article carefully you will help you structure your path and to understand how to become SEO Specialist step by step.

What do the SEO specialist by Rennie Bottali

SEO Experts or SEO Specialists are professionals who, thanks to the deep knowledge of search engines and the factors that determine the ranking, implement a series of on-page and off-page activities on the sites to be placed, allowing them to be visible for relevant queries to the products / services that promote, with a consequent increase relevant organic traffic from the natural results of search engines. The role of an SEO expert entails in addition to keywords research, SEO audits, on-site optimization and off-site, even the analysis of the SEO campaign data, conversion rate optimization activities, content optimization ( SEO copywriting) and the development and implementation of link building strategies and earning links.

Requirements and skills to become an SEO specialist

To become an SEO Specialist you must possess a number of minimum requirements, including advanced knowledge:

• the operation of search engines (algorithms, search operators, crawler)
• HTML5, CSS languages
• of the main CMS (WordPress, Joomla, Prestashop, Magento) and their optimal configurations
• of the leading Web Analytics software (Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Webtrekk)
• the main link of intelligence tools (Majestic SEO, Ahrefs, OSE)
• Excel (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP, Filters)
• of spider emulators (Screaming Frog, Xenu, Visual Studio SEO)
• of the main tools of Keyword Research (Google Keyword Planner, Bing Keyword Research tool, Market Samurai)
• Google Adwords (it is preferable to have the certification)

Basic knowledge:

• JavaScript, PHP, Database and SQL
• of Information retrieval
• of Analytical Marketing, Strategic and Operative

In addition to these minimum requirements it is necessary that the SEO expert, to be defined as such, present a number of SEO case history of documented success. Personally, myself procured over the years a wide range of case studies helps me a lot in the process of negotiating with potential customers. If you read on I will explain how to create you the first case history to actually propose on the market.

How to Become SEO in 4 steps

Step 1 - Information

The first step to take when you get close to a new activity is informed. To begin this phase of information I believe that there is no better way than from official 

sources:

1. Google's SEO Starter Guide
2. Webmaster Academy Google
3. Google Webmaster Central Blog

Another method that I recommend to inquire is to read books dedicated.

On the market there are many SEO books, personally impressed me the following titles that I consider ideal to get started:

Analyzing and Influencing Search Engine Results: perhaps the only book that explains technically and in depth how the search engines. A must for those who want to understand the real logic that govern the search engines.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Secrets: the best on the market to learn how to play a complete SEO Audit. Fantastic paragraph in which the author explains how to make a SEO Audit in 15 minutes.

The Art of SEO: Mastering Search Engine Optimization: a complete manual (perhaps the most complete) that takes into account all aspects of SEO with theoretical and practical knowledge.

Another source of reading have blogs and forums: personally recommend them at an advanced stage when it has already quite familiar with the topic and will be able to select those really reliable and useful for their own level of knowledge. I do not provide a list, because I think that the selection is very subjective.

Step 2 - Experimentation

Once you are informed on the subject, my advice is to continue buying some domain, create us the sites above and undertake to implement all that has been learned during the Information phase. I recommend choosing niches for which you know the topic to facilitate this step.

Experience is perhaps the most important process to become an SEO Specialist for several reasons, including:

1. obtain certainties
2. understand the techniques that work and those that do not work or do not work anymore
3. really understand the reliable sources with which update and little useful sources (although fashion)
4. create their own working method

These are just some of the advantages of testing as the list goes on for several pages.

Step 3 - Vocational training

This stage despite being optional is important for those who want to shorten the route and forge ahead to become SEO Specialist.

I think it is inconceivable that even today there are parties (which are completely in opposition) who argue that SEO courses are useless, when all along who knows not learn from those who know more and training is certainly one of the aspects most important for a professional. My advice is: if you have the opportunity to form you, so enjoy.

Personally when I have the opportunity to learn the know-how from another colleague, at any level is, I try not to miss the chance: I was always the idea that anyone can learn something important.

My advice is to support courses with professionals working as an SEO for years, preferably in one to one, in order to be able to fully learn the basics, and make you prepare tailored lessons that have as a goal to fill the knowledge non Information learned during the procedure and for the trial.

The courses are to provide both theoretical knowledge and practical, they must give certainty (not only doubts) and provide a working methodology applicable in practice to your projects.

What SEO courses to avoid at this stage

recorded video: ideal under Information when you have a superficial knowledge of the matter, hardly able to deal comprehensively advanced concepts. They are to be considered (perhaps) only if they address topics that fill their specific shortcomings.

Mass: more suitable for networking purposes, they are definitely not suited to an audience of novice level. Often they prove just a marketing strategy to raise awareness of corporate sponsors and of little use to end users (the students).

Generalists: the same goes for the recorded video courses, only at very basic levels are suitable.

Step 4 - Practice

This step is different from the testing that we talked about before, because at this stage apply on client sites, solid knowledge gained in the previous phases.

The main difficulty of this phase is to procure the sites on which to practice. My advice is as follows:

taking into web agency: you do take in some web agency as a Junior SEO or intern and practice on their clients' sites, having among others the chance to learn the know-how of professionals who deal with SEO everyday .

organic positioning: position your personal website for queries related to SEO and start acquiring customers through your website. After all if you can position yourself in a niche where there is a competition of the best web agency and of the best SEO experts, you have to prove little else to your prospects.

Both solutions are valid, the first is perhaps the one that allows you to shorten the time. I say perhaps because, from experience, the SEO employees tend to sit (settle salary), to form less (employers do not give him the time to form pressed by production targets) and, therefore, to be less prepared the autonomous SEO (freelance and / or Entrepreneurs).

practical conclusions on the step to become SEO Specialist

All the provided steps are cyclical and continuous: you will always inform you, to experience, they formed and practice.

This is a complex profession where it is easy to see very good professionals in a given historical period, but then absorbed by work and lack of time to inform themselves and to form, become less valid dinosaurs and above all incapable of bringing new results to the clients (thus creating important openings for young people who are proposed with expertise on the market).

How to tell if you have become a SEO Specialist

I was always the idea that they are customers establish the value of a professional and not a Facebook page, a group on Google+ or a guest post on the blog of a colleague SEO. And 'who pays us every day and allows us to live through SEO that shows us how good we are and what we are worth.

This is a profession that is based on the results and ultimately the market will decide: you become SEO Specialist when you manage to sell your SEO services, clients receive tangible results and renew their faith in you and in your services and compensation that you perceive themselves and allow you to really live with this activity. Rennie Bottali

Conclusion

If you wanted to understand how to become SEO Specialist I am sure that you now have much clearer ideas. If you have doubts, questions, criticism and uncertainties not hesitate to use the comments, we are here to really improve the sector.