How to Build Up a Successful SEO Career – 7 Key Steps

Over the past years, a good number of career professions have surfaced and although some of them are still not yet recognized by the majority, some have stamped their own presence and have let us know that they’re here to stay. Of those vastly recognized ones, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) makes the list and it’s fair to say that this same profession is fast becoming one to reckon with.

Basically speaking, there’s no career path that doesn’t have it’s own hassles and stress when being treaded upon and since SEO isn’t left out, people have had to live with the fear that they may not have what it takes to become experts in this line of business and this alone has cost the world a lot of good personnel that would have gone on to impress based on the knowledge they have been able to amass on the career.

They have also had to deal with uncertainties, as well as stumbling upon questions like:

• What do I need to do?
• How do I start?
• Am I even really that good enough?
• What are the likely challenges I would have to face?

As a result of this, we have come up with eight (8) key steps you can take on your journey to becoming that SEO Consultant you have always dreamed of becoming.

1. Build up your SEO skills
2. Improve your writing skills
3. Build up your Analytical Skills
4. Learn how to use SEO tools
5. Become an expert in Google Webmaster Guidelines
6. Get practical, build your SEO experience

For further understanding of these points, they have been briefly buttressed below.

Build up Your SEO Skills

Obviously, before you would have to apply for any SEO job, you should have background knowledge. Do your best to acquire even more knowledge and skills in this field because it helps you to become even better at it. Ensure you get familiar with the several components that make up the SEO process such as technical SEO, on-page and off-page SEO. Also, do well to get acquainted with the common terminologies of SEO like link building, keyword research, backlinks, white hat SEO, black hat SEO, and any other ones you read in related topics.

Improve Your Writing Skills

Because most of the common tasks would require you to optimize the page title, meta description, headings and contents of a page, you would have to attain a certain level of writing skills because without doing that, you might turn out to be a flop. You would, of course, be expected to have a very good English writing skill if you’re planning to work with US or UK clients. So it’s very advisable to acquire a high degree of skill in writing.

Build up Your Analytical Skills

Upon the completion of any SEO work you do, preparation of reports for clients or your boss would follow suit. For your report to be acceptable, it must contain information from various sources like Google search console, SEMRUSH, and Google analytics. Being able to read, interpret and present the information in a meaningful format is very important and necessary. You should also know how to use tools like Excel and Google Sheets.

Learn How To Use SEO Tools

Now, this is also very important. You should learn to use the necessary tools required to do SEO jobs very moderately and of course, this would make your job easier. Upon knowing how to use Google analytics and Google search console, you should also know how to use the likes of Yoast SEO, SEMRUSH, Chrome Developer Tools, Lighthouse and Page Speed Insights.

Become an Expert in Google Webmaster Guidelines

There are a set of rules set out by Google known as the Google Webmaster Guidelines. This contains everything you need to know about the standards and rules to follow. You should know these standards and rules because if you do something wrong, your website or that of your client can be penalized. the result of this is loss of traffic and rankings.

Get Practical, Build Your SEO Experience

The next available way you can be a very good SEO aside obtaining formal education is by going practical. To achieve this, you need to practice SEO and then make a convincing statement to your future clients or even employers that you’re capable of improving the rankings of websites in the SERPS.

These steps, when followed, are your direct one-way ticket to becoming that very professional SEO Consultant you have always had that admiration of becoming.