There are a lot of online jobs today that became available ever since the pandemic hit. Most businesses are forced to operate online and had to switch into a remote work setup. If you are looking for an online job on freelancing platforms like Upwork or Onlinejobs.ph, you may have encountered job posts looking for SEO Specialists. But what exactly is an SEO Specialist?
What is an SEO Specialist?
Over the years there has been much confusion over what exactly an SEO specialist performs. In fact, a lot of people I talk to think that it’s something just anybody can do. If you want to rank better in Google, all you need to do is buy some keyword-rich domains, throw up a bunch of text with links embedded, and voila. Your site will magically rise in the ranks.
In essence that may be what they see from the outside but that’s not how things work. To get an idea of exactly what goes into being an SEO specialist you need to understand the basics. To begin with, SEO is not something that you can do by yourself.
It takes a team effort and working in conjunction with webmasters, copywriters, graphic designers, and others in order to get results. But what exactly is SEO? The term is an amalgamation of Search Engine Optimization and it signifies the scientific method of getting a site to rise in ranks in search engines.
To get an idea of what SEO actually does, imagine that your website is a brick-and-mortar store. Now imagine if you put up a sign outside but nobody was able to see it because there was another building blocking it. SEO is basically the act of moving that building so that your sign can be seen more clearly.
The same principle applies to online ranking, but it has a few other factors that need to be taken into account: keywords, meta tags, and search engines themselves. You see, each search engine out there – whether it’s Yahoo!, Google or Bing – have their own specific algorithm they follow to rank websites higher in their search results.
To be an SEO specialist, you need not only to understand how each of these algorithms differs but also the key things that will make Google notice your site and rank it accordingly. This includes keywords, meta tags, links, and press releases.
Why you should consider pursuing an SEO career
A career in SEO might be the perfect job for you. Whether your interests are in a search engine or marketing optimization, this could be a worthwhile job for you. There is a lot of potential to make serious cash while having fun working online.
You can start small and grow your SEO business as you get more clientele. You can also take on any job that suits your schedule: a day job and an online business, or two side-by-side jobs; there are many options available to you with this career. Many people report loving what they do in SEO, and they couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
The skills and contacts you will gain from SEO can help launch a very successful career in search engine marketing, online marketing, or even internet consulting. There is no end to what you can do with this skill set after you learn about it and apply your knowledge.
What you make will depend on your clientele, the type of SEO work you want to do and how good you are at what you do. Start out small because there is a lot to learn when it comes to search engine optimization.
How to Start your SEO Career
If you want to be an SEO or search engine optimization professional, there are nine steps that can help you achieve your goal.
Decide if you would like to specialize in a particular area of specialties. These areas include link building, link removal, marketing campaigns, and keyword analysis among others. Determining this ahead of time will help you to focus your studies.
Learn about different strategies and tools that can be used for SEO purposes. These include blogs, article marketing, feedburner, jigsaw, drupalsitebuilder, social bookmarking sites, and many others.
Get detailed information about SEO software, including the tools that can be used for off-page SEO. The right software can save you a lot of time and will help you to optimize your process in an efficient manner.
Take both search engine optimization training courses as well as SEO certification programs. This will give you knowledge that will put you ahead of the competition and will increase your chances to be a successful seo professional.
Consider taking English courses if your native language isn’t English. The reason for this is that many people search in English, especially if they are located in the United States. This means that it would make sense to learn English if your native language is not it. You will be able to understand search engine optimization professionals in English and you will be able to communicate with them better. This can increase the number of clients that you work for since they all speak English too.
Get a good job offer from an established company or good firm that offers search engine optimization services. The reason for this is that you will be able to get the training that you need in order to succeed and you will also have a fixed salary, which means that your income won’t depend on commission.
Decide if you would like to work as an independent contractor or with a company. This decision is often based on your personal preferences and should be made only after a thorough analysis.
Deal with problems that may come up during your business. These problems might include a competitor who doesn’t like you or clients who delay payment. You will have to learn how to handle these situations in the best way possible if you want to become a successful SEO specialist.
Get your certification so that you can be regarded as an expert in the field of search engine optimization. This will increase the trust that others have for you, while at the same time boosting your personal confidence and self-esteem. Having a certification is important for many reasons, it’s akin to being the designated “expert” in a field for an entire group of people. This certification will also be very helpful when you are trying to get clients and handle other issues that might come up during your business.
To conclude, if you want to become an SEO specialist, there are many steps that you have to undertake. All the resources that you have can actually be found on the internet, but you may just have to go through a lengthier process and a lot of trial and error before you learn the most important and essential lessons.
But if you would like to save time and fast track to learn the skills you need as an SEO Specialist, then I recommend taking the Number ONE SEO Training Course by Yesh Quijano.
Yesh Quijano is a seasoned SEO Specialist for a decade and has gone through a lot of trial and error so you won’t have to. He put up an online training course for aspiring Pinoy Freelancers out there to take. Of course, you can earn a certificate upon completion.
If you would like to take the online training SEO Course, then register here. Enroll in Yesh Quijano’s SEO Masterclass.
How much do SEO Specialists earn?
Is SEO A High-Paying Job? Yes.
SEO specialists have been known to earn as much as $150,000 per year. But this is for the SEO who isn’t doing a lot of optimization work and is more involved with network design.
The salary starts at $40,000 and goes up from there depending on the SEO’s experience and client base. The average earnings are approximately $50,000 for SEO specialists with ample experience.
The highest-paying jobs in the industry are located in California as companies like Google and Yahoo have their headquarters there. SEO specialists earn around $100,000 on average per year with the most experienced ones making more than $200,000 annually. Whatever you do as an SEO specialist will be very profitable.
The salary difference between SEO specialists who work for search engine companies and other websites is the cost of living in California. This is why you will find that $50,000 is a more common salary than the $150,000 mentioned earlier. It’s still a very good income compared to what most jobs pay though so don’t sweat about the discrepancy.
If you want to jumpstart your SEO career, take the number one SEO Masterclass in the Philippines today. Enroll here.
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