What is an SEO Specialist?

Google search results have become the primary gateway through which we explore our world. Mass producing flyers and handing them out locally doesn’t carry the same impact it did even a decade ago. In response, marketers have shifted the bulk of their efforts to digital platforms. The online world has caused us to think differently, as is evident in multiple studies examining the effects of the internet and social media.

While SEO is a key component to Digital Marketing that affects all our lives, there are still a surprising number of people who don’t understand what it really means.

What is SEO?

This brings us to the frosting on the cake that is Google. SEO is the acronym for Search Engine Optimization, and means exactly what it sounds like. It is the practice of optimizing web content to appear in search engine result pages (SERPs), basically it helps your audience find you online.

With the growing amount of online data on the web, what makes your content so special that it would stand out? Nobody wants to read the same information over and over again in unreliable articles from untrustworthy sources, but at the same time the most dependable source can provide readers with accurate information, but if they don’t apply SEO to their writing, their audience will never find their article in the sea of search results.

‍What is an SEO Specialist?

An SEO Specialist is an expert in Search Engine Optimization who understands the strategies that can be used to optimize content to receive more organic and paid web traffic. An SEO expert, is able to differentiate between the three areas of SEO and apply them as needed to different websites and pages depending on the needs of clients or customers. 

This role is one of the most significant in Digital Marketing and it’s vital that businesses hire the right person to do the job. An SEO Specialist can not only improve a company’s website ranking in search engines like Google, but they can increase SERPs, boost visibility, and ultimately attract more traffic, which will in turn boost profitability and brand awareness. In short, they are essential to creating a thriving business in today’s digital world.

What skills are required for SEO? Like any other professional field, to be successful as an SEO Specialist, proper training is needed. ABM College employs SEO Consultants and experts in the industry as instructors are able to teach students about the SEO industry, content marketing, and the SEO strategies that are essential to anyone interested in digital marketing or search engine marketing.

What are Key SEO Techniques?

What do you do as an SEO Specialist? By understanding SEO, you can help a website to reach the target audience that its content is intended for. There are 3 major areas of SEO that can be utilized to reach the right audience:

• Technical SEO

Technical SEO is an exciting field that covers the basics of web design, covering everything from sitemaps, meta descriptions, meta tags, and JavaScript, to HTML CSS, indexing, linking, and keyword research. While many of these terms can be intimidating and appear very complicated, they are essential knowledge when looking to boost rankings or become an SEO Specialist. Tools like Google Insights help to decipher what changes and fixes are needed for optimization.

• On-Page SEO

On-page optimization is the practice of creating content for a website that includes the correct keywords to attract and appeal to your target audience. Understanding the power of keywords and knowing when and where to use them is one of the many skills that ABM College covers in our training.

• Off-Page SEO

This can be the toughest skill to develop and takes time to master. If a business or specialist fails to correctly use off-page SEO, they could face losing visibility and ranking, or even be banned from search results altogether. Well-known brands such as BMW, Newsday, JCPenney, Overstock, and Forbes were banned or given penalties for incorrectly applying off-page SEO.

Final Thoughts

SEO can appear to be complicated, with constantly changing rules, preferences, and keywords that mean staying up-to-date to keep up with and outrank competitors. Google evolves its algorithm multiple times a day to meet the search needs and intent of users, and to deliver the best answers to queries. That said, mastering the skills required to become an SEO professional can be incredibly rewarding and lead to a high paying job.

A Digital Marketing Diploma at ABM College will teach you the fundamental methods, tactics, and strategies needed to become a true SEO expert. Learning the best SEO practices gives students the foundation of knowledge that will allow them to start their own digital business and grow in any SEO area of specialization.

‍‍Contact us to learn how we can help you.

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