What does it take to succeed in SEO?

The answer is easy but the following things take work:

1. Management support and company-wide commitment
2. SEO training and education
3. Access to SEO experts
4. Reasonable expectations and a willingness to adapt

FAQ: What do companies need to focus on to achieve SEO success?

Let’s dive into the four critical things companies need to be successful in SEO.

1. Management Support and Company-Wide Commitment

Years ago, we delivered more than 100 pages of an SEO audit to one of the largest research and review sites in the automotive sector.

They wanted to do everything we recommended, and to do that, it involved everyone in the company, from the execs to IT to marketing and everyone in between.

So the chairman called a company meeting to announce that SEO would be a key initiative and that they were either on board or they could find somewhere else to work.

That may seem harsh, but their results paid off: A 900% increase in traffic in just the first week after launch.

Implementing SEO is like adding a new business strategy. You can’t “sort of” do SEO or pick and choose some SEO tactics while ignoring others.

This is why you first need management buy-in. The decision-makers need to see SEO as a high-level function. And then, when the company hires an SEO in-house or partners with an agency, they need to look at that role as an executive position.

The right SEO professional will make sophisticated, complex decisions about your online marketing strategy that can and should directly affect the bottom line.

Once management understands the importance of SEO as part of the business model, the commitment to the vision should trickle down from the top.

2. SEO Education and Training

How do you get management on board in the first place? It all starts with education on why SEO is a functional part of the business and how it can generate traffic and revenue.

It’s a big job trying to convince management that SEO is a critical component of the business. But luckily there are a lot of resources to help support your case for SEO.

For instance, you can:

• • • Read my article on six practical ways to get buy-in for SEO.
    • Watch the on-demand webinar on the same topic.
    • Educate executives and other stakeholders about the fundamentals of SEO with our Free Executive’s Guide to SEO video training.

Once you have buy-in, building company-wide support starts with SEO training. Training ensures your SEO practices are consistent, and that the team has a collective knowledge to work together.

With so many options to learn SEO, it can be hard to know which to choose. Over the past few years, companies have kicked online SEO training into high gear – but not all options are equal. To help you evaluate which training course is right for you, see my article on Search Engine Land.

It is time for businesses to rethink their SEO training. I recommend online training that provides the community and support of an in-person class. We have a great SEO training platform that gives you the education, resources and support you need to succeed in SEO.

3. Access to Expert SEOs

Sometimes educating management is smoother when you involve the experts like outside consultants, agencies or hiring in-house.

These professionals can help anyone better understand the breadth of what’s involved. They can also look at your website to give specific recommendations on strategy (called an SEO audit) and can serve as a sounding board for specific questions or problems.

They can also help put in place organization-wide SEO strategies for long-term success. These experts can be the teachers and trainers for your organization if you decide not to enroll in SEO training elsewhere.

Make sure to find an agency or consultant that offers services in line with your particular needs. For example, some SEO vendors only offer packages with little customization when what you really need is a block of hours to use however you choose.

Before deciding on outside help, brush up on the top expert skills of an SEO agency.

And if you’re hiring in-house, be sure to ask the right interview questions for SEO analysts.

4. Reasonable Expectations and a Willingness to Adapt

A healthy SEO strategy takes time. Understanding this is part of the education process before the SEO plan is even implemented. Programs that create long-term value are like fine wine – they get better with age.

Companies sometimes expect immediate rankings, traffic, and conversions. And they think SEOs are doing something wrong when they don’t see it.

Sometimes improvements to a site can show immediate results in some areas, other times the big impactful results don’t show for months.

It’s all about building momentum and results, and progress depends on the health of the site before the SEO implementation. SEO is not meant to be a quick-fix strategy. But once things start rolling, the ROI of SEO can be incredible.

It can also be hard for companies to let go of their site and trust it in the hands of others – or to try new SEO tactics in the face of a changing landscape. This is common when resources have been deeply invested in the development of the sites.

If you’re in good hands with your SEOs, then you need to learn to trust that they’re the experts.

And yes, it may take time to rebuild your site from an SEO perspective. It may also mean that much of what you’ve done with your site needs to be reworked.

But it’s all part of the SEO game. You will have to adapt SEO many times over to respond to Google changes, competition, and other changes and economic conditions; but SEO – when done right – is something you won’t regret.

If implementing in-house SEO feels daunting, let our experts run your SEO. You can learn more about how we help our clients excel with specialized SEO strategies that deliver real results. Fill out our contact form to schedule a FREE 1:1 consultation.

FAQ: What do companies need to focus on to achieve SEO success?

To achieve success in SEO, companies must focus on four critical aspects: management support and company-wide commitment, SEO training, and education, access to SEO experts, and maintaining reasonable expectations with a willingness to adapt. Implementing these factors requires effort and dedication, but the rewards are worth it.

Management Support and Company-Wide Commitment

For SEO to be effective, it requires a company-wide commitment. This means involving everyone in the organization, from executives to IT to marketing and beyond. A key step is gaining management support and making SEO a high-level function. When the decision-makers recognize SEO’s importance and dedicate resources to it, the results can be remarkable. For example, a research and review site in the automotive sector experienced a 900% increase in traffic within the first week of implementing SEO strategies.

SEO Education and Training

To gain management support, it is crucial to educate them on the value of SEO in driving traffic and generating revenue. Numerous resources are available to support this cause, such as articles and webinars focused on convincing stakeholders of SEO’s significance. Once the company understands the importance of SEO, training becomes essential. Consistent SEO practices and collective knowledge within the team can be achieved through training programs. When selecting online training options, prioritize those that provide a supportive community similar to an in-person class.

Access to Expert SEOs

Engaging SEO experts can greatly aid in educating management and implementing successful SEO strategies. These professionals, such as consultants or agencies, can offer recommendations through SEO audits, address specific questions or problems and develop organization-wide SEO strategies. It is important to choose an agency or consultant that aligns with your needs and offers customization options. Additionally, when hiring in-house SEO analysts, ask the right interview questions to ensure a suitable fit for your company.

Reasonable Expectations and a Willingness to Adapt

A vital aspect of successful SEO is maintaining reasonable expectations and being open to adaptation. It is crucial to understand that SEO strategies take time to yield results. While some improvements may have an immediate impact, significant and lasting outcomes may take months to materialize. SEO is not a quick-fix solution but a long-term investment. Trusting the expertise of SEO professionals and allowing them to make necessary changes is key. Embracing changes in Google algorithms, competition, and economic conditions is essential for continuous success.

Companies aiming for success in SEO should prioritize management support and company-wide commitment, invest in SEO education and training, leverage the expertise of SEO professionals, and maintain reasonable expectations while adapting to changes. By dedicating effort to these areas, companies can unlock the full potential of SEO and reap the long-term benefits it offers.

The post The 4 Critical Things Companies Need for SEO Success appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

That is because for SEO to succeed, everyone in the company has to be on board, from the C-suite down to IT. That includes all decision-makers and everyone who touches a company website.

In this article, I’ll briefly explain the roles that can benefit from a search engine optimization training course and why.

• Business owners / C-suite
• Marketing managers
• Content strategists / Creators
• IT professionals
• Newbie SEOs
• Experienced SEOs
• FAQ: How can different roles within a company benefit from search engine optimization training? 

Business Owners / C-Suite

You are a decision-maker if you own a small business or are an executive at a mid to large-sized company. That means you set the priorities and, often, allocate the budgets.

If you do not understand the fundamentals of search engine optimization and how it can drive revenue for your business, you likely won’t:

• Prioritize SEO
• Make good decisions about SEO

Sure, you could rely on your team to make a case for SEO to get buy-in, or you could take an SEO training course at your own pace to really boost your digital marketing know-how. (Tip: We have a Free Executive Guide to SEO one-hour video course that gives you the basics. And for you SEOs out there, get your boss to take this … it will make your life much easier.)

Given that many C-suite positions do not require technical digital skills, a search engine optimization training course complements continuing education company goals.

Marketing Managers

Managers hire the right people with the right skills and often stay out of the details. But first, marketing managers need to understand what are the right SEO skills they need to hire.

And once they hire the right person or people, they need to be able to have intelligent conversations about the company’s SEO strategy and where it’s headed.

These conversations need to be tailored to both the teams working on SEO and the C-suite. Research shows that when CMOs are able to master marketing strategy, their budgets are more likely to be protected during a downturn, and they enjoy a 48% longer tenure.

Marketing managers and all of their staff and contributors should consider our SEOtraining.com membership site. No matter how senior you are, you will find that a quality program like ours that standardizes the training across your teams can change your life even more than you would expect.

Content Strategists / Creators

Getting the content piece right in your company’s SEO strategy is one of the most important steps you can take.

Eighty-six percent of B2B companies are already using their website and blog to distribute content as part of their content marketing plan, according to data from the Content Marketing Institute’s 11th Annual B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends report.

Yet the majority of respondents reported their content marketing strategy was only “moderately successful.” What’s more, 60% said the creation of new web content contributed to their success. But only 37% reported search engine rankings as a marker of their results.

So content strategists and creators need to be able to understand:

• The importance of content in SEO
• What types of content matter in SEO
• How to create quality content for SEO
• How to optimize content for SEO
• How to track content performance in SEO

Creating quality content that can compete in the search results is the No. 1 reason that content strategists and creators take a search engine optimization training course.

Read more: How B2Bs Can Make Their Content Marketing Perform Better

IT Professionals

This one might be the most surprising to you. But we find that the IT department often slows down SEO initiatives in many companies.

It is absolutely essential that IT folks understand why they are receiving requests from the SEO team to make updates to the company website.

IT people usually have a packed schedule filled with fixing bugs, putting out fires, and addressing people’s requests. If they do not understand the importance of making changes for the SEO team, those SEO requests can get put on the “lower priority” list.

I wrote about this issue in an earlier article here and highlighted data showing technical fixes can take up to a month or more to implement on a website.

So if you can swing it, ensure your IT people take a search engine optimization training course too.

Newbie SEOs

Professionals who want to add SEO to their skill set, new SEO hires at a company, or switching careers can benefit from a search optimization training course. In fact, SEO training is one of the best ways to get up to speed quickly on the fundamentals of SEO.

Experienced SEOs

Why would an experienced SEO take an SEO training course? As a refresher, of course. While the fundamentals rarely change, how we go about doing them does. Plus, search engines and the industry as a whole are fast-moving, so there is always something new to learn.

In fact, we’ve had SEOs with many years of experience under their belt come back to Bruce Clay Inc. for training once per year as part of their continuing education. It’s also why we continually update and expand our course materials.

Final Thoughts

Anyone who touches your company website should understand SEO. This is especially important when you have multiple departments and teams all making decisions about the website.

That means every decision should consider the question: How will this impact our SEO? The downside of not doing so is that one ill-fated change can ruin a company’s rankings and traffic, which can directly impact revenue.

See a demo and find out more about what’s included in our SEO training and membership program.

FAQ: How can different roles within a company benefit from search engine optimization training?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has emerged as a pivotal strategy for businesses aiming to enhance their online presence and drive organic traffic. While SEO is often associated with marketing teams, its impact extends far beyond this domain. From business owners to IT professionals, diverse roles within a company can reap significant benefits from comprehensive SEO training.

Business owners and C-suite executives play a critical role in setting the direction and priorities of a company. A solid understanding of SEO fundamentals empowers them to make informed decisions directly impacting revenue. Prioritizing SEO becomes seamless when decision-makers comprehend its potential to drive organic traffic and elevate the company’s digital footprint.

For marketing managers, SEO training translates into strategic prowess. Armed with the right SEO skills, they can intelligently guide their teams and engage in meaningful conversations with the C-suite. Research reveals that mastering marketing strategy correlates with budget protection during economic downturns, emphasizing the need for well-rounded SEO education.

Content strategists and creators, on the other hand, hold the key to crafting compelling narratives that align with SEO goals. Understanding the significance of content in SEO, and mastering optimization techniques, empowers them to create quality content that resonates with both search engines and target audiences. Tracking content performance and optimizing accordingly ensures the content’s visibility and impact.

Surprisingly, IT professionals also stand to gain from SEO training. Often tasked with website maintenance, IT departments can inadvertently hinder SEO initiatives due to a lack of understanding. Bridging this gap through SEO training ensures that technical fixes are prioritized, minimizing delays and streamlining website optimization efforts.

Finally, both newbies and experienced SEOs find value in continuous learning. SEO is an ever-evolving field, and staying updated is crucial for success. Newcomers benefit from rapid skill acquisition, while experienced practitioners gain refreshed perspectives and insights, ensuring their strategies remain effective in the dynamic digital landscape.

Search Engine Optimization Training transcends conventional boundaries, enriching various roles within a company. Whether through informed decision-making, strategic marketing, optimized content creation, or streamlined IT collaboration, the ripple effects of SEO training contribute to holistic business growth and success.

Step-by-Step Procedure: Unlocking Business Success with SEO Training

1. Identify Role-Specific Benefits: Determine how SEO training aligns with the responsibilities of different roles within your company.
2. Evaluate Training Providers: Research and select reputable SEO training providers that offer comprehensive courses tailored to diverse professional needs.
3. Engage Decision-Makers: Convince business owners and C-suite executives of the strategic advantages of SEO training for informed decision-making.
4. Empower Marketing Managers: Encourage marketing managers to acquire SEO skills to guide teams effectively and secure a budget allocation.
5. Optimize Content Creation: Train content strategists and creators on content optimization techniques, including keyword integration and performance tracking.
6. Bridge IT Knowledge Gap: Enlighten IT professionals on the importance of SEO-related technical fixes and streamlining website optimization processes.
7. Encourage Ongoing Learning: Motivate both novice and experienced SEOs to embrace continuous learning to stay current with industry trends.
8. Set Training Objectives: Define specific goals for each role undergoing SEO training, ensuring relevance and practical application.
9. Customize Training Modules: Tailor training modules to address the unique requirements of each role, enhancing engagement and learning outcomes.
10. Implement Knowledge Transfer: Facilitate sharing of newly acquired SEO knowledge across departments, fostering a collaborative approach.
11. Measure Training Impact: Establish metrics to gauge the impact of SEO training on decision-making, content performance, and website optimization.
12. Track Organic Traffic Growth: Monitor website traffic trends post-training to quantify the positive impact of SEO education.
13. Promote Cross-Role Learning: Organize knowledge-sharing sessions where different roles exchange insights gained from SEO training.
14. Foster Continuous Improvement: Encourage iterative optimization of SEO strategies based on insights gained from training.
15. Align SEO with Business Goals: Showcase how SEO training aligns with overall business objectives, enhancing its perceived value.
16. Celebrate Success Stories: Highlight instances where SEO training led to tangible positive outcomes, inspiring others to embrace the training.
17. Invest in Advanced Training: For experienced SEOs, consider advanced training programs that delve deeper into specialized areas of SEO.
18. Stay Updated: Regularly review and update SEO training materials to reflect the latest industry trends and algorithm updates.
19. Facilitate Peer Learning: Foster a culture of continuous learning by encouraging peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and collaboration.
20. Leverage SEO Insights: Integrate insights gained from SEO training into broader business strategies, maximizing its transformative potential.

The post Who Should Take a Search Engine Optimization Training Course? appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

SEO training teaches you how to increase your website’s online visibility and traffic from search engines. More website traffic means more potential sales. Search engine optimization is a specialty, but every type of digital marketing job now requires some level of SEO knowledge. It’s that foundational.

Now more than ever, professionals and businesses are looking to level up their digital marketing. Marketers want to sharpen their SEO skills to make them better candidates and to create more business value. Businesses want to learn more about SEO to better compete in the search results and drive more revenue from it.

That’s when they turn to SEO training. But what exactly is SEO training — what are the choices in 2021, and how do you choose the best way to learn?

As someone who has been helping people learn SEO for more than two decades, I’ll provide the answers AND a long-awaited announcement, so read on!

In this article, let’s discuss:

• Why take SEO training
• What types of SEO training exist
• What’s new in SEO training
• What will you learn in SEO training
• How do you choose
• FAQ: How does SEO training contribute to better job opportunities in digital marketing?

Why Take SEO Training?

Answer me this: What’s the biggest reason someone would take an SEO training course rather than just go it alone? I mean, there are lots of website articles you can read with how-tos and advice from many different sources. So why take a course?

The answer: The best SEO training course organizes the chaos, filters out the wrong information, and educates you in record time.

Training should present concepts layer upon layer in an organized way. An SEO course should give you a solid foundation before advanced techniques. And when you finish the course, you should have a solid understanding and feel confident to apply what you’ve learned.

What Types of SEO Training Exist?

There are a lot of ways you can obtain an SEO education in 2021.

Online training: Online SEO training has been growing in popularity. This includes everything from introductory to technical content and can range from single webinars to virtual conferences to complete courses that take a deep dive into how to do SEO.

When it comes to online courses, there are a variety of formats as well, including:

• The prerecorded course that may or may not have live interaction
• The live, interactive course with real-time instruction
• The free online video course (a la YouTube)
• The paid online course
• Some combination of the above

Classroom training: Things are a little different now than they were a year ago, to say the least. Prior to 2020, our popular in-person SEO training was the primary format for how we delivered SEO training, be it in our SEO classroom here in Southern California, at a conference somewhere in the U.S., or our global on-site training.

The classroom setting offers advantages like personal interaction with experts, a tailored training experience, and even networking opportunities.

If in-person learning is more your style, not to worry: we’ll see classroom training come back soon. In fact, I’m tentatively planning to hold a small SEO training class later in 2021, all things permitting. But that doesn’t stop you from getting trained sooner through virtual learning opportunities.

Books: It’s worth mentioning books as a category of SEO training. SEO books can be a great way to introduce yourself to SEO, supplement what you already know, or serve as a reference guide when you get stuck. (Shameless plug: Check out my 700-plus page SEO for Dummies book as a primer.)

You can mix and match these formats throughout the year to stay on top of SEO. Or, you can find an all-inclusive training option — which leads me to an announcement …

What’s New in SEO Training?

I am excited to announce that for the first time ever, Bruce Clay SEO Training is now available online!

What’s new is that we’ve expanded SEO training into more than just a course. Our new site, SEOtraining.com, is membership-based to provide a comprehensive, ongoing SEO training experience.

Members get the full training course with online benefits such as on-demand access and self-paced learning. In addition, membership includes resources such as ebooks, deep-dive mini-courses, a discussion forum, new content as its released, a subscription to our SEO tools, and even live events such as a monthly Q&A session with me.

Watch the trailer and then head over to SEOtraining.com if you’d like to learn more.

What Will I Learn in SEO Training?

SEO training can teach you everything from the very basics of how to understand search engines to more technical SEO strategies that will keep your website primed for organic traffic.
As an example of what you should expect to learn in an SEO training program, I’ll share the sections that I cover in our curriculum:

1. The Importance of SEO
2. SEO Concepts
3. Meet the Search Engines
4. Website Anatomy
5. Search Now & In the Future
6. Content for SEO
7. Mobile SEO & Page Experience
8. Local Search
9. Linking Strategies
10. Siloing Concepts
11. Technical SEO
12. Best Practices

SEO Training: How Do I Choose?

Of course, there is no standardized way of doing SEO training. The same goes for actually doing SEO. So your SEO education will vary widely depending on who you’re learning from. That’s why it’s important to vet your instructors.

Especially when you are investing money into training, make sure to:

• Get to know the reputation, expertise, and authority of the instructor(s) and company leading the training.
• Look at attendees’ reviews and testimonials, which are usually featured along with the course. (If there are no reviews or so-so reviews, move on.) If you’re curious, you can even check out our SEO training reviews.

Even if you aren’t investing money, you want to make sure you are getting sound SEO advice. Bad SEO advice will ultimately cost you in the long run in the form of poor rankings and possibly even search engine penalties.

If you want to be the person who understands exactly what to do to improve your organic rankings and traffic, you need solid SEO training. Check out our new SEOtraining.com today!

FAQ: How does SEO training contribute to better job opportunities in digital marketing?

Staying ahead in the fast-paced digital marketing arena requires having an in-depth knowledge of how consumer engagement occurs online, and visibility occurs via SEO training; this basic skill offers many career options.

SEO training is integral to professional development, equipping professionals with the knowledge and abilities necessary to enhance a brand’s online presence. By mastering keyword research, content optimization, and technical SEO, individuals can position websites to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This directly translates to increased organic traffic, a key performance metric that businesses value.

Moreover, SEO training goes beyond website optimization. Employers that recognize SEO’s value in business growth will appreciate such expertise. This involves understanding user behaviors, search engine algorithms, and digital marketing trends – an array of information employers are eager to hear about when hiring someone with such knowledge.

A distinct advantage of SEO training is its versatility across industries. SEO principles remain constant in e-commerce, content creation, and social media. This adaptability empowers professionals to explore diverse job roles, from SEO specialists and content strategists to digital marketing managers.

In addition to technical skills, SEO training hones critical analytical abilities. Professionals learn to dissect website performance metrics, derive insights from data, and make informed decisions to refine strategies. This blend of creativity and data-driven decision-making is a hallmark of successful digital marketers.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, staying updated is paramount. Reputable SEO training programs cover the fundamentals and emphasize staying current with industry trends. This proactive approach ensures professionals can navigate algorithm updates and emerging technologies, solidifying their credibility as experts.

SEO training is a transformative force in digital marketing, unlocking many job opportunities for those who invest in honing their skills. The ability to drive organic traffic, adapt to changing algorithms, and decipher analytics are invaluable assets in a competitive job market. By enrolling in credible SEO training programs, aspiring digital marketers can embark on a journey of growth, expertise, and limitless potential.

Step-by-Step Procedure: How to Leverage SEO Training for Enhanced Job Opportunities in Digital Marketing

1. Understand the Basics: Familiarize yourself with the foundational concepts of SEO, including keywords, on-page and off-page optimization, and user intent.
2. Choose Reputable Training Programs: Research and enroll in recognized SEO training courses from reputable institutions or online platforms.
3. Keyword Research Mastery: Learn how to conduct thorough keyword research to identify high-impact keywords relevant to your target audience.
4. Content Optimization: Understand the nuances of optimizing website content, including incorporating keywords naturally, structuring headings, and enhancing readability.
5. Technical SEO Proficiency: Gain expertise in technical aspects such as website speed optimization, mobile responsiveness, and structured data implementation.
6. Stay Current: Continuously educate yourself about the latest SEO trends, algorithm updates, and best practices through blogs, forums, and industry publications.
7. Data Analysis Skills: Develop the ability to analyze website performance metrics using tools like Google Analytics to identify areas for improvement.
8. Create a Strong Portfolio: Showcase your SEO skills by working on personal or volunteer projects and document the results achieved.
9. Networking: Attend industry events, webinars, and conferences to connect with fellow professionals and potential employers.
10. Build a Personal Brand: Establish a strong online presence through blogging, social media, and sharing valuable SEO and digital marketing insights.
11. Apply for Internships: Gain practical experience by applying for internships or entry-level positions in digital marketing agencies or companies with robust online platforms.
12. Adaptability: Embrace the ever-changing nature of digital marketing and SEO and demonstrate your ability to adapt to new algorithms and technologies.
13. Certifications: Pursue relevant certifications such as Google Ads and Analytics certifications to bolster your credibility.
14. Craft a Standout Resume: Highlight your SEO training, skills, and practical experience in your resume tailored for digital marketing roles.
15. Prepare for Interviews: Anticipate questions about SEO strategies, challenges, and your approach to driving organic traffic.
16. Demonstrate Results: During interviews, discuss specific instances where your SEO efforts led to improved search rankings, organic traffic, or conversions.
17. Soft Skills Matter: Emphasize soft skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, which are vital for success in digital marketing roles.
18. Continuous Learning: Commit to ongoing learning and skill development to maintain your edge in the competitive digital marketing landscape.
19. Negotiate Strategically: When presented with job offers, negotiate based on your expertise, the value you bring, and industry standards.
20. Stay Passionate: Cultivate a genuine passion for SEO and digital marketing, as your enthusiasm and dedication will set you apart in your career journey.

By following these steps, you can leverage your SEO training to unlock a world of job opportunities and excel in the dynamic field of digital marketing.

The post What Is SEO Training? appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..