Cheech Foo is an SEO Agency Consultant in Perth. Here, he defines SEO and his role in the agency; and, provides an insight into the skills needed to work in the world of digital marketing.
So, what is SEO?
SEO is an acronym that stands for Search Engine Optimisation. As defined by SEMPO, this is the process of editing a website’s content and code in order to improve visibility within one or more search engines. When this term is used to describe an individual, it stands for ‘Search Engine Optimiser’ or one who performs SEO.
First Thing in the Morning
I start by scanning my emails and catching up on the latest news via industry blogs such as Search Engine Land and Moz. It is important as a Consultant and Strategist to keep up with all the market updates; we work in a very fast moving industry.
Next, I meet with the team and discuss all the projects that are on hand. Being in an SEO agency, it’s important to work as a team. We share our wins and challenges and bounce ideas off each other constantly.
The Bulk of the Time…
Is spent primarily on the following activities: Service Delivery, Training and Project Management.
Service delivery is the actual ‘doing’ of the work itself. This can include anything from researching the best keywords to target, to auditing a website to determine any opportunities to improve the search visibility and coming up with different strategies to get publishers to link back to the client website. Because it’s a good mix of analytical vs. creative work, it is very attractive for those who want the best of both worlds.
Training, for the delivery of good work, is a key part of being an SEO Consultant. We have regular training sessions to ensure a high level of common knowledge as well as good depth of specialised skills amongst the team.
Lastly, Project Management is the time spent organising the project that is separate from doing the actual work. This can include going over to client offices across Perth to discuss SEO strategies, holding meetings at our own offices or setting up conference calls via Skype. It can also include the setup of new client projects on our project management platform. A typical consultant can manage anywhere from five to 15 accounts, at any one time, so being able to juggle tasks is a crucial skill.
End of Day
I try to wrap up whatever we are working on and make notes so the work can continue seamlessly the next day. I spend time with my team to make sure they are getting the guidance they need. Sometimes, consultants are required to work into the night. In the marketing world, when things need to be done, they just need to be done!
The Fun Things
Apart from working hard and creating success for our clients, we also enjoy ourselves. On Fridays we encourage the team to go out for lunch, so we can get to enjoy each other’s company more.
To Sum Things Up…
Being in SEO is a cross-section between the IT and the marketing industry. If you are looking to join and succeed in this space, you should be disciplined, persistent, eager and open to learning, able to work both individually and collaboratively and, most important of all, passionate about the industry and what we are trying to achieve; that is, to create real value, online, for the clients in the form of sales and leads.
