Being new to the world of SEO consulting, I have had to learn to communicate with civilians, and those who do not have a consultancy do not know how hard it is. I really love it though, it's great getting away from my own sites and computer to talk to people with local businesses about website marketing.
I don't know about every area, but there is gold in them thar hills. There is a huge, cavernous gap between what your average SEO guys know and what a local business person knows. That knowledge is worth something.
It's actually very good for picking up old domains as well ;)
Here are some of the things I have learned.
- Not everyone cares about RSS
- People have not heard of linkbait
- Myspace and Youtube are what people think is social media
- Businesses are sitting on goldmines with crusty old domains that are not optimised.
- Being passionate about search gets people interested.
- Compared to my blogroll I am small fish, out in the real world I am an expert.
- Education is a huge part of seo consultancy
Interesting links about SEO consulting
How to Chose an SEO Firm
10 Steps To a Successful SEO Relationship
Look Before You Leap - What to Look For and Look Out For When Choosing an SEO/SEM Firm
What I have realised is that I should have got into SEO consultancy years ago. Working on other peoples sites is a great way to learn more about the world of online marketing. Business owners who know little about the web actually teach you things that you could never learn simply by sucking on that RSS teat.
This blog is a product of wanting to become an SEO consultant, the funny thing is the blog has been wildly more successful than I expected.
Of course, it's not for everyone. Social and communication skills are a must, although I feel these can be learned. If you haven't got a stable base already it can be hard chasing down those first few leads, but afterword gets around referrals start coming in.
I really like the fact I am helping my local community rank with some of the big boys. Although dealing with corporates is not for me, too frustrating. I am happy being a local SEO consultant for now.