Advice for the SEO/SEM Upstart

For those of you webmasters or individuals with HTML skills out there, I wanted to write this post for your. You may or may not have heard of Search Engine Marketing or Search Engine Optimization. But you may be trying to make a decision on whether of not to join in to a fast growing industry. Let me say this 5 years ago I was in the same situation. I was just out of college with an entry level potential in several areas of programming. I can remember the day vividly. Sitting down at my kitchen table and looking through the help wanted section of the newspaper, I came across a two line ad. HTML experience wanted Submit resume to .... A few days later I received a call for an interview, so in I went knowing nothing about what type of HTML experience they were needing.

After my interview was over I learned they were looking for someone to help out with the new SEO department. They explained to me what it was and at the end of the interview they asked me back for a second interview. On the drive home I was thinking to myself I don't know about this SEO stuff is it really something I can make a career of? By the time I got to my second interview I still hadn't decided if this was right for me. It was a on a Friday afternoon so they were nice enough to give me the weekend to think it over. It took me a talking to a few of my friends and family members and I decided to give it a go...Now 5 years later I look back at that few moments of indecision and laugh. I laugh because I almost missed a great opportunity. I have grown with a successful company through several promotions and I now oversee the SEO and PPC departments as the Director of Search Marketing. Not to shabby. Don't get me wrong there have been many long days of work, a few weekends here and there and a lot of hard work in there as well to get me where I am today.

It has been worth every second, I get to compete with some of the best minds in the country. I can see my efforts pay off for my customer through increased revenue and additional website traffic. If you are willing to never stop learning as the internet can change in the blink of an eye. And you can't let yourself get discouraged if your technique doesn't improve your clients rankings at first. Keep looking into the leading industry websites, forums and blogs to soak up as much information as you can to become better. And the when you find out what works you have to realize that it is what works for now and not what is going to work in a year from now. That is the nature of our business but that is why I love it.