17 replies to this topic

[RiYo]

Perhaps a strange question, but ...

WHEN are you ready to start offering your knowledge to other people?

There are tons of so called 'experts' asking too much money, but what are general rules for people that want to go into the SEO field to know if they are still too green or that they know enough to give it a go!

RiYo

[Scottie]

I'd say experience.

Theory is a good grounding, but you have to see it in action to "get it". If you don't have willing "clients" (ie, family & friends) to let you use their sites as playgrounds, create a few sites of your own and play with them. It's always a good idea to have a few sites you can use for testing when things change so often...

[Jill]

I'd say you'd need to be able to show results. The proof is in the pudding.

[oneofthe3lions]

exactly.. you need to be able to say, i did this site, that site, look it makes sales!

[ewc21]

Portfolio, proof of success, case studies, testimonials will motivate you to continue pursuing a career that initially got positive results.

[Karri]

Referrals and word of mouth are also great ways to acquire clients who may otherwise not feel comfortable with a "newbie." Many people would rather go with a newbie they know by association (ie. your were referred to them from a trusted source) than someone they have not met or do not know anything about personally.

Networking is EVERYTHING but especially if you are just starting out. And you can build your networks virtually or locally the old fashioned way. All depends on your target market and how you like to do business.

Attitude is the other biggie. You can sell what you DO know and the expertise you DO have without putting up smoke and mirrors. People like honesty. Don't sell yourself short.

Karri

[marclindsay]

Yes I would have to agree with above,

My starting out story is kind of funny and actually happened without me really even knowing it. Left butterfly's in my stomach making me wonder if I was doing the right thing.

I did

Now I have many clients and websites where I can not only show what rankings they have achieved, but also place a financial figure to the increase in relavent searches.

Its not just about ranking someone, but also determining what keyphrase or what type of searches are going to provide you with the most benefit.

Jump in there with some of your own sites, pick a subject that is easy yet rewarding to start with (SEO wise) to help build your confidence.

Then take it from there

[robbinsr]

One good test might be your own site used to advertise your SEO services. If you can't get your own site to rank high enough to bring in directed traffic, and if you can't then convert that traffic, then you probably can't do it for others either. On the other hand, once your own site starts to bring in customers, who found you and weren't referred to you, then I would say you are in. How's that sound?

[Catdynamics]

Just jump in and get your feet wet!

Many people (myself included) wait and keep thinking to themselves.... but am I qualified enough yet?

Well you won't know until you try, and when you do there will be successes and failures. However from these you will learn more and increase your confidence a lot quicker than not doing it.

In life coaching theory they call this "stepping into your profession", you become an SEO expert when you decide you are one.


Chris.

[Michael Martinez]

You're qualified when you've mastered the secret handshake and are admitted to the inner sanctum at the next regular meeting of the Secret Society of Search Placement Professionals.

While I deplore the lack of standards in our industry, it's young and growing, and people are ready to get out there and make a try when they feel ready. I hate to put it so blithely, but it's a sink or swim environment. No one ever enjoys 100% success. Through the years, I've seen all the major names in the business start out an article or forum post with the equivalent of, "Had a client who was doing quite well until recently, and then ...."

So everyone suffers some setbacks, even the bestest folks with the mostest experience.

How you handle those setbacks and the successes will establish your professionalism. And the less often you join in the gleeful flaming that some so-called SEO professionals love to engage in, the more often I'll be be likely to call you a true professional.

If you can respect a diverse set of points of view, be flexible, and yet remain focused and accomplish results, I think you're qualified to do most jobs in this industry. It's a continuous learning experience. Some people forget that.

[ewc21]

.. when you are ready to accept that some of your best efforts won't work.

[sgceo]

when you are on the top position for a few tough competition keywords as a prove of testmonials.

[maleman]

WHEN are you ready to start offering your knowledge to other people?

You're ready when they offer you the shot.

No matter what business you get into, selling yourself is the key.

If you can't dazzle em with charm........baffle em with BS.

[rogerbauer]

"Expert" is a term thrown around rather loosely especially in this particular field. What really makes someone an expert? There are a lot of people who have produced consistent results that may not know everything. Does that make them unqualified to do the work? I'd say they're plenty qualified based on the results. Then again, you have the flip side of that--the guy/gal who studies every blog, forum, piece of literature, case study, etc. and doesn't get consistent top results. Does that mean they don't know what they're talking about or doing? Not necessarily.

It's been posted on here already, but a lack of standards puts our "industry" at a disadvantage because anyone can jump in and call themselves an expert because they have solid knowledge. Many can do pretty good work with a limited skill and tool set. Each circumstance is different so I say jump in and get your feet wet. Learning by doing is much more effective.

Bottom line: you don't know what you don't know until you don't know it.


If there were an SEO certification, who would be the governing authority to endorse such a certification? It can't be one of the search engines because that would create all sorts of chaos with the other search providers. You could have a search engine provide a certification for their engine ONLY, but they are very careful to keep their organic results unbiased. If they started offering a certification in SEO for their engine, they'd lose that. Then again, there is a great revenue opportunity for the engines to offer an SEO certification so maybe it happens before long. Search eventually becomes just like any other piece of software--you'll have general practitioners and certified experts. I'm not sure that's the path they want to go, but it's an interesting dilemma for certain.

[ChipJohns]

If you ask your flight instructor, "Am I ready to land on my own?" You're not ready. If you have to ask, you are probably not ready. But, you may be more qualified than you think.

The saying goes, " You learn to doggie paddle before you learn to swim." Know what you can accomplish and know what you can't. It's alright to press on beyond your comfort zone, this is the only way to grow, however, just make sure you control how you do it.

Bite off enough so that you can learn and grow; don't bite off enough to choke and die...

Just as your first web site probably wasn't a big e-comerce site for Best Buy, or a million dollar web application for some big corporation, keep it simple with local mom and pop web businesses. Find out what you know and find out what you don't. See what you can make happen and find out what your strengths are and where you are lacking. Read, study, apply, grow, and then do it again, and again...

Above all, make sure that no matter what happens your client has gotten his money's worth and you will be okay. Make this happen one way or another.