13 replies to this topic

[whiteFox]

Evening everyone!

A week or so ago I was browsing the articles at A List Apart when I came across www.alistapart.com/articles/accessibilityseo about how accessibility fits nicely into SEO. As a web designer of 4 years, I'd never even heard of SEO before. After finishing the article and doing a bit of research, I found that SEO was something that I could definitely see myself doing. I'm a huge proponent of accessibility and usability in web design, often forgoing flashy sites with glitz and glammor for the more subtle and clean ones.

A bit about me. I'll be graduating university this June and would love to pursue SEO at a professional level. I have a high degree of knowledge in more static page design, including XHTML, CSS, and a bit of XML/XSLT thrown in on the side. I've also been becoming more interested in creating simple dynamic pages using JavaScript and a smattering of PHP. I also do lots of graphic work with Photoshop and am rather familiar with Dreamweaver and Fireworks for sites that need a more graphic feel to them. My other interests are technical writing, instructional design, and content development.

I'm wondering what with my current skills and degree, how viable would I be starting out in the SEO business? I'll have a rent-free house to live in after graduation, already have the physical equipment and such (i.e. computer, fax, software), so startup costs would be minimal. I'd consider myself largely charismatic and eager to work.

I'm glad to be a part of the community and I look forward to learning all I can about what seems to be a great industry!

Edited by qwerty, 14 February 2006 - 07:02 PM.

[qwerty]

Welcome, whiteFox

Sorry, but I had to remove the live link you'd posted per our [url=http://www.highrankings.com/forum/index.php?act=boardrules]Forum Rules[/url].

I think that having experience in creating sites using clean code, combined with an interest in SEO certainly put you at a good starting point. I'm not sure how you'll get your first client, however, as SEO is a growing field and people who don't really know what they're doing seem to be announcing themselves as gurus every other day. Because of that, you may have a hard time getting attention right away.

You may want to consider volunteering your skills to non-profits in order to get a few sites in your portfolio, or taking an entry-level position with an online marketing firm.

Or, you can take your time learning and build a site that will serve as a great resource for the SEO community. That'll draw attention from more established people in the business, and networking can be a great way to start.

[whiteFox]

Thanks for the fast response! No worries about removing the live link, I understand the need to do so.

As a way to build up a portfolio, I was considering offering some pro bono work to local non-profits before establishing myself as any sort of authority on SEO, so what you said definitely is a great plan of action.

I was also considering holding down a part-time job to have some form of income to pay for travel expenses, bills and other things, maybe an option would be to do contract web marketing?

In regards to starting my own site, I have been tossing around the idea of creating a resource hub of SEO knowledge, mostly for my own education, but that definitely can be used as a community portal. I'm wondering though how viable a site would be that relies solely on links to other sites' articles. If permission to link is given, does that constitute a justifiable site?

Thanks again and I'm going to have a blast with all this learning going on!

[Michael Martinez]

Depending on where you're located, some of the larger Internet services firms in your region may have some entry level positions for people interested in SEO.

[Jill]

Welcome whiteFox!

Have you thought about signing up for the High Rankings® Seminar? That would put you at quite an advantage over all the other wanna-be SEOs out there. Seriously.

[davidfromraleigh]

Welcome Whitefox

I'm glad to be a part of the community and I look forward to learning all I can about what seems to be a great industry!

I'm glad you're here as well and it is a great industry as long as you are plugged into the right networks. HR Forum is one of the better places to be plugged into as far as I'm concerned.

High Rankings® Seminar would be a great place to get ahead of the game. This forum, as a general rule except for qwerty ( just kidding qwerty ), will help you grow a lot in the industry. Read through the forum and you'll find a lot and I mean a lot of helpful information.

As far as starting out in SEO, it is not the easiest thing you'll ever do. However, it's very rewarding to be able to make a difference. So if you have the passion for it, give it all you got, learn all you can and experiment with your own site. I think your non-profit idea pro-bono is good also.

Best of Success to you and keep us up to date,

David


Had to edit because I couldn't spell qwerty right the first time. I spelled it Gwerty. Maybe I should just call him by his real name.

Edited by davidfromraleigh, 14 February 2006 - 11:40 PM.

[meta]

In regards to starting my own site, I have been tossing around the idea of creating a resource hub of SEO knowledge, mostly for my own education, but that definitely can be used as a community portal. I'm wondering though how viable a site would be that relies solely on links to other sites' articles. If permission to link is given, does that constitute a justifiable site?

You could do much more to distinguish yourself as an authority by creating a site with original material. And I suggest that you put your first efforts into addressing your prospective customers, rather than your colleagues. Identify some group that you'd like to have as customers and create a site with information of interest to them. Provide information on the value of SEO, good web design and other services that you offer to that audience.

For example, let's say you want to have local dentists as customers. What do they care about that you can offer as a web designer and SEO? They want to promote their practices, attract new clients and keep current ones happy. So - you could post articles on the role of a website in promoting a dental practice, explain the features of a good dental practice website, list ways to promote the website, and so on. Include material of general educational interest to dentists, not just advertising for yourself. Do some keyword research and use your own site as a place to work on your SEO skills and make sure those local dentists will find you in a web search. Talk to the local dental professional group and offer to give them a presentation on the elements of a good dental website. And so on...

[Robin]

Hi whiteFox,

Sounds like you've got a good start, knowing a lot about web design is an excellent place to be coming from.

As some of the other members pointed out, it can be a bit challenging to get into the industry but all you really need is one decent client who you do an awesome job for. The word of mouth will take care of everything from there.

Non-profit work could be alright and helps the community, but you could also consider doing some SEO for one of your own sites. Have a read online of how to find a good market and then create a site which you SEO. This will give you tangible results (as well as some cash hopefully) and will also let you experience the types of people/competitors/spammers/useful techniques in the industry.

When you first start up in the SEO industry you need to be wary of the many spammers out there promoting dodgy products. There is definitely an art to SEOing a site using real online buzz instead of whatever the latest scam is.

It's a great feeling, seeing that site get to the top of your keyword though.

Oh, on another note it's probably not a bad idea to have a part time job on the side while you're just getting started as if money isn't coming in regularly things can get stressful and nobody wants that!

[kid disco]

Welcome whiteFox! Why don't you continue being a web designer and offer some basic SEO as part of your services... then take it from there...!

[prawin]

Welcome
Whitefox
You have all you need to enter either in Web Design or SEO
Just go confident and u will get success
My best wishes

[Keith Cash]

Welcome Whitefox;

Pick a website that is accessible and easy to work for, other than your own, use this site as a reference of your work in the SEO area.

Good luck

[Selie]

Hey Whitefox - what did you decide to do? I'm interested because I'm also a recent grad (as of May) just getting started with an entry-level SEO position in an internet marketing firm, like some of the people on this forum recommended to you. I guess it's just exciting to see someone else who'll be starting off essentially at my level. Everybody else seems to have a lot of experience in SEO and/or marketing. (Of course, I don't have your coding experience - I've just got very basic skills in that field, with most of my skills and experience being writing and editing.)

I found that technical writing seemed like a pretty financially fulfilling job and landing a job seemed like a definite possibility, but the technical writers I talked to said that it can kill your love of writing for fun. Copy writing and SEO stuff seems to be avoiding that problem, at least so far.

Mostly I just wanted to know what you decided to do and how it's going!

[AJA]

Welcome whiteFox!

Have you thought about signing up for the High Rankings® Seminar? That would put you at quite an advantage over all the other wanna-be SEOs out there. Seriously.

Jill Hi once again

Its me the newbieie

Do you have advice as to were in Australia I might find somethin Similar to your Seminars?

Regards Aja

[Scottie]

Holy cow- it's almost this thread's first birthday!

Check out Search Summit happening next month.