8 replies to this topic

[PatrickGer]

I'm fairly inquisitive & people always ask me to do research for them (including 1 SEO Im friends with). I think doing deep research might be my main strength by far, and Im wondering if I could specialize in it.

Are there any such niches in the SEO job market? e.g. doing competitive research (what competing companies / websites in your market place are doing), research for upcoming projects, research for content, researching how the algorithm is changing, etc.... ?

If I remember correctly you/Michael Martinez do pretty much that (or am I confusing something, now? I think I also remember you said you didnt do much work for other people anymore). I also know that another mod of a well-known SEO forum seems to specialize in doing pretty much nothing but research. Obviously, I won't be in that kind of position anytime soon... just exploring this..

Are there any such options, I might have (other than doing keyword research which Im afraid I might find a bit dull to specialize in)?

[Jill]

I would imagine there are a lot of companies who would appreciate competitive research.

Researching future changes in the algorithms would be a waste of time, imo. You only need to care about that if you're exploiting holes in the current one (spamming).

[PatrickGer]

Do you know if (many) companies are doing the competitive research thing (in-house or through consultants), already? or would I have to try to carve out a completely new niche...?

Any idea what kind of aspects competitive research might involve (that companies might appreciate)?

I really just used the word because I had heard it before :-)

[Jill]

Many do competitive research, but I'm not sure if any are solely doing that. I could be a good niche. It's one of the things I don't like to do so I imagine others might not also, making it something good to outsource.

[Michael Martinez]

If I remember correctly you/Michael Martinez do pretty much that (or am I confusing something, now? I think I also remember you said you didnt do much work for other people anymore). I also know that another mod of a well-known SEO forum seems to specialize in doing pretty much nothing but research. Obviously, I won't be in that kind of position anytime soon... just exploring this..

I am a theorist, but that's not my job title. The research is just part of my responsibility. At my present job and my last one research has been an important part of the role I play in company SEO.

Based on my job search last year, I had the impression that a lot of companies do expect their high-level SEO managers/directors to stay current in the field but they rarely use words like "research" or "theory" in their job descriptions. Some job listings specifically call for research or theoretical work but only within the framework of a larger set of duties.

I would guess there are probably between 50 and 200 people like me in the industry, whose functions are grounded in theory and research that contributes to practical application of SEO. Perhaps that's an under estimate. After all, just about every SEO agency would want to stay current in the field. You'll find that conferences attract several thousand attendees across the US and in Europe.

The research goes beyond attending conferences and reading blogs and forums. You have to compile information, analyze it, and test strategies based on what you conclude. The theory tries to explain what is happening and why it's happening in a credible, scientific way.

There are no full-time positions for this kind of work. My current and past jobs required me to spend about 30-40% of my time doing theory and research.

Take that for what it's worth.

[PatrickGer]

thanks for the 2 replies Michael & Jill!

Any of you happen to have an idea about "online journalism"? I happened to read a little bit about it the other day
(and other new fields that are being created online), and was wondering if that could be interesting for someone inquisitive (it probably involves a lot of research, too in the right fields?).

Any of you know someone who works as an online journalist full-time?
(wondering if this overlaps a bit with an understanding of SEO, too)

really just a wild idea! (maybe in the future and all..)

[Jill]

I would imagine an online journalist is simply a blogger. Or anyone who writes for any of the numerous online publications that exist.

[Michael Martinez]

I agree with Jill. I don't think "online journalism" has really defined itself...yet. Traditional journalists seem to have looked down their noses at the concept even as bloggers have gradually put them out of business.

Danny Sullivan might exemplify what an online journalist is or does.

[PatrickGer]

I agree with Jill. I don't think "online journalism" has really defined itself...yet. Traditional journalists seem to have looked down their noses at the concept even as bloggers have gradually put them out of business.

Danny Sullivan might exemplify what an online journalist is or does.

interesting..thanks! I came across that term the other day..I think it was in an e-book on google books that the SERPs led me to.