Careers in Search

Engine Optimization

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Myth #1
“SEO is for technical
people"
Though the execution requires awareness of basic
technology, the ‘brain’ must be that of a marketer.

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Myth #2
SEO is largely submission to
search engines. It is
monotonous"
Seriously, which world do you inhabit.
Very little time of a SEO professional
goes into this

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Lets step back a little
and look at the online
advertising category

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Online advertising is doing
well.

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 It’s growing in spite of the
recession in the US.
Video ads slated to grow by 45% in 2009, Search ads `by
15%- eMarketeer, Nov 2008)

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And in India, a look at the spend of
the top 500 advertisers...

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Why is digital
advertising so hot…?

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Dude, there is no
other option !
 

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Traditional Marketing is
‘Interruption Marketing’ and yet so
expensive !!

A 10 second ad on IPL last year was priced around 5-10

lacs. Imagine watching an ad just before the last over of a
match : What kind of retention can it possibly have ?

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Online advertising is personal and
relevant.

In SEM, the classified ads depend on the search

query. In banner ads, the banner shown depends
on the section or the kind of article being read.

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Flexibility

Things go wrong. And when they go wrong on, its

difficult to go back on commitments on TV and Radio.

In the digital space, campaign 'modulation' is a few

clicks away

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So why is TV and outdoor
still around, you may ask..

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(1) Because of ‘reach’ : The large advertisers
have no option but to resort to TV for mass
campaigns

Figures above are for INDIA

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To be noted : for the ‘teen’ audiences,
the ‘viewership’ for social networks is
in fact MORE than even TV.

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And (2) because Old habits
die hard.

Media buyers and creative folks need

new skills to do campaigns on digital. And
they are still learning those.

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SEO is an integral part
of digital advertising
 

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Understanding target audience search behavior
and category competition is the foundation of a
planned SEO activity.

That’s why it is not a ‘technical’ activity.

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At the implementation level,
SEO is sometimes at tussle with
creative

A fine balance needs to be achieved

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The category as a
career choice...
 

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Education is not a barrier to achieve
success in this category. Ample
opportunities for freelancing.

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Fifteen years back, the world started
outsourcing software service to India.
Seven year back, it was BPO.

Today, the world outsources SEO to

India. Look at the client list of some
specialist agencies in India
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 There are some SEO skills which
are plain vanilla
Basic knowledge of HTML and meta tag family.

Thorough understanding of how search engines algorithms

work (Google, Yahoo!, & MSN). Staying on top of latest
developments.

Experience with link building, article & PR submission and

RSS feeds.

Being able to write well : You'll need to write web page copy,
press releases, case studies, newsletters, and blog posts.

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 Some advanced skills which can
really get
Knowledge of various Content Management Systems is a
Plus- this ensures good results with CMS backed sites.

Understanding of site analytic tools (e.g. WebTrends, Google

Analytics

And some finer stuff which is always welcome

# how to make another site WANT to link to me
# how to write an additional page on a certain topic without
looking like a spammer
# how to leverage news coverage

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Example of an actual profile
 The ideal candidate will have experience performing
SEO using a variety of analytics tools, and be
comfortable working with cross-functional teams.

 Understand the major factors that influence organic

search crawling, indexing and keyword ranking. Always
be up to date on the latest trends and best practices in
the industry.

 Perform search engine optimization activities, including

but not limited to: keyword research and ranking
analysis, competitive market analysis, keyword friendly
copywriting, and analysis of our site’s implementation
of SEO best practices.

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Example of an actual profile
 Work with IT, Web and Marketing teams to implement site
architecture, page content, blogging strategy, meta tags, and press
release changes for best practices.

 Research, identify, and establish link partnerships with web sites

within our space.

 Track metrics, including referrals, link popularity, rankings, and

saturation. Proactively present program recommendations and
quantified benefits in order to advance program goals and
objectives.

 Coordinate with management of paid search programs for Blue

Nile to understand and optimize SEO in light of SEM activities.

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 Salaries

• 1.5 – 2 lacs per annum in the beginning.

• Would rise to 5-7 lacs per annum
after say 3-4 years

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Here is where we come
in :)

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 Some of the things we will cover
in the ‘Basic’ level
• Basic differences between the way Google,
Yahoo and MSN ranks web pages.
• What kinds of keywords are easier to optimize.
How to judge competitiveness of a keyword.
• How is SEO implemented in CMS packages.
• Common on-page SEO mistakes
• How is usability and information architecture
linked to SEO ? What do search engines like
• Vertical seo : mobile, local and international
• How to make a SEO Maintenance Plan.

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 Some of the topics we will cover
in the Advanced level
• Digital Asset Management for the site : Going beyond
the traditional text SEO
• Recent changes which have made it possible to make
Flash files search engine friendly.
• Case studies of websites which have unique tech issues
where fixing of meta tags and SEO friendly content is
not the only factor to get top ranks
• SEO writing and Information planning for large content
driven websites
• Working with sub-domains
• Working with Google Webmaster tools
 
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Learning Catalyst :
‘For those who like to learn
but don’t like to be taught’
We offer learning programs in Web Marketing and
Web Technology. (Instructor-led and Online)
www.learningcatalyst.in
Mumbai office - 91 22 26135780
enquiry@learningcatalyst.in

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