Looking to become an SEO pro?

These 4 skills are just what you need.

Best of all:

You can master all these skills on your own. SEO’s still largely left out of college curricula, so you don’t need any formal higher education. All you need is a computer, an Internet connection, and a curious mind.

Here are 4 skills every SEO pro needs:

1.     Problem Solving Skills

As hard as this skill can be to measure, it’s the most important.

The ability to think critically about a situation or problem allows you to answer the all-important questions that will assist you in finding innovative solutions quickly.

These are the who, what, when, where, and why questions that will push you to:

  • • Identify the problem
  • • Identify the cause(s)
  • • Define a solution
Hiring managers want to know you have a solid analytical process, and the best way for them to determine this during an interview is to ask questions like the following:

  • • What is the most challenging problem you’ve ever solved?
  • • How do you benchmark the success of the solutions you provide?
  • • How do you identify opportunities and weaknesses?
Be sure to think about your unique answers to these inquiries before an interview, so you can be sure to showcase your best work.

2.     Written and Verbal Prowess

It’s not enough to have a firm grip on the language and a way with words anymore.

Today’s SEO professional is a multi-faceted gem proficient in keyword research and their seamless integration into a great piece of content.

And that’s just to start. HR teams are also looking for captivating speakers with the ability to convince different groups of stakeholders to take action.

Can you confidently disseminate complex information by breaking it down into manageable pieces of information decision-makers can use? That’s another skill you’ll need to polish in today’s evolving SEO world.

3.     Technology and Analytics Crunching Skills

Understanding where SEO data comes from and how to pull it and manipulate it yourself gives you the full picture of what’s possible during your research and the insights you need to make smart decisions.

You can save a lot of time by getting certified in Google Analytics and becoming deeply familiar with using Excel’s many functions. Of the 473 options Excel offers, our top favorites include:

  • • IF statements
  • • Vlookups
  • • Concatenations
Building templates to solve problems means if you run into the same issue down the road, you’ll have a fast and easy way to get to the bottom of it.

4.     Humor and Humility

SEO evolves quickly.

That means you must have the ability to adapt and respond to changes swiftly too. In an ever-shifting environment, where the rules change frequently, a little humor and humility go a long way.

Don’t be afraid to admit when the solutions of yesterday are no longer serving you. Just like in the field of science, when the evidence changes, so must your mindset for you to remain objective.
Did these 4 tips help you on your path to SEO stardom? We want to know! Leave us a comment below.

LinkNow’s always on the hunt for new SEO specialists to fuel its growth. Head over to our Jobs page to see what openings we currently have.