The document debunks common myths about careers in search engine optimization (SEO), emphasizing that it requires marketing skills rather than just technical expertise. It highlights the growing importance of digital advertising over traditional marketing, as well as the diverse skills needed for success in the SEO field. The document also outlines potential earnings in SEO careers and the educational resources available for those looking to advance their knowledge in this area.

1. Careers in Search Engine Optimization

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

3. 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

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

5. Online advertising is doing well.

6. 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 )

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

8. Why is digital advertising so hot…?

9. Dude, there is no other option !

10. 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 ?

11. 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.

12. 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

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

14. (1) Because of ‘reach’ : The large advertisers have no option but to resort to TV for mass campaigns Figures above are for INDIA

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

16. 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.

17. SEO is an integral part of digital advertising

18. 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 .

19. At the implementation level, SEO is sometimes at tussle with creative A fine balance needs to be achieved

20. The category as a career choice...

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

22. 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

23. 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.

24. 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

25. Salaries 1.5 – 2 lacs per annum in the beginning. Would rise to 5-7 lacs per annum after say 3-4 years

26. Here is where we come in :)

27. 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.

28. 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

29. 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 [email_address]