This YouTube transcript features an SEO expert reflecting on their journey in digital marketing, offering advice for newcomers. The speaker stresses the importance of focusing on a single area, such as SEO, and mastering its fundamentals through structured learning and practical application.
The expert also emphasizes the value of networking with peers and mentors, while cautioning against shortcuts that may seem beneficial in the short term. Furthermore, it is recommended to consider specializing within your chosen field, expanding into related marketing areas, or maintaining a broader skillset.
The speaker highlights the importance of continuous learning and embracing the journey, concluding with a recommendation to start with an SEO course for beginners.
Choosing a Digital Marketing Focus
To begin a career in digital marketing, selecting a specific area to focus on is essential. Digital marketing includes email marketing, pay-per-click advertising, search engine optimization, and social media marketing.
The scope of digital marketing is so broad that mastering every area is not possible. Instead, specializing in one area of internet marketing allows for expertise and deeper understanding.
The speaker’s initial approach involved experimenting with various platforms like forums, classifieds, and paid advertising, but this was unsuccessful due to a lack of focus. The turning point came when the speaker committed to SEO.
Committing to learning as much as possible in your chosen area is important. The speaker suggests a structured approach to learning in three stages.
The Three Stages of Learning Digital Marketing
The first stage involves understanding the fundamentals. For SEO, this includes understanding the importance of SEO for businesses, how search engines function, and core SEO methods like keyword research, link building, technical SEO, and on-page SEO.
These fundamentals are crucial for learning, whether it’s digital marketing, learning an instrument, or a new recipe. The second stage focuses on making connections between these fundamentals.
For example, in SEO, content creation relies on keyword research, and on-page SEO connects with content writing and keyword research.
The third stage involves understanding the execution of techniques, including workflows and tools. For example, knowing that keyword research involves tools like Keywords Explorer. Also, understanding how to identify keyword ideas, narrow down with filters, and analyze search engine results pages to assess competitiveness.
The speaker recommends beginner’s courses to learn these stages. The speaker admits to being too arrogant to take such courses when starting out.
The Importance of Practical Application
The speaker highly recommends committing to practicing what you learn. Gaining first-hand experience is invaluable in learning digital marketing.
Creating your own website provides a safe environment to practice and experiment. When doing so, the speaker advises to cut yourself off from all new content.
The intent is to maintain focus on practicing the essential fundamentals. Also, avoid obsessing over non-essential elements that don’t drive progress.
For instance, when building a site for SEO practice, avoid spending too much time on logo, fonts, or blog layout. Focus on driving organic traffic through high rankings.
Applying these practices helps you learn how to achieve results in SEO, social media, email marketing, or any other area.
Agency Work and Avoiding Shortcuts
To accelerate growth, consider getting a job or internship at an agency. Agencies offer diverse projects that stretch creativity and allow you to apply your knowledge in different scenarios.
Working alongside experienced professionals provides opportunities to ask questions, observe problem-solving, and potentially receive mentorship. Agencies are fast-paced environments that are ideal for rapid learning.
Avoid taking shortcuts to expedite learning. The speaker shares a personal experience of taking an SEO shortcut that cost a substantial amount of money.
Buying backlinks, though effective in the short term, violated Google’s guidelines and led to a significant loss of traffic and revenue.
The speaker emphasizes that focusing on learning legitimate link-building strategies would have yielded better long-term results. Shortcuts can be costly, and that becomes evident in hindsight.
Building Relationships and Networking
Building relationships with others in the field is very important. The speaker initially isolated himself, which hindered professional growth.
Networking with like-minded people who are learning the same area of digital marketing can provide a safe space for sharing ideas and experiences. This group can offer mutual learning and motivation.
The speaker also recommends networking with respected people in your niche. Simply expressing admiration for their work can open doors.
The speaker reached out to Tim Soulo at Ahrefs, which eventually led to a job opportunity. Relationships are critical in digital marketing for amplifying work, finding collaborators, and link building.
Choosing Your Path: Generalist, Specialist, or Expanding
As you progress, you’ll need to decide on your career path. There are three options: remain a generalist, niche down, or expand into other areas of digital marketing.
Generalists have broad knowledge and experience in their field, which often leads to management and leadership roles. However, they may not become experts in any specific area.
Niching down involves specializing in a sub-area to become a recognized authority. For example, focusing on Facebook marketing within social media, or even more specifically, Facebook group marketing for software companies.
The advantage is less competition and the potential to demand higher wages, but there may be less overall demand.
Expanding into complementary areas involves leveraging existing skills to related fields. The speaker recommends expanding into areas where skills are complementary and transferable.
For example, transitioning from SEO to content marketing or search ads.
Continuous Learning and Avoiding Complacency
Even with 14 years of experience, the speaker emphasizes the importance of continuous learning. The speaker learns from smart colleagues at Ahrefs and people met at conferences and through networking.
The speaker cycles through intentional learning and practical application. The speaker views mistakes as valuable learning experiences.
While not the most successful digital marketer, the speaker embraces the ongoing journey. For those interested in starting with SEO, the speaker recommends the Ahrefs SEO course for beginners.