Olga Zarr SEO

I recommend identifying the areas of SEO you like the most and focusing on excelling in these. SEO is very wide, and you cannot be a good all-arounder in SEO in most cases. Experiment with different areas of SEO to learn what you enjoy the most. Is it technical SEO? Is it JavaScript SEO? Is it keyword research? If you narrow down, you can gain excellence in a given area. And this is what will make clients come knocking on your doors. I also recommend checking my video where I share 31 steps to take to become an SEO expert: https://youtu.be/Cik1JjS4hIY

I always recommend starting your work day with 30-60 minutes of reading about SEO. It could be industry news, popular SEO blogs, or Google documentation. This requires much self-discipline and may not always be doable if there are loads of work. However, what I found to be the best "hack" to stay up-to-date with SEO is to listen to SEO podcasts. You can do it while walking, sports, or any other activity. You can also listen at a faster pace to consume more in less time. I love listening at a 1.5x pace and while running. Don't know what SEO podcasts to start with? Try these: https://seosly.com/blog/seo-podcasts/

I think the most important aspect is showing that you are genuinely interested in SEO and that this interest goes beyond your day-to-day job. How do you demonstrate that? By having your portfolio of websites, having your own SEO consultant/specialist website, running your SEO experiments, educating yourself, being active in the SEO community, and sharing your knowledge with others.

I would also use EI to help you decide whether to pursue a specific project, accept specific clients, or stay in your current SEO job. Nothing is worse for your SEO career than staying in a misaligned place, whether a job, a project, or a client. If this is causing negative emotions and you feel a strong misalignment, please change it. If you don't, then you will never do your job realizing your full potential, the other side will realize (sooner or later) that you have already "quiet quit", and it will never be a win-win. Be aware of your emotions and listen to them so you can be fully satisfied with whatever you do in SEO. Been there, done that!

I could argue that sharing your knowledge is the most critical part of establishing yourself as a thought leader in the industry. Way too few people do that. This is exactly how I was able to build my online presence. Don't be afraid of others "stealing" your tactics or reselling them. Instead, approach it from the angle of wanting to help other SEOs and website owners. On top of that, by sharing your knowledge with others, you will learn a lot, too. However, make sure you are sharing your unique insights and approach. There is nothing worse than fluffy "AI puke" lots of people are sharing! Finally, don't let the imposter syndrome stop you from doing that. None of us knows everything and everyone makes mistakes. That's OK!

Of course, assess your value and make sure you are a valuable asset to the company. However, I assume you have value. This may sound controversial, but I will next assess the value of your employer. How much value are you getting from working for them? Is earning money all you get? Are you able to grow as an SEO and learn new things? Are your initiatives listened to? Are there smarter people you can learn from? Is your employer trying to tell you that no one will pay you more because of this, the market or the economy? Know your price and defend it. If your employer does not want to listen, look for another employer or consider going solo, which is the most rewarding, financially and educationally.