Comments on: What To Look For When Hiring InHouse SEOs http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/ SEO and Marketing Blog Sat, 20 Mar 2010 13:43:49 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Bonnie Gibbons http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/comment-page-1/#comment-17400 Bonnie Gibbons Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:43:01 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/#comment-17400 <p>Tiny, tiny correction. I think you could go as far as "and the, like, such as." </p> Tiny, tiny correction. I think you could go as far as “and the, like, such as.”

]]> By: Javaun Moradi http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/comment-page-1/#comment-17399 Javaun Moradi Mon, 07 Apr 2008 07:37:30 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/#comment-17399 Excellent post Lisa. I think you and other commenters nailed the vitals, including a few that wouldn't have occurred to me. I echo the need for people and project leadership skills. In many organizations, the SEO must sell the other stakeholders to approve and implement the program. This includes design/usability, marketing, analytics, and of course engineering. I've heard so many times from in-house folks and even the top SEO agencies that their research and recommendations showed excellent opportunity but the project was never implemented. The ability to think like a strategic marketer is one of the most-underrated skills in our space. Even SEO agency VPs have difficulty thinking at this level, and that's why most never get access to the C-suite. SEO is a very powerful lever, but it's one of many that a website can pull. Understanding how SEO interplays with the other tactics can allow the in-house or agency search folks to set proper expectations and lead the conversation. Excellent post Lisa. I think you and other commenters nailed the vitals, including a few that wouldn’t have occurred to me.
I echo the need for people and project leadership skills. In many organizations, the SEO must sell the other stakeholders to approve and implement the program. This includes design/usability, marketing, analytics, and of course engineering. I’ve heard so many times from in-house folks and even the top SEO agencies that their research and recommendations showed excellent opportunity but the project was never implemented.
The ability to think like a strategic marketer is one of the most-underrated skills in our space. Even SEO agency VPs have difficulty thinking at this level, and that’s why most never get access to the C-suite.
SEO is a very powerful lever, but it’s one of many that a website can pull. Understanding how SEO interplays with the other tactics can allow the in-house or agency search folks to set proper expectations and lead the conversation.

]]> By: Federal Watch http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/comment-page-1/#comment-17398 Federal Watch Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:34:22 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/#comment-17398 <p>Absolutely True!..I really agree with you especially with the last part regarding SEO experts as someone who are "optimizable" or someone whom you can train to work in a group..it is really important that everybody in the group are working with each other..helping out each other in achieving the group's goal. </p> Absolutely True!..I really agree with you especially with the last part regarding SEO experts as someone who are “optimizable” or someone whom you can train to work in a group..it is really important that everybody in the group are working with each other..helping out each other in achieving the group’s goal.

]]> By: Warren Pattison http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/comment-page-1/#comment-17397 Warren Pattison Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:08:44 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/#comment-17397 I think a couple skills that have been missed in your post and comments herein are Project Management and Communication skill sets. There are always many moving parts and team members involved in an SEO project from executive sponsors to IT development. No matter the size of the project or size of the business, Project management skills are crucial - note, this could also fall under organization skills or leadership skills. Communications skills - both verbal and written are nearly equally as important. Your senior sponsors always want know what they are getting for their investment. I think a couple skills that have been missed in your post and comments herein are Project Management and Communication skill sets.
There are always many moving parts and team members involved in an SEO project from executive sponsors to IT development. No matter the size of the project or size of the business, Project management skills are crucial – note, this could also fall under organization skills or leadership skills.
Communications skills – both verbal and written are nearly equally as important. Your senior sponsors always want know what they are getting for their investment.

]]> By: Dave http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/comment-page-1/#comment-17396 Dave Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:53:13 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/#comment-17396 <p>Lisa,</p> <p>Overall, a really good post. Yeah, if you're going to being doing SEO you absolutely HAVE to have some coding ability-or at least how to test for bad code. Working with CMS sites all the time, I have to say that search engine friendliness is hard to come by with all the crap that's shoved into a CMS site (dotnetnuke, for example)-If the navigation is unsearchable, say goodbye to the inner content, unless you've got links from somewhere else...</p> <p>Beyond that, they should recognize poor design-and what type of affect it might have on that specific business. A good SEO should be more concerned on getting the RIGHT traffic instead of just a huge volume of traffic.</p> <p>The only marketing that should be taught regarding SEO is GUERILLA marketing. Get the job done by being smarter and more creative than the other guy(or gal):)</p> <p> </p> Lisa,

Overall, a really good post.
Yeah, if you’re going to being doing SEO you absolutely HAVE to have some coding ability-or at least how to test for bad code. Working with CMS sites all the time, I have to say that search engine friendliness is hard to come by with all the crap that’s shoved into a CMS site (dotnetnuke, for example)-If the navigation is unsearchable, say goodbye to the inner content, unless you’ve got links from somewhere else…

Beyond that, they should recognize poor design-and what type of affect it might have on that specific business. A good SEO should be more concerned on getting the RIGHT traffic instead of just a huge volume of traffic.

The only marketing that should be taught regarding SEO is GUERILLA marketing. Get the job done by being smarter and more creative than the other guy(or gal):)

]]> By: Paul Bruemmer http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/comment-page-1/#comment-17395 Paul Bruemmer Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:51:50 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/#comment-17395 Nice article Lisa! In addition, I'll add "Desire" with a capital "D," Mad Organization Skills and Mad Math Skills. Within the list we should also consider leadership skills; the ability to lead and teach is highly desirable. This has to do with the fact that SEO is a systemic process which affects many other divisions within a company e.g., IT, Marketing, Graphic Design, Copy writing and C-level accountability etc.. Nice article Lisa!
In addition, I’ll add “Desire” with a capital “D,” Mad Organization Skills and Mad Math Skills.
Within the list we should also consider leadership skills; the ability to lead and teach is highly desirable. This has to do with the fact that SEO is a systemic process which affects many other divisions within a company e.g., IT, Marketing, Graphic Design, Copy writing and C-level accountability etc..

]]> By: Derrick Wheeler http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/comment-page-1/#comment-17394 Derrick Wheeler Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:24:24 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/#comment-17394 <p>Jim,</p> <p>You mentioned, "the most important skill, above the ability to insert keywords into html titles and meta tags, is the ability to troubleshoot issues with urls in the search engine indices."</p> <p>This is the specific SEO skill that I've spent most of my career developing and utilizing. I seem to have a knack for it and could literally spend all day doing it and be a happy person. Like Lisa with blogging. </p> <p>This troubleshooting skill maps to a strength (Restorative) from the book I mentioned in my earlier post, StregthFinder 2.0. </p> <p>The idea is that some people have a natural strength for fixing things that are broke. Restorative happens to be one of my top 5 strengths accoring to their tests.</p> <p>It could be really fun for all SEOs to take the StregthsFinder test to find out what their top 5 strengths are. Then share results.</p> <p>I think it would make for great link bait. </p> <p>Lisa, you take it from here. Please coordinate for all SEOs to take the stregthsFinder test and report on the findings. :)</p> <p>Back to my day job. </p> Jim,

You mentioned, “the most important skill, above the ability to insert keywords into html titles and meta tags, is the ability to troubleshoot issues with urls in the search engine indices.”

This is the specific SEO skill that I’ve spent most of my career developing and utilizing. I seem to have a knack for it and could literally spend all day doing it and be a happy person. Like Lisa with blogging.

This troubleshooting skill maps to a strength (Restorative) from the book I mentioned in my earlier post, StregthFinder 2.0.

The idea is that some people have a natural strength for fixing things that are broke. Restorative happens to be one of my top 5 strengths accoring to their tests.

It could be really fun for all SEOs to take the StregthsFinder test to find out what their top 5 strengths are. Then share results.

I think it would make for great link bait.

Lisa, you take it from here. Please coordinate for all SEOs to take the stregthsFinder test and report on the findings. :)

Back to my day job.

]]> By: Randy Duermyer http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/comment-page-1/#comment-17393 Randy Duermyer Thu, 03 Apr 2008 05:53:51 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/#comment-17393 <p>Nice post Lisa. I have to agree with Tin Pig's comment on usability majors - they've been available for quite some time now, (in addition to Bentley, RPI and several others are known to have strong programs) although they are often " more a part of engineering studies than marketing.</p> <p>However, I don't think the statement that "There is no SEO major" has anything to do with perpetuating <em>the myth that "SEO is mysterious and undefinable"</em>. It's just that academia has been too slow to keep up with the real world in this area. I think that because the programs don't yet exist perpetuates this problem - not your statement.</p> <p>Search marketing - both SEO and PPC, etc. should be part of a marketing major, at least as an area of "concentration" , depending on the way the school's degree programs are set up and the terminology they use.</p> <p>I also think that such a marketing "concentration" or certificate program in SEO/SEM should have some cross-disciplinary course requirements on the IT side of things. While it may not be important so much for PPC, technical courses outside of the marketing dept., such as information architecture and usability, should be part of a comprehensive SEO program - as well as a course in ethics.</p> Nice post Lisa. I have to agree with Tin Pig’s comment on usability majors – they’ve been available for quite some time now, (in addition to Bentley, RPI and several others are known to have strong programs) although they are often ”
more a part of engineering studies than marketing.

However, I don’t think the statement that “There is no SEO major” has anything to do with perpetuating the myth that “SEO is mysterious and undefinable”. It’s just that academia has been too slow to keep up with the real world in this area. I think that because the programs don’t yet exist perpetuates this problem – not your statement.

Search marketing – both SEO and PPC, etc. should be part of a marketing major, at least as an area of “concentration” , depending on the way the school’s degree programs are set up and the terminology they use.

I also think that such a marketing “concentration” or certificate program in SEO/SEM should have some cross-disciplinary course requirements on the IT side of things. While it may not be important so much for PPC, technical courses outside of the marketing dept., such as information architecture and usability, should be part of a comprehensive SEO program – as well as a course in ethics.

]]> By: Jim http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/comment-page-1/#comment-17392 Jim Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:18:12 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/#comment-17392 <p>I echo Derrick comment on the ability to educate. Also, I would add that the most important skill, above the ability to insert keywords into html titles and meta tags, is the ability to troubleshoot issues with urls in the search engine indices. Perfectly crafted seo will fail to perform if there are architectural issues with the website. </p> I echo Derrick comment on the ability to educate.
Also, I would add that the most important skill, above the ability to insert keywords into html titles and meta tags, is the ability to troubleshoot issues with urls in the search engine indices. Perfectly crafted seo will fail to perform if there are architectural issues with the website.

]]> By: Tin Pig http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/comment-page-1/#comment-17391 Tin Pig Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:07:39 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/04/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-inhouse-seos/#comment-17391 Two problematic statements from this post: "There is no SEO Major" This statement, on it's own, may encapsulate the single greatest thing wrong with the SEO industry today. Anybody who does not view SEO as a Marketing discipline is taking an extremely myopic view of the job title. SEO, on it's own, will never warrant a specific degree program and should/will be adopted as course work for Marketing degrees. Yes, the tactics are new and, yes, adoption into formal university curriculum is slow moving. This statement, however, perpetuates the myth that SEO is mysterious and undefinable. "There's no Usability major." This is patently false. Human Factors and Human Computer Interaction have long been not only taught but specific degree programs. Here's one example - http://www.bentley.edu/ms/mshfid.cfm Two problematic statements from this post:
“There is no SEO Major”
This statement, on it’s own, may encapsulate the single greatest thing wrong with the SEO industry today. Anybody who does not view SEO as a Marketing discipline is taking an extremely myopic view of the job title. SEO, on it’s own, will never warrant a specific degree program and should/will be adopted as course work for Marketing degrees. Yes, the tactics are new and, yes, adoption into formal university curriculum is slow moving. This statement, however, perpetuates the myth that SEO is mysterious and undefinable.
“There’s no Usability major.”
This is patently false. Human Factors and Human Computer Interaction have long been not only taught but specific degree programs. Here’s one example – http://www.bentley.edu/ms/mshfid.cfm

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