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21 Replies Last post: Mar 9, 2009 10:52 AM by wholesalelink

Most important SEO skills to Start an SEO Business?

Jul 16, 2008 12:20 PM

Click to view rontowns25's profile Mogul rontowns25 76 posts since
Jun 24, 2008
Hi everybody. I'm an extremely tech savvy person that is obssessed with online business. I want to start a small scale SEO business with a target customer, intitially, of small scale internet/brick and mortar businesses earning roughly 2 million and under in revenues. I think this would be a good place to start, build some traction, build a small business customer base, and move forward.

Small business may present a unique opporutnity. They are trying to do whatever it takes to gain the edge on their competition. The downside is that they do not always have the budgets to spend on SEO. I have about a year of SEO experience.

What are the most necessary SEO skills that you need to know to be able to sell your work as a service?

What is a good pricepoint for SEO?

Any tips here would help. Also, you guys can check out my tech blog if you'd like... www.gothamtechminute.blogspot.com
Tags: starting_a_new_business Report as inappropriate
Click to view SOHOguru's profile Mogul SOHOguru 22 posts since
Dec 6, 2008
1. Re: Most important SEO skills to Start an SEO Business? Dec 7, 2008 5:28 PM
in response to: rontowns25
The most important skill to start an SEO business is the ability to produce a portfolio of current performing key phrases searches (generic SERPs, high-level terms) for multiple sites. Make sure the key phrases are not so niche-specific. If key phrases aren't industy-wide, generic phrases, the SERPs do not mean much.

Cheers!
Karen
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Click to view BrassJmes's profile Mogul BrassJmes 35 posts since
Dec 8, 2008
2. Re: Most important SEO skills to Start an SEO Business? Dec 10, 2008 5:52 AM
in response to: rontowns25
I completely agree with Karen
Selecting your keywords is one of the toughest and most important aspects of the SEO
Doing it correctly is like walking on a thin cliff edge, one step in either direction could bring a fall (of visitors)

Even though, I do feel to stress the importance of links... having better PR means your keywords will get better results in search engines. after all, what good would a keyword do if, when searching for it, you're on the 5th page.
Without counting on linkfarms (which will eventually downgrade your ranking), I suggest having resources to create viable and good links for your costumers.
Of course for every market you'll need different resources, but you could always find good general places that will apply for everyone
One of these places is individual pages.. you could offer to enter these people into social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Naymz. services like LookupPage could also come in handy.

Link building is, I think, a form of art. though that can be said about SEOing in general..

Good luck with your business
Jmes
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Click to view EagleEye's profile Mogul EagleEye 85 posts since
Nov 7, 2008
3. Re: Most important SEO skills to Start an SEO Business? Dec 10, 2008 3:56 PM
in response to: BrassJmes
Also if your focus is going to be small brick and mortar businesses, your keywords would focus around geo topical terms. For instance, "anycity lawyers" Do you have any previous experience specific to SEO, SEM, PPC or anything similar?

EagleEye
http://www.blitzlocal.com
http://www.avivadirectory.com
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Click to view markrobinson's profile Professional markrobinson 8 posts since
Sep 22, 2009
4. Re: Most important SEO skills to Start an SEO Business? Oct 2, 2009 1:28 AM
in response to: rontowns25
Most important seo skill is the analysis.If your analysis is more powerfull then it will give you more benefit and you will become more efficient and powerfull seo.
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Click to view franklinb's profile Mogul franklinb 41 posts since
Aug 23, 2009
5. Re: Most important SEO skills to Start an SEO Business? Oct 2, 2009 11:35 AM
in response to: markrobinson
The most important skill is communication. I give my clients a package of services I can do and the cost of each. I let them pick what they want based on their situation, and then we brain crank. I have to find out from that new client exactly what is the most important word, phrase or combintion of words they want to rank for. They usually have some idea even if they know nothing about the process. Get them to tell you all about their business. Good descriptive content about the business is very important. After that you can do the analytical work to see what other terms they need. You have to get what they want out of the way first.

Invariably they always have some other issues to deal with. Email configuration or hosting problems or whatever. I have only been doing this for a few months, but it is always this way. Sometimes you have to refer them to someone else to fix their network, configure their programs and email, or what have you. I had a client that really believed I was his "Computer Slave" and wanted me to fix everything. A small business client can work you to death if you let it happen.

So, I guess the most important skill for SEO is your ability to communicate with the client effectively. If you are hanging a shingle saying SEO, I assume you know how to do keyword research, make sitemaps, integrate site navigation and all the other skills we need to be successful. It is communication with the client that is first and foremost.
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