SEO Consultant India: SEM Industry

Thursday, May 20, 2010

8 Years in the SEO/SEM Industry, More to Learn

Yes, you hear it right! Just completed 8 years in the SEO/SEM industry and it has been long run since the day I started my career. As I try to walk down memory lane, I find it hard to believe that I have taken such a long journey. Be it a salary constraint or even getting pissed off with my boss, I managed to stick to the same profession and never ever thought of changing it for a single moment. Trust me the journey was not that easy as it seems. Even in my wildest dreams I never imagined that I will take up online marketing as my profession. But yes it’s a reality and I take this opportunity to quickly pen down all my thoughts that I have acquired during the last 8 years.

It all started in the year 2002, when I joined 123greetings.com, as a Search Engine Optimizer. I was a fresher during that time and was totally a novice in terms of SEO skills. Gradually, I managed to develop the theoretical skills and started practical implementation while playing with a popular keyword “ecards”. This was the first keyword I targeted as I entered in the online world. I spent 4 years working for the same ecard industry. It was a great learning experience. But soon I realized that I am doing injustice to my 4 years of SEO knowledge by confining myself to a single industry.

April, 2006 is when the new opportunity to work on multiple industries with a good pay package came along and I did not miss the chance to grab it gleefully. I joined DigitalAvenues.com and took up the new challenge to rank websites of various niches at the top of major search engines like Google, Yahoo! and Bing. It was a great journey during which I managed to rank websites high on various topics in the search engine rankings. But the key lesson learnt while working with multiple clients is that you have to handle clients tactfully as they are impatient. They do not know and do not want to know anything about SEO and are also not willing to give you too much time to increase their website’s ranking. It is up to us how we convince them with our report, preparation, and presentation skills.

While working at Digital Avenues, I got the opportunity to work with some of the finest talents in the field of online marketing that were available at Kolkata. I do not need to think twice in saying that the SEO team that Digital Avenues had from the year 2006 to 2008 was the best and the best team to work with. But things changed drastically from 2008 end when we were asked to work under someone who self-claimed himself as “Guru of SEO”. Thereafter, things went haywire and within a year, the entire team (including the “Guru of SEO”) was sacked. I think the self claimed “Guru of SEO” has to understand the famous quote by H.E. Luccock, “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it”.

After going through a tough time, things changed in the year 2009, August, when I finally managed to attach myself with a big brand. Yes! I got an offer from Lexmark International (India) Pvt. Ltd to join as an Web Analytics specialist. Oh boy ! The opportunity was too big for me as I was working in a very small setup. While the recruitment process at Lexmark was on, I also got interview calls from HP Bangalore (the rival company). You can call it mere coincidence or pure luck. However, since Lexmark made the offer first, so I am there today. I was never a brand fanatic but sometimes it makes one’s life easier in answering questions to people who are interested in knowing where I work as they can easily acknowledge the company without raising their eyebrows.

Life has changed to a certain extent while working at Lexmark. Job responsibilities have changed in comparison to Digital Avenues. Here I have the opportunity to work with some of best analytical tools that I had always dreamt of. To me this is a new knowledge avenue where I have to work hard to excel more in the field of analytics. So for all aspiring internet-savvy who are interested in taking up SEO as a profession, this is simple advice for you. Try to have patience, read more, work hard, and take one step at a time. Eventually, you will find that your perseverance has been paid.

During my 8 years of professional journey, there were few good and bad times. But amongst all the unavoidable hiccups, the most important thing that happened to my life is when I met my life partner. After a year and half of courtship, we finally got married in 2009. For me, life has changed a bit but it is bound to change once you are ready to take up additional responsibilities, both at work and at home.

Finally, I would like to thank all my ex-colleagues, friends, family members who have helped in my work and from whom I have learnt a lot. It would not have been possible without their support. Wishing you all best of luck in your own profession and wish me luck to accomplish some of my unfulfilled dreams in the SEO world.

SEO Consultant India

Thursday, May 20, 2010

8 Years in the SEO/SEM Industry, More to Learn

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