Search engine optimization consultants skill set

Search engine optimization consultants used to primarily optimize html elements and page properties. Around the year 2,000 submission and reciprocal links became important parts of a search engine optimization strategy.

A search engine optimization consultant can more readily maximize visibility on search engines if you include them from the beginning of development. Most sites do not, this complicates matters especially if you decide design, copy and content are not to be modified during the optimization of the site.

The skills a search engine optimization consultant should possess are:

reciprocal links: an understanding of how reciprocal linking campaigns and SE channel reviews fit into a search engine optimization strategy.

keywords strategies: development of keyword(s) and phrases list, implementation of keywords list

knowledge of HTML: differentiate between design and code skills. A site can have ugly, poorly done HTML, and still be “aesthetically” pleasing.

language skills: Copy and word skills

knowledge of search engine optimization boosters: optimizing html elements and page properties.

submission strategies, planning and budgeting: A detailed budget outlining why you are paying for submission and how that will be leveraged. The order of pages they are submitting to Search Engines.

submission tracking: A list of all engines submitted to with details of indexing and re-schedules

Reciprocal Links:

Most assuredly Googles’ rising fortunes using link analysis as part of its algorithm is going to increase the importance of this as other search engines are sure to follow suit. A background in or thorough knowledge of Internet marketing has been added to the skills a search engine marketer should possess.

Reciprocal linking was a service many search engine optimization consultants didn’t do. It was done by a different person or department. The reason being that optimization is a very technical skill, rooted in manipulation of HTML attributes reciprocal linking are definitely marketing skills. Marketing requires highly honed organizational and language skills.

Link analysis in a search engines algorithm is not based on just having a large number of links to the site. The quality (ie: links to that site, quality of content on the site etc.) of the site is important.

Since this means the sites in the highest positions have the highest quality the search engine marketer should be providing a list of the top sites to be used in the reciprocal linking campaign. Why? Because that list should be part of the activity and search engine monitoring report.