Microsoft recently stated that SEO is the “most important hard skills to learn in 2020,” which has only become even more true in the wake of COVID-19. For one, businesses that were originally brick-and-mortar shops had to switch operations to online. Standing out amongst other online businesses requires a tactful implementation of SEO measures, as well as a robust digital marketing approach.
This is also important to take note of if you were recently laid off due to COVID-19, and you’re spending time at home on the job hunt. Not only is SEO the most important hard skill to learn this year because of what it can do for businesses and their visibility, but it’s important because so few people actually know how to implement SEO for results. Businesses are very much in need of employees or freelancers who know and understand SEO, and with the growing demand for SEO services, a training in it may be your ticket into a digital marketing job or at least a thriving freelance business.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which essentially is how your business’ name shows up in a Google search. Think of it this way: if you sell book formatting services, and a prospect is searching for a good book formatter who is also located in Melbourne, they may head to Google and search, “Melbourne book formatting.” As creatures of convenience, we are far more likely to choose among the very first search results that crop up for that search. We are also primed to believe that those first few results are the most credible — far more so than the companies listed on page 6 of Google Search.
This contributes to both visibility and credibility. SEO is the science of optimizing how your company shows up in search results. From a cursory understanding, many individuals falsely think that it’s just a matter of cramming as many keywords as you can within a website’s copy. But, SEO is far more multifaceted and intricate than that, and it’s those who understand the tangible steps on how to implement SEO that win.
How to Find SEO Training
You don’t need to look further than your own computer to find SEO training and learn the marketable skill. For example, SEMrush, an online visibility management platform, offers free resources for beginners to learn the ins and outs of SEO. Simply devote an afternoon to diving into those resources and begin to grow your understanding.
Or, there’s a new platform on the market: StudioHawk’s Hawk Academy. StudioHawk is Australia’s largest digital marketing agency, led by 22 year old founder Harry Sanders. At the age of 13, Sanders taught himself how to do SEO to help his father save his business. He learned entirely from scratch and from his own mistakes and successes. Now, in addition to doing SEO and digital marketing for big name brands like New Balance, Sanders is passionate about expanding educational access for other young entrepreneurs and freelancers who want to learn SEO.
Hawk Academy features quizzes, modules, and practical guides to help students develop an intricate understanding of SEO. The content is available in three pricing tiers: some entry-level content is free (to see if SEO is for you and to ‘dip your toe’ in the water), the next level of content is only $40, and the full set of modules is $300.
Sanders is also offering scholarships to those in need at the moment, understanding that times are tight for anyone who has been financially impacted by COVID-19 and the sweeping loss of jobs and companies. Simply go to hawkacademy.co to apply for a scholarship.
With the ever growing demand for individuals with hard SEO skills and the sheer lack of supply, this valuable marketing skill can better market you for your dream jobs or to build a lucrative, SEO service-based business.