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Please introduce yourself and where you work.
Brett Wilds. Digital Media Analyst that specializes in SEM and online marketing strategy at a digital agency named Creative Media Alliance (CMA) in Seattle, Washington.
How do you think SEO has changed over the last 10 years?
The biggest shift that I’ve seen has been the recent emphasis on local search factors, topical relevancy and mobile preference. Where old tactics included keyword stuffing and the quantity of backlinks, Google has eliminated SEO shortcuts with numerous metrics that evaluate the quality of the user experience for site visitors.
How did you get introduced to digital marketing, more specifically SEO?
I come from a sales background where I was introduced to digital through CRM systems and email marketing platforms. The shift towards SEO occurred while working for my first agency that specialized in content creation for service providers nationwide. During that time we quickly capitalized on Google’s preference for long-form content and transitioned our services to concentrate on blog copy, landing page creation, and existing site content optimization.
What are the services you provide to your clients?
At CMA, we help clients achieve bottom-line results through employing the most effective online marketing strategies including SEO and PPC management services. Our SEO services include local listing optimization and content creation in coordination with PPC and Social Media Management.
What strategy according to you will prevail in 2017 for SEO?
I think the discussion around “top SEO strategies” needs to be relevant to the industry and the size of the market in which your client operates in. Customize your SEO services to match the intended micro and macro conversions of your client’s target customer. Start simple with updated local listings through GMB, Bing Places and Facebook. Utilize automation tools to increase the amount of positive, text-filled reviews that show up on these local listings. I am still a firm believer that content is king and that a stable strategy needs to be in place that emphasizes topical relevance, quality links and frequently updated long-form copy. UX should be of paramount importance with a transition towards secure (HTTPS), mobile optimized pages.
What would your advice be to people who are looking to take up digital marketing as a career choice?
Stay hungry and continue to learn. Recognize that you are operating in an industry that is in constant state of flux meaning that a useful strategy you picked up in a blog last week may be irrelevant the next.
Pick a niche. “Digital marketing” can be very broad, from SEO to PPC to Email Automation and everything else in between. Experiment and learn about each division as they can be implemented cohesively in a successful digital strategy.
Test, Test, and Test again. Refuse to accept your initial results as sufficient and always take a scientific approach to the way you construct copy, images, CTA’s, etc.The ability to successfully A/B test a variety of parameters in combination with effective communication of those results to stakeholders will help to set you apart from the competition.
Recognize and understand technology and the role it plays as a disruptor. The amount of marketing software available to agencies is overwhelming. Learn what the leading platforms are and understand how they are utilized in the specific digital marketing space in which you intend to occupy.
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