How to Become a Good SEO Specialist (and How to Learn SEO)

Across Turkey, Google is by far the most used search engine, at around 80%. That is why SEO strategies are built mostly around Google.

SEO specialists optimise sites for search engines through detailed data analysis and the strategies they develop from it. The goal is to make the site more visible in Google and other search engines and to improve where it ranks.

Most SEO specialists do not start their careers saying "I am going to be an SEO specialist." Some fall into it entirely by accident. People already interested in Google and marketing discover SEO on their own and come to understand its dynamics through their own tests.

In this era the most important education is the kind you give yourself. Universities and online courses make learning easier, but they cannot teach you everything — they can only inspire you to learn on your own. The first requirement for becoming an SEO specialist is wanting it and being able to teach yourself.

Digital marketing classes have only been taught at universities for a couple of years, and SEO is not yet taught there at all.

How to learn SEO in 9 steps

1 — Learn how search engines work

The first step in SEO is understanding search engines. They use a great many machine-learning models, algorithms and data signals to rank results, so you should set aside time to learn and understand how Google works. Google's SEO starter guide is a good place to begin.

2 — Learn to produce content for SEO

Content is one of the most important parts of SEO, because content is the only reason searches happen at all. So develop your skills: writing, making content easy to consume, giving the user what they came for, using LSI terms.

3 — Learn to use Google's tools

Learn to use Google Analytics and Google Search Console properly. Through those two tools Google hands you data for SEO and for all your digital marketing. Learning them lets you interpret that data and turn it into improvements.

4 — Learn HTML and CSS

HTML and CSS are among the languages search engine bots crawl most. If you want to be a good SEO specialist, technical skills are essential — and HTML and CSS are where to start.

5 — Learn keyword research

Keywords are what bring content and users together. Done well, keyword research reaches far more people: once you know what users search for and what they are curious about, covering those things in your content satisfies both the user and Google.

6 — Understand the fundamentals of digital marketing

SEO is only one part of digital marketing, which also includes Google Ads, Facebook and Instagram ads, email marketing and much more. When you can see digital marketing as a whole, you develop better strategies on the SEO side.

7 — Follow the updates and keep yourself current

The most important rule for learning SEO is reading. The field is so broad that there are hundreds of thousands of articles and sources on algorithms, content, backlinks and everything in between. Never stop reading and keep following the SEO world.

8 — Practise, and get training

As you read, put what you learn into practice on SEO courses so it sticks, or test it on your own site. SEO is like driving: the more you practise, the better your work gets. Before you apply a strategy to a client as an SEO specialist, you should have lived through it yourself.

9 — Study case studies and success stories

Many brands and sites have succeeded with SEO. A short Google search will show you what they did and what they prioritised. Study those stories and fold the parts you find valuable into your own strategy.

What it takes to be a good SEO specialist

• Try to understand how search engines work and what they are for.
• Develop your technical skills (HTML, CSS, JS, Python).
• Attend SEO conferences, paid and free.
• Learn English.
• Understand how Google crawls a site and its content and how it adds them to the index.
• Try to understand what search engines actually value in a site.
• Test SEO strategies and tactics before applying them.
• Follow SEO publications and algorithm updates from around the world, constantly.
• Master at least one SEO tool completely.
• Research your sector and your competitors thoroughly.
• Be able to use, read and interpret data.
• Try your SEO knowledge out on your own sites and test it.

Most SEO specialists came from content production or writing, or are developers who worked alongside SEO specialists and ran tests on their own sites. Those who arrive from content need technical skills, and those who arrive from software need experience on the content side.

This article was also published on CNN Türk.