Thread by @GiordMarco96

I had a short discussion with some of my older friends today.

If you have graduated recently like me or if you are still <30, I have some great advice.

How to get started in #SEO or #contentmarketing in 2022 🧵

N.B. These tips are accessible to everyone.

First of all, don't listen to advice from people that didn't do what they suggest to you.

This includes your parents, your friends, and whoever has anecdotal evidence.

You must face the hard truth and go after it instead of finding comfort.

Many Twitter folks/gurus are from the US/UK, so it's quite easy to understand why they have the edge.

Those 2 countries are historically the peak for marketing, they have a stronger story and culture compared to the rest.

Just check Marketing history!

I generally filter out all the noise from here and LinkedIn.

Create your own space and reduce negativity.

This is quite easy to accomplish with muted words.

Now, let's finally get started.

What will follow are tips for people all around the world.

Clearly, there are countries where you have to work 100 times more.

Get a portfolio,

No matter what, just have a good portfolio and showcase some practical results.

You can use Canva or a showcase website, as long as you have it.

Your portfolio should include your projects and what you achieved.

E.g. Worked on a tech website and increased monthly revenue by 20%.

Be short and practical.

People care about what you got at the end.

I don't have a personal website (yet).

Because I use my social and personal brand as a portfolio.

But, I update my CV every month and it's more of a 1-page portfolio.

You can pretty much be creative at this point.

Many people say "humanities are useless".

Sure pal, we only live in the era of content marketing, isn't that considered part of it?

Skills like creativity and abstraction are needed for manager-level jobs.

You don't get far without social prowess or non-technical skills.

Abstraction and social skills, but even business acumen and geopolitics are what I think matter.

The most successful people I've ever met have them all.

Sharp folks with a deep knowledge of the world and cultures.

This helps a lot in business scenarios.

Business acumen is something you develop with time.

And you have to start because SEO and Content rely on expertise.

Pick and work on niches where you can develop expertise and pay your bills!

STEM degrees are the best right now but they don't make you rich by default.

If you are a student, your degree is only the tip of the tip of your path.

Don't assume the equation "degree = 6-figures" because it's not a 100% fact.

A degree isn't necessary at all, actually.

I am not implying you shouldn't, but it's not what will get you the job.

Get a degree in complementary fields like Business or Computer Science, if you have to!

Social media like Twitter or LinkedIn are the ideal places to build your personal brand.

They can also serve as your portfolio and you can make a fortune out of them.

Develop your unique style and stick to 3-4 topics at most.

Your peers will probably gloss over them so you have the edge.

Take advantage of what the others are not doing before it gets mainstream.

If your native language is not English, I recommend you learn it.

This mistake is quite common in Italy, Spain, and France where the English level is terrible.

If you have a B2/C1 (not less) you are already ahead of your competition.

Content Marketing doesn't require you to be an English professor.

However, many job postings still want a high proficiency in your target language.

In short, be at least business proficient in English.

SEO is easy to break through but you still need to learn English.

Then, you can pick where to specialize.

I picked data and content but as an in-house, I deal with B2B and Technical SEO.

And English is still my most valuable asset!

People from certain locations like India or the Middle East have to work 100 times more.

It's quite hard to give advice to this vast part of my followers, actually.

I will try anyway because I am an expat too and I get the idea.

Many people I know from India or countries like the Philippines or Nigeria work remotely.

This is a great idea but there is always the risk to be paid less or exploited.

That's the harsh truth many people in the West don't talk about.

Other people from developing countries get access to wealthier countries via college.

There are plans and special scholarships that can get you a visa.

Again, this won't be easy but that's how far my tips go.

Many people out there idolize people.

Stop thinking of content creators as deities.

Work on yourself and think about what you need.

Social media are poison if you can't filter out nocive information.

Bonus round: if you are Italian like me, there is no need to stress over your college grades.

No one cares abroad, it's just an ancient system to favor recommended people.

The gist doesn't change:

- Build an online portfolio
- Use social media to network and create content
- Practice and bring results
- Idolize less, work more on yourself

I've written a thread for Semrush about this topic.

I cover other details that you may want to check.

https://twitter.com/semrush/status/1562804962874101760

How did you get started in SEO?

Let me know in the comments!

Follow me for threads, tips, and case studies (coming soon) about SEO, content, and Python/data.

If you liked this thread, consider liking and retweeting it!🧵

I offer short consultancies and full freelancing for publishers and B2C content.

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