Thread by @GiordMarco96

#SEO is actually a big mix of many other subjects.

Still, there are differences between those subjects.

You don't have to do it all!

In fact, hybridization is only good for certain professionals.

Let's see some examples and why there is room for differentiation 🧵

SEO is quite large and we often disagree on some definitions or concepts.

That's fine, as many things are subjective and industry-relevant.

Some pages will never rank on Google as they are mostly navigational and serve other purposes.

I have often been asked for advice on CRO and UX but I admit it's totally different.

I know the basics, being a real professional is another beast.

UX and CRO are key to the success of your strategy but you are not supposed to work for 3.

While basic UX and CRO concepts are essential, you don't have to be a pro.

BUT, an SEO specializing in both has a unique advantage, especially when dealing with landing and sales pages.

Data Science is a key example.

Some people may want to perform data operations but you are not an engineer.

SEO gives a lot of space for hybridization.

Be careful about doing too many things at the same time.

https://twitter.com/GiordMarco96/status/1507822357750038528

As long as you get profit and traffic your job is fine.

Going overboard and trying everything is not always a good choice.

You should learn to delegate and work with other departments.

In-house know this very well, co-operation and persuasion get you very far and function as the glue between different areas.

That's why I suggest specializing in 2-3 things and doing them very very well.

The same goes for freelancers.

I've noticed that if you are unclear in explaining what you do, you will get less money and more headaches.

Collaborating with other freelancers can solve many riddles, you don't have to work 24/7.

The power in niching down is that you can easily become an authority.

Now, the main issue is that no one really promotes this mindset.

The mainstream and mostly bad advice is to learn everything.

It's fine to learn the foundations but you don't get better by doing it all.

And that's why you should be different and abuse this.

https://twitter.com/GiordMarco96/status/1597686619674316800

Another very common mistake I see is assuming that copywriting is part of SEO.

I'd rather say that you need copy for sales pages and very specific use cases.

In all the other scenarios I would always go for content marketing.

And again, that's highly dependent on what you do.

Content marketing is another subject that is quite close to SEO for content websites.

Still, they are different and a good SEO can be mediocre at content.

In fact, some technical SEOs have little experience with content planning and I don't blame them either.

SEO is vast and you can just focus on its technical side.

Pick the right people accordingly for your projects.

https://twitter.com/GiordMarco96/status/1598403883880939520

This thread doesn't want to imply that you have no responsibilities.

On the contrary, you have to carefully pick your skills and manage to get results with them.

This includes ignoring requests that don't align with your core values.

The SEO core is always the same, no matter what perspective you are looking from.

The fun part is when you add some expertise from related fields, and this is where you can see the talent.

Subject Matter Expertise is a big deal in many industries, for example.

Having a decent knowledge of data wrangling can help you with many problems that are otherwise impossible.

Think of all the people that pay for overpriced tools to perform basic operations.

You can easily avoid this, no need to increase your costs.

Content Marketing is no different. Being able to write something good and spot common mistakes is a skill you develop.

Why would you outsource something you have no clue about?

This is highly dangerous and is the recipe for disaster if you have a content website.

SEO is very similar to Data Science in regard to how it is hybrid and for the rampant misinformation.

The main difference is that SEO is totally absent in the academy unless you consider patents and related algorithms.

SEO is clearly a profession where you want to have a good network of professionals with different backgrounds.

Plus, you need to balance your skills even more compared to other marketing professionals.

Choose whatever makes the most sense for you.

Content writers and editors are your best friends if you are on the content side.

Web developers and engineers are the daily breakfast for Technical SEOs.

Adjust your communication depending on who you talk to.

In e-commerce, Technical SEO is crucial.

For publishers, you don't really need to be an ace with that stuff, the problems are always the same.

Same goes for new content websites, you should focus on value and not on irrelevant problems.

B2B is arguably one of the toughest challenges for SEO.

You need a certain degree of experience in the industry.

SEO alone doesn't teach how to get expertise!

Some strategies don't make a lot of sense for some SEOs because they work under different contexts.

As an in-house, I can relate to such scenarios and that's why I work on other projects too.

Variety is important to prevent you become "that guy".

https://twitter.com/GiordMarco96/status/1596957936609132544

To sum up, I don't see any value in the old watertight compartments.

Even universities are overcoming this concept.

Many courses are now hybrid and very different from what you had 10/20 years ago.

The new generation of SEOs is extremely tough and more prone to accept market changes.

The modern skillset is definitely more innovative and flexible.

The good ol' concepts are always true but the world has changed.

So if you like the practice you agree with me that results are all.

Combining some knowledge from other domains can boost your career.

And it's really nonsense to consider subjects isolated.

I am a big fan of niching down and specialization.

But you still need basic knowledge of other topics.

You can't sleep on social media and basic data operations.

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!🧵

If you own a publisher or a content/niche website, I can help you.

I offer:

- Content audits to solve traffic and $$ loss

- Content Planning and Research

- Training and mentorship for data skills

bookk.me/marcogiordano