When are you a fully fledged SEO

New startup.

[shanz]

I have had good results in a limited spectrum for my company. The problem is that the company is just not interested in SEO. They get referrals from their mag and are happy. As such I want to start out and do some work on my own. I am in Scotland and so I feel there is a market waiting to be tapped. Although pretty up to date with most of the SEO issues mentioned here I was wondering how others got off the ground with no previous private clients and no established track record.
My basic experience is 6 months SEO. I have had good results for about 5 sites but on far too few keywords(grr boss issues.) Is this too little?

Thanks in advance
Shanz

[brotherhood of LAN]

>I have had good results for about 5 sites

I assume this is the majority of it - CONSISTENCY. To answer the question (not that I am one) I guess a fully fledged SEO is someone who got high rankings because they planned to get high rankings, they just didnt fall on to their lap after google finding their site through a toolbar or whatever :)

[Travoli]

Can you do a little work at your local web development firm in exchange for portfolio fodder?

It's a good way to get exposure, experience, and refine your skills all at once.

[shanz]

I agree that consistency is a major factor. I have been pretty consistent but any new strategy takes a while to filter through, so its hard to say exactly where you are.

I did have a good experience with some refreshed content that got good rankings across the engines within three weeks.

>Can you do a little work at your local web development firm in exchange for portfolio fodder?

Good tip but there don't seem to be that many established SEO's in Scotland.
brotherhood_of_LAN do you have a comment on this?

Thanks for the advice anyway guys.

[brotherhood of LAN]

>brotherhood_of_LAN do you have a comment on this?

I know of 2 experienced scots in here, probably more.

Remember there are only 5 million of us :)

[makemetop]

>...but there don't seem to be that many established SEO's in Scotland.

There are two pretty major SEO companies in Scotland (at least) - but remember that selling to smaller local companies is often harder than selling to the more net-savvy larger businesses who have learned that SE placements are an important part of their marketing strategy.

I'm in Northern Ireland, part funded by Regional Government and I am promoted by the local enterprise board to all companies in NI who ask advice on their internet strategies (and they could get a 50% grant for using my services)- yet 90% of my business is from London and the South East!

[Travoli]

by the way, shanz, welcome to WebmasterWorld! Didn't see that it was your first post on the last go-round.

I'm not talking so much about looking for SEO firms to do work for. How about web design firms with no SEO element at all? If you want to do some work on your own, this would be a great route.

[chris_f]

>> When are you a fully fledged SEO

When you ego says 'Your the best'. Whether it's true or not.

[TallTroll]

>> When are you a fully fledged SEO

When you can get people to pay you to do it. You know you are good at it if people keep paying you to do it

[agerhart]

>>>> When are you a fully fledged SEO

- When people don't question you.
- When you don't have to explain things in detail
- When you can surprise yourself with rankings

[EliteWeb]

I felt special when people started referring clients to me. It's entertaining getting that unknown called on the cell and it being someone saying 'can i be on the search engine too?' ;)

[shanz]

Excellent advice. The main point for me is that nobody said "oh you haven't enough experience". Thats good enough for me.
TallTrolls advice sounds about right. I had my first client waiting in the wings, so I can now move forward with more confidence. Should be easy, the site looks like it was designed to hide from search engines!
Shanz:)

[Eric_Lander]

I think the most rewarding feeling, is when a client calls you and tells you that their sales are through the roof, that their phones are ringing all the time, and things like that.

For me, the understanding that I was part of an SEO organization came when one of our first clients beat out the total of 3 years of online sales in a matter of two months.

I guess what I'm saying is that you're a full fledged SEO when you produce results that you were paid for.