Forum Moderators: open
Mark
Start here:
[webmasterworld.com...]
and here:
[webmasterworld.com...]
READ, READ, READ WebmasterWorld.
APPLY, APPLY, APPLY your knowledge on your Web sites.
What I have learned purely by reading these forums (coupled with a few google searches for topics I've learned here) has revolutionised our positioning in the SERPS and my overall understanding of what is important and what isn't.
Start by reading Brett's "12 month guide to a succesful website" and then just spend a couple of weeks reading through the postings on here.
Then ask specific questions - most of the time you'll get a reply within about 2 minutes, and that's the beauty of a forum with such a massive user base spread over a multitude of countries.
TJ
<EDIT: Chicago beat me to it, and with a better starting point, I forgot about that first thread! But I think we're basically saying the same thing....>
I'm not sure about what courses you can take, but I can tell you that any information can be found within the forums here at WebmasterWorld.
Spend some time searching through the threads, use the site search [webmasterworld.com] feature (very handy) and post any specific questions you have and I'm positive the regulars will be able to help you out or point you to a thread that you may have missed.
But, if nothing else, start here [webmasterworld.com]. A fantastic newcomers thread by JamesR.
Hope this helps, enjoy your stay.
- Chad
Scripting can speed up your work considerably, and also learn some bash & linux. Try taking a read through 'linux for dummies' I read it a few years ago, it helped a lot.
Get a grip on the basics of IIS & Apache webserver, so any technical details you end up needing to handle - you can deal just fine.
Know the ins & outs of all the major search engines, all the major advertising programs, which programs can be automated - the why & the when of all that.
A bit about conversion rates, how to track users when they interact with your sites, something about usability & perhaps how to geo target & do split run testing.
And, it's always good to have a portfolio of successful sites, both in rankings & conversions, to be able to back up your claims of grandeur when pitching a client on all the $$$ you are about to make them.
Hey Jeremy, that's some strong Kung Fu!
joseyposey, here's a course I highly recommend: Get a black belt in writing a good contract. There are few things that will harm you as much as a poorly written contract.
Then you can also take some courses in algorithms, advanced mathematics, and information retrieval. Read a few science journals, and perhaps some publications on theoretical mathematics, paying special attention to adaptive systems, neural networks, and multi agent systems.
Let's see, don't forget some type of office package, either MS Office or OpenOffice, and some graphic design like photoshop & what not, if you really want to cover *everything* that could be semi - related to SEO.
In a nutshell, just hang out here & read lots of books. Build lots of sites, test them, & see what works.
To add to the discussion, I've found that it's one thing to know what helps to improve rankings... it's another to know what's achievable. If you're doing SEO for money, it helps to be able to look at SERPs, to assess the competition, and to figure it whether you're going to be able to get useful results with the resources at your disposal.
Language skills in general are also pretty important... for whatever language you're working in. Reading, writing, grammar, word usage, sentence and document structure, all enter into SEO.
copywriting skills are a must - the ability to edit your work, etc - make it work for the target audience, speak to them in their language, etc.
also, if you are 'up on advertising trends' you can take advantage of what is 'hip' so being market aware is a definite must, imho, to gain a competitive edge.
