How to ACTUALLY Learn SEO

Summary

In this video, the speaker shares practical steps to effectively learn SEO. Emphasizing actionable knowledge over theoretical definitions, they outline three key steps: acquiring a foundational understanding, focusing on high-impact areas like content creation, link building, and user experience, and starting a personal project for hands-on practice. The speaker also highlights the importance of acting on acquired knowledge and recommends a 90/10 action-to-learning ratio. For deeper learning, they suggest joining Gotch SEO Academy for structured guidance and proven SEO strategies.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Focus on action over definitions: The video emphasizes learning SEO by taking actionable steps rather than just understanding definitions.
• 🚀 Importance of taking action: It's crucial to act on SEO knowledge to see real results, rather than just consuming information.
• 💡 Base knowledge: Start with acquiring fundamental SEO knowledge from reliable sources, including the Gotch SEO Blog and YouTube channel.
• 📈 High-impact actions: Focus on creating keyword-targeted content, link building, and user experience optimization for significant SEO results.
• 📝 Content differentiation: Understand the difference between informational content (educational) and transactional content (conversion-focused).
• 🔗 Link building: Despite debates, links from relevant and credible sources remain crucial for SEO success.
• 📊 User experience: Optimizing user experience not only helps SEO but also improves conversions.
• 🎯 Conversion rate optimization (CRO): Essential for turning traffic into leads and customers through consistent testing and optimization.
• 💼 Start a side project: Begin a side hustle to apply SEO knowledge practically, which accelerates learning and provides real-life experience.
• 🕰 Learn from experts: Leverage the expertise of experienced SEOs to avoid unnecessary mistakes and save time in learning SEO.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to teach viewers how to learn SEO the right way, focusing on actionable steps and high-impact areas rather than just definitions.

Why does the author avoid explaining basic SEO concepts like backlinks and keyword research?

The author avoids explaining basic SEO concepts because this information is readily available online for free. Instead, the video focuses on actionable steps that make the difference between successful and unsuccessful SEO efforts.

What did the author do when their first website had no traffic?

The author stopped trying to figure everything out on their own, started doing more research, discovered SEO, and began taking action on everything they learned. This approach eventually led to significant traffic growth and their first affiliate sale.

What are the three high-impact areas in SEO that the author emphasizes?

The three high-impact areas in SEO emphasized by the author are: creating keyword-targeted content, link building, and user experience optimization.

Why is creating keyword-targeted content important?

Creating keyword-targeted content is important because it helps attract organic search traffic to a website. The content should be structured according to the intent behind the keyword phrases, which can significantly improve the chances of ranking well on search engines.

How does the author suggest acquiring links to a website?

The author suggests having a concentrated effort to acquire new links from other relevant and credible websites, as high-quality links are a crucial factor for SEO performance and can help outperform competitors.

What role does user experience optimization play in SEO?

User experience optimization improves both SEO and conversions. Enhancing user experience can lead to better rankings and higher conversion rates, making it a critical part of successful SEO strategies.

What is Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) and why is it important?

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) involves consistently testing and improving pages to maximize conversions. It's important because driving traffic to a site is ineffective if the site cannot convert that traffic into leads or customers.

What is the significance of starting a side hustle in learning SEO?

Starting a side hustle is significant because it provides real-life experience and a testing ground to apply and iterate on SEO techniques. This hands-on approach accelerates learning and helps develop practical skills.

How does the author recommend balancing learning and action in SEO?

The author recommends a 90/10 split, where 90% of the time should be spent acting on information and only 10% should be spent on education and learning. This ensures that knowledge is effectively applied and tested in real-world scenarios.

What is the purpose of the 'future actions list' mentioned by the author?

The 'future actions list' is a method to stay accountable for taking action on information learned from various sources. By listing actionable items, one ensures that they act on the information rather than just consuming it.

What is the benefit of leveraging expertise from more experienced individuals in SEO?

Leveraging expertise from more experienced individuals helps bypass the trial and error phase, saving time and avoiding mistakes. It allows one to learn proven strategies and gain insights from those who have already achieved success.