{"id":2546,"date":"2024-04-22T14:07:33","date_gmt":"2024-04-22T14:07:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/how-to-become-an-seo-lead-10-tips-that-advanced-my-career\/"},"modified":"2024-04-22T14:07:33","modified_gmt":"2024-04-22T14:07:33","slug":"how-to-become-an-seo-lead-10-tips-that-advanced-my-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/how-to-become-an-seo-lead-10-tips-that-advanced-my-career\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Become an SEO Lead (10 Tips That Advanced My Career)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>A few years ago, I was an SEO Lead managing enterprise clients\u2019 SEO campaigns. It\u2019s a senior role and takes a lot of work to get there. So how can you do it,\u00a0too?<\/p>\n<p>In this article, I\u2019ll share ten tips to help you climb the next rung in the SEO career ladder.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Mentor junior members of the team\" data-section=\"mentor\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-174347-_46do10b39vdw\"\/>1. Mentor junior team members<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Helping new hires in the <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-team\/\">SEO team<\/a> is important if you want to become an SEO Lead. It gives you the experience to develop your leadership skills, and you can also share your knowledge and help others learn and\u00a0grow.<\/p>\n<p>It demonstrates you can explain things well, provide helpful feedback, and improve the team\u2019s standard of work. It shows you care about the team\u2019s success, which is essential for leaders. Bosses look for someone who can do their work well and help everyone improve.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some practical examples of things I did early in my career to help mentor junior members of the team that you can try as\u00a0well:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Hold \u201clunch and learn\u201d sessions<\/strong> on topics related to SEO and share case studies of work you have\u00a0done<\/li>\n<li><strong>Create process documents<\/strong> for the junior members of the team to show them how to complete specific tasks related to your\u00a0work<\/li>\n<li><strong>Compile lists of your favorite tools and resources<\/strong> for junior members of the\u00a0team<\/li>\n<li><strong>Create onboarding documents<\/strong> for interns joining the company<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Spy on other SEOs\u2019 career paths\" data-section=\"spy\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-174347-_ykhwxz8svpb5\"\/>2. Spy on other SEOs\u2019 career paths<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Wouldn\u2019t it be great if you could look at every single SEO Lead\u2019s resume? Well, you already can. You can infer ~70% of any SEO\u2019s resume by spying on their LinkedIn and social media channels.<\/p>\n<p>Type \u201cSEO Lead\u201d into LinkedIn and see what you\u00a0get.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1272\" height=\"1412\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/searching-for-seo-leads-using-linkedin.jpg\" alt=\"Searching for SEO Leads using Linkedin\" class=\"wp-image-174348\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/searching-for-seo-leads-using-linkedin.jpg 1272w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/searching-for-seo-leads-using-linkedin-383x425.jpg 383w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/searching-for-seo-leads-using-linkedin-768x853.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1272px) 100vw, 1272px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1272\" height=\"1412\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/searching-for-seo-leads-using-linkedin.jpg\" alt=\"Searching for SEO Leads using Linkedin\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174348\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/searching-for-seo-leads-using-linkedin.jpg 1272w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/searching-for-seo-leads-using-linkedin-383x425.jpg 383w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/searching-for-seo-leads-using-linkedin-768x853.jpg 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1272px) 100vw, 1272px\"\/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"recommendation\">\n<p>Tip<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n<p>Look for common career patterns of the SEOs you admire in the industry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>I used this method to understand how my favorite SEOs and people at my company navigated their way from a junior role to a senior role.<\/p>\n<p>For example, when the Head of SEO at the time <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kirsty-hulse-%F0%9F%92%AA-01337a1b\/\">Kirsty Hulse<\/a>, joined my team, I added her on LinkedIn and realized that if I wanted to follow in her footsteps, I\u2019d need to start by getting the role of <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-manager\/\">SEO Manager<\/a> to stand any possible chance of leading <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-campaign\/\">SEO campaigns<\/a> like she\u00a0was.<\/p>\n<p>The progression in my company was from SEO Executive to Senior SEO Executive (Junior roles in London, UK), but as an outsider coming into the company, Kirsty showed me that it was possible to jump straight to SEO Manager given the right circumstances.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"710\" height=\"278\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/career-example.png\" alt=\"Career example\" class=\"wp-image-174349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/career-example.png 710w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/career-example-680x266.png 680w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"710\" height=\"278\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/career-example.png\" alt=\"Career example\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/career-example.png 710w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/career-example-680x266.png 680w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Using Kirsty\u2019s and other SEOs\u2019 profiles, I decided that the next step in my career needed to be <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-manager\/\">SEO Manager<\/a>, and at some point, I needed to get some experience with a bigger media agency so I could work my way up to leading an SEO campaign with bigger brands.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Find big brands to work with\" data-section=\"big-brands\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-174347-_tmcm86cgv3ad\"\/>3. Find big brands to work\u00a0with<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Sadly, you can\u2019t just rock up to a monthly meeting and start leading a big brand SEO campaign. You\u2019ll need to prove yourself to your line manager first. So how can you do\u00a0this?<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what I\u2019d suggest you\u00a0do:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Create a strong track record with smaller companies<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Obsessively share your wins with your company<\/strong>, so that senior management will already know you can deliver.<\/li>\n<li><strong>At your performance review,<\/strong> tell your line manager that you want to work on bigger campaigns and take on more responsibility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If there\u2019s no hope of working with a big brand at your current job, you might need to consider looking for a new job where there is a recognizable brand. This was what I realized I needed to do if I wanted to get more experience.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommendation\">\n<p>Tip<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n<p>Get recruiters on LinkedIn to give you the inside scoop on which brands or agencies are hiring. Ask them if you have any skill gaps on your resume that could prevent you from getting a job with these companies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Identify your skill gaps\" data-section=\"skill-gaps\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-174347-_j0406iibndg\"\/>4. Identify your skill\u00a0gaps<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Being critical of your skill gaps can be hard to do. I found the best way to identify them early in my career was to ask other people\u2014specifically recruiters. They had knowledge of the industry and were usually fairly honest as to what I needed to improve.<\/p>\n<p>From this, I realized I lacked experience working with other teams\u2014like <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/digital-pr\/\">PR<\/a>, social, and development teams. As a junior SEO, your mind is focused 99% on doing SEO, but when you become more senior, your integration with other teams is important to your success.<\/p>\n<p>For this reason, I\u2019d suggest that aspiring SEO Leads should have a good working knowledge of how other teams outside of SEO operate. If you take the time to do this, it will pay dividends later in your career:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If there are other teams in your company, ask if you can do some onboarding training with\u00a0them.<\/li>\n<li>Get to know other team leads within your company and learn how they\u00a0work.<\/li>\n<li>Take training courses to learn the fundamentals of other disciplines that complement SEO, such as Python, SQL, or content creation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Sometimes, employers use skill gaps to pay you less, so it\u2019s crucial to get the skills you need early\u00a0on\u2026<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"417\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/skills-gap-illustration.png\" alt=\"Skills gap illustration\" class=\"wp-image-174351\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"417\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/skills-gap-illustration.png\" alt=\"Skills gap illustration\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174351\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huckkonopackicartoons.com\/skills-gap\/\">Source<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Examples of other skill gaps I\u2019ve noticed include:<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommendation\">\n<p>Tip<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n<p>If you think you have a lot of skill gaps, then you can brush up your skills with our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/academy\">SEO academy<\/a>. Once you\u2019ve completed that, you can fast-track your knowledge by taking a course like <a href=\"https:\/\/seomba.com\/\">Tom Critchlow\u2019s SEO MBA<\/a>, or you can try to develop these skills through your\u00a0job.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1120\" height=\"1078\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Ahrefs-academy.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174386\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1120\" height=\"1078\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Ahrefs-academy.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174386\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Share &lt;em&gt;your&lt;\/em&gt; wins with the team\" data-section=\"wins\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-174347-_46ib0lnwhbc7\"\/>5. Share <em>your<\/em> wins with the\u00a0team<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>As a junior in any company, it can be hard to get your voice heard amongst the senior crowd. Ten years ago, I shared my wins with the team in a weekly group email in the office.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what you should be sharing:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Praise from 3rd parties<\/strong>, e.g. <em>\u201cthe client said they are impressed with the work this\u00a0month.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>Successful performance insights<\/strong>, e.g<em> \u201cfollowing our SEO change, the client has seen X% more conversions this month<\/em>.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Examples of the work you led<\/strong>, e.g. if your leadership and decision-making led to good results, then you need to share\u00a0it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>At Ahrefs I keep a \u201cwins\u201d document. It\u2019s just a simple spreadsheet that lists feedback on the blog posts I\u2019ve written, the links I\u2019ve earned and what newsletters my post was included in. It\u2019s useful to have a document like this so you have a record of your achievements.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1090\" height=\"408\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/example-of-wins-spreadsheet.png\" alt=\"Example of wins spreadsheet\" class=\"wp-image-174352\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/example-of-wins-spreadsheet.png 1090w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/example-of-wins-spreadsheet-680x255.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/example-of-wins-spreadsheet-768x287.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1090px) 100vw, 1090px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1090\" height=\"408\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/example-of-wins-spreadsheet.png\" alt=\"Example of wins spreadsheet\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174352\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/example-of-wins-spreadsheet.png 1090w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/example-of-wins-spreadsheet-680x255.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/example-of-wins-spreadsheet-768x287.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1090px) 100vw, 1090px\"\/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"sidenote\">\n<p>Sidenote.<\/p>\n<p>Junior SEOs sometimes talk about the things \u201cwe\u201d achieved as a team rather than what they achieved at the interview stage. If you want the SEO Lead role, remember to talk about what <em>you<\/em> achieved. While there\u2019s no \u201cI\u201d in team, you also need to advocate for yourself.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>One of my first big wins as an SEO was getting a link from an outreach campaign on Buzzfeed. When I went to <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/brighton-seo\/\">Brighton SEO<\/a> later that year and saw <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/matthewbarby?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor\">Matthew Howells-Barby<\/a> sharing how he got a Buzzfeed link, I realized that this was not something everyone had\u00a0done.<\/p>\n<p>So when I did manage to become an SEO Lead, and my team won a prize in Publicis Groupe for our SEO performance, I made sure everyone knew about the work we did. I even wrote a case study on the work for Publicis Groupe\u2019s intranet.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1868\" height=\"828\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/silver-prize-winning-at-publicis-groupe.jpg\" alt=\"Silver prize winning at publicis groupe\" class=\"wp-image-174353\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/silver-prize-winning-at-publicis-groupe.jpg 1868w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/silver-prize-winning-at-publicis-groupe-680x301.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/silver-prize-winning-at-publicis-groupe-768x340.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/silver-prize-winning-at-publicis-groupe-1536x681.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1868px) 100vw, 1868px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1868\" height=\"828\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/silver-prize-winning-at-publicis-groupe.jpg\" alt=\"Silver prize winning at publicis groupe\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174353\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/silver-prize-winning-at-publicis-groupe.jpg 1868w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/silver-prize-winning-at-publicis-groupe-680x301.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/silver-prize-winning-at-publicis-groupe-768x340.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/silver-prize-winning-at-publicis-groupe-1536x681.jpg 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1868px) 100vw, 1868px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>I\u2019ve worked with some incredibly talented people, many of whom have helped me in my career.<\/p>\n<p>I owe my big break to <a href=\"https:\/\/uk.linkedin.com\/in\/timcripps\">Tim Cripps<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/uk.linkedin.com\/in\/laurascott82\">Laura Scott<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/uk.linkedin.com\/in\/kmclaren\">Kevin Mclaren<\/a>. Without their support and encouragement, I wouldn\u2019t be where I am today. Even before that, <a href=\"https:\/\/uk.linkedin.com\/in\/david-schulhof\">David Schulhof<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/uk.linkedin.com\/in\/jodie-wheeler\">Jodie Wheeler<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/uk.linkedin.com\/in\/carl-brooks\">Carl Brooks<\/a> let me mastermind some bonkers content campaigns that were lucky enough to succeed:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/digital-spy-coverage-for-emoji-campaign-edited.jpg\" alt=\"Digital Spy Coverage for emoji campaign\" class=\"wp-image-174371\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/digital-spy-coverage-for-emoji-campaign-edited.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/digital-spy-coverage-for-emoji-campaign-edited-567x425.jpg 567w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/digital-spy-coverage-for-emoji-campaign-edited-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/digital-spy-coverage-for-emoji-campaign-edited.jpg\" alt=\"Digital Spy Coverage for emoji campaign\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174371\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/digital-spy-coverage-for-emoji-campaign-edited.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/digital-spy-coverage-for-emoji-campaign-edited-567x425.jpg 567w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/digital-spy-coverage-for-emoji-campaign-edited-768x576.jpg 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Some of the coverage I got for a stag and hen do client, back in the\u00a0day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I wasn\u2019t even an SEO Lead at that point, but they gave me the reins and trusted me.<\/p>\n<p>So, how can you find your\u00a0tribe?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Speak to recruiters \u2013 they might hold the ticket to your next dream job.<\/strong> I spoke to many recruiters early in my career, but only two recruiters delivered for me\u2014they were <a href=\"https:\/\/uk.linkedin.com\/in\/natashawoodford\">Natasha Woodford<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/amaliagouta\/\">Amalia Gouta<\/a>. Natasha helped me get a job that filled my skill gap, and Amalia helped me get my first SEO Lead\u00a0role.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Go to events and <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-conferences-roundup\/\">SEO conferences<\/a><\/strong>, and talk to speakers to build connections outside of your company.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use LinkedIn and other social media<\/strong> to interact with other companies or individuals that resonate with\u00a0you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Use X and LinkedIn to build your personal brand\" data-section=\"personal-brand\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-174347-_d39st791ypv1\"\/>7. Use X and LinkedIn to build your personal brand<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Many senior SEO professionals spend most of their online lives on X and LinkedIn. If you\u2019re not using them, you\u2019re missing out on juicy opportunities.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"472\" height=\"372\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/example-of-linkedin-recruiter-message.png\" alt=\"Example of Linkedin recruiter message\" class=\"wp-image-174355\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"472\" height=\"372\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/example-of-linkedin-recruiter-message.png\" alt=\"Example of Linkedin recruiter message\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174355\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Example of a recruiter message I got just after I joined Ahrefs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Sharing your expertise on these platforms is one of the easiest ways to increase your chances of getting a senior SEO role. Because, believe it or not, sometimes a job offer can be just a DM\u00a0away.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s some specific ideas of what you can\u00a0share:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Share your thoughts on a trending topic<\/strong> \u2013 like the latest <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/google-algorithm-updates\">Google algorithm update<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Share what you learned <\/strong>during the course of a campaign.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ask the community<\/strong> for their thoughts on a certain topic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I\u2019ve recently started posting on LinkedIn and am impressed by the reach you can get by posting infrequently on these topics.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s an example of one of my posts where I asked the community for help researching an article I was writing:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"724\" height=\"956\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-post-example.png\" alt=\"Linkedin post example\" class=\"wp-image-174356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-post-example.png 724w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-post-example-322x425.png 322w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 724px) 100vw, 724px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"724\" height=\"956\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-post-example.png\" alt=\"Linkedin post example\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-post-example.png 724w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-post-example-322x425.png 322w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 724px) 100vw, 724px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>And here is the content performance across the last year from posting these updates.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1026\" height=\"462\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-content-performance.png\" alt=\"Linkedin-Content-Performance\" class=\"wp-image-174357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-content-performance.png 1026w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-content-performance-680x306.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-content-performance-768x346.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1026px) 100vw, 1026px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1026\" height=\"462\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-content-performance.png\" alt=\"Linkedin-Content-Performance\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-content-performance.png 1026w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-content-performance-680x306.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-content-performance-768x346.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1026px) 100vw, 1026px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>I\u2019m clearly not a LinkedIn expert\u2014far from it! But as you can see, with just a few months of posting, you can start to make these platforms work for\u00a0you.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Practice conscious leadership\" data-section=\"conscious-leadership\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-174347-_fl4rilphpome\"\/>8. Practice conscious leadership<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/godardabel\">Godard Abel<\/a>, co-founder of G2, talked on a <a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/gb\/podcast\/mental-health-at-work\/id1581979970?i=1000612474679\">podcast<\/a> about conscious leadership. This struck a chord with me recently as I realized that I had practiced some of the principles of conscious leadership\u2014unconsciously.<\/p>\n<p>You can start practicing conscious leadership by asking yourself if your actions are above or below the line. Here are a few examples of above and below-the-line thinking:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"2011\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/above-and-below-the-line-thinking.png\" alt=\"Above and below the line thinking\" class=\"wp-image-174358\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/above-and-below-the-line-thinking.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/above-and-below-the-line-thinking-338x425.png 338w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/above-and-below-the-line-thinking-768x965.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/above-and-below-the-line-thinking-1222x1536.png 1222w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"2011\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/above-and-below-the-line-thinking.png\" alt=\"Above and below the line thinking\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174358\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/above-and-below-the-line-thinking.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/above-and-below-the-line-thinking-338x425.png 338w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/above-and-below-the-line-thinking-768x965.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/above-and-below-the-line-thinking-1222x1536.png 1222w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>If you want a senior SEO role, I\u2019d suggest shifting your mindset to above-the-line thinking.<\/p>\n<p>In the world of SEO, it\u2019s easy to blame all your search engine woes on Google. We\u2019ve all been there. But a lot of the time, simple changes to your website can make a <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-techniques\/\">huge difference<\/a>\u2014it just takes a bit of effort to find them and make the changes.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Use ethos, pathos, and logos to become more persuasive\" data-section=\"persuasive\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-174347-_gn6e236onjdn\"\/>9. Use ethos, pathos, and logos to become more persuasive<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>SEO is not an exact science. Some stakeholders naturally get nervous if they sense you aren\u2019t sure about what you\u2019re saying. If you don\u2019t get their support early on then you fall at the first hurdle.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/business-plan-with-no-detail.png\" alt=\"Business plan with no detail\" class=\"wp-image-174359\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/business-plan-with-no-detail.png 1024w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/business-plan-with-no-detail-680x340.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/business-plan-with-no-detail-768x384.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/business-plan-with-no-detail-400x200.png 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/business-plan-with-no-detail.png\" alt=\"Business plan with no detail\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174359\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/business-plan-with-no-detail.png 1024w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/business-plan-with-no-detail-680x340.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/business-plan-with-no-detail-768x384.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/business-plan-with-no-detail-400x200.png 400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/optimumproductions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Cartoon_Business_Meeting_Money_Budget_Great_Plan_More_Details_Stock_Comic.png\">Source<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>To become more persuasive, try incorporating Aristotle\u2019s three persuasive techniques into your conversations.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Pathos<\/strong>: use logical reasoning, facts, and data to present water-tight arguments.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ethos<\/strong>: establish your credibility and ethics through results.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Logos<\/strong>: make your reports tell a\u00a0story.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1560\" height=\"1378\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/persuasive-techniques.jpg\" alt=\"Persuasive techniques\" class=\"wp-image-174360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/persuasive-techniques.jpg 1560w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/persuasive-techniques-481x425.jpg 481w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/persuasive-techniques-768x678.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/persuasive-techniques-1536x1357.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1560px) 100vw, 1560px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1560\" height=\"1378\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/persuasive-techniques.jpg\" alt=\"Persuasive techniques\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/persuasive-techniques.jpg 1560w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/persuasive-techniques-481x425.jpg 481w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/persuasive-techniques-768x678.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/persuasive-techniques-1536x1357.jpg 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1560px) 100vw, 1560px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Then sprinkle in language that has a high level of modality:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1770\" height=\"1164\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/modality-of-language.jpg\" alt=\"Modality of language\" class=\"wp-image-174361\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/modality-of-language.jpg 1770w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/modality-of-language-646x425.jpg 646w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/modality-of-language-768x505.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/modality-of-language-1536x1010.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1770px) 100vw, 1770px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1770\" height=\"1164\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/modality-of-language.jpg\" alt=\"Modality of language\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174361\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/modality-of-language.jpg 1770w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/modality-of-language-646x425.jpg 646w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/modality-of-language-768x505.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/modality-of-language-1536x1010.jpg 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1770px) 100vw, 1770px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Some people will be able to do this naturally without even realizing it, but for others, it can be an uphill struggle. It wasn\u2019t easy for me, and I had to learn to adapt the way I talked to stakeholders early\u00a0on.<\/p>\n<p>The strongest way I found was to appeal to emotions and back up with <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-data\/\">data from a platform like Ahrefs<\/a>. Highlight what competitors have done in terms of SEO and the results they\u2019ve earned from doing\u00a0it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sidenote\">\n<p>Sidenote.<\/p>\n<p>You don\u2019t have to follow this tip to the letter, but being aware of these concepts means you\u2019ll start to present more confident and persuasive arguments for justifying your SEO strategies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Talk to decision-makers as much as you can\" data-section=\"decision-makers\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-174347-_iynll651fbrv\"\/>10. Talk to decision-makers as much as you\u00a0can<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>When I started in SEO, I had zero connections. Getting a job felt like an impossible challenge.<\/p>\n<p>Once I\u2019d got my first SEO Lead job, it felt stupidly easy to get another one\u2014just through connections I\u2019d made along the way in my SEO journey.<\/p>\n<p>I once got stuck on a delayed train with a senior member of staff, and he told me he was really into <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/local-seo\/\">Google Local Guides<\/a>, and he was on a certain high level. He said it took him a few years to get\u00a0there.<\/p>\n<p>Local Guides is part of Google Maps that allows you submit reviews and other user generated content<\/p>\n<p>When he showed me the app, I realized that you could easily game the levels by uploading lots of photos.<\/p>\n<p>In a \u201chold my beer\u201d moment, I mass downloaded a bunch of photos, uploaded them to Local Guides and equaled his Local Guide level on the train in about half an hour. He was seething.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"1056\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/google-local-guides-screenshot-level-7.png\" alt=\"Google Local Guides Screenshot Level 7\" class=\"wp-image-174362\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/google-local-guides-screenshot-level-7.png 1320w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/google-local-guides-screenshot-level-7-531x425.png 531w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/google-local-guides-screenshot-level-7-768x614.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1320px) 100vw, 1320px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"1056\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/google-local-guides-screenshot-level-7.png\" alt=\"Google Local Guides Screenshot Level 7\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174362\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/google-local-guides-screenshot-level-7.png 1320w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/google-local-guides-screenshot-level-7-531x425.png 531w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/google-local-guides-screenshot-level-7-768x614.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1320px) 100vw, 1320px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>One of the photos I uploaded was a half-eaten Subway. It still amazes me that 50,974 people have seen this\u00a0photo:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"638\" height=\"996\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/word-image-174347-16.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174363\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/word-image-174347-16.png 638w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/word-image-174347-16-272x425.png 272w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"638\" height=\"996\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/word-image-174347-16.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-174363\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/word-image-174347-16.png 638w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/word-image-174347-16-272x425.png 272w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>This wasn\u2019t exactly SEO, but the ability to find this \u2018hack\u2019 so quickly impressed him, and we struck up a friendship.<\/p>\n<p>The next month that person moved to another company, and then another few months later, he offered me an SEO Lead\u00a0job.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommendation\">\n<p>Tip<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n<p>Build connections with everyone you can\u2014you never know who you might need to call on\u00a0next.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-174347-_25fi3g6pi2wv\"\/>Final thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>The road to becoming an SEO Lead seems straightforward enough when you start out, but it can quickly become long and winding.<\/p>\n<p>But now armed with my tips, and a bucket load of determination, you should be able to navigate your way to an SEO Lead role much quicker than you\u00a0think.<\/p>\n<p>Lastly, if you want any more guidance, you can always ping me on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/london-seo-consultant-chris-haines\/\">LinkedIn<\/a>. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-become-an-seo-lead\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A few years ago, I was an SEO Lead managing enterprise clients\u2019 SEO campaigns. It\u2019s a senior role and takes a lot of work to get there. So how can you do it,\u00a0too? In this article, I\u2019ll share ten tips to help you climb the next rung in the SEO career ladder. 1. Mentor junior [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2547,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-seo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2546"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2546\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}