The SEO field is a constantly evolving one. There are numerous algorithm changes by the major search engines and what was prioritized one day could be forgotten the very next one. You could keep doing constant research and using analytics — you should — but there’s another thing you can do to expand your digital knowledge: networking.
You might be comfortable staying at home. We understand that there are a lot of introverts out there. Still, there are plenty of reasons to do things like contact an SEO conference speaker offline. Here are some reasons why stepping out of your comfort zone can help you and why doing it is important.
You Can Talk Directly With Industry Experts
Networking can put more people in front of you who have been further along their SEO journey than you. They may have followed the ebbs and flows of how this business works for many years, which is why they are recognized as experts in the industry. You want to see what they know and get them to share some nuggets of their wisdom with you.
The best way to do that is to give them targeted questions. Come in with a game plan, since their time is valuable. This will ensure that you get the answers that will help rather than feeling like you’re fumbling around.
They may have a different perspective on the field, too. This might give them the ability to be able to clearly explain some of the more complex topics about SEO. As a result, you could gain a new understanding and be able to use this to your advantage.
Technology has made it a lot easier to talk with peers in the field. In the past, your options were to either go to speaking events or network mixers, which can be hard for introverts. Instead, you can find speaker information on their websites or even on social media.
Once you’ve done some research, then it’s just a matter of contacting the ones who you think have something to offer. Once you get in touch, then you can decide how to communicate — email, text, or even video calls.
Also, there are networking groups on job sites. You can join them by industry, so you could do a search for SEO and see what catches your eye. If you see one that seems particularly interesting, you can apply to join.
Once you’re in there, you can start interacting. Don’t just spam information about yourself. See what people are saying and then add your own opinions. Over time, people will start recognizing the value you bring.
You Can Get Insights Into the Latest Trends
As we mentioned before, the SEO field is constantly changing. That’s why it’s important to learn about what is popular at the moment … and also listen to some predictions about what’s coming up. You’ll be able to fine-tune your strategy along the way in the future.
The conference speakers will have their ears to the ground, listening for the latest industry rumblings. This is their job, so their advice is well worth listening to. Also, you might learn something that you hadn’t thought of before when it comes to how things are currently working.
No one has a crystal ball, though. People, like the SEO conference speakers, will use their knowledge to make the most educated choices to stay abreast of those trends. The best thing you can do is listen to them.
You Can Learn New Strategies and Perspectives
You’ve certainly heard the saying “thinking outside the box.” Networking can offer you the opportunity to do just that. There might be some way of doing things that you haven’t thought of in the past.
Your new networking connection might be able to help you see things differently. You might have been stressing out over a certain metric in your analytics and they might make you realize that you were putting too much emphasis on it. Instead, they might point you in the direction of a different one, one that hadn’t seemed as important before.
There’s another advantage to this — you can stay ahead of the curve, which can help you separate yourself from the pack. If you use this information wisely, then you can become a leader in the field yourself. Then you could become one of those SEO conference speakers yourself.
These conference speakers will likely have access to cutting-edge research more than any regular SEO worker. They might be willing to share that with you if they think that your goals and knowledge indicate that you’re ready to take the big leap and excel in this field.
That way, if you honed in on this new metric and made certain tweaks and changes, you could start seeing good results fairly soon. Your conference speaker connection could be a valuable asset as time goes on. You could wind up bouncing ideas off each other, which would benefit the two of you.
You Can Build Connections
It’s important to build relationships with some of the people that you network with. You might find it difficult to connect with everyone — and that’s fine. That’s because not everyone has the ideas or knowledge that will be able to help you.
Still, it’s a good idea to be cordial to them too and at least make an effort to stay in touch. You never know if they might develop any ideas or strategies in the future. Then it might be mutually beneficial to revisit those conversations.
You Can Get More Opportunities and Collaborations
The conference speaker may well be intrigued at what you have to offer in the SEO field. You might have a knack for putting together a good series of keywords or being able to put yourself in the shoes of the people who are searching online. That might mean that the conference speaker might want to work with you in a collaboration.
You might find someone who has an idea or works for a company that utilizes SEO. They might become a source of work, too, if you’re good at creating content that gets picked up by search engines. You’ve got to keep your eyes open for opportunities like that.
You Can Validate Your Current Strategies
There’s also something encouraging about hearing an industry expert listen to what you’re doing and give their approval. It means that you’ve got a knack for this industry and that you’re likely on the right path. As a result, you’ll have the confidence to continue doing that.
Sometimes, that sort of thing is going to be just the boost to your confidence that you need to go out and crush the work. Don’t let it go to your head, though. Use it as motivation, instead.
Strategies
You want to make sure that you talk with the right people. That means that you want to find people that fit your vision and also excel in the same areas. While it’s nice to talk with people, your time, and theirs, is valuable. You should do this:
- Research – Look up the speakers and see what their credentials are like. Have they had success in the type of SEO that you do? See who you think you would connect the best with.
- Attend the Conference – This might seem like a no-brainer, but you have to think about the timing. Are they being held in your area? You might have to factor in travel and other costs, which could wind up hurting your budget. If you are good at maintaining your calendar.
- Approach the Speaker – This one may be easier since you may have already contacted them before the conference. If you didn’t, still be respectful. They may have people talking with them, but wait for a quiet moment and talk.
- Follow-Up – The initial conversation may have been brief, but that would depend on how popular they were at the conference. You can follow up with them fairly soon afterward and see about establishing regular communication or even meetings like lunch or drinks.
By doing the above on a regular basis. You’ll grow more comfortable each time that you do it, and before you know it, you’ll be a natural. Then you’ll be able to network with the best of them.
Don’t get overwhelmed by this — the main thing that you need to keep in mind is that networking is sharing between two people. Don’t be the one who just tries to take, take, take without giving anything in return. You have things to offer too, so you need to make it a two-way street. Otherwise, you risk being shut out sooner than later, which negates your efforts.
Yes, there’s a lot of information about SEO available online, including a seemingly endless number of videos. Those can be valuable resources for sure, but there’s definitely a benefit to stepping out from behind the computer or phone and talking to people directly. Take advantage of that and use your new knowledge to help you and your business.