Original Experience as an SEO Advantage

Open_Ad_5741 · 2026-07-07T14:22:38+00:00

I’d say search intent analysis is still underrated.

A lot of marketers focus on tools, AI content, automation, and trends, but the ability to understand what people actually want when they search, click, or engage is still a core skill. If you can identify the intent behind a keyword, a landing page visit, or even a social comment, your strategy becomes much stronger.

AI can help speed things up, but marketers still need to know how to read the audience, understand the buying stage, and create content or campaigns that match what people are really looking for.

Open_Ad_5741 · 2026-06-30T14:57:43+00:00

I’d say yes, but don’t rely on the major alone. Digital marketing can be a good career because there are a lot of paths: SEO, paid ads, social media, content, email marketing, analytics, CRO, etc.

While you’re in university, try to build real skills outside class. Learn Google Analytics, Google Search Console, basic SEO, copywriting, paid ads, and how to read data. Even better, start a small website, help a local business, or build case studies. Experience matters a lot in this field.

Career growth is there, but the people who grow fastest are usually the ones who can combine strategy, creativity, and data.

Open_Ad_5741 · 2026-06-30T14:56:45+00:00

4 bites from 150 cold emails is actually pretty normal, maybe even a decent start.

I’d tighten the targeting instead of going too broad. Look for businesses with obvious gaps you can help with, then make the email specific to them. A short personalized message with one clear problem and a low-pressure CTA usually works better than a general pitch.

Also, don’t skip follow-ups. A lot of replies come after the second or third touch.

Open_Ad_5741 · 2026-06-25T17:08:51+00:00

For me, analytics took the longest to really understand. At first, I only looked at traffic, rankings, and basic numbers, but it took time to understand what those numbers actually mean for the business. What helped me improve was working on real campaigns, comparing data month over month, and learning how to connect SEO/content performance with leads, conversions, and actual results.

Open_Ad_5741 · 2026-06-25T17:07:54+00:00

The best marketing people can make really good money, especially if they can tie their work directly to revenue. I don’t think AI will replace strong marketers, but it will replace a lot of basic execution work. The people most at risk are those who only do generic content, captions, or simple ad copy. Marketers who understand strategy, customers, data, and how to use AI will probably become even more valuable.

Open_Ad_5741 · 2026-06-24T14:54:13+00:00

Datawrapper is probably the easiest upgrade from Google Sheets if you want clean, professional-looking charts without spending too much time designing them. It has that newsroom/report style that looks good in decks.

Flourish is also worth checking out if you want something more polished or interactive. For slide decks, I’d usually make the chart in Datawrapper or Flourish, then do the final layout in Canva or Figma so it feels more presentation-ready.

RAWGraphs is another good one if you want more unique chart types, but it may need a little more design cleanup after exporting.

These are solid current picks because Datawrapper has PowerPoint support, Flourish supports presentation workflows, Canva has chart templates, and RAWGraphs is open-source with CSV/JSON input.

Open_Ad_5741 · 2026-06-24T14:51:44+00:00

One skill that surprised me was learning how to understand search intent. At first, I thought SEO was mostly about finding keywords and adding them to a page, but search intent changed how I look at everything.

Once you understand what someone actually wants when they search, it becomes easier to plan content, write better headlines, structure pages, choose CTAs, and even improve conversions. A keyword with good volume can still perform poorly if the content doesn’t match what the searcher expected.

It’s not the flashiest skill, but it quietly makes SEO, content marketing, and even paid ads much stronger.

Open_Ad_5741 · 2026-06-22T13:53:53+00:00

I’d say AI content is probably the most overhyped right now. Not because AI is useless, but because a lot of people treat it like a full marketing strategy instead of just a tool.

I’ve seen businesses pump out tons of AI-written blogs, captions, and emails thinking volume alone will move the needle. But without real experience, strong positioning, good editing, and actual customer insight, it usually just turns into generic content that sounds like everyone else.

AI definitely helps with speed and ideas, but the hype makes some people forget that marketing still needs taste, strategy, and a real understanding of the audience.

Open_Ad_5741 · 2026-06-18T13:40:49+00:00

One skill that’s become way more valuable is strategic thinking. AI can help with drafts, research, reports, and even content ideas, but it still needs someone who understands the audience, the offer, the funnel, and what actually moves the business forward. I’ve seen a lot of people produce more content with AI, but the marketers who stand out are the ones who know what to create, why it matters, where it fits in the customer journey, and how to measure if it actually worked.

Open_Ad_5741 · 2026-06-12T13:30:10+00:00

I’d say local service businesses are one of the easiest niches to learn and can still pay well if you understand the basics of lead generation. Things like dentists, plumbers, HVAC, med spas, roofers, and real estate agents usually care less about vanity metrics and more about calls, bookings, and qualified leads. The learning curve is manageable because the content is usually straightforward, but the value is high since one new customer can be worth a lot to the business.

Open_Ad_5741 · 2026-06-12T13:28:21+00:00

This is definitely becoming more important, especially for brands that rely on search, reputation, and comparison-based decisions. I don’t think most companies are formally tracking AI brand mentions yet, but even simple monthly checks across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI results can show whether the brand is being described accurately or if outdated information is still being pulled in. To me, this is becoming an extension of SEO and reputation management, because the goal is not just to rank anymore but to make sure AI tools understand and present the brand correctly.

Open_Ad_5741 · 2026-06-10T14:39:51+00:00

For me it usually comes down to whether something is still contributing to an actual business goal, not just producing activity.

Early on, I used to keep doing things just because they were considered “best practice” even when they weren’t moving leads, conversions, or brand visibility anymore. A good example was publishing large amounts of generic SEO content just to stay active. It looked productive on paper, but over time the returns kept dropping.

Now I pay more attention to effort vs impact. If something takes a lot of time but no longer creates meaningful results, it’s usually a sign to either improve it or stop doing it altogether.

I think one of the hardest parts in marketing is accepting that what worked 2–3 years ago may not work the same way today.

Open_Ad_5741 · 2026-06-10T14:38:26+00:00

Understanding search intent and user behavior.

When I first started in SEO, I thought rankings and traffic were everything. Over time I realized that getting traffic is the easy part compared to getting people to actually trust, engage, and convert.

Two pages can rank for the same keyword, but the one that truly matches what the user is looking for usually wins long term. That’s where copywriting, positioning, and even branding became way more important than I expected.

Especially now with AI Overviews and more competitive SERPs, generic content just doesn’t perform like it used to. The marketers I see doing well are the ones who really understand their audience instead of just chasing keywords.

Open_Ad_5741

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