What makes an SEO an expert?

What makes as SEO an "expert" as opposed to an "intermediate." SEO is not brain surgery - most techniques are quite basic. If one has mastered all the well-known SEO techniques and is able to make huge gains in all major search engines, could they be considered an expert?

If you can get a new site ranked in the top ten for terms like poker, travel, etc within a year, you might be an expert.

If you can bring a site back from being banned to rank in the top ten within a year, you might be an expert.

If you can do all this without cheating and end up with a stable listing that doesn't move when updates come around, you might be an expert.

If someone has a certain "expertise", then that person is an expert. That was the easy answer.

Most people are of the opinion that a good SEO has various expertises, many in fact. Of course that is bollox. You only need to know how to promote your sites (and maybe predict what's gonna happen next in the world of search). And that depends on the area you like to work in, be it 0nline p0ker or Afgh@n cr0chet p@tterns. Every area has its little tricks, and experts.

Of course, once you've caught all the pokemon in the game, you can be called a master That's just an "elite" thing though, and it isn't very practical. Good SEOs do what they do best and know their limitations.

It all depends upon what keywords you are talking about. Its easy to think that you are "expert" if you are playing for easy terms. Then when a Master SEO arrives in your SERPs you find out how good you really are.

All of this is blurred by differences in website authority. If you have a powerful site you can screw things up and your rankings still stick based upon inbound links. Then a Master SEO with a weaker site kicks your *** because she knows what she is doing.

Other elements are also involved such as ability to accomplish with budget, creative use of title tags and landing pages, how to get high quality links effectively, anticipate where algos are going, knowing when to attack and when to fight elsewhere. This goes far beyond the *mechanical basics* that you refer to.

Also it is easy to think you are expert if you are only working on one site... but a real expert can be successful building sites for almost any theme... you might know the keywords and strategies for "Baseball equipment" but could you do as well for Pittsburgh, auto parts, loans, real estate, or hosting?

It's relative at the bottom line.

We are all talking mostly technical issues of SERPs, backlinks, etc. Those are all the things that everyone claims isn't brain surgers. To me an expert in anything is above average in satisfying the needs at hand to satisfy the end game; SEO or otherwise. So in SEO one must recognize what the end game is and assess the resources that can be applied towards satifying that end game goal. Once the goal is known and resources inventoried, the path towards reaching that end can be planned.

The expert, considering the above, lays out the plan AND gets you or your site to where it is planned to be with the resources that have been devoted towards that end goal.

An expert also, considering the above, has the fortitude to tell you, considering the assigned task and the resources that can be brought to bear, that your goals may be unrealistic.

An expert does not promise or guarantee success just to get the job/contract. An expert is honest and guides you towards that level of success you can likely realize. Sometimes that level is thrilling... sometimes that level is depressing. But, in each case the level is realizable in the view of the expert.

Many people only look for that "expert" that will guarantee the world, when the real world might only be a minor piece of the world. An expert should allow you to realize reality. No more and no less.

I pretty much agree with all of you, especially you SEO_AM (nice keyword stuffing of the word "expert", btw.)

From what I've observed, a LOT of web companies out there offer SEO services that are either comple garbage, intended to rip-off companies that don't know any better, or the companies offering them simply don't know what they're doing. It amazes me that some reputable web hosts out there offer guaranteed search engine registration and charge a monthly fee for it, offering discounts for signing up annually. From the companies I have researched, a lot of them are making mistakes and some are even offering services that will hurt their clients.

I have studied SEO quite a bit and made big gains for competitive terms. I took my first client ever from page 15 to page 1 in Google and doubled his sales. My other clients are making significant gains as well.. I don't consider myself an "expert" yet, based on lack of experience, but I consider myself more SEO-savvy than 99% of people who claim to know what their doing.

Juicebox SEO thats great!... keep it up and stay here and become a pro like egol, fatho, tstolber, ClickB, Brandall and all those guys... when i grow up i will like to be like them.... =)

SEO Expert = Makes Money
SEO Novice = Spends Money


(oh, and an SEO Expert spend 3-4 hrs. a day minimum in this forum)

A person having good common sense ( which is not so common ) and who can slog on Internet including these forums can become an expert. And above all you need projects-in-hand to move to top.

Likely the closest "HONEST" answer.

Common sense implies having the right vantagepoint though.

You cannot think and use the common sense of a website owner or merely that of one promoting for a website owner but the common sense of search engine only interested in the value offered to their customers - "searchers"...

That isn't as common as many people believe it is.

When you start looking at problem-solving from that angle you are indeed gifted.

An example:

Why are "title elements" so important?

That's the clickable link of the listing in search engines - clearly you are what you are by your title - or at least you should be.

From the vantagepoint of an owner or maybe a poor SEO:

SPAM IT - I WANT THE RANKS!

What sticks out in my mind reading the posts above is the difference between having a skill set and being a professional.

One can have expert skills ranking sites, but if they cannot present themselves as a consumate professional, with common sense, that instills trust with a good interpretation of the situation or atmosphere a client faces, he still has much room to grow.

SEO_AM's post blends both into a perfect mix.

That is true, and that would be more or less what separates SEO experts from SEO pros IMV. Not necessarily the same.....

But how 'bout SEO naturals who don't give a FF about making money online? Are they pros? Surely not.

anybody can do SEO, seo is way more than seo. we're talking a full comprehension of business streatgy/marketing concepts to adquately implement seo and completely drawing its value into a site.