SEO and search marketing services are one of the most sought-after skills in the digital marketing industry, and with good reason. With a projected valuation of USD 86 billion by 2023, it’s no wonder why SEO jobs are always on the rise.
If you’re an agency looking to capture a piece of this lucrative market, you’ll need more than just a few talented individuals on your team. You’ll need the right mix of marketing, technical and customer service skills to ensure you provide your clients with the best possible service.
In addition to the core marketing and technical skills, here are 13 essential skills that every SEO reseller should possess to make the most of SEO reseller services:
1. Research And Troubleshooting
As an SEO reseller, research and troubleshooting are crucial to success. You’ll need to understand the latest SEO trends, industry-specific terminology, and best practices.
Let’s say there’s an update to Google’s algorithm. You should be able to research and analyze it in depth to adjust your client’s strategy accordingly. You need to be able to explore possible ways on how those changes can affect the SEO of their website.
If you’re a content-focused reseller, strong research abilities (both SEO and subject-based) combined with writing skills should be on your list. But if you work as a contractor, you likely need to have a broad understanding of different tech and a strong ability to research specifics and work with developers.
If you aren’t good at research and troubleshooting, you won’t be able to stay ahead of the competition or provide your clients with the best possible service.
2. Problem-Solving
SEO is challenging. New Google updates, changes in customer demand, and the constant battle to stay ahead of competitors. You need to be able to identify problems quickly and provide solutions.
As an SEO reseller, you need problem-solving and the ability to see the big picture. You must be able to look beyond just SEO tasks and consider other factors such as website design, user experience, and overall business objectives.
It is often helpful to take a step back and look at things from end to end. Taking this perspective can help you solve problems more than fretting over things like meta description length or figuring out the optimum time to release a blog post.
Problem-solving is the greatest skill a successful SEO reseller can possess. Adapting, finding new ways, and exploring all resources for technical, on-page, IT, UX, and off-page factors are all critical to success. Checking boxes off a checklist won’t get you far. You need to be able to think creatively and explore different possibilities.
3. Critical Thinking
The SEO ecosystem is awash with claims and noise, with varying levels of data and anecdotal evidence to support them. Many take this content and advice verbatim without a second thought and expect the same results.
For instance, it is common to see websites use design templates and other technical implementations taken from popular competitors without consideration of the ‘other’ factors that go into how a website ranks. This can put them at a disadvantage, as what works for some websites may not necessarily work for others.
Of course, when you work with white label SEO providers, you can trust that their advice is based on proven strategies, but it’s still important to be able to spot claims and facts. You need to know when and how to ask questions so that you can make informed decisions on behalf of your client.
Critical thinking is essential in SEO, particularly when interpreting data and understanding the bigger picture. You must be able to analyze data sets, evaluate evidence and make informed decisions.
It is also important to be able to think critically in terms of SEO tasks. This means understanding each task’s purpose and evaluating whether it will have an impact.
4. Business Acumen
A solid understanding of business, business processes, workflow automation, and cross-functional alignment is worth gold when discussing enterprise-level SEO consulting.
You need commercial awareness and soft skills to be able to translate the work that you’re doing into measurable impact for your clients. This means understanding their business objectives, their challenges, and what success looks like from their point of view.
This makes it possible to create a custom SEO strategy to meet their needs. It also enables you to identify opportunities for growth, collaboration, and optimization.
In short, a successful SEO reseller must be able to think like a business person. You must be able to consider the implications of every decision and understand its impact on the bottom line. It’s not enough to focus on SEO; you must be able to see the bigger picture and think strategically.
5. Experimenting
SEO has evolved from a technical discipline to one that requires creativity and innovation. What works for one website or industry may not work for another, so you must be prepared to experiment and try new things.
You also need to be able to think like a scientist – constantly gathering evidence, testing hypotheses, analyzing data, and refining strategies based on results. A successful SEO reseller should be able to look beyond assumptions and see what lies beneath the surface.
For instance, predictive SEO involves testing different hypotheses and developing strategies based on the results. This might include using A/B testing to identify which design elements work best or experimenting with different types of content to increase engagement and conversions.
Experimentation is a key part of SEO, and the only way to keep up is to conduct research, analyze data and refine strategies constantly. As an SEO reseller, you need to be able to experiment, learn from your experiments and apply that knowledge to your work.
6. Adaptability
SEO can be seen as a spectrum, as it takes many different skills to master. The challenge is that, as Google and search evolve, these skills change too. To keep up with the ever-changing landscape, you need to adapt quickly.
As an SEO reseller, you will likely work with various clients with different budgets, goals, and challenges. In addition, Google algorithms constantly change, which means it’s essential to be able to adapt quickly and adjust your strategies accordingly.
Adaptability is key when it comes to SEO. You need to be able to adjust your strategies based on the current situation and take advantage of new opportunities. By staying ahead of the curve, you can ensure that your clients will benefit from the latest SEO practices and achieve their desired results.
7. Communication
Being an SEO reseller requires more than just technical know-how. It also requires excellent communication skills. You need to clearly explain the value of your services and communicate your strategies in a way that is easy to understand.
Moreover, the SEO landscape is constantly evolving, so you need to be able to keep your clients informed of any changes and new opportunities. This means being able to articulate complex concepts in a language that is non-technical and easy to understand.
Being an SEO reseller isn’t just about doing the work – it’s about being able to explain it clearly and accurately.
8. Cross-Collaboration
Cross-collaboration is a must for an SEO reseller. As mentioned above, SEO sits at the crossroads of nearly every department in an organization. To be successful, you must be able to work with and communicate effectively with various teams and departments.
This requires more than just technical knowledge – a deep understanding of the business objectives and an ability to work with people from different backgrounds. Cross-collaboration is essential for getting the job done and enables you to acquire new skills and develop relationships with key stakeholders within an organization.
9. Understanding the User
The most important skill of an SEO reseller is the ability to understand the user. As mentioned above, Google’s algorithms are sophisticated enough to understand a query’s intent and serve the most relevant results.
As an SEO reseller, you need to be able to do the same. You need to understand the user’s “information need” and design SEO strategies to meet their needs. This requires a deep understanding of user behavior and anticipating their needs.
You can optimize your strategies and ensure that your clients get the most out of their SEO efforts by understanding the users and their needs. This understanding will be key to ensuring success in the ever-evolving SEO landscape.
10. Ability to Know What Matters
With so many different SEO techniques and tactics available, it can be difficult to know which ones are worth your time and energy. You need to have the ability to know which ones are most important and prioritize your work accordingly.
The key is to focus on the tasks that will have the biggest impact. This requires experience in understanding which tasks are most effective and being able to prioritize them over others. As an SEO reseller, you have to make decisions quickly and be able to determine which tasks are worth investing your time in.
11. Ability to Learn Quickly
As mentioned above, the SEO landscape is constantly evolving, and the rules are constantly changing. This means you need to stay ahead of the curve and learn quickly. You need to recognize trends and quickly adjust your strategies accordingly.
12. Persistence
You will face setbacks and failures from time to time – this is part of the job. It is important to remain persistent and not give up when things don’t go your way. You need the resilience and drive to keep pushing forward and learn from your mistakes.
Persistence is the greatest skill where you don’t get disappointed by failures and continue to learn, push to improve, engage with other teams, and cooperate for the greater success of the business you represent. With persistence and dedication, you can succeed as an SEO reseller and positively impact your clients’ businesses.
13. Inquisitiveness
Finally, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, an inquisitive mind is essential for success as an SEO reseller. You must be able to look at a project from all possible angles and ask questions where necessary.
You don’t need to be an SEO expert to be successful, but you need to have an inquisitive mind to explore and expand upon ideas. Your curiosity will be the driving force behind your success as an SEO reseller.
These are just some of the skills you need to possess to succeed as an SEO reseller. With the right combination of skills and knowledge, you can become a valuable asset for your clients and help them get the most out of their SEO efforts.
