It’s no secret that most SEO professionals learn their craft through hands-on experience rather than any formal training program.
While working with your own clients or taking a quick online crash course can help you learn the basics, nothing beats getting one-on-one support from someone you’ve been there before to show you the ropes.
SEO coaching is one of the best ways for new digital marketers to learn from experts in the field.
Whether you are looking for your first job or improve your skills In a specific subfield of SEO, coaching can help you quickly level up and build your professional network.
For mentors, having the opportunity to share your knowledge can make you feel empowered and affirmed, and build confidence in your leadership skills.
So how do you create mutually beneficial SEO coaching?
Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to prepare for success, as well as some common mistakes to avoid.
Tips for Finding the Right SEO Mentor
As someone looking for SEO guidance, you should have a clear idea of what you want from the process before you consider connecting with a potential mentor.
1. Set clear goals
Develop a clearly defined list of measurable goals and outcomes that you would like to see at the end of the coaching.
This will look very different to a newbie in the industry versus a seasoned marketer looking to branch out into new territory.
If you’re still in the early stages of your career, you may find that having certification-related goals (such as Google Analytics or other industry-recognized qualifications) or finding entry-level jobs is more of a concern.
On the other hand, there are some specific goals Develop your technical SEO skills It may be more valuable to make a career change for mid-career marketers.
If you are not sure what clever (Specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, and time-bound) goals to set before you start your search, jotting down the general results you hope to get from the coaching.
Bring these to your first mentor meeting and make these the focus after your introduction.
With their experience, your mentor should be able to guide you towards attainable goals.
2. Take the time to research possible matches
When thinking about who you want your mentor to be, you probably have someone in mind.
But don’t put all your eggs in one basket. If they decline, you may need some alternatives to consider approaching.
Don’t be drawn to just one famous name.
Think carefully about who you want to learn from, which should be influenced by your goals, career aspirations, and even your personality and background.
Ask yourself some tough questions:
- How can I learn best?
- How much time am I willing and able to invest in maintaining this relationship?
- How will this person help me get where I want to go?
- Has this person successfully mentored someone before?
- Is there something specific about this person that resonates with me personally and benefits my development?
Remember, just because someone is successful in the SEO industry doesn’t mean they’re a good fit for your goals or personality.
Before asking about mentoring, it’s worth reaching out to potential mentors and learning more about them.
Whether you’re taking them for coffee or meeting over Zoom, introductions and insights before asking for guidance can help both parties understand any professional chemistry.
3. Set clear expectations
Before agreeing to mentoring, both the mentor and the mentee should be honest and forthright about each person’s expectations.
For trainees, your goals and career aspirations are likely to drive most of the conversation.
Be prepared with information about how often and in what format (online, face-to-face, etc.) you would ideally like to meet, but be flexible with your tutor’s schedule.
It is equally important for mentors to have their own expectations.
As a seasoned SEO professional, you probably have a lot to do, so it’s important to know ahead of time what kind of time commitment your students expect from you.
You should also ask questions about any specific issues your learners would like to learn from you.
This will help you prepare information or examples based on your professional experience before your next meeting.
Mentors should also be prepared to provide feedback to their trainees on the goals or projects they are working on.
This is a great conversation to have at the beginning of your coaching. Gather details about how your learners like to receive feedback and how you can best support their learning and development.
It can be helpful to write down the expectations of both parties in a shared document that both parties can refer to throughout the coaching process.
While this doesn’t need to be a formal contract, it would be helpful to have something to check back in if necessary.
4. Arrange the check-in schedule
Once you both agree to work together in a mentor-mentee relationship, it’s time to solidify your plans.
Maintaining frequent communication is the best way to build strong bonds, but it’s also easy to overstep boundaries (more on that later).
Determine the best time and method of communication for both of you, including times to meet regularly for deeper conversations.
Keep a check-in schedule, whether it’s a call or Zoom, a coffee party or dinner.
It’s the best way to ensure everyone’s busy lives are taken into account, while still meeting the expectations you meet.
The mentee should prepare an agenda in advance and send it to the mentor during the session with areas they wish to discuss or review.
Being prepared and organized is a clear signal that you appreciate and value your mentor’s time, while helping you keep track of your progress or resolve any issues that have arisen since your last meeting.
Once your mentoring is over, participants should take the time to thank their mentor for their expertise, time, and guidance along the way.
A thank you card or a heartfelt letter can go a long way.
For mentors, if your schedule allows, ask your mentee if they would like to continue the informal relationship with occasional check-ins or follow-ups.
You’ve benefited from mentoring, so be sure to let them know you appreciate their hard work and communication throughout the program.
Common mistakes in guidance
While each SEO guide will vary based on the people involved, there are some common mistakes that people new to the process tend to make.
Keep sending questions or requests to your tutor
Frequent communication is undoubtedly a key way to build stronger professional relationships.still aStudents, it is important to respect that your mentors are also busy with their own work, life, and possibly other mentoring.
Show that you understand and value their time by preparing for each meeting and keeping communication between meetings to a minimum.
Ask yourself, “Can this wait until our next check-in?” before sending that text or email.
Treat Guidance as a One-Way Street
Every SEO coaching should be mutually beneficial and a back-and-forth conversation.
This means no egos or long monologues about achievements on either side of the relationship!
Participants should feel supported and encouraged throughout the mentoring process.
Mentors should also make sure to improve their own communication and leadership skills by asking their trainees how they can help them more effectively through constructive feedback rather than criticism.
Tell your students all the answers
When you’re a seasoned SEO expert, it’s tempting to tell your students how to do everything.
You also need to remember that you are not their boss, even if you are in a leadership role as a mentor.
Instead, work together to tackle any challenges your mentor presents you with, using your background to guide them but still allowing them to develop their own creative solutions.
As a mentor, you should also fully admit when you don’t know something.
No one, including your learners, expects you to know all the answers to every question they might ask.
Be honest when you’re not sure and see if there’s a way to find out before your next scheduled meeting.
In summary
SEO coaching can be a rewarding and career-changing experience for both mentors and mentees.
Sharing your knowledge about SEO is one of the best ways to improve your professional skills, introduce talented new marketers to the field, and help make the industry better and more diverse.
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Featured image: Jirsak/Shutterstock
