SEO Strategist @ Flywheel Digital with Nathan Smith
Nathan and Blair discuss the real deal of what being an SEO is all about, how medicine, law and SEO are similar; and the time that ChatGPT let him down.
About Nathan Smith
Nathan originally started out as a Life Science student in the pursuit of medical school only to have an earth-shattering awakening once he realized how much time he would have to commit to the endeavor. So, Nathan chose the next best thing…to get into digital marketing. After being introduced to SEO at a startup and making his way over to an agency, he can confidently say that if you are passionate and willing to learn there's no ceiling. Nathan’s role as an SEO Strategist is focused on growing organic website traffic for different clients by modifying HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
The Highlights and Hottest Takes 🔥
How Nathan Got the Job
When Nathan decided to get into marketing as an SEO he looked for any SEO job he could find and at the same time learned by watching videos on YouTube, reading SEO blogs from SEMrush and Ahrefs, and did the free Blue Array Technical SEO online course. After finding the job posting from Flywheel Digital on LinkedIn, Nathan reached out to hiring person, said he’s interested in the job and he shared some SEO ideas. “They don’t have to be good ideas, but as long as they’re related to the topic and show good enthusiasm and your interest.” This helped him stand out and he got hired.
Mistake Made
Trusting ChatGPT too much. Use AI as an assistant, not to replace your effort.
“Using ChatGPT to help me write was very embarrassing.”
Lesson Learned
Communicate succinctly. Writing and speaking to the C-suite demands communicating complex topics quickly and simply.
“You must write clearly and concisely. There’s no need for academic writing in business.”
Pro Tip
…But you also need to understand the depth. “Be able to do two things when communicating. Give a one-page overview that anyone can understand. And you need to understand in-depth at the 50-page report level too.”
Segments
Nathan's Year 1ne @ Flywheel Digital
1:42 | Introduction from Nathan
4:05 | Overview of Flywheel Digital
5:25 | Working as SEO Strategist
7:50 | Doing link building for SEO
9:25 | Essential software and tools
11:00 | Deciding to drop med school and get into marketing
13:15 | Nerding out on SEO
14:30 | Essential human skills
18:50 | What’s on your mind in marketing right now?
Getting to Day 1ne: The Job Search
21:05 | Getting hired at Flywheel Digital
24:10 | Learning about SEO while looking for SEO job
25:10 | Talking about technical SEO
26:35 | Hardest part of the job search
28:30 | Onboarding experience at Flywheel Digital
29:10 | The “What’s your favourite brand?” question
33:00 | Hot tips for content marketing and SEO for small organizations
41:00 | Being creative in marketing
Things I've Learned in Year 1ne
44:15 | Rookie mistake on trusting ChatGPT too much
45:15 | Lesson learned to communicate succinctly
Re(Sources)
- Connect with Nathan Smith: LinkedIn
- Brands/organizations: Flywheel Digital | ChatGPT | Wayfair | HubSpot
- Marketing and media tools: Skillshop with Google | Google Search Console | Google Analytics 4 | Google Chrome Developer Tools | Ahrefs | Semrush | BlueArray Technical SEO Certificate | YouTube
- Connect with The Year 1ne’s host Blair Smith: LinkedIn
Credits
Created and Produced by Blair Smith
Hosted by Blair Smith
Mixed and Mastered by Ray Harripaul
Sponsor(s)
N/A for this episode...Interested in being a sponsor of The Year 1ne's Show? Drop us a line via email 😀
Nathan Smith
SEO Strategist
I originally started out as a Life Science student in the pursuit of medical school only to have an earth-shattering awakening once I realized how much time I would have to commit to the endeavor.
After being introduced to SEO at a startup and making my way over to an agency I can confidently say that if you are passionate and willing to learn there's no ceiling.
My current role is focused on growing organic traffic for different clients by modifying HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
