You've probably heard the term "SEO expert" thrown around more times than you can count, but what does it really mean?
SEO, or search engine optimization, has been around for decades, an ever-evolving landscape that typically goes unnoticed by the average, everyday internet user. Most people have no idea why certain websites appear in searches before others, nor do they understand the skill it takes to end up in a top position. They simply find what they need and go on with their lives.
But with a billion websites online, and more popping up daily, it can be a daunting task to land on the first page of Google.
This is where an SEO expert comes in. They excel at breaking through the noise that's the internet and ensure their clients are seen.
It's easy to claim to be an expert in anything these days, so this list does that hard work for you by putting some of the best SEO web marketing experts in the field into one place.
One of the best ways to learn and improve a skill is by example, and these experts are the experts you'll want to emulate.
1. Andy Drinkwater
With nearly two decades of experience as an SEO consultant, Andy has proven that he's capable of adapting with SEO's ever-changing best practices. His specialty lies in technical SEO audits—a 200-point inspection—and strategic SEO plans with implementation.
Andy isn't greedy with his knowledge, either. He's constantly involved with webinars, podcasts, and more. Some of the highly valuable information he's shared include a live site audit and a webinar on the most harmful SEO mistakes someone can make.
You can find him on:
2. Rand Fishkin
With two decades of experience, Rand got his start in SEO when he dropped out of college to help his mom with her business back in 2000. He's the co-founder of several companies, including Moz (formerly known as SEOmoz), inbound.org, and SparkToro.
Best known for the Whiteboard Friday series on his blog, Rand is eager to share what he knows with up-and-comers.
You can find him on:
3. Neil Patel
One of the most well-known names in SEO, and the digital marketing space in general, is Neil Patel. He started to learn the ins and outs of SEO when he was only sixteen years old after an agency he hired burned him.
Today, he's one of the most prolific bloggers online, averaging 2.3 million visitors each month. He’s also the co-founder of Crazy Egg and the brains behind Ubersuggest.
Neil has been recognized by Barack Obama and the United Nations as a top entrepreneur. And like everyone on this list, he loves to share his knowledge. Neil has several YouTube videos for inspiring bloggers and marketers.
You can find him on:
4. Aleyda Solis
An award-winning international SEO consultant, Aleyda has over a decade of experience doing SEO not only for American companies, but also for European and Latin American ones. She specializes in SEO project management, audits, and training. Featured in Forbes and Huffington Post, Aleyda has a deep SEO know-how that can tackle even the most challenging situations.
As the co-founder of Oraitini and Remoters, Aleyda is passionate about marketing without the need to be tied to a desk. Along with sharing resources for remote workers across the globe, her YouTube channel shares her wealth of knowledge.
You can find her on:
5. Larry Kim
With nearly two decades of experience in the SEO field, Larry is a prolific blogger, getting millions of readers every single month. He's an expert in chatbot marketing, AdWords, and Facebook Ads. He's also co-founder of both WordStream, a software service for small and mid-sized businesses, and MobileMonkey, an integrated chatbot service.
You can find him on:
6. Loren Baker
With over 20 years of experience, Loren is an expert in developing strategies for major media companies, mobile technology, and toolbar and browser platforms. He's best known for launching the blog Search Engine Journal, which started out as a passion project back in 2003 while he was traveling in Brazil. It has now become one of the most popular blogs in the SEO space.
Loren now runs his own agency, Foundation Digital. With this agency, he helps businesses increase their market shares and brand awareness, ultimately increasing their bottom line.
You can find him on:
7. Ashley Segura
While newer to the scene of SEO, Ashley is just as capable and knowledgable as everyone else on this list. She's worked extensively in-house and with agencies in her seven years working in the digital marketing space. She also regularly teaches workshops around the world to pass on her industry experience to those willing to learn.
Ashley is currently the Vice President of Operations at TopHatRank, a fully-integrated enterprise SEO agency.
You can find her on:
Learning from the Best
SEO is overwhelming. Search engines are constantly evolving, using better and more efficient algorithms to put only the best content on that first page. It can often seem like an impossible obstacle to overcome to newcomers. With billions of sites on the internet, it's easy to get lost in the mix.
The upside, though?
There are plenty of SEO experts who love sharing their knowledge with anyone who's willing to listen. And if you follow those on this list, you'll be learning from the best SEO experts the field has to offer. They can give you tips on technical SEO audits that analyze where your web presence is weakest to full-blown strategies that will propel your business forward.
Don't spend time struggling to learn a new skill on your own. Instead, soak up what the experts have to offer, and see results in your business sooner rather than later.
This article was written by Compose.ly writer Sarah Dunn.