An SEO expert plays a vital role in helping companies build their businesses and attract new customers through web traffic. Learn the fundamentals of SEO, and discover how to analyze and optimize your site, and create an effective strategy for your SEO efforts. COMMON SKILLS OF AN SEO EXPERT It’s important to note that SEO experts have a variety of backgrounds and skill sets. For example, some may have programming backgrounds and focus more on technical optimization, while others may have extensive experience in the design, writing, or advertising fields. Regardless of their particular focus, they’ll know the ins and outs of how search engines work. Most SEO experts will specialize in several of the areas mentioned below: # In-depth keyword research Since hundreds of aspects can affect a website’s overall desirability to search engines, an SEO expert also has to be well-versed in numerous evaluation tools like Google Analytics and Moz’s Open Site Explorer in order to create a thorough action plan. Likewise, they also have to continually research the latest search engine updates of core ranking algorithms, plus understand how those changes will impact their clients.