Who is the Head of SEO?

As already mentioned, Head of SEO is the head of the entire SEO department and manages its tasks. He directly supervises SEO activities of specialists working in other positions, such as SEO Web Developer, SEO Copywriter or SXO Specialist (SEO and UX). It assigns specific tasks to individual people and verifies the effects of their work.

The Head of SEO is responsible for preparing the strategy of his department, and additionally develops quarterly and annual goals to be achieved. He is a leader and is involved in work on several different levels: strategic, operational and tactical. Often a person in such a position is responsible for providing training for employees belonging to the team or providing valuable tips. He makes sure that the actions taken are in line with the business goals and requirements of specific clients. Although Head of SEO is primarily associated with marketing agencies, it is also more and more often employed in many other companies, in their internal marketing department.

Head of SEO Responsibilities

A person who works as the Head of SEO plans and enforces the activities entrusted to employees of the SEO department on a daily basis. He is also responsible for the preparation of specifications and guidelines for content optimization, and analyzes their effectiveness. In the case of this type of position, cooperation is very important, not only with people working in the same department, but often also with other teams of the company.

The Head of SEO constantly monitors the results and, if necessary, implements initiatives to improve them. It happens that he regularly meets or otherwise contacts the company’s clients to discuss the details of the strategy or introduce modifications. This person sometimes conducts A / B analyzes and tests, monitors competitors’ activities, and also tracks trends in the SEO industry.

Head of SEO – competences

The basic competences that a Head of SEO should have are of course directly related to the knowledge and skills necessary in the SEO industry. Therefore, it is important to know SEO, website optimization, link building and copywriting. In addition, experience with various types of tools such as Senuto, Google Analytics, Screaming Frog, Semstorm, etc. is required, as well as tracking changes in Google algorithms and new trends in search engines. Usually, potential candidates for this type of position also require knowledge in the field of website construction and coding languages, such as HTML, CSS or JavaScript.

Due to the scope of duties, a person working as the Head of SEO must have no problems managing the work of his team and assigning appropriate tasks to its individual members. The ability to plan and implement SEO projects, employee management and enforcement plays an important role here. In the work of Head of SEO, the following is also very useful:
– resistance to stress,
– meticulousness,
– ability to manage customer relations.

When browsing advertisements, there is usually information that the candidates are required to have a minimum of several years of experience in the field of SEO. Usually, there is no mention of a specific education and the related title. Good knowledge of all its aspects plays an important role in the SEO industry.

How much does Head of SEO earn?

It is difficult to precisely define the earnings of Head of SEO, because, as in the case of other positions in this industry, a lot depends on the length of service, specific scope of duties, and even the city. Most often, the salary is much more than 2-3 thousand dollars. Average earnings are $ 5,000-10,000, although there are also people earning over $ 20,000. According to the data, SEO specialists from such cities as New York, London or Manila can count on the highest salaries.

How to become the Head of SEO?

Since Head of SEO must have at least several years of industry experience to take up this type of position, you usually have to be patient. Most often in this profession are people who started their adventure with SEO as lower-level employees, for example SEO Copywriter, Junior Specialist or SEO Specialist. Gradually, they gained new important skills and competences, broadening their knowledge in the field of website optimization. In our company that created the paraphrase tool, we also have a Head of SEO.

There is no doubt that Head of SEO knows the industry and the current trends, as well as the available tools, very well. Analytical skills and appropriate risk assessment during the implementation of subsequent actions and changes also play an important role. A person holding this type of position must know what strategy to take together with the entire team in order to bring the expected results. Moreover, communication skills are of great importance to employers. Head of SEO knows how to communicate with his co-workers, people from other departments of the company, as well as with the clients themselves.

In order to get a chance for promotion and take such a position, it is worth focusing on your own development. Various types of courses and training, not only in the field of SEO, but also in employee management, often prove to be very helpful. You should not be discouraged by failures or problems as they occur at every career level. Head of SEO is an experienced person for whom the SEO industry does not hide secrets. It should also support the entire team that it supervises. Good organizational and time management skills are something that will certainly facilitate the performance of daily duties. Often in job advertisements there are references to the fact that experience in, for example, team management is only welcome. Nevertheless, such a skill certainly increases a candidate’s chances of obtaining a dream position and it is worth remembering.

The SEO industry has changed significantly in recent years. In the past, process automation played a more important role, now everything is focused on the skills and knowledge of employees. Head of SEO is a responsible, but also very interesting position for people who are not afraid of challenges and still want to improve their qualifications.

What is PrestaShop?

As you may have already figured out, PrestaShop is one of the most popular platforms for online stores. It operates all over the world, currently serving over 300 thousand. shops. It is a universal Open Source tool that allows you to create a commercial website offering any assortment. Undoubtedly, it owes its popularity to the fact that it is free. You do not have to pay any fees to use PrestaShop software, and the store created with it can be freely modified.

An open-source solution gives developers the freedom to adapt their store to the seller’s needs. Thus, PrestaShop is a kind of framework that can be used in the chosen way. However, you do not need to be a specialist to create a trading platform with the tool yourself. It is complete and intuitive, with an accessible administration panel.

PrestaShop is simple and intuitive to use

It is worth starting the platform analysis with the advantages. One of them is simplicity and intuitiveness. To set up a store, all you need to do is have a domain and hosting, then install PrestaShop. It is very simple, as is the operation of the tool from the administrator’s position. It was created for those who do not have extensive IT knowledge and want to trade on the Internet. Launching a store, and then running or expanding it, should not cause anyone major problems. The options regarding e.g. creating promotional offers are also very useful – just a few clicks are enough to offer your customers a discount or e.g. free shipping.

A very accessible interface and functions described in simple language make it easy to perform all the necessary operations. The platform also provides tutorials and other materials to help you learn about its operation and operation. In case of problems, you can also count on the support of PrestaShop experts who are ready to answer any question and solve technical problems.

PrestaShop is high functionality

Despite the ease of use, PrestaShop is an extensive tool that offers a wide range of applications. It is suitable for both small and very large-scale trading. This thesis can be confirmed by well-known brands that use PrestaShop. The sheer volume of options may be overwhelming at first, but it also makes it a comprehensive online trading platform. The abundance of functionalities definitely distinguishes PrestaShop from other popular tools of this type.

It is possible to expand the store’s capabilities with additional modules, and if none of them meet your expectations, you can prepare your own (with the help of a specialist, of course, if you are not a developer yourself). Store owners can also use templates that influence the layout and appearance of the site. Both free and paid modules and templates are available. They create great opportunities for building an original, functional store that perfectly displays its products.

PrestaShop is universal

As already mentioned, PrestaShop allows you to create a trading platform with any subject and range. This is not the only thing that proves the universality of the platform. Its great advantage is multilingualism. The script has been translated into several dozen languages, which reduces the automatic creation of different language versions of the same store to just a few clicks. The same applies to currencies – when choosing a language, product prices can be automatically converted to the currency of the country. This in turn means that it is easy to reach international customers. This can be a great advantage – especially since more and more Internet users are eager to shop outside their country of residence. Therefore, creating several language versions of the store can significantly increase sales – especially if you offer unique products.

The universality of stores built on the basis of PrestaShop also lies in the full responsiveness, i.e. adaptation to operation on various devices – not only computers, but also tablets or smartphones. The number of mobile users of trading platforms is constantly growing, which is why this is a very important aspect that should not be overlooked. By choosing PrestaShop, you can easily optimize your store to the needs of each device and ensure a convenient shopping experience for every visitor.

PrestaShop is SEO and marketing friendly

Speaking of optimization, the topic of SEO, i.e. positioning, must not be ignored. How to make your store show up to users entering specific terms in the search engine? An appropriate site design is needed. PrestaShop provides many tools that facilitate SEO-oriented optimization, helping stores to increase their visibility in search engines. The platform is synchronized with Google Analytics, thanks to which you have easy access to all data about entering the website and the related behavior of Internet users. This, in turn, provides a lot of important information for more effective marketing and SEO activities.

Among the additional PrestaShop modules, there are also many tools to facilitate marketing activities: starting from mailing, and ending with easily setting promotions or organizing sales. Their skillful use can lead to a significant increase in conversion (the number of purchases made in relation to visits to the store), therefore their presence should definitely be considered an advantage.

PrestaShop is not without its flaws

Of course, the perfect system for online stores does not exist, and PrestaShop also has its drawbacks. It is worth noting, however, that many of them are ambiguous, as not everyone expects the same from their online store.

The mere presence of various modules that allow you to expand the functionality of the store is of course an advantage. However, they are also responsible for some, it might seem, basic functions that are missing in the basic version of the store. These include, for example, a blog feature that allows you to build trust in your brand and increase store traffic, or the cash on delivery feature that customers often expect. Some users also complain about the prices of modules – most of them are paid and slightly destroy the promise of a free online store that PrestaShop makes. The costs of implementing the system may turn out to be even greater if you decide to help professionals in the construction, operation or development of the store.

Another disadvantage is frequent system updates as they are not installed automatically. The script is constantly improved, which provides its users primarily with security, but the need for constant updates can irritate and hinder the development of the store. It may also be difficult to use certain functions. Overall, the admin panel is intuitive, but unfortunately fails in some places. Fans of various templates for stores should also be vigilant – editing them requires knowledge of the Smarty language.

Summary – advantages and disadvantages of PrestaShop

Let’s juxtapose all the observed advantages and disadvantages of PrestaShop to make it easier to evaluate the platform. Its positive features certainly include:

– free installation and use of the script,
– wide possibilities of personalization and expansion of functions,
– availability of many useful modules and attractive templates,
– Open Source code that can be freely modified,
– intuitive operation of the admin panel,
– availability of built-in tools for creating different language versions of the store,
– SEO support and extensive marketing tools,
– support for mobile devices – the ability to create a fully responsive store,
– good performance,
– security,
– constant development and improvement of the platform,
– availability and usability for each store regardless of the scale of operation,
– the possibility of using the support of experts or the extensive PrestaShop community.

The following can be considered as defects of the script:

– lack of some important functions in the basic version and the need to buy additional modules,
– low availability of free modules and relatively high prices of the paid ones,
– the need to manually install frequent updates,
– ease of slowing down the store’s operation due to the multitude of extensive functions and too complicated structure,
– difficult template editing.

It’s easy to see that the script has more advantages than disadvantages – especially since the latter are much finer and generally less significant. PrestaShop is certainly an interesting and noteworthy tool that can be perfect for building an online store. Its great advantage is accessibility – thanks to it, everyone can set up their own trading platform, even without specialist IT knowledge.

Is PrestaShop for you?

Let us emphasize once again that PrestaShop is a universal script that has a chance to work in many applications. However, it certainly will not satisfy everyone. This solution is primarily for:

– small and medium-sized stores – a very extensive offer may require the implementation of a dedicated platform;
– beginners and intermediate users – relatively easy operation and wide possibilities make it possible for almost anyone to create a professional shop;
– people looking for flexibility – additional functional modules and the possibility of constant expansion of the store allow for complete freedom.

Due to the ability to use the basic version of PrestaShop for free, it is a great starting platform for all those who are just starting out and don’t want to invest too much in the website itself. It will also be appreciated by those who have previously used SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions and were dissatisfied due to the constraints associated with them.

It is worth noting that PrestaShop is most suitable for professional use. However, it is a platform designed to sell products that have specific prices and are differentiated according to such features as color, size, etc. – i.e. clothing, handicrafts, everyday items, electronic equipment. It works well for a range of up to several hundred thousand products. In the case of personalization of goods or complex pricing based on various parameters, additional modules can be used. In some cases, however, it is worth investing in a dedicated platform that will be perfectly suited to your needs.

What is local SEO?

Local SEO is defined as a series of onsite and offsite activities aimed at increasing the visibility of a selected set of keywords, but only within a specific area, e.g. a city or district. The essence of this solution is based on displaying information to the potential customer about the place where he is currently located.

For example: imagine that at the moment you are in a strange city, but you need to use the service of a hairdresser. In the past, you would ask local people and based on the first or most common answers you would choose the best provider. Nowadays, in a much shorter time, using a search engine, you can find a specialist in a given industry in the closest area and read opinions about it. So, as you can easily guess, an effectively conducted local positioning process combined with a good-quality product or service can bring a number of benefits for regional businesses.

What are the benefits of local SEO?

A well-planned and conducted SEO strategy at the local level brings unquestionable benefits for the business. First of all, it is worth realizing that competing with the competition on the domestic or global market is much more difficult, and also requires spending more time. On the other hand, positioning at the level of a specific region or city is not such a complicated process, and at the same time brings the intended results much faster (both in terms of a higher position in the rankings and financial profits associated with it – potential consumers are located nearby and are usually ready to take advantage of the offer on the same day).

Additionally, a less complex SEO process usually requires less money, especially in areas with low competition. This is also supported by the fact that optimization activities within local websites or catalogs are much cheaper. Local positioning of your website can also bring much better results if you also decide to implement a Google Ads advertising campaign or promote in selected social media.

Who should benefit from local SEO?

As you can easily guess, local website positioning works well for companies that operate in a certain area, e.g. in a given city or province. Very often, this solution is used by gastronomic establishments (restaurants, cafes, etc.) and health and fitness centers (private doctors, gyms, etc.). Local positioning is also used by companies that provide their services at the clients’ homes (e.g. hydraulic emergency, repair crews, locksmiths, etc.), as well as by premises where customers have to drive themselves (e.g. hairdresser, law firm, car service, etc.).

Of course, this method can be used by companies from various industries, so it does not have to be limited to the examples mentioned. However, those who opted for this solution should be aware that most local searches are done via smartphones. Their websites must therefore be responsive, and therefore adapted to users of mobile devices.

Geolocation and the impact on SEO

Geolocation, which allows to determine the geographic location of a given website user, is a very important factor affecting the search results. Previously, the displayed results were also dependent on the national search engine domain. This means that by entering a given phrase via google.com, you were getting exactly the same page ranking, no matter where you checked it. Currently, the results are localized to make it easier to find information from the user’s perspective. Of course, he does not have to fully rely on the search engine and he can specify the area for which he wants to receive information. It is enough to use the so-called Geolocated such request. “New York pizza.” Regardless of whether the user is currently in Boston or another city, Google should present a ranking of this type of restaurant from New York.

It is worth adding, however, that the geolocation performed by the search engine is so precise that in large agglomerations it may show websites of companies located in a specific district. The fact that many Internet users still enter the phrase + area in place of the bar may result from their habituation or earlier planning of their stay in another city. Nevertheless, this type of personalization of results is a very important SEO factor over which the person responsible for positioning a given page does not have much control.

As a website owner, however, it is mandatory to create a Google My Business listing and thus ensure visibility on Google Maps. Additionally, apart from XML sitemaps, you also need to equip yourself with a KML file (so-called geositemapa), which is used, among others, by by the Google Earth app. Thanks to it, you have a guarantee that your company or premises will be properly located in the search results. In addition, you also need to take care of local positioning through other activities: internal (proper website and content optimization), as well as external activities (acquiring links and encouraging customers to add opinions).

How to create a business card in the Google My Business service?

As it was emphasized above: setting up a business card in the Google My Business service is an absolute must if you care about local positioning of your company. Such action not only enables the company to be displayed in standard search results and maps, but also increases the credibility of your business from the point of view of Google.

Setting up a business card is not a complicated process, but it requires verification with a special PIN (in most cases sent via post in order to check the real address). When this stage is successful, you will have your own Google ID, where users will be able to check the address, phone number, opening hours, as well as see available photos and previous customer reviews.

When providing contact details (and therefore all information that can be used by your clients to contact a representative of the company), you must also be consistent. It is worth that the same address, telephone number or e-mail name should appear on the “contact” subpage, in the appendix with the regulations, and in all external sources. Then the algorithms will easily associate contact details with your business, which ultimately has a positive effect on local search results.

Customers opinion

A very important factor influencing the ranking of local search results are opinions about the company. This should not come as a surprise since Google always puts the well-being of the search engine user first. In turn, the opinions of existing consumers about a given service provider provide a lot of valuable information about his offer and customer service, and thus often help an undecided internet user to make a decision. Therefore, positive reviews about your company are read favorably by both Google robots and potential consumers.

For this reason, you need to ensure that your customers share their opinions (especially on the Google My Business listing, but also elsewhere), as their quantity and average are valuable guidelines for robots when determining local ranking. Additionally, it happens that Google displays selected ratings and reviews as part of presenting your business in search results. Thus, unflattering comments may result in your offer being quickly excluded by users.

Correct optimization of the website for local positioning

Of course, if you want to achieve a high position in local rankings, you shouldn’t forget to optimize your website properly. It includes a number of the same actions as in the case of SEO for general phrases, i.e. correct website structure and internal navigation or unique content. Website optimization for local positioning, however, provides for several additional, mandatory actions:

– placing a Google map (indicating the company’s seat) in the “contact” tab,
– company name, address and telephone number in the “contact” tab and in the footer,
– describing contact information using structured data,
– natural placement of the name of a given area in the website content, headers and meta descriptions.

Additionally, you cannot forget about external links to the website, which play a very important role in both general and local positioning. In the second case, it is worth taking care of links from local websites, e.g. regional advertising portals or local newspapers.

Local SEO can bring a number of benefits to your business in a short time. However, it requires the site owner to meet several conditions, including correct website optimization, effective link building or encouraging customers to leave ratings and opinions. There is no doubt, however, that such an action may result in reaching a wide group of customers in the area, and thus quickly monetizing the effects.