Today we’re giving a huge shoutout to Martin Sprong. Martin is a Senior SEO Specialist and he’s been doing a wonderful job with the Growth team at In Marketing We Trust. We asked Martin a bunch of questions about his role as a Senior SEO Specialist, working remotely, his best tips on SEO, and how to navigate a new role, in a fully-remote company.
It’s commonly known that the beginning is the hardest. What was the hardest thing for you to overcome when starting at In Marketing We Trust?
Working remotely, the hardest thing was definitely getting to know all the people and building relationships. Thanks to COVID we are all a little bit more comfortable using Zoom, but it’s never going to be the same as chatting to someone in person. Luckily 2 weeks into my role, In Marketing We Trust organised a virtual conference (TrustED Conf 2021) which allowed me to meet everyone somewhat in person in the Metaverse.
What motivated you to pursue a remote job?
Work/life balance. Ditching the commute has been the best thing ever and I can now invest that time in other things I love (Triathlon).
And being a new dad, it’s also pretty special to see the little one grow up and be able to help out where I can. Instead of coming home from work just when they go to bed.
What are your best tips for working remotely?
Begin the day as if you are going to the office. Use the time you used to commute to go for a walk, get some exercise in or do some chores around the house. Don’t forget to shower and have breakfast and you will have a far more productive day.
What is the most challenging part of your role?
Getting clients to actually implement our recommendations. But by creating a good relationship and providing a clear strategy it’s amazing how much influence you can have.
What is the most rewarding part of your role?
Within the SEO industry there is a lot of fluff and made-up metrics, but when you can actually move the needle and improve the client’s ROI; that’s pretty special.
Your best tips for someone looking to start out in the SEO world?
The web is full of great resources that will help you understand the basics of SEO. Once you’ve mastered that, start actually doing SEO. Play around with your personal website or make mistakes whilst helping out a friend. The industry is constantly evolving but the foundations will always remain the same.
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