About The SEOptimist Project
Hi there. My name is Brian Watkins.
The SEOptimist project began as a vision I had a ways back about the way we market on the web. I’d been in the digital marketing and SEO arena for many years, and have worked both in agencies and on my own since 2007.
Each time I worked at an agency it shaped my skills when I returned to freelance, but in some cases it also showed me exactly what is wrong with its status quo. There are good reasons some people have a negative impression of SEO and web marketing itself, and any SEO worth their salt has probably encountered their share of prospects with that same story:
“I’ve already worked with several web people and my site still isn’t doing anything.”
It keeps happening because SEO is nebulous. The abundance of how-to articles out there about ranking, content creation etc. only makes it more overwhelming. Contradicting points, jargon, or trite and over-repeated tips make it hard to know who to follow, where to look, and what things to prioritize.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Through 10 years of doing this I’ve not only learned a lot through trial by fire, I’ve also come upon several real experts whose advice is worth following. Every coaching session I do with clients involves structured, cherry-picked knowledge.
But just as importantly, they each walk away with a list of resources to continuously draw wisdom from as the industry evolves. In this way, they can cut through all the BS and jump right to the good stuff, from the people who will share it.
The SEOptimist is one part passion project, one part business site.
Full disclosure: Sure, I need to make a living like anyone else. But my aims are boutique-style. I’m not trying to grow into some big agency seeking to work with half the Triad. I say that to say this: I couldn’t possibly work with everyone visiting this site, and I’m not trying to.
TheSEOptimist.net is a business site only insofar as it has to be to serve a basic end. Beyond that, the focus is on the content I can create to share with the community at large — whether that’s within the Winston Salem area of NC or anywhere else.
From the small business owner with a DIY-mindset to other new and aspiring SEO professionals, my goal is to share meaningful information from my experiences without simply reiterating the same ideas heard ’round the web.
Social Media…
I’ve become pretty selective with where I spend my time on social media these days. However, I’d love to connect with you so we can learn from each other.
You can find me on Twitter as @brianxwatkins, on my Youtube channel, and on Linkedin.