Bruce Clay asks...Does your SEO team even know what they are doing? Are they optimizing your website with Google’s current best practices? Did you know there is no such thing as being Google certified for SEO?  Bruce Clay coined the term SEO in 1996, two years before Google even existed. So, if you’re looking to give your website a competitive edge, why not learn from the Father of SEO himself? Some requirements needed to even be considered an SEO expert working at Bruce Clay, Inc. include 10+ years experience, on-the-job training forever, and a career-driven mindset.  This is how world-renowned expert Bruce Clay procures the best-of-the-best for his consulting agency. In Lisa Buyer’s newest episode of the Social PR Secrets podcast, Bruce Clay, SEO expert and founder of Bruce Clay, Inc., shares some of the strategies he uses to spot the scammers and dabblers from the 100% real-deal SEO experts.  Tips on How to Hire an SEO Specialist  “Google is changing their algorithm eight times a day… every Monday it’s a new industry.” --Bruce Clay SEO is a living, breathing creature. Much like the human body, it must be fed day in and day out, multiple times, 7 days a week. Since the SEO ecosystem is evolving daily, no one can truly know it all. But there are ways to keep up with the trends.  Bruce says that he stays current by allotting 2 hours a day to reading. He advises that if you are or aspire to be an SEO specialist, you need to do your own research and be open to learning even off the clock. Before starting the interview process, all business owners looking to hire a consultant should consider taking Bruce’s training SEO classes. This will help you ask the right questions as well as understand the role you’re hiring for and the proper approach and methodology of SEO.  Taught by Bruce Clay himself, this is for anyone -- IT specialists, content strategists, new hires, even the CEO or CMO can learn a thing or two about what to look for when hiring and asking the right questions You will learn organic, effective, and ethical methodologies for on-page and off-page optimization, user experience, SEO web design, content ranking factors, mobile best practices and soiling site architecture.   SEO Common Misconception About Press Releases Before we start debunking press release theories, let’s break down some PR Marketing vocab talked about in this episode: Press Release: a short, compelling article that stirs up publicity, and in the long run, advances your company and brand through additional collateral like podcasts, features, and links. Authoritative Links: Found typically on highly regarded and esteemed sites like education (.edu) or government (.gov). This type of link is a helpful and valuable way to promote your website.  Organic or Blue Links: Not offering monetary compensation or asking for a