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By Esther Chan
I really did not think that I would be someone who ended up in search engine optimization. As a strategic communication major in college, I knew about SEO and its basic tenets, but I didn’t think an industry revolving around data and search engine results would ever interest me.
The first couple years of college, I was certain that my best (and only) fit would be to be on the creative team of a marketing agency. However, I’m glad I had the chance to broaden my scope before it was too late. In my last semester this past fall, my professor at the University of Minnesota invited Abby, one of the managers here at Uproer, to come speak with our class about SEO. I was immediately drawn to this idea of examining data, identifying insights, and then ultimately creating a meaningful strategy for something I use every single day: Google. One particular way Abby described all of this stuck with me: SEO is about making data more human. I love that—and still do.
Growing up, I thought I could never be a “numbers” person; I’m grateful that Uproer gave me the opportunity to learn to love data and be fascinated by it. The best part is that these past couple months have completely obliterated the notion that you have to be either a “creative” type or a data/analytical type. Truth is, the two are meant to be combined.
My experience here has given me exposure to a variety of different tasks that have challenged me to optimize (see what I did there?) both parts—whether it is creating content outlines, analyzing SEO elements, providing on-page recommendations, surfacing new blog content, or doing keyword research (my personal favorite). It is honestly one of the most satisfying feelings to take seemingly confusing data and numbers and then begin to pick it apart and follow the trail of breadcrumbs to unearth that exciting insight.
My internship has been characterized by constant learning. As a new graduate, I was pleasantly surprised by this. I knew there would be a learning curve to SEO skills, and after the past three and a half years of being a college student—of which more than half were during the pandemic—a part of me was wary of “not knowing” again. However, I quickly realized that constantly having something new to learn is a privilege. I never want to be someone who self-declares herself an expert and rejects being a student again.
Learning SEO reminds me that humans are meant to be constantly learning and evolving and deepening our knowledge. I’m thankful to the team at Uproer for facilitating this, curating an environment of support while also encouraging me to be a self-starter who’s limited only by my own curiosity—and, I can confidently say, curiosity is the last thing I’m limited on right now!
