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How successful SEO service providers stay innovative

Written by Dominik Breitbach on February 17, 2025. More in SEO Magazine.
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New SEO strategies, innovative marketing campaigns, successfulcontent formatsin the field ofsearch engine optimization, successdependslargely on creative ideas. Exceptionally successfulSEO expertsknowhow to keep the flow of innovative ideas going and even see failure as an opportunity for improvement. Success factor number 5 from Richard St. John's work, inventiveness, also plays a crucial role in SEO.

1.EverySEO expertis creative

Ideas are constantly forming in the brain of an SEO expert. The control center, the prefrontal cortex, sorts through this flow of ideas and filters out only those that are relevant enough to be implemented. In the world of SEO, we know that many of these ideas will likely fail. But creativity is above all a question of courage, personal attitude toward failure, and the awareness that our headsarefull of potentialSEO strategies. Many people do not consider themselves creative, but best-selling author Richard St. John has worked in both business and cultural fields and found that manybusiness people are just as creative as artists. However, their "canvas" is an Excel spreadsheet or adigitalmarketing plan.SEO agencies, digital marketers, technicians, and analysts are also creative. It's time to use this creativity constructively for search engine optimization!


2. The path to the idea:
An SEO guide

We now know that every SEO expert isequippedwith anendless stream of ideas. But what can you do when you can't come up with a flash of inspiration for a new SEO strategy at the right moment? For this scenario, author St. John has identified various methods for generating ideas from the numerous responses of his successful interview partners. Let yourselfbe inspiredtocome up withinnovative SEO ideas!

haveproblems

Everyday problems often provide the best opportunity to find creative SEO solutions. WhenVirgin Airways founder Richard Branson foundhisflight canceled, he quickly organized a charter plane and filled it with paying passengers who were also stranded—thus laying the foundation for Virgin Airways. Similarly, SEO experts and agencies can respond to digital marketing challenges by finding innovative solutions that are both effective and profitable.Michael Jordansolveda personal problem by wearing baggy, long basketball shorts to hide his lucky underwear underneath, sparking a significant fashion trend. Use this mindset tolookcreatively at SEO problems and start developing open-minded and innovative solutions that could potentially set industry-wide trends.

Lookaround in the SEO context

The ability to observe carefully and recognize opportunities is crucial for SEO experts.Ron Rice, a former lifeguard, recognized beachgoers' dissatisfaction with conventional sunscreen and developed Hawaiian Tropic, an innovative lotion that was an instant success. Similarly, by closely observing market trends and user needs, SEO specialists can find innovative solutions, such as newkeywords,content ideas,ormore user-friendly website features that make all the difference.

Listening

Listening is a source of inspiration in many areas, similar to how musicians develop melodies and lyrics from conversations and ambient sounds. In SEO, conversations with customers,user feedback,ordiscussions in specialist forums can provide crucial insights that lead to effective SEO strategies. Listening can provide clues about user intentions or unmet needs, which can then be incorporated intocontent optimizationandtechnical SEO aspects. For example, constant feedback from users about a particular feature of a website could lead SEO experts to improve or highlight that feature, similar toBernard Silver, who developed the barcode after hearing a supermarket manager's frustration with inefficient checkout processes.

AskSEO-relevant questions

Asking questions is an essentialtactic for SEO experts, aimed at constantly improving their own strategies and approaches. A willingness to ask questions can lead to the development of innovative SEO tools and techniques. For example, a simple question from a child led to the invention of the Polaroid camera. Similarly, SEO experts can come up with new ideas for optimizing theuser experienceorcontent strategies by asking users or customers about their needs.Martha Stewartusedquestions to develop a sense of market trends—an approach that SEO experts can use to increase the relevance and effectiveness of their campaigns.

Borrowingan SEOidea

In SEO, it is common practice to observe and adapt successful strategies. This does not mean copying ideas unchanged, but rather expanding, combining, or applying them in new ways to improve search engine optimization. MountaineerLaurie Skresletandhis practice of learning from other mountaineers illustrates how SEO experts can learn from the strategies and successes of their colleagues. Picasso'sandSteve Jobs'approachto inspiration shows that adopting and adapting existing ideas can lead to groundbreaking results in any field, including SEO. By "borrowing" and adaptingproven SEO techniquesfromcompetitors or other industries, SEO experts can refine and optimize their own methods.

Makingconnections in SEO

In SEO, innovative solutions often arise from combining different ideas. These new combinations can lead to groundbreaking SEO innovations. A well-known example isDouglas Adams, who found inspiration for "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" on his travels through Europe. Similarly, SEO experts can develop unique and effective strategies by combining techniques from different disciplines, such as content marketing and technical optimization. Art Fry, who worked at 3M and was also a choir singer, used his experience with falling bookmarks to invent Post-Its—a product that arose from the combination of seemingly unrelated needs.

Mistakes and errorsbecomea source of online marketing ideas

In search engine optimization, mistakes and errors are not only inevitable, but often a valuablesource of creative ideas. Former Disney CEOMichael Elsneremphasizedthat failure often leads to success because it provides room for innovation and learning. Albert Einsteinneededa "huge trash can" for all his mistakes—a view that SEO experts should adopt in order to learn from mistakes and constantly improve their strategies. Mistakes in SEO can provide valuable insights and lead to more effective and innovative approaches.

Write down SEO strategiesbeforethey disappear

In search engine optimization, every innovative idea is valuable, but if it is not recorded, it can easily be forgotten.IssySharp, founder of Four Seasons Hotels, practices a simple but effective rule:"WhenI have an idea, I always write it down, no matter where I am." SEO experts should dothe sameto avoid losing valuable ideas. Bob Dylanwrote downall his thoughts, which later served as a treasure trove for his song lyrics. SEO professionals can adapt this method byimmediately writing down keywords, content ideas, or new strategies. Stephen King, known for his thrillers, even used the contents of a nightmare for a novel by writing them down immediately after waking up. This underscores how crucial it is to capture spontaneous ideas in order to transform them into successful SEO strategies.

Haven't had anygreatSEO ideas today?FollowRichard St. John'sadviceandimmerse yourself in further reading:

  • Richard St. John has written in detail about how extraordinarily successful people come up with good ideas in hisbook"The8 Traits Successful People Have in Common: 8 To Great."
  • We regularly highlight other key success factors in ourmagazine.Whatmakes you successful? Share your story with us.
  • Attaismo, weremaincurious and imaginative. Let's take your online marketing to new heights with brilliant ideas! We'd love to have adigital or analog coffeewithyou.
SEO Dominik Breitbach

Dominik Breitbach

34, Munich

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