The London Business News Magazine had the unique opportunity to speak with SEO expert and entrepreneur Adam Collins about his journey from working as a web developer to founding his agency Ignite SEO.

He shares his entrepreneurial journey within the very competitive SEO and marketing industry with his tips and insights into startup business success.

1. Ignite SEO is your current company, but not your first. What important lessons did you learn from your first business helping you with Ignite SEO’s success?

The key lessons were the importance of focus and processes. Despite my previous agency working with numerous international brands, we struggled to scale beyond a certain size. In hindsight, we were trying to be too many things to too many people – a jack of all trades and master of none. Spreading ourselves too thin made creating repeatable processes and systems challenging.

2. You started your businesses with no initial capital. How did you manage to build a business from nothing with nothing apart from your idea and willpower?

I now spend much time in London, where everyone focuses on business plans and raising money from seed investors. I started from scratch, cold calling to acquire our first clients and growing organically from there. Whether this is the most efficient way to start a business is debatable, but I believe it’s a humbling experience every business owner should go through.

3. What were the advantages and disadvantages of being a web developer turning entrepreneur?

Being a web developer turned entrepreneur offers the advantage of technical expertise and a deep understanding of the digital landscape. However, it often comes with challenges in areas like business management and financial planning, which require a different skill set.

4. Why did you decide to move into SEO from web development?

Ironically, I’ve always been around SEO. When Panda & Penguin updates hit, I moved from web development to an algorithm recovery team, and then to an on-page SEO team, which I initially disliked. However, the foundation knowledge gained from these experiences was invaluable when I began offering SEO as a service years later.

5. What helped you to establish yourself as an SEO specialist and how competitive is this industry?

My background as a web developer and agency owner allowed me to adjust to SEO quickly. Many SEO professionals lack a development background, which makes their learning curve steeper. The SEO industry is saturated with poor providers, but if you avoid competing with the lower end of the market, it doesn’t feel overly saturated.

6. What important personal and professional lessons did you learn about stepping out of your comfort zone?

Your comfort zone is where your dreams go to die. You must be willing to do things that make you uncomfortable if you want to achieve anything impressive. This applies to both personal and professional life. Doing what others won’t is essential.

7. Which skills would you recommend anyone looking to sell a product or service should learn?

If I were to start over, I would begin in a sales role. Once you start a company, you are essentially a salesperson. The ability to persuade others of your idea, concept, and vision is crucial, whether you’re convincing a client to work with you or a talented individual to join your team over a competitor.

8. How can a business maintain the quality of its services while scaling up?

The key is in the processes and structure of the business. At Ignite SEO, when a task is repeated, it should have a process. Limit your product offering and ensure that every stage of the customer journey is mapped with processes. These should be simple enough to be followed by someone with zero industry knowledge or experience.

9. As an SEO expert what’s your number one advice for business owners to be successful in the online world?

Focus on showing Google that you are a legitimate business. Forget hacks or tricks. If Google can verify your authenticity, you’ll be treated favourably. Some basic steps include ensuring your website has a business address and phone number, creating critical company pages, regularly publishing unique and helpful content on your blog, setting up and matching details with Google My Business, creating social profiles, adding your site to review and local directories, and getting press mentions.

10. Where do you see Ignite SEO five years from now?

The industry changes rapidly, so it’s hard to predict. However, I believe many SEO professionals will be out of business in five years. It’s crucial to monitor market trends and adapt to market demands. There will always be a need to optimize online presence, but the format may evolve.

Ignite SEO online:

Website: SEO Services from Ignite SEO | B2B SEO Agency & SEO Provider

Socials:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/igniteseo

IG: https://www.instagram.com/igniteseo_/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/igniteseo_

YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCqt2uPGrLEZV6aa9-vzKQw

We thank Adam for sharing his valuable business journey with our London Business Community!

Author Profile

Manuela WillboldOnline Media & PR Strategist

Senior Online Media & PR Strategist at ClickDo Ltd. | Editor in Chief at LBN | Summer Course Student at the London School of Journalism and passionate Digitalist.

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