Interview with Marta Szmidt
Interview
Anastasija from Revpanda had an insightful chat with Marta Szmidt about her career beginnings, the hurdles she faced, popular SEO trends, and the influence of Artificial Intelligence on the future of SEO practices.
Marta Szmidt's Marta is an expert at elevating web pages to top rankings for highly competitive keywords across various industries such as iGaming. Her proficiency in online marketing shines through her efforts to enhance page performance, deploy strategic SEO plans based on data, and increase organic website traffic. In her previous role as Head of SEO at NetEnt / Evolution, Marta achieved noteworthy SEO successes in both the European and North American markets.
Interview Questions
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Greetings, Marta. It's delightful to make your acquaintance. With over seven years of SEO experience, could you detail the start of your journey and what attracted you to this field?
Hello, Anastasia. It is a tremendous pleasure to meet you, and I'm incredibly thankful for the opportunity to participate in this interview. It's truly an honor.
My journey with SEO I embarked on this journey after reaching the milestone of 30 years. A career shift and relocating from Germany, where I had lived for twelve years, to vibrant Malta marked my new beginning. My initiation into SEO began with an internship in online marketing at an English language school in Malta, where I grasped the fundamentals. Following the internship, I transitioned into a Marketing Manager role offered by the school.
Initially, my SEO career was heavily centered around off-page SEO with a remarkable degree of freedom. For instance, one ambitious plan involved traveling to Poland to draw in Polish students and directly obtain backlinks from universities, an idea my manager endorsed. This bold move led to acquiring exceptional backlinks, significantly boosting our rankings. Eventually, I secured my inaugural SEO role in the iGaming sector with Catena Media two years later.
How do you measure SEO success?
In any successful SEO venture, it's imperative to evaluate your investment in SEO in terms of its contribution to the business. There are numerous metrics we could track, yet to me, SEO success is largely defined by high keyword rankings for transactional keywords (which are directly tied to business revenue), traffic keywords (which generate significant site traffic without always translating to transactions), and branded keywords (featuring the brand's name).
Attaining top positions across these keyword categories implies strong organic traffic, SERP visibility, CTR, and conversion rates. Additionally, I am convinced that factors such as site ease of use, speed, and bounce rate profoundly impact the efficacy of SEO efforts.
From your perspective, what traits are crucial for someone to excel in an SEO role?
I contend that a strong sense of determination and self-drive is paramount. Especially in smaller projects or when handling a solo market or website, SEO can be an isolating pursuit. The results often take time to manifest—it's not a game for the impatient (a trait I admit I sometimes struggle with and continually seek to improve).
Every skilled SEO professional I know invests time learning new concepts almost daily. While self-assuredness is necessary, I believe that within the SEO sphere, pride should be set aside. The willingness to acknowledge errors is critical to success.
What are some SEO blunders you frequently notice?
A major error I frequently encounter is the absence of testing and a personalized approach in SEO. Websites respond differently, even within the same industry. Just because a tactic worked on one doesn't assure it will on another. An understanding of the product, rigorous testing, and assessing results to identify effective strategies is crucial.
A prevalent yet risky practice I've observed is prioritizing quantity over quality, especially in link-building strategies. content With a well-funded budget, acquiring numerous links is feasible. However, such an approach often neglects link quality. Similarly, adding extensive content monthly without adequately considering quality and user intent fails to attract additional traffic or improve rankings.
Lately, there's been an overreliance on AI within many SEO projects. Many are turning to AI-based content generation tools at the expense of engaging human writers, which is a mistake. While AI tools serve a function in SEO content creation or optimization, they should be used judiciously. AI might not possess the requisite depth on certain subjects, resulting in subpar content. I advocate for AI tools as supplementary to the creative process but believe they can never wholly substitute a talented content writer. Viewed as inspiration, they excel at addressing simpler questions and formulating standalone paragraphs. For newly established websites, ranking in search results often hinges on factors beyond our control. Although link-building can accelerate this process, lacking a vast network or budget makes it challenging—sometimes ineffective even then. Similarly, defending against spam backlink attacks or competitive actions is complex. Limited budgets can impair smaller projects against well-resourced competitors. Furthermore, tweaking the Google Algorithms and addressing Google errors falls outside our influence. Ultimately, never losing sight of the fact that SEO demands a persistent, comprehensive strategy is key. My collaboration with Revpanda has been immensely satisfying. Known for my high standards, I rigorously assess any new agency engagement. Revpanda persistently excelled. Their impressive communication and extensive SEO knowledge distinguished them. Our latest projects have notably benefited, evident through the accelerated and enhanced quality of deliverables.
Could you talk about which SEO elements fall outside of your control?
One notable point is that the discussion felt limited by time constraints—we could easily have expanded into these topics at length. The subjects, including the implications of Google MUM and maintaining content quality, will undoubtedly remain crucial, not solely for the iGaming scene but across various domains in 2022.
In what ways does your involvement with Revpanda enhance your position?
Working with Revpanda Indeed, I'm eager to continue engaging in such events but will take a brief career hiatus due to relocating. Nevertheless, beginning fall/winter 2022, I intend to rejoin panel discussions.
You were part of the 'SEO 2.0: SEO in 2022' panel at Sigma Dubai 2022. Could you share insights on that event and the significant takeaways?
The iGaming sector relies heavily on domain authority. It's characterized by established brands, especially operators, boasting vast backlinks and heightened authority. Google's decision on ranking order may consequently depend on strategic content adjustments and refining page performance. With industry titans drawing immense brand-specific search volumes and direct traffic, securing top positions for crucial keywords like 'online casino' or 'casino bonus' signifies triumph.
Are you planning to join any upcoming panels or discussions?
That said, achieving these feats is challenging. Rarely are casino websites originally SEO-optimized. SEO professionals often face restrictions—limited ability to edit meta titles and descriptions or even incorporate content within casino pages being cases I've witnessed. With such powerful platform authority yet restricted content control, the site's SEO performance hinges on interfacing SEOs and developers effectively. Conversely, smaller platforms, like WordPress-based casino affiliates accommodating SEO features readily, gain a strategic edge.
Does SEO for the iGaming industry differ significantly compared to other unrelated sectors?
SEO is perpetually engaging! The discipline's dynamic nature keeps one learning continually, a prospect I relish. I might even be somewhat enamored with SEO. It's akin to a game, especially witnessing page rankings climbing from over a hundred to top-three positions within a short span—a truly gratifying experience!
Looking ahead, AI technology is poised to further enhance Google's comprehension and responsiveness to intricate user queries, refining the search experience. AI could empower search engines to delve beyond user submissions, analyzing multidimensional elements of search engine result pages. SEO specialists must anticipate Google's emphasis on oft-overlooked media types—videos, images, podcasts. Cross-language search result appearances are another anticipated shift. Moreover, many webmasters are expected to adopt AI-driven content on their platforms.
What do you admire the most in SEO?
Discussion with Marta Szmidt from Revpanda Digital Marketing Agency
You have discussed Google MUM in your blog. What significance will AI hold in the evolution of SEO?
Explore our conversation with Marta Szmidt as she shares her insights on how she started her career, the challenges she faced, trends in SEO, and the role of artificial intelligence in optimizing websites.
What are your anticipated career objectives going forward? Please share if you feel inclined.
Services for Enhancing Conversion Rates (CRO)
Imagine you could dine with any three people, be they famous or not, alive or deceased. Who would you choose?
Anastasija engaged in a conversation with Marta Szmidt about her career beginnings, the typical pitfalls in SEO, evolving trends, and the future impact of AI on search engine optimization.
If you were to have a cautionary notice, what would it state?
Marta is an expert in elevating websites to prime positions for highly sought-after keywords in diverse fields such as iGaming. With an extensive background in online marketing, she excels at enhancing page performance, crafting strategic SEO plans based on data, and driving organic web traffic. As a former Head of SEO at NetEnt / Evolution, she has a track record of success in both European and North American markets.
Hello, Marta. It's a pleasure to connect with you. With over seven years in SEO, could you share how your journey began and what drew you to this field?
According to you, what skills are crucial to excelling in an SEO position?
What are your interests and leisure activities? How do you typically enjoy your downtime?
In your view, what are some frequent pitfalls in SEO that you've noticed?
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