Business
Staying in the SEO industry for the long haul takes more than just technical skills. It requires adaptability, a strong mindset, and a willingness to keep learning even when things get tough. In this episode of SEO Kwentuhan, Gab and Gelo get real about what it actually takes to build a lasting career in SEO. They talk about personal experiences, early career struggles, client challenges, and how they managed to stay motivated despite burnout and self-doubt.
If you’ve ever questioned whether SEO is for you, this episode is worth a listen. Gab shares how showing up even when he wanted to quit helped him build confidence and consistency. Gelo opens up about the value of soft skills, being part of a supportive community, and solving real business problems. Together, they highlight the importance of staying grounded in fundamentals like technical SEO and keyword research, while also embracing change and exploring your own path, whether that means freelancing, going full time, or building an agency.
Transcript Summary
00:00 – 02:02
Gab opens the episode by welcoming listeners. Gelo reminisces about their early episodes and highlights how far the podcast has come. They introduce the main topic: How to last in the SEO industry, especially in the age of AI. Both observe that some SEO beginners are losing motivation, and that this topic is timely for those still exploring or entering the industry.
02:02 – 05:01
Gelo asks Gab about the most important mindset for SEO longevity.
Gab answers that adaptability is key. He shares an analogy from a video by Russ Yuson: if someone offered you $10 million to learn piano by December, you’d find a way. That’s the kind of mindset you need—willingness to learn and adapt, especially in a field where algorithm updates and new tools are constant.
Gab also clarifies the difference between fundamental practices (like title tags) and outdated methods (like low-quality guest posting), emphasizing that openness to change is essential.
05:02 – 07:04
Gelo expands on Gab’s point by encouraging a "student forever" mindset. He stresses that SEO should be treated as a craft, not just a technical skill you master once. With continuous changes in tools and algorithms, you need to keep refining your knowledge. He also points out that going for shortcuts isn't sustainable—consistency matters more.
07:15 – 14:38
Gelo asks Gab if he ever wanted to give up.
Gab shares three major points in his career:
- Early freelancing days
- When he became an SEO manager
- When he started his agency
At each stage, self-doubt crept in. But he kept showing up. Over time, tasks that once felt overwhelming became easier through repetition and practice.
Gelo adds his own struggles—failed campaigns, client churn, burnout—and how he overcame them by focusing on soft skills, joining a community, and staying accountable. Having support from others, like Gab, helped him stay in the game.
They both agree: showing up and being part of a positive, welcoming SEO community makes all the difference.
14:38 – 15:22
Gab and Gelo talk about professionalism when clients offboard.
Gab suggests giving clients extra value even when they’re leaving, like a 6-month strategy.
Gelo shares that some clients who left still referred others to him later. The key takeaway: do good work, maintain good relationships, and you might see rewards later on.
15:22 – 18:39
Gab emphasizes fundamentals as the core SEO skills that don’t go away—especially technical SEO and understanding Google’s documentation (Search Central). He reassures listeners that SEO is still in demand and worth pursuing.
Gelo adds keyword research and content structuring to the list. Tools evolve, but foundational skills in solving searcher intent and writing effective content remain essential.
18:39 – 21:32
Gelo asks: do you need to be a jack-of-all-trades in SEO?
Gab says it depends on your goals. If you’re freelancing, it’s fine to specialize. But if you’re building an agency, it’s good to know a bit of everything so you can delegate effectively. You don’t need 100% mastery—just enough to understand how each area works.
Gelo shares how he started broad, then specialized. His strength turned out to be strategy. He now builds playbooks and hires specialists for execution. He encourages others to start wide, then go deep into what fits them best.
21:32 – 29:11
Gab advises beginners to build their own site to safely test SEO strategies instead of experimenting on client websites.
He also talks about building a personal brand—sharing consistently about a topic like AI or automation helps establish authority and trust, even with Google.
Gelo reflects on his early approach to content—he focused on solving customer problems. He got ideas by asking customer support teams about common client questions and then answered those in blog posts. This helped boost rankings while making content genuinely useful.
29:11 – 33:50
Gab says that hitting a milestone (SEO manager, 6-digit income) made him realize SEO was his long-term path. He enjoys challenges and finds meaning in growing personally while helping others grow too.
Gelo shares his work history—from Jollibee to casino work—before landing in SEO. He saw that SEO offered freedom, income potential, and a place for problem-solvers. Despite opportunities to go back to higher-paying casino jobs, he stayed because he found purpose and challenge in SEO.
33:50 – 38:59
Gab shares his internal motivator: thinking about what he wants to achieve and staying aligned with his purpose. Even when things get tough, he reminds himself to keep showing up. He also asks for spiritual guidance when he feels unmotivated.
Gelo talks about doing small side projects to keep things exciting. For him, solving new problems and seeing the impact of his work—like helping clients grow—fuels his motivation. Knowing that real businesses and people benefit from what he does gives deeper meaning to his work.
38:59
They wrap up the episode with laughs, inside jokes, and encouragement to keep going even when it’s tough. Gab plugs their Facebook group and weekly webinars. They invite listeners to follow SEO Kwentuhan on Facebook, Spotify, YouTube, and at SEOKwentuhan.com.
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