What's the "most valuable indirectly related skill" to SEO worth learning?

[debi_zyx]

Hi, All!

I have a little time on my hands that's not taken up by client work or our own marketing.  What would you say is a skill worth learning during that time?

My background is not techie, so while I've picked up a teeny bit of knowledge about code, etc. on the way, I still don't really know how to code, use APIs, etc. So I was thinking something along those lines, but anyone have specific suggestions? And resources for whatever you suggest?

Thanks!

Aviva

[ResslerMotors]

For years I would put "Expert with Excel" on my Resume because I thought I knew it all.  Now I know that I only understood the surface of a gigantic beast of a program!

[Devin_Anderson]

If the 'technical' side of SEO doesn't appeal then another useful set of skills is media production. Before I got into SEO my calling was working in video and radio production - writing, interviewing, filming & editing. I have found these skills invaluable particularly while working with small & micro businesses. If content is king, then the ability to produce high-quality multimedia content on a low budget will always be a welcome asset. I find it opens the door to more interesting SEO strategies.

The best book on film production I've ever read is Shot by Shot by Steven d. Katz. It's more tuned towards film directing, but it's a great way to throw yourself in the deep end if it's something you'd be interested to learn.

Radio, I've found, is not as useful online - unless producing a podcast. Probably the most critical skill to get your head around on radio is interview skills. Look up Nardwuar the Human Serviette - he's a bit.. different.. but probably one of the most professional interviewers in the radio world today. If he's taught me anything it's research, research, research!

Oh and Photoshop! Photoshop never stops being useful. I'd go mad without it. There are hundreds of great guides online.

[EGOL]

Great suggestion... I use Excel every day... but I also use the Google Document Spreadsheet because it does most of the same things as Excel and is in the cloud and you can share documents with other people..

At my office we share keyword research, ecommerce databases, profit margin calculation, inventory, adwords data... all of that with google docs.

Very valuable.

[EGOL]

Great suggestion... if you can increase the conversion rate of a site by 50% your client will be IMPRESSED!

[RyanKent]

I agree with EGOL but wanted to share another helpful tip, Microsoft Excel.

MS Excel can be learned via online classes or formally with an instructor. If I recall correctly when I learned many years ago the in person classes were broken up into Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced classes with each being 1-2 days. If you have not taken any Excel classes, I would recommend adding one to your mix of training.

[eyepaq]

Knowledge  / deep understanding of code (html, css, programming of any kind) is a good to have set of skills in your SEO bag but I don't think is the main  valuable skill a good SEO must poses.

In my opinion the set of skills targeting Conversion Optimization (rules, procedures, UX related, A/b testing) is the most important additional 'skill set' you need to master in order to be able to really provide good SEO advice and run a normal professional SEO campaign. CO (Conversion Optimization) covers a lot of fields but at least knowing the basis will make you a much better SEO.

Hope it helps.

[EGOL]

I would start learning about code.... and I would start building my own website.  Pick a subject that you know well and start to write about it and make a little money from it with adsense.

This way you will have a stake in your work - you will learn better that way.  And when you see a little money coming in it will give you incentive.... it could become a profitable hobby and then develop into a nice business over time.

Do something that pays.