Is there still hope for beginners to take on search engine optimization projects on a DIY basis? Even though SEO and digital marketing are extremely competitive in 2020, the answer is yes; similar to the way absolute beginners can design their own web pages these days, SEO is within the scope of those who are willing to learn, be patient, and make mistakes that can be corrected along the way.
There are only two possible downsides in terms of rookie SEO mistakes: Google penalties, which are actually loss of rank on the search engine results page, and not making any progress. As long as you do not attempt to go the "black hat" SEO way right off the bat, you should be able to gain some spots on the SERP in an organic matter.
As for not making any progress despite doing everything right, you still have to consider what the competition is doing. Let's say you are trying to rank for a local roofing company, but it seems as if two other competitors are always ahead of you no matter what you do. This could be a case of seasoning or an experienced digital marketing company with the right connections handling the SEO of the competition. Keep in mind that many of the top SEO firms operate similar to traditional PR agencies, which means that they may be able to get a Long Beach roofing contractor mentioned on the Los Angeles Times along with a backlink.
The best first-time SEO guides are offered for free on SEMRush and Moz; these are excellent websites for knowledge at all levels because they do not hide the truth about what it takes to succeed: Hard work, perseverance, and staying ahead of the game when Google updates the search engine algorithm or when trends develop. In the case of SEO for local businesses, the importance of an accurate and updated Google My Business profile cannot be overlooked.
When the time comes to do keyword research, don't forget that the best keywords are answers to the most common questions posed by clients and customers; this is when you can actually get started on developing content that the Google crawler will index and rank accordingly. For more information click here https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/hhznab/newtoseowheredoistart/.