Aimee Mnich was a 2017 summer intern at SEMGeeks and worked with the SEO team. She is going into her senior year at The Pennsylvania State University. See her thoughts on her SEMGeeks experience below!
The Jersey Shore—a great place to unwind at the beach, eat some good food, listen to great bands, and… work? Usually those things don’t go together; however, this summer I found out that they can!
Before interning at SEMGeeks, I knew very little about Search Engine Optimization (SEO). In fact, I thought SEO, pay-per-click, and web development were all basically the same thing. In my short time here, I have come to find that I was greatly mistaken.
Throughout my internship, I was mainly a part of the SEO team. I found out that there is a lot of background work that goes into earning that number one spot on Google; way more than just a catchy heading. The main way to do that is with content. Content is key. I saw all of the different ways to incorporate content, from blogs to keywords to infographics, etc. I was also given the opportunity to interact with clients, whether it was sitting in on a meeting or networking with them at one of SEMGeeks’ sponsored events.
One of the best parts about the internship was the environment. Aside from being a few blocks away from the beach (and Playa Bowls), the people are what made this environment extremely enjoyable. All of the people are so nice and so smart. They were always willing to answer any and all of my (hundreds of) questions. Not to mention, they never brushed over a question, no matter how basic it may have been. The team always made sure to answer my questions in-depth, occasionally making a mini “lesson” out of it. One of my favorite parts about the people was that they treated me like a fellow coworker, instead of a temporary intern. They never made me run out for coffee or pick staples out of paper (as the partner, Chris, told me he did in one of his internships). They would also always be open to any suggestions I had when it came to brainstorming sessions.
The main takeaway that I got from this internship is that you will not be an expert in everything. I honestly think that it is impossible, but that is ok. We go to school for around sixteen years of our lives and learn a lot from textbooks and professors. However, the world is constantly changing, especially in the digital industry. It takes about a whole year to develop a college curriculum; and by the time they finish writing it, several new techniques are already in place. Therefore, I think the best way to learn is in the moment, on the job; which is exactly what I did this summer. I fully immersed myself in everything SEO and, in my short three months here, I learned more than I did all last semester in my digital marketing class.
From the people, to the work, to the free lunches on the last Friday of every month, I would say this was a great internship experience. I learned so much about an up and coming industry, that even if I decide SEO isn’t for me (which is definitely not the case), I can still apply this knowledge to other advertising or public relation strategies.
