college Archives - The Sentinel by Yuvoice

Back in high school, if someone said I’d end up as an SEO content writer, I’d have hesitated. Search engine optimization, or SEO, wasn’t on my radar then — I barely had a simple mobile phone, let alone the devices every high schooler has today. My favorite subject then was mathematics, hence my interest in financial accounting. And, of course, math always got me the best grades. I felt I was set on becoming an accountant.

Fast forward a few years, my interest started taking an altogether different direction. I found myself navigating the world of SEO content writing. I had hardly thought of it in high school.

Life has a funny way of surprising you. Who knew my journey would lead me from crunching numbers to crafting words for SEO? Sometimes, the unexpected can turn out to be the most fulfilling.

Hopping in and out

My failure in getting into university landed me in one of the best teacher-training colleges in Nigeria. The course I ended up studying was Accounting Education. Not getting admitted into a university troubled me – I was confused. At first, I wasn’t too sure about accepting the offer, but eventually, I started liking it and felt happy about my decision.

During my three years in college, I learned both theory and practice in education and accounting. I gained a solid foundation. My dad’s support played a great role. It was the sole reason I was ready to finish my studies in three years. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2013. I missed my dad and his guidance. I was once again confused about what to do next – take a job or continue with my studies.

I continued my education at the university through the direct entry mode, by taking admission in the university in Nigeria directly in the second year. I got the benefit of skipping the first year because I had a certificate in teacher education, a certificate higher than secondary education.

Now, you might be wondering how I transitioned to SEO writing.

Discovering and diving into the world of SEO

In late 2014, I started university after finishing my national certificate in education program. That’s when I stumbled into my newfound love: writing. I even started drafting an accounting book, thinking it could help high school students and maybe even seeing it as a bestseller. Sadly, I somehow lost the file. Despite this setback, I began my newly-minted writing journey.

As an undergrad, I created mini-articles on motivation, inspiration, life, and spirituality, sharing them on social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. My friends and loved ones liked them. Their positive comments encouraged me to write more and more.

Thus, started my journey in content creation and article writing. It was a journey I could not have anticipated a few years earlier.

During my university days, I quenched my thirst for writing by helping my classmates with their writing and research, and by proofreading their work, all for free. As I neared my final year, I began pondering how to turn my passion for writing into a profession. It took a few years to materialize my thoughts. After finishing my degree, I realized that the internet offered opportunities. To me, the opportunities seemed endless.

I began searching for freelance jobs in order to earn money, but I had to avoid scams. That’s when I stumbled upon SEO. At first, it sounded complicated, like one of those course codes at university. But I knew that if I wanted more writing opportunities, I had to learn about this SEO thing, whatever it turned out to be.

Every writer is a teacher

In the past, I taught in school from primary to secondary levels. But in 2021, after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I shifted to the corporate world. Now, my main gig is teaching and educating through my writing.

(Image courtesy of Marcus Silva via Pexels)

In the writing world, the teacher in me was useful. Simply understanding SEO is not enough to spread a message. Effective communication and organizing information, the skills of a teacher, helped me a lot.

The essence is that being a good teacher makes a better writer.

To put it simply, I strongly believe that every writer is a teacher. You might not agree, and that’s okay. But I think this way because, as a content writer, your job is not just to entertain. Every piece of content you create should also educate your audience.

So, it’s like this: back when I was teaching in schools, I learned how to communicate well and present information. Now, as a content writer, I’m using those skills to ensure my writing entertains but also educates. It’s all about passing on relevant information to the folks reading my content.

Accounting has a story

Obviously, accounting is all about numbers and involves analyzing numbers. My experience in accounting has shaped how I create content, especially in the data and analysis part of writing for search engines.

Because of my education in accounting, I know how numbers tell a story. When I write for the web, I carry that analytical mindset rooted in me. It helps me create content that is not just words, but also backed by data and analysis.

Back when I was studying accounting, I didn’t think I would use it in my writing. However, those skills influenced the way I approach SEO writing. I learned to pay attention to every detail, and that helps me create informative content that is well-optimized for search engines. In the world of writing for the web, the ability to understand and utilize data is crucial. My accounting background has been like a secret weapon. It’s like having a special tool that helps make my content more effective and visible online.

My journey from accounting to content creation might seem like a big leap, but the analytical skills that I gained and nurtured in the past make my writing stand out today. It’s not just about putting words together; it’s about using numbers and analysis to make the content more valuable for the readers and the online world.

Delve into techniques

When I decided to learn about SEO, I figured that the best path to learning is by doing. At first, it seemed a little difficult, but I knew that taking action was key.

While still working my regular 9-5 job, I created my own blog without hiring a web developer. You might not want to build your site, but doing so (on a budget) was a must for me.

I also spent hours watching tutorial videos and learning search engine optimization from SEO experts like Brian Dean and Koray Tugberk Gubur. I applied what I learned to my website and noticed some better page rankings on Google. If you want to succeed, learn from the already-experienced.

Networking – key to success

If you’ve heard “Your network is your net worth,” you know that building connections is like investing in your professional success. Whether you’re into SEO, teaching, or accounting, a strong network helps you grow faster in your career.

For a long time, because I didn’t pay attention to LinkedIn, I was missing out on opportunities. To fill that gap, I started connecting with other professionals in and out of SEO.

Last year, I got invited by a brand owner to speak about SEO at a live event on LinkedIn. That talk is just one example of the many opportunities coming from deliberately building a strong network.

Every story is right

For the record, my story is no more exceptional than others. Everyone has a unique story to tell, right?

We all have our paths and can achieve whatever we set our minds to. Whether you’re trying something new or making a career change, it pays to believe in your potential and put the work in. As Henry Ford wisely predicted, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — you’re right.”

(Image courtesy of Johnathan Ciarrocca via Unsplash)

I was born into a middle-class family, and studying at the university is not considered good for a girl. In more conservative rural Pakistan, girls might not get an education past sixth grade, because society says it.

Stupid and aggressive in Fort Abbas

Five hours from Lahore is a small town, Fort Abbas, in the Cholistan desert of Punjab. I was born and grew up in this small town. Opposing the social norms here, grew my biggest dreams of being educated.

But my father is a teacher. He supported me and my sister and did everything to encourage our college admission. Because I wanted to study, my relatives considered me a “stupid and aggressive” girl. They still consider me stupid. When I got admitted to the university, they taunted me every time. Education was not for girls. To be a girl is to aim for marriage and family.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 came, and classes shifted into online mode. Two semesters were completed smoothly at home. During the third semester, my sister and I returned to the hostel near our school, almost a dormitory – so many of them together in one large room.

My Dad was not strong economically. He managed a side business, but due to the virus, it stopped. That fixed passive-income amount which came from his teaching job, it became difficult to manage both our household and our education expenses.

I decided to start a job as a content writer. This was my first experience, and I worked for eight months, during which time I got harassed several times and then I quit the job. After facing personal taunts, I wouldn’t say I like to work on-site, but all my education and hostel expenses were on me now. So, I applied for new jobs but there was no positive response.

Instead, I started my own business as a freelancer with a laptop that I bought from the savings of my previous job. I joined a digital marketing course at my university. After three months, when the course ended, I created my freelancing profile on Fiverr. Four months passed and there were no orders. My profile on Fiverr was automatically blocked.

I was so desperate, I created another profile — things seemed to work now — I started to get “clients”: one was fake, and the other one didn’t pay me. He blocked me after receiving his work. This hit me hard. I went into depression and skipped everything I was supposed to do — or dreamt of doing.

A year passes, but a huge motivation

(Image courtesy of Cottonbro Studio via pexels)

After a year again, I motivated myself to restart — to come back to work. I created my profile on Upwork, wherein I got four orders. These orders were not big projects, but they gave me a huge boost. I spent all my money on Upwork applying for orders, but I got no more orders.

Now, it was my eighth semester, and the most challenging one for me. Problems seemed to pour in from all directions —both at the university and at home. My Dad got a paralytic attack. It was nearly impossible to see him in that condition, totally bedridden. For the first time, I saw my strong Dad, my Dad who went against the society to educate us, crying.

After a month of struggle and hardship, I got another on-site job, as a proposal writer. It was a great relief for my family — our finances would be handled now. But this job gave me the worst experience ever. I was insulted without any reason. I was warned thrice for no real reason, and at the end of the month, they dismissed me. Maybe because I was a girl.

I was hopeless, and then my mom talked to one of her cousins. He hired me to work remotely. After just 15 days, he handed my job to someone else.

Trading, sales, marketing, challenges

But something else was in store for me. One of my friends gave me the idea of stock trading. I started trading, investing 10,000 Pakistani Rupee (around $35US), and I lost the trade. I ended up as a loser, with not a single penny in hand.

No more savings, very hopeless and jobless. The eighth semester ended, and I managed to graduate, a mathematics graduate now — fortunately, the semester fees were paid in advance. After graduation, I started a job in the sales and marketing department. So far so good, but looking back at all my failures in the past makes me skeptical of my success in the future.

It seems so uncertain. It scares me with the thought of more failures. Coming from the kind of patriarchal society, where women do not go for higher studies, I am still living a dream with my degree and my potential.

You have to marry someone

I know I am a brave girl. No one will come to motivate me and no one will come to support me. No one can hear my heart and no one can heal me. I will do everything for myself and change my lifestyle one day. This is my sole goal in life — I will create success out of many failures.

Now that I am more accomplished on the educational side, I decided to focus not on what people speak of me, but solely on myself.

My family has lent me only two more years to run after and catch my dreams. Given my failures to succeed in this time limit — seems impossible. Else at the end of two years, my destiny will be — marrying someone they choose.

This is my last opportunity to prove my potential. My father went against societal norms by sending his girls into higher education. It is now my turn to make my failures into my steps toward success.

Now, it’s my turn to prove that my father’s sacrifices were well-spent, for him and for me.

Tag: college

Career Twizzled: 123 … ABC … SEO

I Can Fly, Even with Clipped Wings