Muhammad Saleem

The Search Engine Optimization (SEO) business is thriving in Pakistan, creating jobs for youngsters and bringing millions of dollars in foreign exchange for the country.

Sameer Akhtar, CEO of a digital agency, told WealthPK that the SEO industry in Pakistan had undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade. He noted that the industry was growing apace, with an annual growth of approximately 30-35% in terms of business volume. He said the positive trend was purely attributed to the fresh talent entering the field. He said that the Pakistani firms were handling SEO projects from countries like the US, the UK, and Australia. Defining SEO, he said it deals with improving a website's visibility in the search engine result pages to fetch organic traffic. Sameer could not provide exact figures on the foreign exchange earrings from the SEO industry; however, he expressed confidence that it amounted to millions of dollars. He emphasized that it’s not just big players in digital marketing who were excelling; it’s praiseworthy that even freelancers and small agencies are also strengthening the national economy. “A few thousand rupees investment – just a computer and an internet connection – is required for this venture, provided you have excellent knowledge of SEO that can meet the market needs,” he told WealthPK.

Sensing the SEO sector’s importance, he said the public and private educational institutions had started incorporating this segment into their curriculum. Now, these institutions are offering multiple courses in digital marketing, as the traditional marketing tactics are slowly fading into the background, he added. He said the pace of private institutions in training students was faster as compared to state-run institutions. Such institutions are arranging SEO boot camps lasting 3-6 months, which combine theoretical knowledge with practical project work. After completing the training, a graduate could easily earn between Rs40,000 and Rs60,000 a month, he added. Besides, he said a wealth of free courses were also available online, helping people living in far-off areas gain SEO knowledge right on their doorstep. He emphasized that the digital world was changing everything; now, the entire world is your customer, and one can earn a handsome amount by fulfilling their requirements.

“Our company has trained dozens of people in the last three years, and most of them are reaping the rewards,” he said. Discussing the challenges the industry faces, Sameer noted that scores of newcomers had to grapple with the payment issues, as international payment gateways were not available in Pakistan. He explained that the majority of SEO clients preferred to pay through different digital payment methods rather than transferring funds to any bank account. However, Pakistan’s business rival countries, like India and the Philippines, are not facing such issues. Concluding, he said, “Competition from other countries is intense, forcing us to keep our rates low to stay ahead of the game and attract clients for the long haul. We are focusing on quality control, as newcomers are flooding the market without adequate skills, which is damaging the reputation of the entire SEO industry.”

Credit: INP-WealthPk