You know I’m Italian right?

Today in the “Meet your SEO” series, I have the pleasure to interview an Italian SEO: Andrea Pernici. I had the pleasure to meet Andrea in Italy at some SEO conference, and to talk to him, and, more important, see him in action. You can read some of his stuff on his blog , but only if you understand italian, or here on Giorgiotave.net. Otherwise, you can read something on SEOmoz and on twitter as well.

Ok Andrea, let’s rock.

When did you enter the SEO world, and why ?

I entered the SEO world in 2005 beacause I’ve always been passionate about Web Application & Website developement and Web Design.
Gradually I realized that the things mentioned above were not enough, and my passion for the web has expanded the study of complex adaptive systems (thanks to the university) and then to the study of search engines.
Thanks to The Forum GT this study has become a passion, a group of friends, my life.

A great tip about onpage optimization?

My mother was a sprinter, I was born in a few minutes, I started to walk early, sport a priority, handball a frenetic sport, counterattack inside … the answer to this question is clear 🙂

There is always a common thread in the lives of each one of us.

Loading speed.

More specifically: User Perceived load time.

I think it’s one of the most important things today, but also one of the most “exciting” and interesting.
Not from a technical point of view, but from a user point of view. The pages are richer, more media, more and more oriented to social sharing and it is here that we must work to combine wealth of information with a more pleasant browsing experience.
There are very little details in the implementation of our pages that can make our site loading in lightspeed … and “the game is worth the candle” as we say in Italy.

The most stupid thing people believe about onpage optimization?

The absolute dumbest thing is to think that onpage optimization is only technical issue while it is from here that all the rest starts.
Load times are considerable internal factors, the microdata are part of this phase SEO, Google Fresher can be driven from there, by Social you vehicle thanks to your content, you can manage the distribution of priority with the information architecture, the prevention of duplication are something attributable to the onpage, the great content if I’m not mistaken should be onpage 🙂

If you have nothing to offer and if you don’t have a comfortable place to make your guests have a better life then you will never be anything.

A great tip on how you build links?

Usually depending on the niche I try to study the most ingenious and scalable solutions are designed as services and useful resources.
These services and resources need to be malleable and personalizable according to the possible needs of actors in the market.
At this point the only thing to do is to promote these services using all available ways – social, adwords, own website and so on … – the links will come.

The most stupid thing you heard about linkbuilding?

In the SEO world there are so many stupid things that I honestly sick of.
It ‘also true, however, that being a matter which changes very rapidly, there are things that become stupid.
For years I argue that we must avoid as much as possible the use of excessive and unnatural anchor text.
The change is giving me reason even though the weight of these is still very strong (but it is only a matter of time).

Having said that and thinking about it I think the biggest nonsense is:

“I’ve read on …” or “I was told…”

We all need “Critical Thinking”!

If you have to explain what you do at a 10 year-old kid , what are you gonna say?

This is a really bastard question 🙂

I cannot explain almost anyone: friends, family … but maybe it is easier for a child.

I could think of a parabola. Something like the “parable of the leaven.”

“The business SEO is like yeast that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened”

in synthesis

“I’m the chef whom recommends the right ingredients to use to make a website more appealing.”

What do you drink when seoing?

Mmm seoing!? So all the day? Water during the day and beer at night!

What do you think about SEO community?

I think the international and national SEO community is really “great” although still very small.
All SEO that I have personally known are incredibly passionate people that loves what they do and this is really beautiful.
The passion that I see in those serious people working in the field is something that is difficult to find somewhere else.
The only big problem I think is to have a profession of inflationary SEO.
Too easily in fact everyone is talking about SEO in a superficial way and without knowledge of the facts resulting in a lower level perception of quality and tremendous effort every day SEOs face.

In Italy, the SEO community is very clever and there are profiles of the highest level. The problem is that it is still a bit closed in its national borders as a reality and therefore does not offer to the international community that contribution of high quality it could offer.

We must be patient … but Google+ is offering us great possibilities.

Make yourself a question and give an answer: What are the main features that an aspiring SEO should have in his DNA?

– Curiosity.
– Determination.
– Maniacal attention to detail.

Who is your biggest SEO influence?

Not one in particular because in Italy there are some really incredibly great SEOs.
The comparison with all of these and the own study with ultra critical thinking is what influences my perception of SEO.
Every day I discuss with Marco Quadrella and Giorgio Taverniti searching for signals, ideas and future scenarios.

If you weren’t an SEO, what would you like to do?

I’d be an eagle without wings and without claws … I’d be nothing most likely.
Perhaps a cook.