Michael Martin grew up in Somerset, Massachusetts and went to school at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Ultimately, he moved to Boston and realized that his sports games were consistently rained or snowed out, so Martin decided to move to a place that does not have either of these conditions. He picked up and drove to San Diego.
Were you doing what you do now in Boston?
No. In Boston I was more on the software side. The job I ended up landing in San Diego was in the Internet marketing, specifically SEO. I am currently the senior SEO manager at Covario.
Regarding your class, why is it important to students in the program?
It provides them insight into how the search engines actually work and how they can get that visibility either of their own business, for their employer, or even for themselves, personally for job prospects or for employment.
What will students learn in your class?
Exactly how those search engines work and what are those factors they’re looking for. And, then how to apply that to their online resume, online website, or their employer website.
Do you assign any activities or homework in your class?
Yes, there are readings and there are also quizzes. There is a final, take-home exam, which is due in the last week after class.
What do you hope students take away from your class?
The knowledge of how the search engines work and how to apply that based on their own current and life goals (e.g., looking for employment, enhancing their employment or visibility online) Just recently, a student emailed me after taking the course and he landed a job, which he felt he could not have gotten if it weren’t for this class.
Who should take the class?
It really runs the gamut – people that are entering the workforce that want SEO skills and also those that want to enhance their careers when it comes to marketing online. I’ve had students who are journalists, and they’re looking to understand how to write for the online environment.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Main thing to convey is this class really opens up eyes on how things really work online. When people think of Google, they think of this black box, or wizard of Oz in a sense. It comes up by magic, but understanding it and how these things break a part in an understandable way, that people can then utilize on a personal or business basis.
