My SEO Journey [Pro Edition]: Yevhenii Humeniuk from needmylink.com – How We Build a Strong SEO Team

My SEO Journey [PRO Edition] is a series where professionals in the SEO Industry, Digital Marketing, or Web Design share their honest SEO Journey filled with failure, success, and most importantly, proven results. Episode #163 features Yevhenii Humeniuk from NeedMyLink.

Hi, I’m Yevhenii Humeniuk, CEO of NeedMyLink — a digital marketing agency headquartered in Dnipro, Ukraine. We help local and global businesses build a stronger online presence through SEO, PPC, web analytics, and conversion optimization.

Since starting NeedMyLink, I’ve had the chance to work on various projects with all kinds of companies including Apple partners, which was one of our more challenging collaborations. During our cooperation with our Apple partner, we encountered several difficulties during SEO optimization, but we coped with all the tasks.

Along the way, I’ve learned how important it is to think creatively, solve problems on the fly, and stay adaptable. That’s why I’ve built a team that thrives on independent thinking, experimentation, and results-driven creativity — a combination that helped us generate revenue lifts and organic traffic for several clients in the past year. I’ll talk more about how we make that happen in a bit.

For now, I’ll just say this: no matter the industry, SEO has always been the backbone of how we deliver long-term results for our clients.

Introduction to SEO

My journey with SEO began in 2018 when I was working as a crowd marketer at the small company. Back then, I was still a student, working part-time, and I felt that the job wasn’t quite my calling, but I was intrigued by opportunities for growth. Specifically, I was involved in crowd marketing — placing links on forums like Search Engine Guru and MAAC. These platforms became my entry point into SEO, where I learned how to create high-quality placements.

I didn’t have a formal marketing education but mastered SEO from scratch through personal experience and countless trials and errors.

Founding NeedMyLink: Challenges I Faced at the Start

In 2020, I decided to launch my agency — that’s how NeedMyLink was born. The path wasn’t easy. The biggest challenges were:

• Zero portfolio and lack of reputation. I started as a freelancer, offering crowd-marketing services on SEO forums at minimal prices. My first clients came from there, but earning trust and building a stable flow of orders took time.
• Limited resources. I worked alone, searching for clients, handling negotiations, completing tasks, and developing the website. It slowed scaling but helped me understand every aspect of the business from the inside out.
• Lack of experience. At the beginning of my career as a crowd marketing specialist, I would have rated myself 5 out of 10. I had to learn quickly on real projects and constantly raise my standards.

In addition, competition on the forums was high, and later, due to market and audience changes, positioning became even more difficult.

However, constant experimentation, a focus on crowd marketing, and a willingness to take risks helped me overcome these barriers. Honestly, it was easier to take risks back then — I was a student without major obligations, which allowed me to try different things.

How We Build a Strong Team

I’ve always believed that the success of an agency depends on people. That’s why, at NeedMyLink, I focus on three types of specialists:

• SEO specialists — responsibility, structured thinking, and a willingness to learn are key.
• Creatives (marketers, SMM specialists) — I seek unconventional thinking and initiative.
• Managers and leaders — I value motivating, delegating, and seeing the big picture.

The main principle is that processes should be structured so the team can work effectively without constant supervision. Everyone must be independent and proactive, especially in SEO, where things change rapidly.

I always strive to hire people who can surpass me over time — it’s these specialists who drive the business forward.

Tools We Use Daily

At NeedMyLink, we rely on a proven stack of SEO tools:

• Ahrefs for link analysis, keyword research, and competitor analysis.
• SEMrush for technical audits, position tracking, and content analysis.
• Google Search Console for monitoring website performance.
• Google Analytics to understand user behavior.
• Screaming Frog for crawling and technical analysis.
• Google Indexing for fast and safe backlink and page indexing. Our proprietary indexing solution ensures that both your site pages and backlinks get indexed efficiently – a key factor for SEO success. 

This set covers nearly all tasks — from link building to comprehensive SEO. We adapt tools to client needs and continuously find new ways to optimize processes.

What Makes NeedMyLink Special

NeedMyLink has built its path on a unique combination of innovative approaches and care for the team from day one. We strive to deliver high-quality results for our clients and create a work environment where employees can grow and develop.

Our unique qualities include:

• Comprehensive approach. We offer link building, web development, design, SMM, PPC, Telegram promotion, and B2B lead generation. It allows us to handle more tasks for clients.
• Focus on the team. My goal is to build a “dream company.” We give employees growth opportunities, allocate education grants, and pay bonuses to proactive team members. It’s important to me that people grow together with the agency.
• Media activity. We actively promote the brand through videos, photo content, and creatives. It sets us apart from other SEO agencies, which rarely focus on branding and public presence.

I’m confident that NeedMyLink is a strong player in the market because of precisely the combination of these qualities.

Training and Professional Growth for Employees

We’ve built a clear training system within the company. Employees can access free or discounted courses on SEO, marketing, and other areas. Beginners start by handling basic tasks under the guidance of experienced mentors. Regular performance reviews help assess growth and identify who’s ready for new responsibilities.

While we used to often hire people without experience, today’s focus has shifted towards more seasoned specialists, which speeds up their integration into projects.

Maintaining Motivation and Preventing Burnout

I understand the risks of burnout in a fast-paced agency, so I structure our work to avoid overload.

For me, the most effective approaches are using clear task managers (Jira, ClickUp, Planfix), focusing on priority tasks, and taking mandatory vacations. For example, our company provides 10 paid days off per year.

I believe it’s easier to prevent burnout than to treat it. That’s why I aim to create a culture where rest is valued just as much as results. A well-rested team always performs better.

What I Would Do Differently Starting from Scratch

If I were launching an agency from scratch today, I’d focus immediately on crowd marketing and outreach, invest earlier in technology, and hire more experienced specialists. I’d also be more cautious when choosing partners — negative experiences in this area taught me a lot.

Today, I understand that a strong team, transparent values, and a technological foundation are the basis of a sustainable business. That’s what I’d build from the start.

My Vision for the Future of SEO

The SEO industry will continue to change actively in the coming years. I believe the key factors will be expertise, content quality (E-E-A-T principle), and adaptation to voice search and rapidly evolving algorithms.

Agencies must stay flexible, quickly test new approaches, and refine internal processes to remain competitive.

My Advice for Entrepreneurs and SEO Newcomers

If I were to highlight my main recommendations, they would be:

• Focus on quality content and link building. It is the foundation that delivers long-term results.
• Invest in automation and technology. It will help scale and optimize processes.
• Be patient. SEO is always about strategy and gradual growth, not about instant results.

For beginners, my main advice is not to be afraid of mistakes and to practice as much as possible. Personal experience and persistence are what truly lead to results.

SEO is a field that constantly challenges you to stay curious, adaptable, and strategic. Over the years, I’ve learned that consistent, long-term effort always outperforms shortcuts – and that combining technical expertise with a deep understanding of your audience is the key to real business growth.

At NeedMyLink, we believe SEO should always be aligned with clear business goals. We are focused on expanding our services, integrating cutting-edge technologies, and growing sustainably.

SEO is more than a career. It’s my passion. And I’m excited to see where this marathon takes me next.