What Is an SEO Specialist? How to Become One, Salary, Skills.

SEO specialists use their knowledge of content creation and optimization to improve website rankings on search engines like Google and Bing. The goal of an SEO specialist is to improve these rankings to drive website traffic as much as possible over time. Here’s what to know about an SEO specialist’s needed skills, salary and how to become one.

What Is an SEO Specialist?

SEO specialists are responsible for improving the rankings of a website on search engines. They accomplish this through researching which keywords to target, updating existing content and crafting new content for highly searched topics. 

What Do SEO Specialists Do?

SEO specialists conduct research on traffic and target keywords as well as update websites and write content.

SEO Specialists Responsibilities

• Improve the rankings of a website and its content on search engine results pages. 
• Identify target keywords relevant to the website’s audience. 
• Develop and plan optimization strategies. 
• Create link building strategies. 
• Write SEO-focused content.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities of SEO Specialists

• Conduct keyword research. 
• Work on blog posts targeting keywords.
• Monitor performance metrics. 
• Manage ongoing SEO campaigns.
• Implement SEO strategies across the website.

SEO Specialists Within a Company

SEO specialists typically work within a marketing or growth department and report to an SEO director, sometimes collaborating with content writers and SEO analysts.

Importance of SEO Specialists 

SEO specialists are vital to the success of a business whose main distribution is through search engine traffic. If a website isn’t easily found through search engines, it’s unlikely to get the traffic necessary to sustain itself.

What Skills Are Needed to Be an SEO Specialist?

Qualifications to Be a SEO Specialist

• Understanding of SEO best practices.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. 
• An understanding of keyword research and analytics. 
• Ability to adapt quickly and think strategically.

SEO Specialist Prerequisites

• SEO specialists can come from a variety of educational backgrounds but typically hold a bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, writing or a related field.
• Previous experience in a marketing, SEO, writing or communications related role. 

SEO Specialist Hard Skills

• Writing and copy editing skills. 
• Analytical skills. 
• Keyword research. 

SEO Specialist Soft Skills

• Communication and presentation skills. 
• Ability to stay up to date on current news trends. 
• Interpersonal skills.

 Tools and Programs SEO Specialists Use

• Google Analytics
• SEMrush
• Ahrefs
• Google Trends
• KWFinder
• Moz
• Yoast SEO
• Keyword Surfer

View Jobs

Find out who's hiring.

See all Content jobs at top tech companies & startups

View Jobs

How to Become an SEO Specialist

SEO Specialist Education and Experience

There is not a specific college degree related to SEO. Many SEO specialists begin their careers in other fields and leverage their skills to transition to SEO. Common degrees held by SEO specialists include bachelor’s in communications, English, writing, marketing or a related field. 

SEO Specialist Certificates and Courses

• HubSpot SEO Certification Course
• Coursera Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization
• SEO Training: SEO for Beginners
• SEO Training Course by Moz

SEO Specialist Career Path

Although SEO specialists can come from different fields and careers, it’s not uncommon for someone to begin their career as an SEO specialist. An SEO specialist may progress into an SEO analyst or SEO strategist role then SEO manager or director.

SEO Specialist Salary and Job Outlook

The growth of the SEO industry is always changing, but it is expected to continue growing over the next several years. It’s predicted that the value of the SEO industry will reach over $200 million by 2030. 

The full compensation package for SEO specialists depends on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s experience and geographic location. See below for detailed information on the average SEO specialist’s salary.