Search engine optimisation expert

A Search Engine Optimisation Expert is a digital marketing professional who specializes in increasing a website’s visibility on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. By optimizing content, keywords, site structure, and technical elements, SEO Experts aim to improve organic search rankings, drive qualified traffic, and ultimately boost conversions. They analyze performance metrics, research trends, and develop strategies to ensure that a website is both user-friendly and aligned with search engine algorithms.

Search engine optimisation experts typically do the following tasks:

• Conduct comprehensive keyword research to identify valuable search terms and user intent.
• Optimize website content, meta tags, headings, and images for on-page SEO best practices.
• Audit websites for technical SEO issues (e.g., broken links, crawl errors, site speed, mobile usability) and implement solutions.
• Develop and execute link-building strategies to increase domain authority and backlinks.
• Monitor and analyze SEO performance using tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, Ahrefs, or SEMrush.
• Stay updated on algorithm changes, SEO trends, and competitor performance.
• Collaborate with web developers, content creators, and marketing teams to ensure SEO is integrated across all digital assets.
• Create SEO reports and dashboards to measure KPIs such as rankings, traffic, bounce rates, and conversions.
• Optimize for local SEO, voice search, and featured snippets when applicable.
• Train internal teams or clients on SEO best practices and long-term strategy.

The following job titles also refer to search engine optimisation expert:

search engine optimisation specialist
search engine optimiser
SEO expert
SEO specialist
growth hacker
inbound marketer
SEO experts
search engine optimisation experts
search engine optimisation consultant
search engine marketing specialist

Search engine optimisation experts work in digital marketing agencies, tech companies, media organizations, or as freelancers. They often operate in fast-paced environments and may juggle multiple clients or projects simultaneously. Most work is computer-based, making remote and hybrid positions common. Standard business hours apply, though campaign launches or audits may require flexibility.

• Education: A degree in marketing, communications, computer science, or a related field is helpful but not always required. Many SEO professionals are self-taught or gain skills through online learning and practical experience.
• Experience: 2–5 years in digital marketing or SEO-specific roles, often with a proven track record of successful campaigns.
• Certifications (optional but valuable):
  • Moz SEO Essentials or SEMrush Academy certifications
  • Google Analytics Certification
  • HubSpot SEO Certification
  • Yoast SEO for WordPress

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Search engine optimisation expert is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to search engine optimisation expert.

online marketer
web content manager
movie distributor
eBusiness manager
online sales channel manager

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of search engine optimisation expert.

• Keywords in digital content: The digital tools to conduct keyword research. The information retrieval systems identify the content of a document guided by keywords and metadata.
• Web analytics: The characteristics, tools and techniques for measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of web data to get information on the users’ behaviour and to improve the performance of a website.
• Social media marketing techniques: The marketing methods and strategies used to increase attention and website traffic through social media channels.
• Content marketing strategy: The process of creation and share of media and publishing content in order to acquire customers.
• Sales strategies: The principles concerning customer behaviour and target markets with the aim of promotion and sales of a product or a service.

These skills are necessary for the role of search engine optimisation expert.

• Perform online data analysis: Analyse online experiences and online data for purposes of understanding user behaviour, triggers of online attention, and other factors that could optimise webpage development and exposure.
• Apply social media marketing: Employ website traffic of social media such as Facebook and Twitter to generate attention and participation of existing and potential customers through discussion forums, web logs, microblogging and social communities for gaining a quick overview or insight into topics and opinions in the social web and handle inbound leads or inquiries.
• Use customer relationship management software: Use specialised software to manage company’s interactions with current and future customers. Organise, automate and synchronise sales, marketing, customer service, and technical support, to increase targeted sales.
• Conduct search engine optimisation: Execute optimal marketing research and strategies on search engine processes, also known as search engine marketing (SEM), in order to increase online traffic and website exposure.
• Manage content development projects: Plan and implement the creation, delivery and management of digital or printed content, develop a system that describes the entire editorial content development and publishing process and use ICT tools to support the process.
• Provide written content: Communicate information in written form via digital or print media according to the needs of the target group. Structure the content according to specifications and standards. Apply grammar and spelling rules.
• Integrate content into output media: Compile and integrate media and text content into online and offline systems, such as websites, platforms, applications and social media, for publishing and distribution.
• Enhance website visibility: Promote the website to users, business partners and search engines. Optimise the website exposure to search engines, send out emails, determine pricing and policies and conduct marketing actions.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of search engine optimisation expert. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Behavioural science: The investigation and analysis of subject behaviour through regulated and lifelike observations and disciplined scientific experiments.
• Digital marketing techniques: The marketing techniques used on the web to reach and engage with stakeholders, customers and clients.
• Mobile marketing: The study of marketing which uses mobile devices as a communication channel. This approach can provide potential customers with personalised information (using location or time context) which promotes products, services or ideas.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of search engine optimisation expert. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Translate requirement concepts into visual design: Develop visual design from given specifications and requirements, based on the analysis of the scope and target audience. Create a visual representation of ideas such as logos, website graphics, digital games and layouts.
• Execute email marketing: Conceptualise and write targeted customer emails, manage customer emails for the brand email marketing programmes in order to ensure enhanced profit and improved customer communication and prospection.
• Use different communication channels: Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.
• Provide cost benefit analysis reports: Prepare, compile and communicate reports with broken down cost analysis on the proposal and budget plans of the company. Analyse the financial or social costs and benefits of a project or investment in advance over a given period of time.
• Use content management system software: Use software that allows publishing, editing and modifying content as well as maintenance from a central interface.
• Study website behaviour patterns: Research, analyse and optimise business results and user experience online through the use of tracking website metric tools.
• Plan digital marketing: Develop digital marketing strategies for both leisure and business purposes, create websites and deal with mobile technology and social networking.
• Identify ICT user needs: Determine the needs and requirements of ICT users of a specific system by applying analytical methods, such as target group analysis.
• Create content title: Come up with an appealing title that draws people’s attention to the content of your article, story or publication.
• Perform market research: Gather, assess and represent data about target market and customers in order to facilitate strategic development and feasibility studies. Identify market trends.

2513 – Web and multimedia developers 

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 References

1. Search engine optimisation expert – ESCO
2. SEO specialist job profile | Prospects.ac.uk
3. What is an SEO Specialist | Indeed.com
4. What is an SEO expert? | Google Search Central | Documentation | Google for Developers
5. Featured image: Photo by Myriam Jessier on Unsplash