HOW TO BECOME
an SEO Manager
The Internet has created vast opportunities for businesses to connect with consumers. With so much information competing for the top spots on search engines, it can be difficult for companies to ensure that their website gets traffic. This is where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in.
An SEO manager is in charge of ensuring that a website gains a top position on search engines. If you want to become an SEO analyst but enjoy leadership positions, this is a good career for you. This guide will answer all your questions on SEO and how to become an SEO manager. We’ve listed a few facts about this career below.
- SEO managers earn higher salaries than other digital marketing jobs. According to PayScale, the average SEO manager’s salary is $71,673.
- All major companies need an SEO manager to remain on top of search engine ranking. As a result, they enjoy a positive job demand in the market.
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), marketing manager careers are projected to increase by eight percent by 2029. This is double the national average job growth for all occupations.
- SEO managers have the luxury of choosing how they work. They can be a full-time employee or contracted worker at a company. They can also work freelance or even start their own marketing agency.
What Is SEO?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a practice that allows websites to become one of the first suggestions on popular search engines like Google. This optimization includes using keywords, answering commonly asked questions, and producing content on trending topics.
An SEO specialist analyzes and modifies a website so it can have high visibility on search engines. This also includes ensuring there is a positive user experience, lead volume, brand awareness, and website traffic. An SEO expert isn’t so different from digital marketing or traditional marketing professionals because the end goal is generating more sales.
What Do SEO Managers Do?
An SEO manager leads an SEO team of experts to help generate web traffic. One of the most important tasks for an SEO manager is doing research to help businesses understand how to rank better on digital platforms. They identify terms people are searching for and make recommendations based on this information to improve the visibility of their website.
An essential part of the SEO manager’s job description is keyword research. These keywords show what is being researched online, and including them in blog posts and webpages can help bring organic traffic to the site. SEO experts conduct research to determine how well the business content will perform in comparison to similar sites.
SEO experts are also involved in designing architectures that optimize the website and track several metrics to help a company’s content gain visibility. An SEO expert is interested in tracking the page views of specific web pages to determine the performance of the articles. They may also be in charge of SEO training for junior employees.
SEO Manager Job Description
Though the role of an SEO specialist varies based on their place within a company, many of the main responsibilities don’t change. These professionals usually collaborate with a web development team to ensure SEO practices are adhered to throughout the content creation process. They also determine goals that demonstrate improvements in marketing efforts.
Some of the more technical aspects of the job description include executing tests and analyzing data. An important task for SEO managers is monitoring daily performance metrics with SEO tools such as Google Analytics. They also optimize the website architecture, content, and other factors to improve SEO positions for target keywords.
What Are the Required Skills for SEO Managers?
Search engine optimization managers require a mix of technical and interpersonal skills to be considered an expert. If you are looking to become a specialist, you must hone the following SEO skills.
On-Page and Off-Page SEO
An SEO manager must be a master of technical SEO practices. They must be able to apply on-page and off-page SEO techniques to improve website visibility. On-page SEO involves optimizing the website’s images, content, and meta information to improve its ranking. Off-page SEO consists of optimizing server-side functions.
Competitor and Keyword Analysis
Another skill that an SEO expert must master is conducting deep keyword analysis on a topic and making quality recommendations. This will help the organization improve its content strategy because the keywords will be more relevant to search engines.
Content Marketing
SEO and content marketing complement each other. An SEO expert must understand the basics of content marketing and use that ability to create high-converting, SEO-friendly content that can influence the target audience. You must also develop and implement content strategies that align with SEO best practices.
Data Analytics
SEO is all about data. As an expert, you must possess expertise in handling tools like Google Analytics to determine when a page is receiving traffic, what content is receiving the most traffic, and what content needs to be optimized. This data will help you make quality decisions about your SEO and content strategy.
HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Though SEO professionals do not need to master this skill, understanding coding languages can be an added advantage. This skill will help the SEO expert create solutions that power the web.
Soft Skills for SEO Experts
Technical skills are good, but combining those skills with soft skills will make the ideal SEO expert for any organization. These non-technical skills include curiosity, adaptability, problem-solving, and teamwork.
How Much Do SEO
Managers Make?
SEO experts make good money compared to other jobs in the digital marketing field. However, salaries may differ between companies, clients, and locations. Your salary also depends on your experience and the project you work on. Some SEO experts prefer to work independently as freelancers, where they can earn hundreds of dollars per hour.
We have compiled a list of average salary expectations in different locations throughout the US from PayScale.
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $112,088 |
| Seattle, WA | $101,130 |
| New York, NY | $82,356 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $80,901 |
| Chicago, IL | $79,614 |
| Boston, MA | $78,877 |
| Atlanta, GA | $71,216 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $67,407 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $67,407 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $66,940 |
| Miami, FL | $62,575 |
| Portland, OR | $62,400 |
| Dallas, TX | $60,000 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $60,000 |
Like any other profession, your salary will increase with your expertise and experience over the years. Below is a table showing the salary based on the experience level of an SEO manager. The salary information has been taken from PayScale.
SEO Management Technologies and
Coding Languages
JavaScript
JavaScript is a programming language that can help SEO experts achieve a dynamic and interactive in a website. This helps create a compelling user experience. JavaScript will help you understand how websites are built, which will be helpful when you are developing solutions for website issues.
Python
Python is an open-source, object-oriented language used by many around the world to power their platform. With this language, you will be able to create sophisticated pages with data. SEO managers employ Python to automate tasks, perform data analysis, and extract data.
CSS
Cascading style sheets (CSS) allows SEO experts to define how a web page will look when it appears on the web platform. This platform helps to create attractive and optimized web pages. It is primarily used to define the styling properties of the webpage.
Moz
Moz sets the industry standard for SEO best practices. Moz is a pioneer in SEO that has created Moz Pro as a complete toolkit for SEO. Moz Pro also helps provide SEO scores for websites.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is the most-used SEO tool in the world. Google Analytics helps analyze a website’s performance and provides insights that allow SEO managers to create higher-ranking websites. Since Google is the world’s most popular search engine, this is an important skill to learn.
How Can You Become an SEO
Manager?
You can become an SEO manager by learning SEO best practices. There are numerous learning platforms that you could use on your path to becoming an SEO manager. Each of these learning platforms has its pros and cons. However, it is vital to select the one that will help you develop your SEO knowledge to the fullest.
SEO Manager Learning Paths
Bootcamps
Coding boot camps are valid alternatives to college. Rather than spending four or five years in a university program, you can learn practical skills that connect you directly with the career in less than a year.
Bootcamp programs also allow you to build your portfolio and demonstrate expertise to your employer or clients. Some of these boot camps are App Academy, Thinkful, and Flatiron School. You should attend one of the best SEO boot camps of 2021.
College/University
You could earn a degree in marketing, business, or any related field in college. All of these programs will help you learn SEO. Some people prefer to attend a business or marketing degree program at a university that will help them develop broad expertise in traditional and digital marketing.
Self-Study
You access online academies, courses, and certifications that will help you develop expertise and SEO skills. Some of these certifications have projects that you can work on to build experience and create a portfolio.
What Companies Are Hiring SEO Managers?
Any company that wants to enjoy huge traffic and high visibility on the Internet needs an SEO expert. However, some of the companies you may want to apply to are Uber, Google, Oracle, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, and Cisco. Even local businesses employ SEO professionals to drive traffic to their sites and convert visitors to customers.
FAQ
Who do SEO specialists work with?
SEO specialists can work independently or with a team. They work primarily with social media marketing teams, search engine marketers, development teams, designers, IT, sales, or customer service teams.
What tools do SEO specialists use?
They use tools like Moz, Google Analytics, Linkio, Alexa, Google Keyword Planner, and SEMrush.
Do I need a degree to be an SEO manager?
No employer expects that you have a degree directly related to SEO. However, degrees in marketing, business, or any related field are an advantage.
Do you need a certification to become an SEO manager?
When you attend bootcamps or courses that will provide certification at the end of the training, it is a big plus. You learn several things about marketing and tech and certified yourself as someone who knows the game.
