SEO (search engine optimization) management involves improving the search engine ranking of a website through keyword research, link building and more, primarily on Google search. Whether you’re after a robust full-time career or an exciting freelance lifestyle, becoming an SEO manager is a great career option.

Most SEO managers have a degree in a field such as Marketing, IT or Business. However, a degree is not a prerequisite. Instead, developing a strong understanding of SEO strategies and a working knowledge of marketing principles and coding languages like HTML and JavaScript is key.

You can begin your education by taking an SEO course at an institution or online, covering essential concepts like SEO strategy and content marketing, as well as supplementary skills like content writing, social media management training and coding.

One of the best ways to learn SEO is through hands-on experience, for which you can launch your own website or an SEO campaign for family, friends or a charity. You can also brush up on your know-how by reading SEO blogs like Moz or the Official Google Webmaster Central Blog, traversing LinkedIn for the latest developments in the SEO industry or using SEO tools like SEMRush to develop your keyword research skills.

Hackathons and internships are also some fantastic ways to develop a real-world understanding of SEO work while making you a more desirable candidate in the eyes of employers.

SEO management is a varied role that requires an equally varied skill set. To be a truly effective SEO manager/marketer, you need to possess diverse skills and feel confident in a number of disciplines, from IT and data analysis to stakeholder management and basic psychology.

SEO managers help websites attract more traffic through analysing competitors’ SEO, compiling reports through Google Analytics and creating relevant content. You will conduct keyword research while also being expected to stay abreast of the latest developments to the Google algorithm. Your focus will primarily be on organic search, but you will also work on paid search marketing efforts.

As an SEO consultant, you will identify strategies, techniques and tactics to increase the number of website visitors and obtain a higher search engine ranking for your clients.

Working in the field of SEO marketing is likely to keep you on your toes as you take on many different tasks at once, such as:

SEO management is a highly versatile career pathway. You could become an in-house SEO specialist working for a small business or large corporation or could work full-time at a digital marketing agency managing SEO campaigns for numerous clients. The SEO industry also gives you room to freelance, working as a one-person agency with a variety of clients.

Starting off as an SEO manager could lead you down the path of becoming a Marketing Manager or the head of the SEO team, or even into an adjacent role such as a Copywriter or Social Media Manager.