SEO Manager: Definition, Salary, Duties, & More (2024)

To find out what an SEO Manager does, it’s essential to know what SEO is.

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is the process of improving the quality of a website to boost the website traffic to that website instead of competitors’ websites.

SEO Managers usually spend their days working on marketing, content strategy, web analytics, and the overall optimization of their organization’s website.

If you enjoy digital marketing, analysis, and the internet, a career in SEO may be perfect for you.

SEO Manager Information

Official Job Title	Search Engine Optimization Manager
Average Salary:	$74,385
Stress Level:	High
Work/Life:	Average
Job Satisfaction:	High
Career Advancement:	Above average

SEO Manager Job Description

What is an SEO Manager?

In basic terms, an SEO Manager is a person who is responsible for a company or organization’s SEO strategy.

While this may seem simple, there’s a lot that goes into being an SEO Manager.

What does an SEO Manager Do on a Daily Basis?

SEO management could include any or all of these duties:

Keyword research
Creating marketing plans and content marketing strategies
Managing analytics for the website
Conducting SEO analysis of the website
Monitoring current trends in SEO strategies
Developing link-building campaigns

As an SEO Manager, each day will be different.

One day you may be performing keyword research for hours, or maybe the next day, you will be meeting with clients or your boss to create an SEO strategy.

If you like to stay busy, this could be a great career option for you.

SEO Manager Responsibilities

As a management position, an SEO Manager will be responsible for more than other employees.

Common responsibilities include the following:

Managing a team of SEO Specialists
Developing a successful SEO strategy
Optimizing web content, landing pages
Link building for off-page content
Collecting and analyzing data about website traffic
Researching keywords for optimization
Researching current trends in SEO
Working with social media and other marketing teams to strengthen website and online presence

SEO Manager Salary

Average Salary

Indeed.com reports the average salary for an SEO Manager in the United States is currently $74,385.

However, this will depend on where you live and other factors.

Starting Salary

Starting, SEO Specialists earn approximately $44,368 in the United States.

ZipRecruiter reports the lowest salary is $20,500.

Senior Salary

Once an SEO Specialist has many years of work under their belt, they can earn up to $85,000, and possibly more, once they are in a senior role.

How to Become an SEO Manager

The first and most crucial step to take toward a career in SEO management is to earn at least a Bachelor’s degree from a 4-year university.

SEO Managers usually have a degree in marketing, business, digital marketing, computer science, communications, advertising, public relations, or something very similar.

Indeed.com states 90 percent of SEO Managers have only a bachelor’s degree, and only 9 percent of people report having a Master’s degree.

Many online institutes may offer a digital marketing certificate or SEO management certificate you can earn in a year, but most professional organizations or companies will require at least a 4-year degree.

Once completing a Bachelor’s degree, it should not be too difficult to find an entry-level job.

Some entry-level employees get promoted to SEO Manager quite quickly, but this depends on how good you are at your job!

Common SEO Manager Certifications

Along with education, most SEO Managers earn a handful of different certifications needed for their job.

Google Analytics Certification, Google AdWords Certification, Bing Ads Certification, CompTIA Project+, and Certified Professional Coder are just some of the certifications SEO Managers may hold.

SEO Manager Skill Set

What skills are needed for this job?

SEO Managers are expected to be knowledgeable in WordPress functionality, HTML5, Link building, CSS, Google Analytics, SEO, data analysis, branding, keyword research, and other digital marketing tools and tactics.

SEO Manager Career Paths

SEO Professionals’ Career Paths

SEO Managers usually work their way up to manager over the years.

They commonly start as digital marketers, marketing assistants, content marketers, marketing analysts, or business marketing consultants.

Again, this will vary for each professional, but many people who start at these positions tend to choose a career in SEO management.

SEO Managers may go on to different careers in marketing, business, website design, or possibly even opening their own business.

Projections for Growth in SEO Management

According to becomeopedia.com, SEO Manager jobs are expected to grow up to 32 percent throughout 2022.

Most Marketing Research Analyst jobs, including SEO Managers, are expected to grow in the digital age—much faster than other career paths.

So, is SEO Management a Good Career?

In short—yes!

We live in the digital age, where companies are looking for talented marketers who know how to share their content with the worldwide web.

Working Conditions

Can an SEO Manager work from home?

Yes!

This is one of the great opportunities for working in a digital world.

Most of your work can be done from a computer, which can be done from home.

While many SEO Managers usually work for one company in an office, there are hundreds of job opportunities online for specifically remote SEO Specialists and Managers.

How Many Hours Does A SEO Manager Work?

SEO Managers will most likely work a 40-hour workweek if they are working with a company.

This also depends on how much you have to do, where you work, and how much time you need for a project.

Optimizing a whole company’s website is a very long process.

An SEO Manager may have to put in extra time to complete projects on tight deadlines.

Can A SEO Manager Work Part-Time?

In most cases, no.

Being an SEO Manager means you will have a lot of responsibilities and plenty of work to do.

While you could try to squeeze everything into 20 hours a week, it probably wouldn’t work out well.

Entry-level SEO jobs include less work and responsibilities, so it’s easy to find part-time work in easier positions like these.

If you plan on becoming an SEO Manager, get ready for a full schedule!

SEO Manager Average Vacation Days

The amount of vacation depends on where you work.

Most companies will give their employees up to two weeks of vacation days per year.

While this is not the case for every company, it’s important to double-check what your options are when you accept a job offer.

Alternative Careers & Similar Jobs to an SEO Manager

SEO Manager Resume Tips

What is the best way to create a resume as an SEO Manager?

By creating a resume that highlights your best SEO skills.

Start your resume with the basics—your name and contact information at the top so hiring managers to know exactly how to reach you.

Then start adding in your relevant and most recent work experience, your education, and any awards/achievements you may have earned.

A list of SEO-related certifications will help boost your resume too!

When applying to be an SEO Manager, employers are going to want to know answers to questions like, “Do you know how to successfully boost a website’s organic traffic?” or “How do you identify your audience’s attitude and personality to improve targeting?”

Think about these types of interview questions and how you can implement the answers into your resume before the interview.

Include a full list of skills on your resume that relate to these types of interview questions and the job description.

SEO Manager Interview Questions

Q1: What are some common SEO mistakes you’ve seen in other organizations?

Why It Works: As an experienced SEO professional, you will make mistakes along the way, and you will most likely supervise people who also make mistakes.

Learning from these mistakes is some of the most important lessons you will learn in your career, and interviewers want to see how you learn and grow from these experiences.

Q2: How do you use content marketing for SEO?

Why It Works: Content marketing and SEO go hand-in-hand in the marketing world, and this is something an experienced SEO professional should know.

Employers will want to know your knowledge level and experience.

Q3: What is your approach to developing an SEO strategy?

Why It Works: Employers will get an idea of how you work and see if your process works for their company.

Be sure to mention how you set goals, how you create marketing/SEO plans, how you stay organized, etc.

Q4: What is your greatest digital marketing success story?

Why It Works: Sharing your successful execution of SEO strategy will show interviewers you are experienced and know how to handle SEO job duties.

Do not be afraid to include some data or analytics in your story!

Q5: How do you stay current with SEO industry trends?

Why It Works: When you work in technology and digital marketing, you need to always be up to date on the latest trends (as you probably already know.)

Employers will want to hire someone who can keep the company’s website as up-to-date as they can to compete with other companies.

Jobs Related to SEO Manager

Not sure if a career in SEO management is for you?

Looking for a different digital marketing job?

Don’t worry, there are many other career paths out there for you.

Similar jobs:

Digital marketing specialist
Digital products analyst
Content strategist
Web designer
Web engineer
Social media marketer
Advertising

For the Human Resources Manager: Tips for Hiring an SEO Manager

Key Characteristics to Look for in an SEO Manager

SEO Managers will need great organizational skills, the ability to work on deadlines, functioning computers, internet knowledge, and the ability to be exceptional communicators.

Since SEO Managers are in a higher position, they will be expected to know how to lead teams, assign duties to other employees and effectively work with their department.

Common industry skills that every SEO Manager should have are keyword research, campaign planning, data analysis, brand management, link building, On-Page SEO, HTML, CSS, website administration, copywriting, project management, and client relations management.

Minimum Level of Education & Experience

A qualified SEO Manager will have at least a Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or a related field from an accredited 4-year university.

Since this role is a management position, candidates should have 1 to 3 years of experience on their resume before applying.