SEO specialist
Use various techniques to improve search engine rankings for your organisation's website.
About the job
What it's like
We use search engines every day. You may look for recipes, hunt for a new item of clothing or search for the latest news.
You enter what you’re looking for into a search engine, like Google or Bing. It then returns a list of web pages that are relevant to what you searched for. But have you ever thought about what’s behind that list of web pages? Why were they chosen as the best options to show you?
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the name given to activity that helps improve where a web page ranks on a search engine. That’s where an SEO specialist comes in!
In this role, you’ll use various techniques and tactics to 'optimise' a website's rankings. Your work will help a website sit as close to the top of the list as possible. You’ll constantly monitor a website’s performance and make tweaks to improve its ranking.
Your tasks might include:
carrying out keyword research to learn what words people are searching for
checking rankings and analytics to monitor a web page’s performance – you’ll then present ideas to improve it
writing content for websites, using keywords tailored to the target audience – to do this, you’ll sometimes collaborate with content designers
building backlinks (links from other websites to yours) that improve SEO rankings
staying up to date with search engine algorithm changes and the latest SEO techniques
making sure your organisation’s website is accessible, user-friendly and optimised for SEO
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Liberty Marketing – check out this day in the life of an SEO specialist
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- analysing
- developing a plan
- attention to detail
- researching
- problem solving
- evaluating
- creative
- working with technology
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Computing Science
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Maths (Mathematics)
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Statistics
Most employers expect SEO specialists to have a degree. Although, your experience and track record of success can sometimes be more important than the level of qualification you have.
University
A degree or postgraduate qualification could help you get into this career. Useful subjects include:
Marketing
Digital Marketing
Media and Communication
Business and Marketing
Computing Science
Data Science
Business Analytics
Some employers may consider graduates from non-computing subjects if they’re able to show they have essential technical knowledge.
Use the My World of Work course search to find degrees.
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you find a job or progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
Digital Marketing
Marketing
Business with Marketing
Interactive Media
Computing: Software Development
Marketing Communications
Computing
Volunteering in a relevant role can help you build the skills and experience you’ll need to become an SEO specialist. Search for opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
Employers love to see examples of how you’ve improved a web page’s ranking or increased its traffic – you should keep a portfolio that shows off your best work.
SEO is constantly evolving. So you should join communities and read SEO blogs to keep your skills up to date.
Find the right course for you
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