SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the art of optimizing a site so that it appears in good position on Google and other search engines. It’s a discipline based on three pillars: technique, content and popularity (netlinking).
With the explosion of digital technology, SEO has become a profession in its own right. Want to know what jobs are available in this field? How can you train and what can you expect in terms of salary?
We asked Matéo, a freelance SEO consultant who owns the https://mateoponta.com website, to give us some pointers. Follow the guide!
How do I get trained in SEO?
The good news is that there‘s no compulsory academic path to becoming an SEO. There are plenty of self-taught people, but there are also university courses (bachelor’s and master’s degrees in digital marketing) and specialized certifications (Google, Semrush Academy, etc.).
What’s best? Practice on a test site. There’s no substitute for experimentation. Read SEO blogs, test tools (Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, Google Search Console), participate in communities. You can also take online or face-to-face training courses, but without practical experience, it’s hard to make progress.
The SEO professions
SEO is divided into several specializations. Depending on your profile and skills, here are the most common positions:
1. SEO consultant
SEO experts audit sites, advise on and implement SEO strategies. Their job is to improve Google rankings, by implementing technical and content optimizations, or by buying backlinks. They often work on a freelance or agency basis.
2. SEO Manager
More likely to work for a company or agency, they manage the entire SEO strategy and coordinate the various actions (technical optimization, content, netlinking). Often at the head of a team.
3. SEO web copywriter
Creates SEO-optimized content: articles, product sheets, site pages. They know how to play with keywords, text structure and search intent.
4. Traffic Manager
Not just SEO, but also SEA (paid advertising), managing the flow of visitors to a site. His aim: to maximize qualified traffic.
5. Netlinker / Netlinking specialist
Their role? To obtain quality inbound links to a site in order to improve its authority. They prospect, contact partners and implement linking strategies.
6. Technical SEO
Specializing in the technical optimization of a site, they solve problems of speed, indexing, site structure and user experience.
7. UX SEO / SXO Consultant
Between SEO and UX (user experience), they optimize customer journeys to boost SEO and conversions.
Salary: what can you expect?
Salary varies according to experience and position:
- SEO web copywriter: €25-40K/year
- Junior SEO Consultant: 30-40K€/year
- Senior SEO Consultant: 40-60K€/year
- SEO Manager: 45-70K€/year
- Netlinking specialist: 35-50K€/year
- Traffic Manager: 40-65K€/year
- Technical SEO: 45-70K€/year
- Freelance: variable income (1K-10K+/month depending on client and expertise)
Is SEO a job for the future?
Clearly, yes. As long as Google exists, SEO will be important. Companies are relying more and more on SEO to attract qualified traffic without relying on paid advertising.
Artificial intelligence, voice search, e-commerce… all these factors are driving the evolution of SEO. Ongoing training is essential, but those who master this art will never be short of opportunities.
So, are you ready to get started?