A search engine optimization (SEO) analyst is responsible for making sure that a company’s online content can be found and seen by current and potential customers. The analyst is part of the company’s marketing team, and he or she plays a critical role in the planning of the organization’s marketing campaign. Using their technical knowledge, SEO analysts have the ability to provide insight into SEO as well as users’ experience with digital content. They then inform their marketing managers of this information in order to help make the marketing campaign more successful.
Job Duties
After a marketing campaign and its parameters are established, SEO analysts are responsible for gathering information about the company’s e-commerce web pages, social media, blogs, and websites in order to determine how visible they are to both current and target customers and how useful viewers find the information. If the SEO analyst finds that the content is lacking, he or she then alters the content to increase customer engagement. For example, if data indicates that few customers are viewing a website, the SEO analyst will change and/or reorganize the content to ensure the page appears in search engine results.
Professional Skills
Most SEO analysts have earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing or a related field. Some employers prefer their candidates to have one to two years of experience in SEO or search engine marketing (SEM) as well as proficiency in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Professional skill requirements may also include experience with website analysis and analytics tools such as Google Analytics as well as experience with keyword tools.
Professional Competencies
Aspiring SEO analysts must have a passion for Internet marketing and SEO, and they should have a strong ability to not only think creatively but also identify and resolve issues. Successful SEO analysts demonstrate high levels of self-motivation, autonomy, and integrity, and they have excellent organizational, analytical, time management, and project management skills. Other qualifications include the ability to effectively and clearly articulate points and thoughts, and they must have an excellent attention to detail and be able to effectively multi-task in a deadline-driven setting.
Salary and Career Outlook
According to PayScale, the average salary for entry-level SEO analysts is $47,000 per year as of November 2017. However, an SEO analyst’s salary may range from $31,000 to $62,000 annually depending on the company in which he or she works as well as the specific duties required of the position. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that employment of market research analysts, the closest field to SEO analysts available, is expected to grow 23 percent between 2016 and 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth will be mainly due to the increasing use of market and data research in all sectors. SEO analysts and market research analysts will be needed to help identify the factors affecting product demand, measure the effectiveness of business and marketing strategies, and to help understand the wants and needs of customers.
Related Resource: What Careers are in Digital Marketing?
SEO analysts play an important role in the development and execution of a company’s marketing strategy. The SEO analyst helps to measure customer engagement and ensure that an organization’s content is viewed and interacted with by both current and potential customers.
