"We were missing out on thousands of potential customers because our site wasn’t ranking," recalls Mark, a Digital Marketing Manager

As the Marketing Manager of a fast-growing eCommerce company, Sarah knew they were leaving money on the table. Mark, who leads a marketing team at an e-commerce platform that specializes in sustainable fashion, noticed a worrying trend—despite their beautifully designed website and well-crafted product pages, traffic was stagnating.

The team was stretched thin, juggling content creation, ad campaigns, and social media, with no one dedicated to SEO.

“We were creating amazing content, but no one was finding it,” Mark says.

The opportunity cost was massive. He knew they needed a specialist who could drive organic traffic and improve their search engine rankings, someone who could take ownership of SEO and elevate their online visibility. 

That’s when he decided it was time to hire a dedicated SEO specialist—a decision that transformed their organic traffic volume and conversions.

SEO's Impact on Business Performance

Search engine optimization (SEO) plays a pivotal role in driving traffic, increasing visibility, and boosting conversions for businesses of all sizes. Here are some compelling statistics that highlight the value of SEO:

• Organic traffic remains a dominant source of web traffic: According to research by BrightEdge, "53% of all trackable website traffic comes from organic search," underscoring the importance of having a solid SEO strategy. This data highlights how organic search surpasses other channels, such as paid search and social media, in terms of bringing users to a website.‍
• Top inbound marketing priority: In a survey conducted by HubSpot, "61% of marketers stated that improving SEO and growing their organic presence is their top inbound marketing priority." This showcases that businesses understand the value of SEO as a long-term investment that can bring consistent, qualified traffic.‍
• Higher close rates with SEO: SEO generates leads with a much higher conversion rate than outbound methods. According to a study by Search Engine Journal, "SEO leads have a 14.6% close rate, while outbound leads (such as direct mail or print advertising) have a 1.7% close rate." This proves that the quality of traffic derived from SEO efforts is more likely to result in conversions and sales.

SEO Industry Growth

The SEO industry continues to expand rapidly, fueled by the increasing importance of online presence and digital marketing. As companies across sectors invest more in optimizing their websites, the demand for SEO specialists is on the rise:

• Market value growth: According to the Business Research Company, "the global SEO services market is expected to grow from $68.1 billion in 2023 to $122.11 billion by 2028." This growth reflects the rising demand for SEO specialists, as businesses worldwide prioritize digital visibility and organic traffic.
• SEO as a critical digital marketing strategy: Statista reports that "SEO is considered one of the top three most effective digital marketing strategies," further reinforcing the need for experts who can craft and execute successful SEO campaigns that keep businesses competitive.

Cost of Bad Hires

Hiring the right SEO specialist can make or break your digital marketing strategy. Making a poor hiring decision can be costly, both financially and in terms of lost opportunities:

• Financial impact of a bad hire: The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that "the cost of a bad hire can equal up to 30% of the employee’s first-year earnings." In the case of SEO, a bad hire could lead to poor site optimization, wasted resources, and a negative impact on rankings and traffic.
• Time wasted on wrong candidates: According to Glassdoor, "it takes an average of 23.8 days to hire an SEO specialist in the U.S." However, when businesses are forced to replace a poorly performing hire, they not only lose the time spent on recruitment but also risk missing out on critical growth opportunities.

SEO Return On Investment

SEO is one of the highest-performing digital marketing strategies in terms of return on investment (ROI). For businesses looking to scale their organic traffic and online visibility, the long-term gains from SEO can be substantial:

• High ROI: Research by Terakeet shows that "SEO delivers an average ROI of 275%, significantly higher than most other digital marketing channels." This data emphasizes the long-term value that investing in SEO can bring to businesses, making it a cost-effective strategy for sustainable growth.‍
• Cost-effectiveness: A study by Moz found that "SEO, when executed well, generates more leads than paid search at a significantly lower cost." This demonstrates how SEO can produce high-quality, targeted traffic without the ongoing expense of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.

What Does an SEO Specialist Do?

An SEO specialist is a critical asset to any digital marketing team, responsible for ensuring that your website ranks highly on search engines like Google. Their work is multifaceted, involving a combination of technical expertise, creative content development, and strategic analysis to drive organic traffic and improve your online visibility. Here’s a closer look at what an SEO specialist does:

1. Keyword Research and Strategy

• Objective: Identify the most relevant and high-impact keywords that your target audience is searching for.
• Actions: Conducts comprehensive keyword research to determine which terms and phrases will drive the most valuable traffic to your site. Develops a strategic plan for integrating these keywords into your content, metadata, and overall site structure.

2. On-Page Optimization

• Objective: Enhance individual web pages to rank higher in search results and drive relevant traffic.
• Actions: Optimizes title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and content with targeted keywords. Ensures the content is relevant, informative, and user-friendly. Implements internal linking strategies to improve the site’s architecture and navigation.

3. Technical SEO

• Objective: Ensure that your website’s technical elements are optimized for search engines.
• Actions: Improves site speed, fixes crawl errors, ensures mobile-friendliness, optimizes XML sitemaps, and implements structured data. Works closely with web developers to address any technical issues that could hinder search engine indexing and ranking.

4. Content Creation and Optimization

• Objective: Create high-quality content that appeals to both search engines and users.
• Actions: Collaborates with content creators to produce SEO-friendly content that answers users' search queries. Optimizes existing content to ensure it’s aligned with the latest SEO best practices and target keywords.

5. Link Building

• Objective: Increase the website’s authority by acquiring high-quality backlinks.
• Actions: Develops and executes a link-building strategy that involves outreach to authoritative websites, content promotion, and guest blogging. Monitors backlinks to ensure they’re from reputable sources and have a positive impact on the site’s ranking.

6. Performance Monitoring and Reporting

• Objective: Track the effectiveness of SEO efforts and adjust strategies as needed.
• Actions: Uses tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, and Ahrefs to monitor site performance, keyword rankings, traffic, and user behavior. Regularly reports on these metrics and provides insights to refine and improve the SEO strategy.

7. Competitor Analysis

• Objective: Stay ahead of competitors by understanding their SEO strategies.
• Actions: Analyzes competitors’ websites to identify strengths and weaknesses in their SEO approaches. 

8. Local SEO (if applicable)

• Objective: Optimize the website for local search to attract nearby customers.
• Actions: Manages and optimizes Google My Business profiles, builds local citations, and ensures that the website is optimized for local keywords. Encourages and manages online reviews to boost local search visibility.

9. Continuous Learning and Adaptation

• Objective: Stay updated with the latest SEO trends, algorithm changes, and best practices.
• Actions: Continuously studies industry developments, attends webinars, reads SEO blogs, and experiments with new strategies to ensure that the website remains competitive in search rankings.

An SEO specialist’s role is dynamic and ever-evolving, requiring a balance of technical skills, strategic thinking, and creative problem-solving. By managing these diverse aspects of SEO, they help your business achieve sustained growth through improved search engine visibility.

Specializations Within the Role of SEO

When hiring an SEO specialist, it's crucial to understand the different specializations within the role. SEO is a broad field, and specialists often focus on specific aspects to optimize different facets of a website’s performance. Here’s a breakdown of key SEO specializations that can elevate your digital marketing efforts:

1. Link Builder SEO

• Focus: Acquiring high-quality backlinks from authoritative websites to improve a site’s domain authority and search engine rankings.
• Skills: Outreach, relationship building, content promotion, guest posting, and competitive analysis.
• Impact: Enhances your website's credibility, increases referral traffic, and improves overall search rankings.

2. Technical SEO Specialist

• Focus: Ensuring that your website’s infrastructure is optimized for search engines.
• Skills: Site audits, improving page speed, mobile optimization, XML sitemaps, schema markup, and resolving crawl errors.
• Impact: Improves the website’s crawlability and indexability, leading to better search engine rankings and user experience.

3. On-Page SEO Specialist

• Focus: Optimizing individual pages on your website to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic.
• Skills: Keyword research, meta tag optimization, content optimization, internal linking, and user experience enhancement.
• Impact: Improves the relevance of your pages for specific search queries, increasing visibility and engagement.

4. Off-Page SEO Specialist

• Focus: Enhancing the website’s authority and trustworthiness through external efforts.
• Skills: Link building, social media marketing, influencer outreach, and online reputation management.
• Impact: Strengthens your website’s reputation, driving more organic traffic and improving rankings.

5. Local SEO Specialist

• Focus: Optimizing a business’s online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches.
• Skills: Google My Business optimization, local keyword research, local citations, and managing online reviews.
• Impact: Increases visibility in local search results, driving more foot traffic and local leads.

6. Content SEO Specialist

• Focus: Creating and optimizing content to improve search visibility and user engagement.
• Skills: Content creation, keyword optimization, content strategy, and SEO copywriting.
• Impact: Drives organic traffic through high-quality, optimized content that resonates with your target audience.

7. E-commerce SEO Specialist

• Focus: Optimizing online stores to increase visibility and sales on search engines.
• Skills: Product page optimization, category page optimization, site structure, and managing large inventories.
• Impact: Increases organic traffic to product pages, improving conversion rates and driving sales.

8. SEO Analyst

• Focus: Monitoring and analyzing SEO performance to inform strategy and decision-making.
• Skills: Data analysis, SEO tools proficiency (like Google Analytics, SEMrush, Ahrefs), and reporting.
• Impact: Provides actionable insights to refine and enhance your SEO strategy, leading to sustained growth.

Each of these specializations plays a vital role in a comprehensive SEO strategy. By understanding these specializations, you can ensure that you’re hiring the right expert to meet your specific digital marketing needs.

Hire Top SEO Specialists with Specialist.PH – Save Time and Get Results

Choosing Specialist.PH means choosing a partner who is dedicated to finding the perfect fit for your team. With a proven track record of successfully matching clients with exceptional SEO talent, we are uniquely positioned to help your business thrive in the competitive organic search market. Let us handle the complexities of the recruitment process, so you can focus on what you do best.

The Pain of Searching for SEO Specialists

Hiring the right SEO specialist is crucial for anyone looking to enhance their company’s organic presence. However, the process can be a daunting and time-consuming task:

1. Time-Consuming Vetting Process

Marketing leaders often find themselves sifting through countless resumes, conducting numerous interviews, and performing technical assessments to find a qualified candidate. This process can take weeks or even months, diverting valuable time and resources away from core business activities.

2. Difficulty in Identifying the Right Skills

SEO is a complex and evolving field, making it challenging to assess a candidate's true expertise. Many marketing managers struggle to identify the right mix of skills and experience, leading to potential mismatches and costly hiring mistakes.

3. Lack of Expertise in SEO Hiring

Not all marketing teams have in-house expertise to evaluate SEO professionals effectively. This can result in hiring under qualified candidates who may not deliver the desired results, further impacting the company’s credibility and client satisfaction.

4. Risk of High Turnover

The search engine optimization industry is highly competitive, and finding a reliable SEO specialist who fits your company culture and stays long-term is challenging. High turnover rates can lead to disruptions in project continuity and additional costs for retraining.

Specialist.PH: Your Solution to Hiring Challenges

Specialist.PH takes the burden off your shoulders by providing a streamlined, efficient solution for finding top-tier SEO specialists. Here's how we help:

Expert Screening Process

We rigorously screen candidates through technical assessments, interviews, and portfolio reviews to ensure they possess the right skills and experience. Our team of experts understands the nuances of SEO, enabling us to match you with the best talent.

Time and Resource Efficiency

By partnering with Specialist.PH, you can save significant time and resources. We handle the entire recruitment process, allowing your team to focus on core business functions and marketing projects.

Customized Talent Matching

We tailor our search to your specific needs, considering your company’s industry, customer base, and role requirements. This personalized approach ensures you get a candidate who is not only technically proficient but also a great fit for your team.

Long-Term Partnership

Our goal is to build long-term relationships with both our clients and candidates. We provide continuous support and follow-ups to ensure a smooth onboarding process and long-term success.

Choosing Specialist.PH means choosing a hassle-free, reliable, and expert-driven solution to your SEO hiring needs. Let us find the right SEO specialist for your company, so you can focus on delivering exceptional results for your clients.

Our Rigorous SEO Specialist Hiring Process

At Specialist.PH, we pride ourselves on our meticulous hiring process for SEO specialists, ensuring that we connect you with only the most qualified and suitable candidates for your business. Here's how our process works:

Step 1: Define Your SEO Role Requirements

We start by understanding your specific SEO role requirements. Our team will work closely with you to create a personalized role request that outlines the qualifications, skills, and experience you're looking for in an SEO specialist.

Step 2: Initial Interview 

In this phase, candidates undergo a comprehensive English language assessment, including grammar, comprehension, and business writing skills. We also conduct a culture fit and attitude check interview to ensure candidates align with your company's values and work environment.

Step 3: Skillset Interview Process

• Years of Experience & SEO Certifications:
  We review each candidate's professional experience and look at their SEO and Google certifications to ensure they have a solid foundation and up-to-date knowledge in the field.
• Competency in Essential SEO Areas:
  Candidates are assessed on their expertise in key SEO areas, including on-page and off-page SEO, and link building. This ensures they have a comprehensive understanding of the strategies needed to improve search rankings.
• SEO Portfolio Review:
  We thoroughly examine the candidates' SEO portfolios, focusing on results. We deep dive into their explanations of why rankings or traffic fluctuated, to gauge their strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Forwarding Portfolios for Your Review:
  Only candidates who exhibit exceptional skill and deep insight are shortlisted, with their portfolios forwarded to you for further consideration. This ensures that you have access to the best possible talent for your needs.

Step 4: Your Review and Selection

You review the portfolios and select 2-3 standout candidates based on their experience and achievements. This step ensures that only the most promising candidates move forward.

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SEO Specialist Role Scorecard

Why We Use a Role Scorecard

At Specialist.PH, we believe that a clear and measurable framework is essential for assessing the success of our SEO specialists. A traditional job description may outline the duties and qualifications required for a role, but it doesn't provide the metrics needed to evaluate performance effectively. That's where the role scorecard comes in.

This role scorecard will guide the SEO specialist in their journey with Specialist.PH, ensuring they are fully aware of the expectations and how their performance will be measured from the outset.

The role scorecard is our go-to tool for defining the specific outcomes we expect from an SEO specialist. It sets clear metrics that the specialist will own, ensuring everyone is aligned on what success looks like from day one. This scorecard is not only crucial during the hiring process but also serves as a foundational guide during onboarding. It communicates to the new hire exactly how their performance will be measured, what their responsibilities will be, and how they will contribute to the company's goals.

By starting with the role scorecard, we ensure that every team member understands their role's mission, the expected outcomes, and the skills and competencies required to succeed.

Example of an SEO Specialist Role Scorecard

The minimal role scorecard will have the following sections:

Role Mission

Outcomes

Skills Required

Competencies

Additional Notes

See examples of each of these sections for SEO specialists below -

‍Role Mission
Drive high engagement, high-converting organic traffic to client websites and products.

Outcomes
These are the outcomes expected from the SEO Specialist at [Your Company Name]:

• Grow Organic Traffic: Increase organic traffic by a specific percentage month over month, tailored to client requirements.
• Improve Search Rankings: Boost rankings on search engines for targeted keywords.
• Track and Report Performance: Regularly track and report on organic performance metrics, providing actionable insights.
• Contribute to Growth: Develop and follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) and contribute to the agency’s growth initiatives.

Skills Required
The skills necessary to achieve the above outcomes include:

• SEO Expertise: Proficiency in keyword research, on-page SEO, and link building.
• Technical SEO: Strong understanding of technical SEO principles and best practices.
• E-commerce SEO: Experience in optimizing e-commerce platforms for search engines.
• Copywriting (Optional): Copywriting skills are a plus.

Competencies
Core competencies required for this role include:

• Efficiency: Ability to deliver results in a timely manner.
• Organization & Planning: Strong organizational skills and the ability to plan and execute strategies effectively.
• Technical Proficiency: A solid grasp of technical SEO aspects.
• Attention to Detail: Meticulous attention to detail in all tasks.
• Proactivity: A proactive approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement.

Additional Notes

• An e-commerce background is highly preferred.
• Ideally, the candidate should be comfortable in client-facing situations.

Click here to make a copy of a General SEO Specialist Role Scorecard

SEO Specialist Job Description

At Specialist.PH, we understand that finding the right SEO specialist is crucial for driving your agency's success. Our process is designed to ensure that you get the most qualified candidate who fits seamlessly into your team.

Our Process:

• Introductory Call: We begin with an in-depth introductory call where we discuss the specific needs of your agency and the role the SEO specialist will play within your organization. This conversation helps us understand your goals, challenges, and the unique aspects of your business.
• Role Scorecards: From this discussion, we create a detailed role scorecard. This scorecard outlines the key responsibilities, required skills, and success metrics for the position. It serves as a benchmark for evaluating candidates and ensures that every aspect of the role is clearly defined.
• Tailored Job Descriptions: Using the role scorecard, we generate a comprehensive job description tailored to your agency’s specific needs. This job description is designed to attract top-tier talent, clearly communicating the expectations and opportunities within your agency.

By taking the time to thoroughly understand your needs and crafting a detailed scorecard and job description, we ensure that the SEO specialist we recruit for you is not only highly skilled but also aligned with your agency’s objectives and culture. This process maximizes the likelihood of finding a candidate who can deliver exceptional results and contribute to your long-term success.

Below is an example of the kind of job descriptions we create to help our clients recruit the best SEO specialists.

About Us

[Your company slogan here]

Minimum 2 years of digital marketing experience is required.
Job Description

This is a remote position.

Do you love helping websites get organic search engine traffic and sales? We're looking for an e-commerce SEO Specialist to join our team!

What will you do? You will…

• Lead comprehensive technical SEO audits, identifying and prioritizing opportunities for improvement.
• Develop and execute advanced technical SEO strategies to improve site architecture, crawlability, indexing, and ranking performance.
• Oversee the implementation of schema markup, structured data, and rich snippets to enhance SERP features.
• Ensure website speed, performance, and user experience meet or exceed Core Web Vitals and other critical metrics.
• Collaborate with development teams to ensure technical SEO best practices are integrated into new website features and updates.
• Identify and resolve complex technical issues, including crawl errors, indexation problems, and site structure inefficiencies.
• Monitor and analyze site performance using advanced SEO tools and analytics platforms.
• Stay abreast of the latest SEO trends, algorithm updates, and industry best practices, and provide thought leadership within the organization.
• Lead SEO efforts during site migrations, ensuring seamless transitions with minimal impact on search visibility and rankings.
• Conduct in-depth competitor analysis to identify gaps, opportunities, and emerging trends.
• Generate detailed reports on SEO performance, project progress, and strategic recommendations for senior management and stakeholders.

Requirements

You might be the one we are looking for if you…

• Have 2+ years of experience in e-commerce SEO
• Have a strong proficiency with SEO tools or platforms, including [list your company SEO tool set here]
• Have experience in keyword research, reporting, link building, and on-page optimization
• Have strong time management skills and attention to detail.
• Are fluent in English both speaking and writing
• Are comfortable on the phone talking to different clients
• Very detail oriented, please include the phrase “E-commerce SEO Expert” in your CV or letter
• Can work in US Time Zone (graveyard shift in PH time or at least overlap US time zones by 4 hours)
• Have a good internet connection and video conference capabilities

Benefits

[list your company benefits here or any benefits that freelancers may receive by working on your projects]

Sound like you? Apply today and join our team!

Click here to see a full example of this template in action and make a copy for yourself of our SEO specialist job description template

Essential Skills an SEO Specialist Should Have

An effective SEO specialist possesses a unique blend of technical expertise, analytical prowess, and creative thinking. These skills enable them to navigate the complexities of search engine algorithms and drive meaningful results for your business. Here are the essential skills every SEO specialist should have:

1. Technical SEO Knowledge

• Understanding of Website Architecture: A strong grasp of how websites are structured and how search engines crawl and index content is crucial. This includes knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as how to optimize a site’s performance and mobile-friendliness.
• Site Audits and Error Resolution: Proficiency in conducting thorough site audits to identify and fix issues like broken links, crawl errors, and slow page speeds is key to ensuring a site is search engine friendly.

2. Keyword Research and Analysis

• Keyword Tools Proficiency: Expertise in using tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz to identify the most relevant and high-performing keywords for your industry.
• Search Intent Understanding: The ability to analyze and understand user search intent to select keywords that not only drive traffic but also meet the needs of potential customers.

3. On-Page SEO Optimization

• Content Optimization: Skills in optimizing meta tags, headers, and content with targeted keywords while ensuring that the content is engaging, informative, and aligned with the user’s intent.
• User Experience (UX) Design: An understanding of how user experience impacts SEO, including site navigation, page layout, and mobile responsiveness.

4. Analytical Skills

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Proficiency in analyzing data from tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, and various SEO software to make informed decisions that improve SEO performance.
• Performance Tracking: The ability to monitor key metrics such as organic traffic, bounce rates, and conversion rates, and to interpret this data to refine strategies.

5. Link Building and Off-Page SEO

• Outreach and Relationship Building: Skills in building relationships with industry influencers, bloggers, and webmasters to acquire high-quality backlinks that boost site authority.
• Content Promotion: Expertise in promoting content across various platforms to generate backlinks and increase brand visibility.

6. Content Strategy and Creation

• SEO Copywriting: The ability to craft compelling, keyword-rich content that resonates with both users and search engines, driving organic traffic and improving rankings.
• Content Planning: Skills in developing and executing a content strategy that aligns with SEO goals, ensuring that content is not only optimized but also relevant and valuable to the target audience.

7. Competitor Analysis

• Competitive Research: The ability to analyze competitors’ SEO strategies, including their keywords, backlink profiles, and content performance, to identify opportunities for improvement and differentiation.
• Market Insights: Understanding industry trends and shifts to keep the SEO strategy ahead of the competition.

8. Communication and Collaboration

• Cross-Department Collaboration: The ability to work closely with content creators, web developers, and marketing teams to ensure SEO best practices are integrated across all aspects of the website.
• Client Communication: Strong skills in explaining complex SEO concepts in a clear and understandable way, ensuring that stakeholders are informed and on board with the strategy.

9. Adaptability and Continuous Learning

• Staying Updated: SEO is an ever-changing field, and an effective specialist must stay informed about the latest algorithm updates, trends, and best practices through continuous learning and professional development.
• Problem-Solving: The ability to adapt to new challenges, think creatively, and find innovative solutions to improve SEO performance even in competitive or challenging environments.

10. Project Management

• Time Management: Skills in managing multiple SEO projects simultaneously, ensuring that tasks are completed on time and within budget.
• Strategic Planning: The ability to plan and execute long-term SEO strategies that align with business objectives and drive sustained growth.

These essential skills equip an SEO specialist to effectively optimize your website, enhance its visibility, and drive targeted organic traffic, ultimately contributing to your business’s overall success.

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