Job Descriptions / SEO Specialist
SEO Specialist Job Description Template for Agencies
A ready-to-post SEO specialist JD written for the 2026 reality: multi-client workloads, AI search, algorithm volatility, and clients who care about revenue rather than rankings.
What does an SEO specialist do at an agency?
An agency SEO specialist owns organic performance for a portfolio of clients. They diagnose technical issues, brief content, earn links, and translate organic performance into business outcomes clients actually care about. They sit between content, dev, and account, and they're often the person explaining to a client why last week's Google update tanked their traffic.
Unlike in-house SEOs who know one site inside out, agency SEOs context-switch between verticals, CMSs, and maturity levels several times a day. The best ones have strong opinions about what moves the needle, healthy skepticism about fads, and the patience to rebuild trust after every algorithm update.
Job description template
Job title
SEO Specialist (Agency)
Summary
We're hiring an SEO Specialist to own organic performance across a portfolio of clients. You'll run audits, brief content, earn links, and report results to clients in a way that connects rankings to revenue. You'll partner with content, dev, and account leads to actually ship the work.
Responsibilities
- Run technical, on-page, and content SEO programs for a portfolio of 5-10 client accounts.
- Conduct technical audits covering crawlability, indexation, core web vitals, and structured data.
- Build keyword research, topical maps, and content briefs aligned to each client's funnel.
- Monitor rankings, organic traffic, and conversions in GSC, GA4, and SEO platforms.
- Coordinate with content, dev, and UX teams to ship on-page and technical fixes.
- Lead link acquisition programs including digital PR, outreach, and partnerships.
- Track algorithm updates and adjust strategy for clients affected by core updates.
- Report on client-specific KPIs monthly with clear insights and next steps.
- Build and maintain internal playbooks for AI search (AEO, GEO) and LLM visibility.
- Present strategy, audits, and quarterly plans directly to client stakeholders.
Required qualifications
- 3+ years of hands-on SEO experience, at least 2 years inside an agency or consultancy.
- Deep fluency in Google Search Console, GA4, and at least one major SEO suite (Ahrefs, Semrush, Sistrix).
- Comfort running technical audits: log analysis, crawl tools (Screaming Frog, Sitebulb), Lighthouse.
- Experience writing content briefs that rank and collaborating with writers.
- Understanding of structured data, internal linking, and site architecture for SEO.
- Client-facing presentation skills and the ability to defend recommendations with evidence.
- Track record of moving client KPIs (organic sessions, leads, revenue) with documented case studies.
Preferred qualifications
- Working knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript rendering, and CMS platforms (WordPress, Webflow, Shopify).
- Experience with AI search visibility (AEO, GEO, llms.txt, structured data for LLMs).
- Familiarity with BigQuery, SQL, or Looker Studio for custom SEO reporting.
- Background in a specific vertical or content type (ecommerce, SaaS, local, publisher, YMYL).
- Active SEO community presence (speaking, writing, or testing publicly).
Salary range
United States
- Junior (1-3 yrs): $55,000 - $75,000 base
- Mid (3-5 yrs): $75,000 - $100,000 base
- Senior (5+ yrs): $100,000 - $135,000 base
Sources: Glassdoor, Built In, Search Engine Journal salary survey (2025-2026).
Global
- UK: GBP 35,000 - 70,000
- EU: EUR 40,000 - 75,000
- Canada: CAD 60,000 - 105,000
- LATAM / remote: USD 25,000 - 65,000
Sources: Payscale, LinkedIn Salary, Remote.com benchmarks.
Top skills to look for
- Technical SEO diagnosis and prioritization
- Keyword research tied to business intent
- Content strategy and briefing for writers
- Link acquisition ethics and creativity
- GSC and GA4 reporting fluency
- Staying calm through algorithm updates
- Cross-team collaboration with dev and content
- Client-facing storytelling around rankings and revenue
Red flags
- Talks only about rankings with no connection to pipeline, revenue, or client business goals.
- Still pitches tactics Google has publicly deprecated (exact-match anchor link building, doorway pages).
- Cannot walk you through a site audit they personally performed.
- Claims to "guarantee" rankings or top-ten positions within a specific timeframe.
- No working knowledge of AI search, structured data, or site performance fundamentals.
Interview process structure
Stage 1: Recruiter or hiring manager screen (30 min)
Confirm tool fluency, client portfolio, vertical experience, and comp expectations. Screen out candidates whose "SEO" is purely link-buying or content mills.
Stage 2: Technical deep-dive (60 min)
Walk through a recent client audit or project. Probe for technical depth, prioritization logic, and how they worked with dev and content teams to ship fixes.
Stage 3: Audit exercise (90-120 min)
Give them a live URL and 90 minutes. Ask for a mini audit with top 5 issues, recommendations, and a 30/60/90 plan. Evaluate how they prioritize impact vs effort.
Stage 4: Client-facing panel (45-60 min)
Cross-functional panel including account, content, and dev leads. Role-play a client pushing back on a recommendation. Assess communication, evidence use, and tone.
Frequently asked questions
Should an SEO specialist be technical?
Yes, at least enough to read the network tab, understand rendering, diagnose crawl issues, and speak the language of developers. Pure content-only SEOs can be valuable but are usually paired with someone more technical.
What's the difference between an SEO specialist and an SEO strategist?
A specialist executes on audits, briefs, and fixes across a portfolio. A strategist sets the direction across multiple specialists, owns commercial targets, and represents SEO in integrated pitches. Senior ICs often carry both titles.
How do you evaluate an SEO portfolio?
Ask for specific client wins with before/after screenshots of GSC or analytics, the exact interventions that drove them, and what the candidate personally did vs the team. Skepticism is healthy: correlation is not causation.
Do SEO specialists need to know AI search?
Increasingly yes. Candidates who can explain AEO, GEO, llms.txt, structured data for LLMs, and how to measure brand mentions in AI responses will outperform pure classic-SEO specialists over the next two years.
How many clients should one SEO specialist handle?
Depends on account depth. A specialist can usually own 4-8 standard retainer clients hands-on. Enterprise or publisher accounts can eat an entire person's week on their own.
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