Do you ever find yourself wondering “What does an SEO specialist do?”
We don’t blame you. Terms like ‘search visibility’ and ‘user experience optimisation’ somehow manage to sound too complicated and too vague all at the same time.
But the reality is, SEO may just be the most important marketing service in the digital age. If businesses aren’t in the top 5 results they’re losing customers. It’s as simple as that.
The responsibilities of an SEO specialist
The answer to “what does an SEO specialist do?” can be broken into three main categories.
Research and reporting
SEO strategies don’t just come outta nowhere, and they don’t get implemented without stringent reporting either. That’s because, in order to be sure they are working, they need to be supported by data.
SEO specialists conduct two main forms of research.
First, they search for high volume keywords and topics to discover what a website should rank for and to identify the search intent of their audience.
Second, they research trends from within the SEO industry itself. This can include the latest techniques, new technologies and extensions, and keeping an eye on Google’s release notes and updates.
Once they have implemented their strategies, SEO specialists then focus on the reporting side. Much of SEO can seem intangible to clients, so reporting will break down improvements in areas such as site speed, ranking and website traffic.
On-page optimisation
On-page optimisation is the branch of SEO that focuses on improving the visibility of a website. This is the starting point when working on a website for the first time.
On-page optimisation involves a vast number of improvements, including:
- Page speed
- User experience
- Internal linking
- Content quality
- Tags and meta descriptions
- Ease of navigation
Once these facets of SEO have been improved, the site is now as user-friendly, and therefore Google-friendly, as possible.
Off-page optimisation
Once on-page optimisation is complete, SEO specialists turn their focus to off-page SEO. These improvements still aim to increase the visibility of the website, but the activity takes place away from the site – hence being named ‘off-page’.
Off-page SEO is all about getting your site out there. It includes:
- Getting mentions and backlinks on other websites and social media platforms
- Unaffiliated mentions, which are like backlinks without the actual link (Google still notices)
- Setting up a GBP profile to make your business stand out in the search results
With on and off-page improvements, SEO specialists are the difference between websites getting noticed by searchers or fading away in the back pages of the search results.
Skills SEO specialists needs
There are many skills, both occupational and behavioural, that are essential for SEO specialists. They include:
- An understanding of how Google indexation and algorithms work
- Know the difference between on-page and off-page SEO
- Able to differentiate between long-term and short-term strategies
- Ability to use and understand a variety of SEO tools
- Able to conduct audits and report on findings
- Knowledge of different forms of content and media
- Attention to detail
- Problem solving and troubleshooting shooting
- Patience (good SEO can take time!)
Interview with our SEO Specialists
Hamish and Evan are our leading SEO experts here at Oddball Marketing. With their combined efforts, they make sure our clients have websites that rank, and landing pages that convert.
What does an SEO specialist do and why is it important at Oddball?
Hamish
At a basic level, an SEO Specialist’s critical function is to improve the organic visibility of a company on the internet. This primarily involves optimising the website, however it can also include managing off-site aspects such as Google Business Profile.
More complex functions of an SEO specialist include reporting and data analysis, user experience optimisation, content planning, competitor auditing, backlink building, and general strategy planning.
SEO is a core service offering at Oddball. Over the years we have grown from only providing it to a handful of clients, to it being sold to nearly every new client. This growth has seen the team develop and grow – we now have three people managing SEO clients every month.
Evan
The job of an SEO Specialist is to support a business in achieving their goals through organic search. Different businesses have different goals. An SEO Specialist can identify and implement strategies to achieve these goals.
Most commonly, businesses want to increase the leads generated from their website. So it’s important not only to improve organic visibility, but to ensure the right people are hitting the website.
What makes SEO so valuable and important, as well as stand out from other marketing channels, is the long-term benefits businesses can see from it. Similar to how renovating your home will increase its value; optimising a website will have a long lasting impact on its organic visibility.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Hamish
The ability to work across many different clients and verticals. Every day is different, both in what I do, and who I do it for.
Evan
I enjoy the opportunity I get to create different things every day. Some days I might be working on a blog, other days it could be a page build, or an SEO strategy proposal.
What’s your greatest achievement in your role so far?
Hamish
My greatest achievement, and something I’m quite proud of, would be the speed in which I have developed my understanding and skill set.
Starting at Oddball in 2020 I literally possessed zero knowledge about SEO, or anything Search Engine Marketing related. Within 6 months I was managing all the SEO clients we had. In my first year at Oddball, the total number of clients we provided the service for increased by 144%..
Evan
There’s nothing better than seeing the strategy and work I’ve implemented lead to clients achieving great results. It gives me great confidence in the service the SEO team offers as well as my own ability. It’s especially rewarding when I’ve managed the client from kickoff as you can see the progression over time.
What’s something unique about working at Oddball?
Hamish
Like many agencies, it’s a great way to rapidly increase your skills. What separates Oddball from a lot of other agencies is our expertise across such a wide range of mediums. Most agencies will focus on one core offering, for example social media. That isn’t the case at Oddball.
My time here has seen me work with some incredibly talented and hard working individuals. They have all taught me a lot about other marketing mediums. Only an SEO specialist at Oddball will learn about email automation systems, what font is best for a brand looking to be more corporate (try Manrope), and how to word a soft CTA in a blog – all in one day…
Evan
Easy – the team. As an SEO Specialist at Oddball, I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by awesome team members who all share a drive for continual improvement. This has given me plenty of opportunities to grow my skill set and to implement new ideas.
Do you want to be an SEO specialist?
As the marketing landscape becomes more diverse, one thing stays the same. Most channels lead to your website, and if your website isn’t SEO optimised, you’re going to lose sales. That’s where SEO specialists come in!
Oddball Marketing is a constantly growing business. We are often hiring for a variety of roles. Check our careers page to see if there is one that suits you.
Even if there isn’t an open position, enquire anyway so we can retain your details on file for future positions.
We also have more resources about digital marketing which you can read on our website.
