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SEO Specialist

Academic programs / Undergraduate degrees / Career opportunities / SEO Specialist

SEO Specialist

Explore employment trends, required job duties and skills for this career. ASU offers a variety of degrees that can help you prepare for and meet your career goals. Visit ASU's Career and Professional Development Services to learn how to develop your career plan.

Potential job titles in this career
Digital Marketing Strategist, Digital Media Planner, Internet Marketing Specialist, Marketing Consultant, Online Marketing Consultant, Paid Search Consultant, Paid Search Strategist, Search Engine Optimization Consultant (SEO Consultant), SEO Strategist (Search Engine Optimization Strategist), Social Media Specialist

* Additional schooling, certification, or degrees maybe be required for some of the potential careers that are listed.
What will I do?
  • Manage tracking and reporting of search-related activities and provide analyses to marketing executives.
  • Optimize digital assets, such as text, graphics, or multimedia assets, for search engine optimization (SEO) or for display and usability on internet-connected devices.
  • Collect and analyze Web metrics, such as visits, time on site, page views per visit, transaction volume and revenue, traffic mix, click-through rates, conversion rates, cost per acquisition, or cost per click.
  • Participate in the development or implementation of online marketing strategy.
  • Optimize Web site exposure by analyzing search engine patterns to direct online placement of keywords or other content.
  • Coordinate with developers to optimize Web site architecture, server configuration, or page construction for search engine consumption and optimal visibility.
  • Assist in setting up or optimizing analytics tools for tracking visitors' behaviors.
  • Identify appropriate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and report key metrics from digital campaigns.
  • Create content strategies for digital media.
  • Combine secondary data sources with keyword research to more accurately profile and satisfy user intent.
  • In this career, it is important to know
    Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    Administrative - Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
    It's useful to be good at
    Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

    Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

    Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

    Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

    Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

    Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

    Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

    Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

    Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

    Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
    Employment trends
    Location Pay period 2022
    10% 25% Median% 75% 90%
    United States Hourly $18.40 $24.03 $32.80 $47.60 $63.39
    Yearly $38,280 $49,980 $68,230 $99,000 $131,850
    Arizona Hourly $18.04 $23.03 $30.57 $39.84 $54.23
    Yearly $37,530 $47,900 $63,590 $82,860 $112,800
    2022 Median%
    United States $32.80 Hourly $68,230 Yearly
    Arizona $30.57 Hourly $63,590 Yearly

    Employment (2022)
    868,600 employees
    Projected growth (2022 - 2032)
    Much faster than average (11% or higher)
    Projected job openings (2022 - 2032)
    94,600
    * Data obtained from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) under sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).
    What are accelerated programs?
    Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.

    3 year programs

    These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.

    Accelerated master's

    These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).

    Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
    What are concurrent programs?
    Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
    What are joint programs?
    Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.

    What constitutes a new program?
    ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the “New Programs” option.
    What are online programs?
    ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
    What is the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)?
    The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a program in which residents of western states (other than Arizona) may be eligible for reduced nonresident tuition. See more information and eligibility requirements on the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program.

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