Understanding the SEO career path: a 10-point guide

Through our SEO Agency Optimize 360.

What is SEO Career Path?

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a key discipline in digital marketing.

Professionals in this sector play a crucial role in a company's success by improving the visibility of websites on search engines such as Google.

For anyone interested in embarking on this exciting and rewarding career, here are the 10 key points for understanding the SEO career path.

1. Definition of SEO

SEO is the art of positioning an website among the top results of search engines. This is a set of techniques designed to improve the quality, understanding and popularity of a website in order to attract more visitors. These techniques include site structure, content, inbound and outbound links, and the site's reputation on the web.

2. The main SEO professions

SEO expertise can lead to a variety of positions within a company or on a freelance basis:

SEO Consultant Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): advises and supports companies in developing and implementing their SEO strategy.
SEO web copywriter: writes articles optimised for natural referencing to increase the visibility of websites.
SEO Manager: manages and supervises all the company's natural referencing actions to improve its online presence.
SEO auditor The SEO tool: analyses the performance of a website and makes recommendations for optimising its natural referencing.

3. Key skills to master

To succeed in this field, you need a number of technical and human skills:

Good knowledge of search engines and algorithms.
Mastery of SEO analysis tools (Google AnalyticsGoogle Search ConsoleMoz...).
Excellent writing and communication skills.
Curiosity and constant monitoring of changes in SEO practices.
Thoroughness and organisational skills.

4. SEO training courses

There is no 'official' diploma issued by the French education system for learning SEO. However, there are several training are available to people wishing to acquire these skills:

University and Grandes Ecoles courses : training in digital marketing, IT or communications, which often include an introduction to SEO.
Certifications and specialised training offered by private organisations or online platforms (MOOCs).
Self-training This includes reading articles, taking part in forums dedicated to SEO and carrying out personal projects to put the knowledge acquired into practice.

5. Professional experience

As with any profession, acquiring professional experience is essential for developing your skills and gaining a foothold in the job market. By completing internships, work-study schemes or freelance assignments, you can build up a portfolio of projects and references that demonstrate your mastery of SEO techniques.

6. Careers related to SEO

A career in SEO can also lead to the discovery of other digital marketing specialities:

SEA - Search Engine Advertising: management and optimisation of search engine advertising campaigns.
SMO – Social Media Optimization Social networking: improving a company's visibility on social networks.
Content Marketing: creating and distributing relevant content to attract and retain customers. audience target.
Web analysis: monitoring website performance and optimising theuser experience (UX).

7. The different employment structures

SEO professionals can work in different types of organisations:

Web agencies: offer SEO and other digital marketing services to their customers.
Companies: employ SEO managers to manage their in-house strategy.
Independent contractors or freelancers: offer their skills to companies on an ad hoc or part-time basis.

8. Remuneration of SEO professionals

The salary of an SEO expert varies according to experience, specialisation, the size of the company and the type of contract:

Junior SEO consultant: between €25,000 and €35,000 per year.
Senior SEO consultant: between €35,000 and €50,000 per year.
SEO Manager: between €45,000 and €70,000 per year.

N.B.: It is important to note that these figures are indicative and may vary depending on a number of factors.

9. Prospects for development in the field

As the SEO sector is constantly evolving, there are many career opportunities for professionals who continue to train and adapt to new market trends. For example:

Move up to positions of responsibility such as SEO Director or Digital Marketing Director.
Specialise in complementary areas such as SEA, SMO or Content Marketing to become an expert in digital strategy global.
Set up your own agency and develop your business while helping new companies with their SEO projects.

10. The challenges of the job

Although the SEO career path offers many opportunities, it also brings its share of challenges:

Keep up to date with the latest trends and developments in search engines.
Demonstrate adaptability in the face of frequent changes to Google's algorithms.
Explain the importance of natural referencing and convince internal decision-makers or customers of the relevance of the actions taken.

In short, a career in SEO is synonymous with perseverance, constant learning and adapting to new technological developments. However, professionals who rise to these challenges can thrive in an exciting and creative world serving the performance of businesses.