SEO Specialist Job Description, KRAs and Skills

An SEO Specialist owns how well a website ranks in search and how much organic traffic it earns. They run technical audits, plan keyword and content strategy, improve on-page and site structure, build links, and track rankings and traffic. More senior than an executive, they set the SEO plan rather than just execute tasks. The role sits in the marketing or digital team. A good one grows organic traffic and rankings steadily, fixes the technical issues that hold a site back, and can tie SEO work to real leads and revenue.

Detail	For this role
Department	Marketing
Level	Mid level
Reports to	Digital Marketing Manager
Direct reports	None
Experience	3 to 5 years in SEO across technical, on-page and off-page work

SEO Specialist job description template

Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.

Job title: SEO Specialist

Department: Marketing

Reports to: Digital Marketing Manager

Location: [City], [office, branch or site]

About the role

Key responsibilities

Run technical SEO audits and fix issues in crawling, indexing, speed, structure and mobile usability.
Plan keyword and content strategy around search intent and business goals.
Improve on-page SEO such as titles, meta descriptions, headings, internal links and content.
Build quality backlinks through outreach, digital PR and partnerships.
Track rankings, organic traffic, and conversions, and report progress against targets.
Guide writers and the content team with SEO briefs and keyword targets.
Analyse competitors' search performance and find gaps to target.
Work with developers on technical fixes and site changes that affect SEO.
Keep up with search engine updates and adjust the strategy accordingly.
Set up and maintain SEO tools, tracking and dashboards.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in marketing, IT, commerce or a related field
Proven SEO results on real websites
An SEO certification is an advantage
3 to 5 years in SEO across technical, on-page and off-page work

KRAs and KPIs for a SEO Specialist

Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.

Key result area	How to measure it
Organic traffic	Grow organic traffic towards the quarterly target
Keyword rankings	Move priority keywords onto the first search page within the target period
Technical health	Keep critical technical SEO issues resolved, with a healthy site audit score
Link building	Earn a set number of quality backlinks each quarter
Conversions	Grow organic leads or sales from search over the period
Content SEO	SEO briefs delivered so priority content targets the right keywords

Skills and tools

Technical SEOKeyword researchOn-page SEOLink buildingContent SEOGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Search ConsoleAnalytical thinkingAttention to detail

Tools used day to day: Ahrefs or SEMrush, Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Screaming Frog, Google Tag Manager.

Reporting line and career path

Moves up from: SEO Executive, Content Marketing Specialist
Next roles: SEO Manager, Digital Marketing Manager

Interview questions for a SEO Specialist

A site's organic traffic dropped 30 percent last month. How do you find the cause?
How do you decide which keywords to prioritise for a new website?
What technical SEO issues do you check first in an audit?
How do you build backlinks without buying low-quality links?
How do you tie SEO work to leads or revenue, not just rankings?
How do you keep up with search engine algorithm changes?

Managing a SEO Specialist in ZeniaHR

AttendanceSet a general shift with web or mobile app punches, and restrict web punches to allowed office networks. The work is desk and data based, so attendance is steady, with the monthly summary feeding payroll after month close. Site migrations can bring occasional late or weekend work.LeavePlan leave around site launches and migrations, which need close monitoring, and hand over any live technical work before going away. The leave calendar helps make sure a migration or ranking issue is not left unattended.Performance and KRAsEnter the KRAs above as weighted goals in a quarterly review cycle, with organic traffic and keyword rankings weighted highest. Review traffic and rankings monthly and hold the formal review each quarter, closing with an annual cycle.

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Frequently asked questions

What does an SEO specialist do?

An SEO specialist owns how well a website ranks in search and how much organic traffic it earns. They run technical audits, plan keyword and content strategy, improve on-page and site structure, build links, and track rankings and traffic. They set the SEO plan and work to grow organic traffic and tie it to leads and revenue.

What is the difference between an SEO executive and an SEO specialist?

An SEO executive handles day-to-day tasks like keyword research, on-page changes and rank tracking, often under guidance. An SEO specialist sets the strategy across technical, content and off-page SEO, prioritises the work and owns the traffic targets. The specialist has more experience and accountability for results.

How long does SEO take to show results?

SEO usually takes three to six months to show clear movement, and longer for competitive keywords or new websites. Technical fixes can help faster, but building rankings, content and backlinks takes time. A good SEO specialist sets realistic timelines with the business and tracks steady progress rather than promising quick jumps.