As most consumers today use the internet to find the products and services that they need, businesses also want to rank high on the search engine results pages (SERPs). However, achieving a strong online presence does not only require a solid search engine optimization (SEO) strategy, but also an individual who is proficient at overseeing SEO projects for the business’s website. This is where an SEO project manager comes in.
Due to the significance of a project manager’s role, there is an increasing demand for such a profession. This makes it one of the best career paths that you could take, whether you are a fresh graduate or looking for a career change.
Not only that but you will not be limited to a local job market when applying for such a position. More and more companies are now posting job offers for an SEO project manager remote position to qualified candidates from anywhere around the world.
What Is an SEO Project Manager
As the name suggests, this person is an important member of an SEO team who creates, implements, and oversees the project management principles and best practices for a website’s digital marketing campaign. Simply put, their main role is to ensure the project runs smoothly to attain the desired results and level of success.
SEO Project Manager Skill Requirements
While you do not need to be an expert in SEO to land a job as an SEO project manager, you should at least have the basic skills and knowledge to be able to create and implement more realistic plans, goals, and timelines for SEO projects. Here are the most important skills that you need to be able to complete deliverables from A to Z.
Project management
The success of every SEO campaign will depend on how you manage your projects. So, aside from being able to execute on SEO deliverables, you should also be good at working closely and communicating with other members of the SEO team to ensure all projects are on track. Plus, you should be open to changes and able to implement tweaks to your campaigns according to the current trends.
Reporting and analysis
One of your main responsibilities as an SEO project manager is collecting and analyzing web data. So, you should have a good grasp of using analytics tools, such as Google Analytics. The good thing about this is that you can learn about the tool with the free course offered by Google. However, there are many other analytics tools that SEO agencies use on a daily basis, so you might want to learn about them as well.
Aside from analytics, you should also make and send reports to clients to keep them in the loop on how your projects are going and what strategies you are planning for the future.
Knowledge in using SEO tools
Your job as a project manager will be much easier if you know how to use the tools of the trade. These can range from project management solutions, such as Hive, Trello, Asana, Basecamp, and Teamwork, to the most popular SEO tools, such as SEMRush, Google Keyword Planner, Moz, Ahrefs, and Majestic.
It will be an advantage to know the solutions that have been offering the most benefits, as this will leave a positive impression on the employer and provide you leverage from other candidates who are vying for the same position as you.
Content planning
Content is an integral part of any SEO campaign. And as a project manager, it is one of your responsibilities to identify and suggest the elements to use when creating articles on a certain website.
For the same reason, you should also understand how popular content management systems work and have proficient writing and editing skills, as you will likely need to review and proofread some pieces of content before they are published.
Knowledge in using HTML and CSS
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are core programming languages used in building websites. And, having basic knowledge of using these tools will allow you to thrive in the world of digital marketing. Not only that it puts you on top of your peers, but it also opens up better opportunities as you grow as an SEO expert.
How Much Does an SEO Project Manager Earn
Generally speaking, how much you will earn from being an SEO project manager depends on your location and the offer put forth by your employer. However, it will be way more than enough to suffice the cost of living wherever you are in the world.
According to a recent report by Glassdoor, the average SEO project manager salary in the US is $79,635 per year. To know how much exactly you will receive on your paycheck, you should always remember to bring up such detail during your final interview.
How to Search for SEO Project Management Job Positions
There are many ways to find available remote job openings. For starters, you can search “project manager jobs near me” on Google, and you will definitely get useful results. You can also use popular job search platforms, such as Upwork and FlexJobs. Here, you will find a range of offers for the job you are looking for. Of course, you can also visit the employer’s website itself and check their “careers” pages.
However, it is also important to remember that there are as many scams as there are legitimate offers for remote project manager jobs out there. That is why you should do your due diligence in doing your research. You can read reviews and testimonials, or visit forums dedicated to the industry. This will give you a good idea of which companies to apply for and which ones to avoid.
Conclusion
Snatching the top spots of the SERPs is no easy feat, and it will not happen by accident. That is why businesses today need an SEO project manager to create and oversee a solid SEO strategy for their websites and implement the best approach to reach their desired goal.
So, do you think you have what it takes to land this highly rewarding job? By having the right skills, being well-informed, and doing the needed preparations, your chance of doing so will be high.
For more tips and information that you can use in your job hunt and career development, check out the other articles on our site!
Good luck!