Happy day to you, my SEO comrades! Search Engine Academy gets asked by folks, “What is an SEO professional or worker anyways?”

Let’s answer this for them. Before I go there, let me say that the definition of professional SEO changes almost as often as Google updates or adds to their algorithm. It used to be pretty simple–build a website, publish it, make sure you had the keyword tag occupied, submit the site to directories and link to almost anybody. That’s changed a lot, hasn’t it?

Types of SEO Purposes

SEO professionals, consultants, specialists, whatever you call them, are these things and more:

Project Manager – When you do SEO, you manage websites like projects. Having some basic project management skills is highly desirable. You need to keep track of the site through possibly development, testing, implementation, and continual upgrading and maintenance.

Team Leader – It’s very possible you’re part of a team, and you may even be designated the team leader just because. If that’s the case, you’re working with writers, sub-contractors, designers, developers, information architects, marketers, and salespeople. Lucky you!

Content Writer – I bet you do a lot of writing for the client. I do, and I also have contract writers to help me create new, fresh, interesting content. I don’t have enough time to do it all myself. I’d never get a day off. Never.

Content Editor – Writing and editing just go hand in hand, and you should be able to edit other’s work before it sees the light of day. At least know grammar and spelling rules.

Social Media Coordinator – I do a lot of social media coordination and distribution of the content that either I write or oversee the creation of. You need to be comfortable and familiar with a variety of social media platforms that appeal to the client’s target market.

Counselor/Mediator – it’s a good bet there are probably “interesting” personalities you have work with. Don’t be surprised if you get in the middle of drama and trauma–there’s plenty of that when you have more than two people trying to develop and implement a website.

Sales and marketing – there’s a good chance you’ll need sales and marketing skills to sell your SEO processes and strategies. Believe it or not, a lot of people still think SEO is fufu magic, and what they can’t hold in their hand doesn’t exist.

These are just a few things that define a search engine optimization specialist. What are some other SEO purposes you can think of? Let us know in the comments.

Until next time, be well and keep it between the ditches!

All the best to you,