duties and Responsibilities in SEO Teams

A successful SEO team consists of various specialists who bring their expertise to different areas. The right role distribution and clear responsibilities are crucial for sustainable SEO success.

Core Roles in SEO Teams

SEO Lead/Team Lead

The SEO Manager is responsible for strategic direction and coordination of all SEO activities. This role serves as a bridge between the SEO team and other departments.

Main Responsibilities:

• Strategic SEO planning and goal setting
• resources management and resource allocation
• Stakeholder management and reporting
• Team leadership and personnel development
• Coordination with Marketing, Content and Development

Required Competencies:

• Comprehensive SEO expertise (On-Page, Off-Page, Technical)
• Project management and leadership skills
• Analytical thinking and data interpretation
• Communication skills
• Business understanding

Technical SEO Specialist

The Technical SEO Specialist focuses on the technical aspects of website optimization and ensures that the website is search engine friendly.

Main Responsibilities:

• Website architecture and URL structure
• Optimize crawling and indexing
• Core Web Vitals and results
• Mobile-First indexing
• Structured Data implementation
• Server configuration and hosting

Required Competencies:

• Technical SEO expertise
• HTML, CSS, JavaScript basics
• Google Search Console and Analytics
• Website performance tools
• Server administration (basics)

Content SEO Specialist

The Content SEO Specialist is responsible for content-related SEO measures and optimizing content for search engines.

Main Responsibilities:

• Keyword research and analysis
• Content strategy and planning
• On-Page optimization (Title, Meta, H-Tags)
• Content audits and optimization
• E-E-A-T optimization
• Content performance monitoring

Required Competencies:

• Keyword research tools (Ahrefs, SEMrush, etc.)
• Content marketing expertise
• Writing skills and content creation
• On-Page SEO techniques
• Analytics and performance tracking

Link Building Specialist

The Link Building Specialist focuses on Off-Page SEO and building high-quality backlinks.

Main Responsibilities:

• Develop link acquisition strategies
• Conduct outreach campaigns
• Create linkable assets
• Backlink monitoring and analysis
• Digital PR and content marketing
• Toxic link detection and disavow

Required Competencies:

• Link building expertise
• Outreach and communication
• Content marketing
• PR and media relations
• Backlink analysis tools

SEO Analyst/Data Specialist

The SEO Analyst is responsible for data collection, analysis and reporting of all SEO metrics.

Main Responsibilities:

• SEO reporting and dashboard creation
• Data analysis and insights generation
• A/B testing and experiments
• Competitive analysis
• ROI measurement and attribution
• Automation of SEO processes

Required Competencies:

• Data analysis and statistics
• Google Analytics and Search Console
• Excel/Google Sheets (advanced)
• SQL basics
• Visualization tools (Tableau, Data Studio)

Team Structures by Company Size

Small Teams (1-3 people)

In small teams, roles often need to be combined:

1-Person Team:

• Generalist with broad SEO expertise
• Focus on quick wins and strategic priorities
• External support for specialized tasks

2-3-Person Team:

• SEO Manager + Technical SEO Specialist
• SEO Manager + Content SEO Specialist
• Flexible role distribution depending on priorities

Medium Teams (4-8 people)

Medium teams allow for stronger specialization:

Typical Composition:

• 1x SEO Manager/Team Lead
• 1-2x Technical SEO Specialists
• 1-2x Content SEO Specialists
• 1x Link Building Specialist
• 1x SEO Analyst

Large Teams (9+ people)

Large teams enable high specialization and can include additional roles:

Extended Roles:

• Local SEO Specialist
• International SEO Manager
• SEO Developer
• UX/UI SEO Specialist
• SEO Copywriter
• SEO Project Manager

Role Distribution by SEO Areas

Competency Matrix for SEO Roles

Technical Competencies

• HTML/CSS/JavaScript: Technical SEO Specialist (high), SEO Manager (medium), Content SEO (low)
• Analytics & Tools: SEO Analyst (high), SEO Manager (high), all others (medium)
• Server & Hosting: Technical SEO Specialist (high), SEO Manager (low)
• Structured Data: Technical SEO Specialist (high), Content SEO (medium)

Content Competencies

• Keyword Research: Content SEO Specialist (high), SEO Manager (high), SEO Analyst (medium)
• Content Creation: Content SEO Specialist (high), SEO Copywriter (high)
• E-E-A-T: Content SEO Specialist (high), SEO Manager (medium)
• Content Strategy: SEO Manager (high), Content SEO Specialist (high)

Marketing Competencies

• Link Building: Link Building Specialist (high), Digital PR (high)
• Outreach: Link Building Specialist (high), Content SEO (medium)
• Brand Building: SEO Manager (high), Link Building Specialist (medium)
• PR & Media: Digital PR (high), Link Building Specialist (high)

Team Collaboration and processes

Daily Collaboration

• Daily Standups: Brief updates on ongoing projects
• Cross-Functional Meetings: Coordination with other departments
• Tool Sharing: Shared use of SEO tools and data

Weekly Routines

• Team Meetings: Strategic discussions and prioritization
• Performance Reviews: Analysis of SEO metrics
• Content Planning: Coordination of content strategy

Monthly Reviews

• ROI Analysis: Measurement of SEO success
• Competitive Analysis: Market observation and benchmarking
• Process Optimization: Improvement of workflows

Remote and Hybrid Teams

Special Challenges

• Communication: Regular video calls and clear documentation
• Tool Sharing: Cloud-based SEO tools and collaboration platforms
• Time Zones: Flexible working hours and asynchronous communication
• Knowledge Management: Central documentation and knowledge databases

Success Factors

• Clear Processes: Defined workflows and responsibilities
• Regular Check-ins: Weekly 1:1s and team meetings
• Shared Tools: Unified tool landscape for all team members
• Culture: Trust, transparency and open communication

Career Development in SEO

Junior Level (0-2 years)

• SEO Assistant/Coordinator
• Focus on operational tasks and learning
• Support for senior specialists
• Basics in all SEO areas

Mid Level (2-5 years)

• SEO Specialist
• Specialization in one or two areas
• Independent project management
• Mentoring of junior colleagues

Senior Level (5+ years)

• Senior SEO Specialist/Manager
• Strategic responsibility
• Team leadership and development
• Stakeholder management

Expert Level (8+ years)

• SEO Director/Head of SEO
• Company-wide SEO strategy
• Team building and management
• Thought leadership and innovation

Related Topics

• Inhouse vs. Agency
• SEO Project Management
• Budget Planning
• Develop SEO Strategy
• SEO Processes & Workflows