SEO Specialist

SEO specialists work out why a website isn't ranking in search and make the technical and content changes that help it climb.

Median salary: $101,800; 4.4%vs last year, before tax
People employed: 71,700; 2.4%vs last year
Projected growth: +22.1%; to 2035
AI exposure*: Moderate; 6 out of 10
Average hours: 42/wk; +2h vs all jobs
Shortage status: Not in shortage; national

Most SEO specialists sit inside a marketing team or a digital agency, using tools such as Google Search Console and Ahrefs to see how a site performs in search and where it is losing ground to competitors.
The role sits next to digital marketing, but the focus stays on unpaid search results rather than paid campaigns or social channels, so the week is usually spent with developers, content writers and analysts rather than with ad budgets.
Retailers, financial services firms and professional services companies are among the largest employers, some running search work in-house and others buying it from an agency.

How much do seo specialists earn?

The median full-time salary for an seo specialist is $101,800 per annum, before tax, up $21,600 since 2018.

Pay moves more with seniority and the size of the sites you handle than with the job title itself. Agency roles often start lower and rise quickly for people who can show results, while in-house and enterprise contracts pay more steadily, and freelance work swings with the client list. Specialists who work on technical problems rather than content alone, and who can point to traffic and revenue they have moved, tend to sit at the higher end.

Median annual salary, 2018–2028

Median annual salary (AUD/year), Modelled trend anchored to a real ABS Employee Earnings figure, interim years are indicative, not a real yearly series. 2025-2028 is a projection from that anchor using the real ABS Wage Price Index annual growth rate (3.2%, June quarter 2026), not a role-specific forecast., Estimate
Period	Median annual salary (AUD/year)	Change
2018	80,200	-
2019	83,800	+3,600
2020	87,400	+3,600
2021	90,400	+3,000
2022	94,300	+3,900
2023	97,500	+3,200
2024	101,800	+4,300
2025estimated	105,100	+3,300
2026estimated	108,400	+3,300
2027projected	111,900	+3,500
2028projected	115,500	+3,600

The median salary rose by $21,600 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.

Full seo specialist salary breakdown →

What does an seo specialist do day to day?

The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.

Auditing site architecture, page speed and crawl errors to find why pages aren't ranking
Digging through keyword and competitor data to find search opportunities worth chasing
Briefing writers and developers on the on-page fixes and content gaps needed to lift rankings
Building and tracking backlink outreach to raise a site's authority with search engines
Pulling ranking and traffic reports to show clients or leadership what changed, including the months that go backwards

What skills do seo specialists need?

Employers look for marketing analytics, data analysis, project management, backed by Google Search Console fluency and strong written communication.

Specialist skills

Marketing analytics
Data analysis
Project management
Strategy development
Content creation and writing

Software and tools

Google Search Console
SEMrush
Ahrefs
Google Analytics
Screaming Frog

General skills

Written communication
Problem solving

Specialist skills

Marketing analytics: Tracking organic sessions, rankings and enquiries over time, then working out which pages are earning their place in search. A specialist uses those numbers to decide where next month's effort goes.
Data analysis: Pulling apart keyword and competitor data to find terms a site could realistically rank for, weighing search volume against how hard each term is to win. The job rests on reading that data honestly rather than chasing whatever looks biggest.
Project management: Search fixes usually land through other people, so a specialist keeps a list of changes, chases developers and writers, and tracks what actually shipped. Without that discipline, an audit stays a document nobody acts on.
Strategy development: Deciding which pages to build, which to fix and which to leave alone over the next quarter or year, based on where a site's authority and content already sit. Clients and leadership tend to want the plan, not just the task list.
Content creation and writing: Meta titles, headings and body copy have to read naturally while still carrying the terms people search, so specialists often draft and edit them directly. They also brief writers on the gaps they have found so the content lands on target.

Software and tools

Google Search Console: The first place an SEO specialist looks, showing which queries a site already appears for, where each page ranks and whether Google has indexed it.
SEMrush: Used for competitor keyword research, backlink checks and daily rank tracking, and common in agencies running the same reports across several client sites.
Ahrefs: Runs backlink audits and keyword gap analysis, which specialists use to find the sites linking to competitors and the terms a client is missing.
Google Analytics: Shows what visitors do after arriving from search, so a specialist can tell whether climbing rankings are turning into enquiries or sales.
Screaming Frog: Crawls a site the way a search engine would, surfacing broken links, redirect chains and duplicate pages that hold rankings back.

General skills

Written communication: Findings have to be written up for clients, developers and executives, and a clear brief is what gets a fix made rather than argued about.
Problem solving: Rankings rarely move for one clean reason, so specialists work through technical faults, thin content and lost links to find what is really holding a page back.

Is the job growing?

About 71,700 people work as seo specialists in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 22.1% over the decade to 2035. That's very strong growth. Few roles in Australia are expanding this fast, and it points to solid demand for years to come.

Employment, 2015–2024, projected to 2035

Employment (workers), Modelled trend anchored to a real Jobs and Skills Australia employment figure, interim years are indicative, not a real yearly series, Estimate
Period	Employment (workers)	Change
2015	59,800	-
2016	61,200	+1,400
2017	62,700	+1,500
2018	63,500	+800
2019	65,000	+1,500
2020	66,600	+1,600
2021	67,500	+900
2022	69,100	+1,600
2023	70,000	+900
2024	71,700	+1,700
2027projected	76,600	+4,900
2029projected	80,000	+3,400
2031projected	83,600	+3,600
2033projected	87,300	+3,700
2035projected	91,200	+3,900

Employment rose by 11,900 between 2015 and 2024; the dashed line shows the official projection to 2035.

How do you become an seo specialist?

Here's the path most seo specialists take, step by step.

1
Learn the tools on a site you control
Set up a small website and work through Search Console, Google Analytics and a keyword platform such as Ahrefs or SEMrush. Watching your own pages rise or stall teaches you what the dashboards mean in a way that a course on its own doesn't.
2
Consider a qualification in marketing or communications
A bachelor degree or a TAFE diploma in marketing, communications or business covers the ground, though neither is a formal requirement for the job. Short courses and platform certifications are a common alternative, especially for career changers who already hold a degree in something else.
3
Start in a junior role
Marketing assistant, coordinator and junior SEO roles at agencies are the usual entry point, and they are paid. Agencies give you many sites and many problems quickly, while an in-house team gives you one site in more depth.
4
Build a record of results
Keep notes on what you changed and what happened to rankings, traffic and enquiries afterwards, because hiring turns on evidence more than credentials. Certifications in Google Analytics and the main SEO platforms support that record but don't replace it.
5
Keep up with how search changes
Search results change shape regularly, from mobile-first indexing to AI-generated answers at the top of the page, so reading industry updates and testing changes on live sites is part of the job rather than an extra.

Study that can help

No set qualification is needed for this role in our data. These qualifications are not required, but the study can help.

Bachelor of Digital MarketingBachelor degree
A digital marketing degree covers online channels and content that SEO work sits within.
Bachelor of Digital Marketing and AnalyticsBachelor degree
A digital marketing and analytics degree covers online channels and reporting that SEO work draws on.
Bachelor of MarketingBachelor degree
Teaches marketing research and analytics and digital marketing, which SEO strategy and reporting build on.
Bachelor of Data AnalyticsBachelor degree
Teaches statistics, databases and data visualisation, which working through ranking and traffic data uses.

Prefer something shorter?

A short course can build some of these skills without a full qualification. These aren't accredited, and we don't rank or recommend providers: compare a few before you commit.

Digital marketing
Search on Coursera Search on Udemy Search on LinkedIn Learning
Data analytics
Search on Coursera Search on Udemy Search on LinkedIn Learning
Marketing
Search on Coursera Search on Udemy Search on LinkedIn Learning

These are ordinary links to each provider's own site. We don't currently earn anything from them.

Ready to apply as an seo specialist?

Whether you're working toward becoming an seo specialist or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.

Resume templateExample bullet points grounded in this role's real tasks.View & download →Cover letter templateA structured letter with role-specific example content.View & download →Interview questionsWhat people are actually asked, and why.View & download →

What jobs can an seo specialist move to?

Moving into Marketing Manager typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $37,400 a year more on average.

SEO Specialist

$101,800

Marketing Manager

$139,200+$37,400

Public Relations Officer

$106,400+$4,600

Digital Marketing Specialist

$101,800same pay

Market Researcher

$101,800same pay

General Manager

$148,200+$46,400

Advertising Manager

$119,600+$17,800

Digital Marketing Specialist

$101,800same pay

Marketing ManagerRecorded move
$139,200+$37,400
Public Relations OfficerRecorded move
$106,400+$4,600
Digital Marketing SpecialistSuggested move
$101,800same pay
Market ResearcherSuggested move
$101,800same pay

Recorded in tax dataSuggested from skill overlap

Thick lines are moves people were recorded making in Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility (income tax records, 2011-12 to 2020-21). Thin lines are moves we suggest from skill overlap and entry requirements.

Move to	Typical pay change	Overlap	Retraining
Marketing Manager SEO specialists bring search and analytics expertise to a role that adds team leadership and campaign budgets, with a short course covering broader marketing management.Known move	+$37,400	59%	short course
Public Relations Officer Both roles build an organisation's online presence and reputation, so the move needs reskilling in media relations and stakeholder communication.Known move	+$4,600	38%	reskill
Digital Marketing Specialist The same digital toolkit applies across paid, social and email, so an SEO specialist moves sideways into a wider digital marketing role with little retraining.	+$0	67%	minimal
Market Researcher Keyword and competitor research skills transfer into structured market research, with reskilling in formal research methods and survey techniques.	+$0	35%	reskill
Content Writer SEO specialists understand search intent and keywords, which carries into writing content built to rank, needing only a short course in editorial writing.	−$12,300	40%	reskill

Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.

Who works as an seo specialist?

The typical seo specialist is 35 years old; 62% are women, 76% work full-time, and full-timers average 42 hours a week.

35
Median age: 62%
Female share: 76%
Full-time: +2h
vs all-jobs avg

What's it like being an seo specialist?

The work runs on a slow feedback loop. You change a page or fix a crawl issue and then wait weeks or months to see whether rankings and traffic follow, which suits people who enjoy diagnosing a problem and testing a hypothesis more than chasing instant wins. Most of it is desk-based and self-directed, and the pressure comes from explaining movement in the numbers to whoever is paying for the work.

What people like

You can see whether your work landed. Rankings, traffic and enquiries show up in the same dashboards every day, so the effect of a change is visible rather than a matter of opinion.
Every site is a different puzzle. Two sites with similar symptoms often need different fixes, and working out which one matters is most of the job.
The field keeps moving. Search results have shifted from a page of blue links to maps, shopping panels and AI answers, so there is always something new to test.
The skills travel. Retailers, insurers and professional firms all need search work, and agencies, in-house teams and freelance clients all hire for it.

What people find hard

Results take months. The early work on a site is mostly groundwork, so a client expecting traffic within a fortnight will be disappointed.
You don't control the search engine. An algorithm update or a change to how results are displayed can undo months of gains, and there is no appeal process.
Your fixes depend on other people. Developers have to ship the technical changes and writers have to produce the content, so progress often stalls outside your control.
You report on the bad months too. Traffic dips from seasonality, a migration or a competitor can all land in your reporting, and explaining them clearly is part of the job.

Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.

Which industries employ seo specialists?

Professional, Scientific and Technical Services employs the largest share of seo specialists, followed by Financial and Insurance Services.

Top employing industries

1Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
2Financial and Insurance Services
3Retail Trade

Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.

Highest qualification held
Bachelor degree		51.9%
Postgraduate		18.6%
Year 12 or below		12.2%
Diploma / Advanced Diploma		9.8%
Certificate III/IV		4.8%

Will AI replace seo specialists?

6out of 10

Moderate exposure. Not replaced, but changed. AI is taking on some tasks and the rest of the job shifts around them.

AI has taken over a fair share of the routine work in this job, so the role is moderately exposed. Tools such as Ahrefs and SEMrush now assemble keyword clusters, flag technical errors and build performance reports, which speeds up the research that used to take days. What stays with people is deciding what is worth doing for a particular business, reading a specific site's crawl and index problems, and agreeing a plan with the client or manager who pays for it.

How a typical week splits

30%

AI already does a lot of this

of a typical working week

Keyword and competitor research
15% of the week
Platforms now generate keyword clusters and competitor gap lists automatically, but someone still has to judge which terms carry commercial intent for this business.
Reporting and performance analysis
15% of the week
Dashboards build themselves from Search Console and Analytics data, so the useful part of the task has shifted to interpreting the numbers and deciding what to change next.

70%

AI helps, you still do it

of a typical working week

Technical audits and crawl diagnosis
35% of the week
Screaming Frog and Search Console point at broken links and thin pages, but working out why one section of a site has dropped out of the index still takes someone who knows its history.
Content briefs, on-page changes and outreach
35% of the week
AI can draft titles, metadata and first versions of briefs, while search intent, brand voice and the relationships behind a link or a writer's agreement stay human work.

Stays with people

of a typical working week

None of the main tasks in this job.

How we work this out

We break each job into its main tasks, estimate the share of a typical week each one takes, and judge how far current AI and automation tools reach into it. The score out of 10 starts from the job's overall rating (low is 1 to 3, moderate 4 to 6, high 7 to 10) and the task split places it within that range. Source: Career Tips analysis of each role's main tasks.

Common questions about becoming an seo specialist

Straight answers to the questions people ask most.

How much does an SEO specialist earn?

$101,800 per year before tax for full-time work. Pay rises with seniority and with the size and complexity of the sites you handle, and agency, in-house and freelance work each pay differently.

How do you become an SEO specialist?

Most people learn the tools on a site of their own first, then take a junior marketing or SEO role where they work on real campaigns alongside someone experienced. A marketing or communications qualification helps with that first job, but a record of results counts for more as your career goes on.

Are SEO specialists in demand?

SEO specialists are currently not in shortage. Employment is projected to grow 22.1% over the decade to 2035 over that period, so the number of roles will shift as search behaviour and marketing budgets change. Search work sits inside most marketing teams in some form, whether it is done in-house or bought from an agency.

Will AI replace SEO specialists?

Parts of the job are already automated, including keyword lists, draft metadata and performance reports that tools produce in seconds. What those tools can't do is decide which terms are worth targeting for a particular business, work out why one site has dropped out of the index, or agree a plan with the client paying for the work.

What can an SEO specialist move into?

A common sideways step is digital marketing specialist, where the channels widen but the tools are familiar and pay is about the same. Moving up to marketing manager adds team leadership and campaign budgets, usually with a short course in broader marketing management, and pay is $37,400 more. Experienced specialists also work freelance or run their own consultancy, which is often where earnings grow.

Do you need a degree to work in SEO?

No, though it helps with a first job: around 52% of people in the role hold a Bachelor degree. Short courses, platform certifications and a portfolio of sites you have worked on carry weight with employers as well.

Related roles

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How much do seo specialists earn?

What does an seo specialist do day to day?

What skills do seo specialists need?

Specialist skills

Software and tools

General skills

Specialist skills

Software and tools

General skills

Is the job growing?

How do you become an seo specialist?

Study that can help

Prefer something shorter?

Ready to apply as an seo specialist?

What jobs can an seo specialist move to?

Who works as an seo specialist?

What's it like being an seo specialist?

What people like

What people find hard

Which industries employ seo specialists?

Top employing industries

Will AI replace seo specialists?

How a typical week splits

Common questions about becoming an seo specialist

Related roles

Career advice