7 Skills Your SEO Content Specialist Should Have (Aside From Writing Content)
Your website could be performing better. Maybe you aren’t happy with your position in Google search results. Maybe you want to increase your organic traffic rates so you can stop relying on costly PPC ads. Whatever the reason, you’ve decided it’s time to invest in your future success by hiring an SEO content specialist.
But this is where it gets a bit tricky.
If writing and optimizing a website was in your wheelhouse, you likely wouldn’t hire an SEO expert. It isn’t, and you’re okay with that— but it makes hiring a professional a lot more complicated.
How do you know what skills to look for? Or what issues are stopping your site from ranking higher? What questions should you ask?
Hiring an SEO specialist isn’t a decision to take lightly, and you want to give yourself the best possible chance of a positive outcome.
Well, that’s what I’m here for. Today I’ll be walking you through the top SEO skills to look for when hiring a content specialist (aside from writing content).
But first, let’s cover the basics.
What does an seo content specialist do?
An SEO content specialist provides content for, and optimizes, websites to improve their visibility. Their goal is to ensure content appeals to search engine algorithms while also engaging and providing value to readers.
This means SEO copywriting (crafting optimized content to be published online) is their primary service, but they also possess a wide range of technical SEO skills that can be used to optimize your site and dramatically increase organic traffic rates.
When hiring an SEO content specialist, it’s important to be confident, not just in their ability to write great copy, but in their knowledge of advanced SEO techniques and tactics.
Here Are 7 Skills Your SEO Content Specialist Should Have (Aside From Writing Content)
1. Keyword Research and Analysis
Creating high-performing SEO content isn’t just about adding a keyword or two. It’s about being able to conduct thorough research. Your SEO expert should be able to determine the precise words and phrases that’ll yield the fastest and most noticeable results.
This is achieved by analyzing key metrics like search volume, competition, and keyword relevance. The more data is reviewed before choosing keywords, the more significant your gains will be.
2. Content Auditing
The best SEO content professionals can conduct a content analysis, revealing what's working, what's not, and where there's room for improvement. Whether it’s your website, your blogs, or your Youtube video descriptions, you want to hire an SEO expert who can spot the gaps in your existing content and provide personalized recommendations for generating better results.
3. On-Page SEO
SEO copywriting is important, but if you’ve overlooked on-page SEO, it won’t increase your Google rankings by nearly as much.
This is why it’s always wise to hire an SEO content specialist who also has the ability to complete on-page optimization tasks like:
Writing and adding optimized meta descriptions, image alt text, title tags, etc.
Optimizing URL structures
Improving content readability scores
Ensuring content is mobile responsive
Geotagging
Link building
Remember, on-page SEO accounts for about 25% of your entire ranking factor.
“Every piece of content on your website provides an opportunity. With the right SEO content specialist on your side, you can seize these opportunities and not just compete in search engine rankings, but maintain long-term visibility.”
4. SEO Strategy
Your SEO strategy is the roadmap to your success. Without it, you don’t have a clear visual of where you’re going or a reference to let you know when you’ve gone off track.
Knowing how to create a data-driven and fully-customized strategy is easily one of the most important skills required for SEO experts. The person you hire should be able to help you define your goals, identify your target audience, and position your brand within the competitive search engine landscape.
Surprisingly, only 44% of businesses have an SEO strategy in place, despite SEO accounting for 53% of all website traffic.
5. Google Search Console
No matter how optimized your content is, if Google doesn’t know it’s there, it won’t benefit your business. That’s where Google Search Console comes in. Your SEO content specialist should know how to submit sitemaps using this tool, as well as request indexing of new or updated content. That way, Google will review your content as quickly as possible, and you won’t have to wait as long to start seeing movement in your rankings.
6. Performance Tracking and Analytics
A real SEO expert is fully equipped with the tools, software platforms, and resources required to track the success of their efforts. From pinpointing which keywords are driving the most traffic, to monitoring user behavior, or evaluating conversion rates— these tools reveal the insights necessary to continuously improve your SEO strategy over time. Never be afraid to ask a candidate what tools they use or what kinds of metrics they measure before hiring an SEO specialist!
7. User Intent Alignment
Understanding user intent means your SEO content specialist can craft written copy that answers questions, solves problems, or fulfills needs, ensuring your visitors find exactly what they're looking for on your website. This is done by analyzing search queries to figure out what your target audience is looking for and why.
User intent is the key to reducing bounce rates and keeping website visitors on your site for longer periods of time, until they eventually become loyal customers. It’s one of the SEO skills you definitely don’t want to overlook.
Maximize Results, Minimize Stress: Hire Me as Your SEO Content Specialist
Tired of coordinating between different experts just to get the help you need? I'm the single point of contact you can rely on to supercharge your brand's online visibility. I combine the power of technical SEO with well-crafted and compelling content, achieving the shining results you’ve been looking for.
And remember— I’m not just an SEO content specialist in Edmonton. I work with clients from around the world, helping them polish their brands into pure gold!