How to become an SEO consultant: the guide

What does an SEO consultant do?

The SEO consultant is the person responsible for getting a website to the first page of the SERPs (Search Engine Result Page). In other words, he or she is responsible for theoverall optimization of a website. 

This is also reflected in his role as SEO consultant, since SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization . 

What is its role and why is it consulted by a company? 

Its role is to carry out anaudit of a website, to determine what needs to be corrected to ensure that a search engine like Google or Bing refers it to the first page of its results, according to the search terms. 

This is where his work takes on a whole new dimension. A website has torankon the Internet according to the keywords users are looking for. These keywords must be related to the company's business. As a result, his objectives are as follows: 

• Increase the site's natural traffic ,
• Bring in users interested in the company's products or services,
• Increase conversion rates, 
• Increase sales. 

To achieve this, the SEO consultant needs to have a wealth of knowledge.

What skills does an SEO consultant need?

An SEO consultant is very often a former webmaster. His field of expertise is first and foremost that of a programmer. The SEO consultant must know how to : 

• Read and write JavaScript, CSS and HTML, 
• Know how to modify third-party codes,
• Understand the importance of the cache and its lifetime,
• Master the DOM (Document Object Model) and its size,
• Master all the tags involved in SERP display,
• Understand website analysis software reports, 
• Know how to implement the corrective measures recommended by these reports, 
• Keep up to date with the latest developments in SEO.

All this requires a solid knowledge of IT, which is the SEO consultant's main area of expertise. In addition to these skills, there are other important areas in which he or she must also be well versed: 

• Marketing, 
• Communication, 
• Trade.

Finally, SEO consultants are also expected to have good writing and interpersonal skills, enabling them to work as part of a team. 

What qualifications does an SEO consultant need?

There is no specific training. However, an SEO consultant often holds a diploma ranging from a pre-baccalaureate to a Master's degree: 

• Pre-bac: Com'art track, 
• Bachelor's degree: E-business, E-marketing or digital professions, 
• Master's degree: Communication and Multimedia, Digital Marketing, E-Commerce, 
• LMD in computer science. 

Of course, the royal road is still computer training, since the SEO consultant must be able to solve problems linked to page loading speed. 

Although Wordpress plugins do much of the work today, their code sometimes needs to be revised to take account of conflicts that may arise between plugins.   

How much does an SEO consultant earn?

33,000 euros gross per year. That's the average salary for SEO consultants in France. That's an annual net salary after tax of around €24,426, or €2,035 per month. 

You can also work as a freelance SEO consultant. In this case, the income may be higher, depending on the portfolio of customers you can manage.  

What are the career prospects for an SEO consultant?

Experienced SEO consultants have two natural openings: 

• Technical SEO consultant, 
• Key account manager.

The first specializes in the purely technical aspects of the site. Its aim is to ensure that search engines can analyze the entire site without encountering any difficulties. 

The second is in charge of the customer portfolio, made up of the company's most important customers. This is a sales function. 

A successful SEO consultant can expect to earn between €50,000 gross per year and €60,000 gross per year, or around €3,400 net per month after tax.