Freelance SEO / AEO Strategist

SmartBug Media is the most decorated HubSpot agency, recognized as a leader in crafting digital solutions that empower organizations to thrive across the entire customer lifecycle. From marketing and sales to revenue operations, customer success, and e-commerce, we combine sound strategies, cutting-edge AI, and digital innovation to deliver solutions that de-risk the future and drive sustainable growth.

With a fully remote team of over 250 professionals, we excel at creating intelligent web and digital ecosystems—from corporate websites to complex web applications—seamlessly integrated with AI-powered solutions. By aligning SmartBug's expertise with our clients' unique business realities, we build scalable, innovative tools that become engines for growth, setting the course for long-term success.

In the role of Strategist, SEO, you will work closely with SmartBug clients and our client services marketing teams to develop and implement strategies to leverage best practices, improve SEO performance, and deliver results for SmartBug clients. This integral role will provide quality standards and processes for keyword research, website SEO audits, implementing Schema, link building, SEO analytics, and implementation of all off-page SEO activities.

Responsibilities:
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Build SEO services and best practices, including keyword research, website SEO audits, implementing Schema, link building, SEO analytics, and implementation of all on-page and off-page SEO activities

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Conduct SEO audits of client website performance

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Map content strategies to the buyer journey, identifying gaps and prioritizing high-impact topics for organic acquisition.

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Develop detailed SEO content briefs, including semantic clusters, recommended structure (Hn), internal linking, and on-page optimizations.

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Build analytics reports on keyword and site rankings, site domain performance, backlinks, on-page performance, and organic traffic trends

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Diagnose and resolve organic traffic and SEO issues

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Set up proper performance tracking on-site domains

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Implement Google Search Console and Google Analytics

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Inform client services and web team of algorithm updates and SEO news

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Advise on best practices around domain, sub-domains, and site architecture

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Provide expertise as needed for complex SEO problems/opportunities

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Other responsibilities as assigned.

Technical Skills:
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Lead technical SEO audits to identify and prioritize issues related to crawlability, indexability, site speed, rendering, and mobile-friendliness.

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Collaborate with development teams to implement complex technical SEO recommendations, including schema markup, hreflang tags, canonicalization, and XML sitemaps.

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Conduct in-depth analysis of website architecture and provide recommendations for optimizing site structure, internal linking, and URL parameters for SEO performance.

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Develop and implement strategies for international SEO, including managing hreflang attributes and understanding geo-targeting considerations.

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Stay abreast of emerging technical SEO trends and algorithm updates, translating them into actionable strategies and recommendations for clients.

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Oversee the technical aspects of website migrations, redesigns, and platform changes to ensure minimal impact on organic search performance.

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Experience with JavaScript SEO and understanding how search engines crawl & LLM and render dynamic content.

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Demonstrate curiosity and expertise in how AI and LLM influence SEO strategy and search behavior and proactively apply these insights to enhance client deliverables.

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Optional: Utilize server log file analysis to gain insights into how search engines crawl and interact with the website.

Experience and Education:
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B.A. or B.S. degree is required

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French and English proficiency

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5-8 years of progressive SEO experience with a digital marketing agency or in-house team

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Proven track record and hands-on experience successfully developing and implementing SEO strategies for multi-domain and multinational websites

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Comprehensive knowledge of organic search and search engine ranking algorithms, including both on-page and off-page SEO activities

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Expert knowledge working with SEO platforms and tools; for example, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Search Console, Semrush, Moz, Screaming Frog, Schema.org

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Proficiency and knowledge of web development best practices and processes (code ability is not required)

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Advanced skills in reporting and Excel/Google Sheets, including pivot tables and advanced functions

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Experience with HubSpot or marketing automation platforms preferred yet not required

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Proven experience finding, analyzing, and assimilating market and customer data into SEO strategies

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Experience presenting to clients or executive-level team members preferred

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Excellent writing skills and a strong understanding of best practices for SEO-friendly content

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Proficiency in Google Suite

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Experience working remotely in similar roles is strongly preferred