What is an SEO specialist and what do they actually do?

What is SEO?

SEO stands for search engine optimisation. It covers all the work that helps your website appear higher in the regular, unpaid search results, also known as the organic results.

Google wants to give its users as useful an answer as possible. To do that, it visits your pages, stores them in a huge index and, for every search, weighs up which pages are most relevant. Whether your page gets found depends on three things. Can Google read your site properly? Does your page give a good answer? And do other sites and people trust you?

What does an SEO specialist do?

An SEO specialist works on those three things and measures the results. The work breaks down into five areas.

Technical SEO

The specialist makes sure Google can find, read and store your site without trouble. Think of a logical site structure, fast pages and a site that works well on a phone, since Google mainly looks at the mobile version of your site. Error reports in Google Search Console, duplicate pages and structured data belong here too. Structured data tells search engines things like your opening hours or your services.

Content and keywords

Which words do your customers use when they search? And what do they want to know? An SEO specialist finds out and makes sure your pages answer those questions. That covers the copy, but also page titles, headings, descriptions and internal links between your pages.

Authority and links

Links from other relevant websites to yours act as recommendations. A good specialist earns those links through useful content, partnerships and mentions in your industry or area. Buying or swapping links at scale breaks Google's rules and can do you real harm.

Local search

Do you work in a particular area? Then local SEO matters. A complete Google Business Profile, genuine reviews and the same name, address and contact details everywhere help you appear on the map and in local results.

Measuring and reporting

An SEO specialist keeps track of what the work delivers. Google Search Console shows which searches you appear for and how often people click. Google Analytics shows what visitors do next. Good reports focus on enquiries and customers, not just rankings.

SEO in the age of AI answers

Google now shows an AI summary above the regular results for more and more searches. On top of that, many people look for answers in ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot or Perplexity. Some call optimising for this GEO, generative engine optimisation.

Does that make SEO obsolete? No. Google itself states that there are no additional requirements or special optimisations (opens in a new tab) needed to appear in its AI features. The usual fundamentals of SEO still apply. The emphasis does shift, though.

• Clear answers. Pages that answer a question directly and fully are easier to cite.
• Experience and reliability. Show who wrote the page and why they know what they are talking about.
• Your brand in more places. AI assistants draw on the whole web. Mentions, reviews and articles about you on other sites count.
• Measure more than clicks. You can be mentioned without anyone clicking through. So also watch searches for your business name and direct enquiries.

A good SEO specialist today looks beyond the classic list of links. But the foundation is the same. A fast, clear site with good answers and a good reputation.

The difference between SEO and paid search

Paid search, sometimes called SEA or PPC, means paying to appear with an ad at the top of the results, for example through Google Ads. You usually pay per click.

• Paid search gives you visibility straight away, but it stops when your budget stops.
• SEO takes longer, but it keeps working. You don't pay per visitor.

For many businesses a combination makes sense. Paid search lets you test quickly which keywords bring in enquiries. SEO then builds lasting visibility for those words. See also how to combine online and offline marketing.

SEO specialist, SEO expert or SEO agency?

Titles such as SEO specialist and SEO expert are not protected. Anyone can use them, and in practice there is no fixed difference. An SEO specialist is usually one person focused on search engines. An SEO agency is a team, often with specialists for technical work, content and links.

What you need depends on your situation. Running an online shop with thousands of pages? Then you need plenty of technical knowledge. A local service business? Then someone who also looks after your copy, your Google Business Profile and your website will help more. So look past the title, at what someone can demonstrably do.

How to spot a good SEO specialist

Google has its own page with advice on hiring an SEO (opens in a new tab). It puts it plainly. Nobody can guarantee a top ranking on Google. Beyond that, watch for these points.

• No guaranteed rankings. If someone promises you first place, walk away.
• Plain explanations. A good specialist tells you what they are doing and why.
• Questions about your business. Someone who asks nothing about your customers and goals cannot help you well.
• Reports about results. Visitors and enquiries say more than a list of positions.
• Your data stays yours. Search Console, Analytics and your Business Profile are in your name.
• Within Google's rules. No bought links or tricks that work for a while and cause damage later.

Want to try it yourself first? That is perfectly possible. Start with Search Console, a fast site and good answers to your customers' questions. Outsourcing pays off when you lack the time or get stuck on the technical side.

How we approach it

We start with a review of your site, your keywords and your competitors. That gives us a plan with clear priorities. The foundations first, then the content and your local visibility. We report in plain language on what matters, which is your enquiries. And we change the plan when something doesn't work. Fail fast, improve fast. Read more about our SEO service.