{"id":10492,"date":"2024-07-12T15:45:55","date_gmt":"2024-07-12T15:45:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/"},"modified":"2024-07-12T15:45:55","modified_gmt":"2024-07-12T15:45:55","slug":"35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/","title":{"rendered":"35 SEO Interview Questions (Top Answers from the Experts)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>We have one goal for this article: to help you land an SEO job.<\/p>\n<p>This isn\u2019t a generic piece on SEO interview questions. Yes, we\u2019ve broken the questions down by career stages and SEO types to help you prepare.<\/p>\n<p>But we\u2019ve also <strong>spoken to people who actually hire talent in the SEO industry<\/strong>. To learn what hiring managers are looking for and the type of questions they might ask you.<\/p>\n<p>Keep reading to learn common SEO interview questions and the answers that\u2019ll get you hired.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Interview_Questions_for_SEO_Freshers\" >Interview Questions for SEO Freshers<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#1_What_Is_SEO\" >1. What Is SEO?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#2_What_Is_an_Example_of_an_SEO_Problem_You_Faced_and_How_You_Fixed_That_Situation\" >2. What Is an Example of an SEO Problem You Faced and How You Fixed That Situation?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-2\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#3_How_Do_You_Learn_a_New_Skill_To_Help_You_in_Your_SEO_Career\" >3. How Do You Learn a New Skill To Help You in Your SEO Career?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-3\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#4_What_Interests_You_About_Starting_a_Career_in_SEO\" >4. What Interests You About Starting a Career in SEO?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-4\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Interview_Questions_for_Mid-Level_SEOs\" >Interview Questions for Mid-Level SEOs<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#5_Whats_the_Difference_Between_On-Page_and_Off-Page_SEO\" >5. What\u2019s the Difference Between On-Page and Off-Page SEO?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-5\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#6_Why_Does_SEO_Matter_to_a_Business\" >6. Why Does SEO Matter to a Business?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-6\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#7_How_Do_You_Work_With_Developers_To_Implement_SEO_Recommendations\" >7. How Do You Work With Developers To Implement SEO Recommendations?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-7\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#8_What_Does_an_Average_Day_Look_Like_in_Your_Current_Role\" >8. What Does an Average Day Look Like in Your Current Role?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-8\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Interview_Questions_for_Senior_SEOs\" >Interview Questions for Senior SEOs<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#9_How_Do_You_Think_the_Latest_Google_Updates_Will_Change_SEO\" >9. How Do You Think the Latest Google Updates Will Change SEO?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-9\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#10_How_Do_You_Stay_Updated_with_the_Latest_SEO_Trends_and_Algorithm_Changes\" >10. How Do You Stay Updated with the Latest SEO Trends and Algorithm Changes?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-10\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#11_Describe_an_SEO_Marketing_Campaign_You_Worked_On_What_Was_Your_Role_and_What_Were_the_Results\" >11. Describe an SEO Marketing Campaign You Worked On. What Was Your Role and What Were the Results?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-11\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Interview_Questions_for_SEO_Managers\" >Interview Questions for SEO Managers<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#12_A_Client_Demands_More_Work_from_the_SEO_Team_But_Theyve_Used_Up_Their_Retainer_Hours_How_Would_You_Help_Them\" >12. A Client Demands More Work from the SEO Team. But They\u2019ve Used Up Their Retainer Hours. How Would You Help Them?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-12\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#13_How_Do_You_Measure_the_Commercial_Impact_of_SEO_Efforts\" >13. How Do You Measure the Commercial Impact of SEO Efforts?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-13\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#14_How_Do_You_Delegate_to_Direct_Reports\" >14. How Do You Delegate to Direct Reports?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-32\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-14\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-33\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#SEO_Marketing_Interview_Questions\" >SEO Marketing Interview Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-34\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#15_How_Do_You_Collaborate_With_Other_Marketing_Teams\" >15. How Do You Collaborate With Other Marketing Teams?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-35\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-15\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-36\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#16_How_Would_You_Repurpose_a_Blog_Post_on_Another_Marketing_Channel_and_How_Does_This_Tie_into_SEO\" >16. How Would You Repurpose a Blog Post on Another Marketing Channel and How Does This Tie into SEO?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-37\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-16\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-38\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#17_How_Does_the_Content_Marketing_Funnel_Relate_to_SEO\" >17. How Does the Content Marketing Funnel Relate to SEO?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-39\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-17\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-40\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Local_SEO_Interview_Questions\" >Local SEO Interview Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-41\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#18_In_Past_Local_SEO_Campaigns_What_Percentage_of_Leads_Came_Through_the_Clients_Website_Versus_Their_GBP\" >18. In Past Local SEO Campaigns, What Percentage of Leads Came Through the Client\u2019s Website Versus Their GBP?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-42\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-18\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-43\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#19_What_Techniques_Have_You_Employed_To_Earn_Legitimate_Reviews_for_Your_Clients\" >19. What Techniques Have You Employed To Earn Legitimate Reviews for Your Clients?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-44\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-19\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-45\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#20_What_Do_You_Look_for_in_Local_SEO_Tools\" >20. What Do You Look for in Local SEO Tools?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-46\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-20\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-47\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Technical_SEO_Interview_Questions\" >Technical SEO Interview Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-48\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#21_Whats_Your_Biggest_SEO_Fail\" >21. What\u2019s Your Biggest SEO Fail?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-49\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-21\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-50\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#22_Whats_the_Difference_Between_a_Noindex_Directive_and_Disallowing_Googlebot_Access_via_robotstxt_Directive\" >22. What\u2019s the Difference Between a Noindex Directive and Disallowing Googlebot Access via robots.txt Directive?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-51\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-22\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-52\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#23_What_Is_Page_Speed_and_Why_Is_It_Important\" >23. What Is Page Speed and Why Is It Important?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-53\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-23\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-54\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#24_Explain_the_Difference_Between_Crawling_Rendering_Indexing_and_Ranking\" >24. Explain the Difference Between Crawling, Rendering, Indexing, and Ranking<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-55\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-24\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-56\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Off-Page_SEO_Interview_Questions\" >Off-Page SEO Interview Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-57\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#25_How_Would_You_Evaluate_a_Backlinks_Impact_on_a_Target_Page\" >25. How Would You Evaluate a Backlink\u2019s Impact on a Target Page?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-58\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-25\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-59\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#26_How_Do_You_Determine_an_External_Websites_Health_Without_an_SEO_Tool\" >26. How Do You Determine an External Website\u2019s Health Without an SEO Tool?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-60\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-26\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-61\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#27_How_Do_You_Measure_the_Authority_of_a_Website\" >27. How Do You Measure the Authority of a Website?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-62\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-27\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-63\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#28_What_Is_One_of_the_Most_Important_Factors_To_Consider_When_Creating_Link-Building_Outreach_Pitches\" >28. What Is One of the Most Important Factors To Consider When Creating Link-Building Outreach Pitches?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-64\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-28\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-65\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#On-Page_SEO_Interview_Questions\" >On-Page SEO Interview Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-66\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#29_How_Do_You_Place_Target_Keywords_Strategically_Throughout_a_Blog_Post\" >29. How Do You Place Target Keywords Strategically Throughout a Blog Post?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-67\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-29\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-68\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#30_What_Does_a_Click-Worthy_Meta_Description_Look_Like_to_You\" >30. What Does a Click-Worthy Meta Description Look Like to You?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-69\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-30\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-70\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#31_How_Do_You_Make_Your_Content_More_Helpful_Than_a_Competitors\" >31. How Do You Make Your Content More Helpful Than a Competitor\u2019s?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-71\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-31\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-72\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#32_How_Do_You_Use_Data_and_Analytics_To_Inform_On-Page_SEO_Decisions\" >32. How Do You Use Data and Analytics To Inform On-Page SEO Decisions?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-73\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-32\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-74\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#SEO_Content_Writer_Interview_Questions\" >SEO Content Writer Interview Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-75\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#33_Whats_the_Difference_Between_Content_and_Copy\" >33. What\u2019s the Difference Between Content and Copy?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-76\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-33\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-77\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#34_How_Do_You_Optimize_Content_for_Both_Search_Intent_and_Keywords\" >34. How Do You Optimize Content for Both Search Intent and Keywords?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-78\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-34\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-79\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#35_How_Do_You_Approach_Keyword_Research\" >35. How Do You Approach Keyword Research?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-80\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Answer-35\" >Answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-81\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/35-seo-interview-questions-top-answers-from-the-experts\/#Nail_Your_Next_SEO_Interview_with_Ongoing_Education\" >Nail Your Next SEO Interview with Ongoing Education<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Interview_Questions_for_SEO_Freshers\"><\/span>Interview Questions for SEO Freshers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>An SEO fresher is usually someone new to the industry who wants to land an SEO internship.<\/p>\n<p><strong>These questions are relevant to you if you\u2019re one to two years into your career<\/strong>. In this case, you\u2019ll likely be interviewing for entry-level SEO or junior SEO associate roles.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_What_Is_SEO\"><\/span>1. What Is SEO?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>We spoke to <a title=\"LinkedIn \/ Nick Reijmerink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/nick-reijmerink-131a3a83\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nick Reijmerink<\/a>, lead SEO at Skydreams, about his go-to interview questions for SEO freshers.<\/p>\n<p>Nick, who manages a team of SEO specialists and is also responsible for hiring new talent, says:<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p>\u201cWith this question, I\u2019m looking to see that a candidate has a basic understanding of what SEO is and how it works. Even if a beginner hasn\u2019t done SEO professionally, they should at least know this.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>SEO stands for \u201c<a title=\"What is SEO? Search Engine Optimization In Plain English\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/what-is-seo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">search engine optimization<\/a>.\u201d It covers everything you do to increase the likelihood of a search engine ranking a website or webpage. Ideally, you want them to appear in the most prominent SERP positions for relevant user queries.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Specific areas of SEO include technical, content, and link building. Through technical SEO, you can improve your website so it\u2019s easier for search engines to find, understand, and index. Content is what you feed to the search engine. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>For example, you might create a blog post that helps solve a common customer query.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Link building is the process of earning a link from another website. High-authority links signal to Google that your website is trustworthy and helpful, which helps increase its authority.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"SEO Basics: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners | Backlinko\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/seo-basics-for-beginners\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO Basics: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_What_Is_an_Example_of_an_SEO_Problem_You_Faced_and_How_You_Fixed_That_Situation\"><\/span>2. What Is an Example of an SEO Problem You Faced and How You Fixed That Situation?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Nick uses this next question to assess a candidate\u2019s critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and stress management skills.<\/p>\n<p>Why?<\/p>\n<p>Because problem-solving is a big part of the job.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p>\u201cSEO equals resilience. The success of a specialist is often measured by the ability to resolve problems.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-2\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>I run a personal website called IntelliHome, which I\u2019ve been using to learn SEO. When I started the site, I didn\u2019t understand page speed, why it mattered, or how to optimize a site to load quickly. After researching, I realized that page speed matters because it\u2019s a ranking factor. A slow-loading site or page can also make users leave and find an alternative.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>One issue I had, in particular, was having a lot of images on my site that I hadn\u2019t compressed. As a result, the site loaded very slowly. To fix this, I used TinyPNG to reduce the file size of my images. Solving the issue took time and patience, but my site is now much healthier. I\u2019ll also never make the same mistake again because I know how painful it can be to fix.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p>Running small SEO experiments on your own website is one of the best ways to show your problem-solving skills.<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_How_Do_You_Learn_a_New_Skill_To_Help_You_in_Your_SEO_Career\"><\/span>3. How Do You Learn a New Skill To Help You in Your SEO Career?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Nick shares another interview question for SEO freshers to gauge their interest in keeping up with industry changes and <a title=\"What is SEO? Search Engine Optimization In Plain English\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/what-is-seo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO trends<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p>\u201cSEO is a never-ending learning process. You can learn a lot from someone\u2019s way of acquiring knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In your answer, an interviewer is looking for your learning methods, growth mindset, and resilience.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-3\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>I like to learn by doing. When I started my site, I didn\u2019t understand keyword research. I\u2019d write random posts about topics I assumed my audience wanted to read about. But the blog posts never brought much traffic to my site.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>So, I read a blog post that taught me how to find the right keywords for my site.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>After that, I started using a <a title=\"41 Best SEO Tools (Free &amp; Paid)\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/best-free-seo-tools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">free SEO tool<\/a> to find long-tail, low-competition keywords. In a month, I started to see some movement in traffic to my blog.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_What_Interests_You_About_Starting_a_Career_in_SEO\"><\/span>4. What Interests You About Starting a Career in SEO?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Because you\u2019re right at the start of your career, the interviewer is trying to determine what motivates you by asking this question.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s no right or wrong answer here.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s best to share what genuinely interests you about SEO. A passion for the work tells the interviewer you\u2019re more likely to stay in the industry.<\/p>\n<p>Which sends the message that you\u2019re worth the company\u2019s investment as an entry-level hire.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-4\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>By working on my personal website, I realized that I love keyword research and content ideation.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>I\u2019d love the opportunity to work on these tasks in a professional setting.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>I\u2019d also love the chance to get hands-on experience in executing SEO campaigns and helping other people improve rankings and grow their sites.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Interview_Questions_for_Mid-Level_SEOs\"><\/span>Interview Questions for Mid-Level SEOs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As a mid-level SEO, you\u2019ll typically be about three to five years into your career. You might be interviewing for mid-level jobs like an SEO specialist or SEO strategist.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Whats_the_Difference_Between_On-Page_and_Off-Page_SEO\"><\/span>5. What\u2019s the Difference Between On-Page and Off-Page SEO?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>On- and off-page SEO are two different elements of work done by SEO specialists.<\/p>\n<p>You might not have both types of experience. It all depends on the specific role. But as a potential mid-level SEO hire, you should know the differences between the two.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-5\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em><a title=\"On-Page SEO: The Definitive Guide + FREE Template\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/on-page-seo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">On-page SEO<\/a> is anything you do to optimize your website or webpages for search. This could include creating title tags and meta descriptions, improving page structure through headers and schema, and more.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><a title=\"Off-Page SEO: The Definitive Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/off-page-seo-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Off-page SEO<\/a> is any task you perform outside of the website related to improving a website\u2019s search performance. Examples include link building through digital PR or digital guest posting, which can improve your website\u2019s authority.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>[<\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Why_Does_SEO_Matter_to_a_Business\"><\/span>6. Why Does SEO Matter to a Business?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>SEO results shouldn\u2019t necessarily be separate from more tangible business metrics like revenue. Of course, SEO matters for outcomes like brand awareness.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, gaining traffic matters, too. But so do clicks, conversions, and revenue.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-6\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>SEO matters to any business because it can make their website more visible in search. Beyond raising brand awareness in the SERPs, SEO can also help a business attract the right customers to their website.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Having the right customers land on a website makes them more likely to convert. Conversions could include inquiring about a service, signing up for a demo, purchasing a product, or joining an email list. Directing relevant traffic that\u2019s more likely to convert to a website can increase a business\u2019s revenue.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"How to Become an SEO Expert\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/seo-expert\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Become an SEO Expert<\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_How_Do_You_Work_With_Developers_To_Implement_SEO_Recommendations\"><\/span>7. How Do You Work With Developers To Implement SEO Recommendations?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You\u2019ll be responsible for identifying <a title=\"Technical SEO: The Definitive Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/technical-seo-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technical SEO issues<\/a> with audit tools and prioritizing fixes. But it may or may not be your job to implement them.<\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p>This is why a recruiter wants to assess how you work with the development team to get tech fixes over the line.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-7\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>Part of effective collaboration means working on interpersonal relationships. One of my first priorities is to get to know the development team. So, when I joined my last company, I engaged with the dev team through the company Slack.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>When it comes to working with developers to implement SEO recommendations, I like to set clear expectations. This means setting up a task in a project management tool with clear instructions, the scope of the task, and an ideal deadline. I\u2019ll also add any relevant documentation. Basically, anything that adds more context to the task.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>I also always make myself available for questions via instant message, email, and calls. And I let the team know that the deadline is negotiable.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_What_Does_an_Average_Day_Look_Like_in_Your_Current_Role\"><\/span>8. What Does an Average Day Look Like in Your Current Role?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If asked this question, the interviewer wants to assess your current competency and responsibility level.<\/p>\n<p>Be honest here.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t exaggerate your day-to-day responsibilities. If they hire you based on an embellishment, and you ultimately can\u2019t deliver, it could hinder your long-term employment with the company.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p><strong>Pro tip:<\/strong> If there\u2019s something on the job description that doesn\u2019t match your existing experience, mention you\u2019re interested in learning how to do that specific task or taking on that responsibility in your answer.<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-8\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>In my current role, I\u2019m agency side. On any given day, I could be developing a keyword research strategy for a new client or creating content briefs for writers.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><em>I could also be running SEO content audits for client websites. But one thing I\u2019m not currently doing is technical SEO. I would really love to develop that skill, and it\u2019s part of what interests me about this role.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Interview_Questions_for_Senior_SEOs\"><\/span>Interview Questions for Senior SEOs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Senior-level SEOs are usually over five years into their careers. Typical roles include senior SEO strategist or senior technical SEO specialist.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_How_Do_You_Think_the_Latest_Google_Updates_Will_Change_SEO\"><\/span>9. How Do You Think the Latest Google Updates Will Change SEO?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>We spoke to <a title=\"LinkedIn \/ John Skinner\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/john-skinner-10101927a\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">John Skinner<\/a>, Creative Director at Candour, to learn a common interview question he asks senior SEOs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p>\u201cWhen we\u2019re hiring a senior position within the SEO team, it\u2019s these kinds of questions rather than a \u2018can you use X tool\u2019 or \u2018can you do this task\u2019 that are important to us. I want to know if they\u2019ve tied the search ecosystem to the commercial realities of running a business. Candidates should be able to show an understanding of Google\u2019s goals and the benefits of running an SEO strategy in parallel to that, so I know the team will be in good hands.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-9\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>The only way to truly understand an update or the future of SEO is through a test website. That\u2019s because what Google says and what it actually does can differ.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Take Google\u2019s spam update as an example. Initially, the update targeted purely AI-driven sites. But some AI sites slipped through the net and continued to rank. Then, some people using AI content with human editing did well during the update.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Still, my gut says that SEO should always focus on providing a great user experience and building authentic audience relationships. Those fundamentals are unlikely to change. They also build trust, which plays a big part in whether your target audience converts or not.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"Google E-E-A-T: How to Create People-First Content (+ Free Audit)\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/google-e-e-a-t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google E-E-A-T: How to Create People-First Content<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10_How_Do_You_Stay_Updated_with_the_Latest_SEO_Trends_and_Algorithm_Changes\"><\/span>10. How Do You Stay Updated with the Latest SEO Trends and Algorithm Changes?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Many SEO fundamentals stay the same. But as an SEO, you\u2019ll need to keep up with algorithm changes and trends.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s get one thing clear, though: Trends and marketing hype are not the same thing.<\/p>\n<p>In your answer, explain that, while you\u2019re curious about SEO trends, you\u2019d prefer to test them on a personal site first.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t have one?<\/p>\n<p>Tell the interviewer you read forums to see what SEO experts say about the legitimacy of the trend and the results they\u2019re seeing on their sites.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-10\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>I like to read trusted publications like Search Engine Land, Backlinko, <a title=\"Semrush: Ultimate Guide + Tutorial\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/semrush\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Semrush<\/a>, and Google to keep up with algorithm updates. SEO conferences and webinars are great, too. That said, if a trend interests me, I like to test it on my personal site first to see if it\u2019s worth it.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>I\u2019m also part of a few SEO Slack communities, such as <a title=\"Traffic Think Tank\" href=\"https:\/\/trafficthinktank.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Traffic Think Tank<\/a> and MostlyMarketing. They\u2019re full of curious SEOs who are actually testing concepts. Plus, whenever something new happens in SEO, be that a trend or update, someone usually posts about it in one of those communities, helping me stay up to date.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"11_Describe_an_SEO_Marketing_Campaign_You_Worked_On_What_Was_Your_Role_and_What_Were_the_Results\"><\/span>11. Describe an SEO Marketing Campaign You Worked On. What Was Your Role and What Were the Results?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For a senior role, the recruiter will want to know if you\u2019ve created and implemented an SEO marketing campaign. And if so, they\u2019ll want to know how successful it was.<\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p>Specifics about the campaign, your role, and the results matter here.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-11\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>Last year, I was the lead SEO on a campaign for an editorial publication specializing in niche music. The publication wanted to increase relevant traffic, clicks, and impressions.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The website already had a high volume of content published in the niche and had a lot of topical authority. Because of this, I wanted to focus on keeping up with publishing volume while creating content with organic traffic in mind. The aim was to publish four SEO-driven pieces a month.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>To do this, I wanted to start building relevant content clusters. I noticed the site was already ranking well for a few articles about video game music, which also drove a lot of traffic to the site. So, I started building out a content cluster about video game music.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>After developing a keyword strategy based on content clusters, I started creating content briefs for the publication\u2019s writers. I also introduced \u2018Article\u2019 schema and created an internal linking strategy to encourage <a title=\"Pillar Pages: How to Create One + Examples\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/pillar-pages\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pillar pages<\/a> to start ranking.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>After six months, the publication experienced a 38% increase in clicks and a 75% increase in impressions. It also had over 350 keywords ranking in positions one to 10 with the majority of them ranking top three in the SERPs.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Interview_Questions_for_SEO_Managers\"><\/span>Interview Questions for SEO Managers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>SEO managers usually have at least five years of experience in the industry. Aside from having advanced SEO skills, you\u2019ll need leadership qualities, too.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"12_A_Client_Demands_More_Work_from_the_SEO_Team_But_Theyve_Used_Up_Their_Retainer_Hours_How_Would_You_Help_Them\"><\/span>12. A Client Demands More Work from the SEO Team. But They\u2019ve Used Up Their Retainer Hours. How Would You Help Them?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This is <a title=\"LinkedIn \/ Mark Williams-Cook\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/markseo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mark Williams-Cook<\/a>\u2019s favorite question. As the director of the digital agency Candour, he uses it when interviewing potential SEO managers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s no one \u2018correct\u2019 answer for this question, but it gives instant insight into someone\u2019s priorities when they\u2019re juggling levers on profitability, client satisfaction, and the big one\u2014protecting the team they\u2019re managing.<\/p>\n<p>One of the most common mistakes I\u2019ve seen within agencies is the assumption that an SEO manager is always the career path as you progress through SEO. It\u2019s not. A manager has to have specific, non-SEO skills with the management of people and situations, so these are the skills I\u2019m most interested in if someone is applying for this role.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-12\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>I\u2019d start by reviewing the work completed to date, the client\u2019s goals, and the current strategy\u2019s performance. I\u2019d do this to identify any data-driven gaps or opportunities in our current plan.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>This might mean examining resource capacity and utilization rates, for example. This data can help me see how the team typically uses its time and whether we can find efficiencies in the coming months. More importantly, I\u2019d want to balance the team\u2019s workload so no one is overloaded.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Afterward, I\u2019d meet with the client to discuss these findings and manage their expectations. During the conversation, I\u2019d explain the work done, its impact, and the realistic timelines for seeing results.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>If the client requires additional work, we can explore flexible options, such as adjusting the scope of future work, offering a one-time additional service at a discounted rate, or discussing the possibility of increasing their retainer hours.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"13_How_Do_You_Measure_the_Commercial_Impact_of_SEO_Efforts\"><\/span>13. How Do You Measure the Commercial Impact of SEO Efforts?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>At a managerial level, you should be confident in tying SEO efforts to a business\u2019s commercial gains.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s not to say that SEO should always focus on revenue. A campaign has many moving parts, and there are different reasons you might launch one.<\/p>\n<p>It all depends on the specific end goal behind a business\u2019s SEO strategy.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-13\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>How I measure the commercial impact of my SEO efforts depends on the specific sales funnel I\u2019m dealing with. That said, a common way I track SEO efforts is through the performance of pages built specifically for SEO. I focus on SEO-driven pages that don\u2019t pull in many branded searches.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>To do this, I use <a title=\"Google Analytics 4 (GA4): The Ultimate Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/google-analytics-4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Analytics<\/a>\u2019 landing page report to track revenue or conversions.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><em>Another way I measure commercial impact is by tracking sales or conversions from users who also viewed SEO-driven content. For example, that could be a landing page or a blog post created based on my recommendation. For this, I use GA4\u2019s segment overlap. I\u2019ll also track organic revenue sitewide.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"14_How_Do_You_Delegate_to_Direct_Reports\"><\/span>14. How Do You Delegate to Direct Reports?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>There\u2019s no denying it: As a people manager, you need to delegate to your team.<\/p>\n<p>When you step up to this level, it\u2019s no longer as much about doing specific tasks. It\u2019s more about supporting others to do those specific tasks.<\/p>\n<p>For this question, the interviewer wants to see that you know how to delegate.<\/p>\n<p>More specifically, they\u2019re assessing that you:<\/p>\n<p>Understand the person you\u2019re delegating to<br \/>\nTake the time to brief them properly<br \/>\nAllocate enough time for a direct report to finish a task<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-14\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>When delegating to my direct reports, I first review the task to ensure I\u2019m assigning it to the person with the most appropriate skill set.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Once I\u2019ve identified who to delegate the task to, I check their availability. If the task is urgent and they\u2019re busy, I will collaborate with them to reallocate or reprioritize their workload to free them up.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Then, I\u2019ll brief them so they have clear expectations of the task. Once I assign the task, I\u2019ll let them know they can ask me any questions. I\u2019ll also set a reasonable deadline that balances the urgency and complexity of the task.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SEO_Marketing_Interview_Questions\"><\/span>SEO Marketing Interview Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>An interviewer will ask SEO marketing interview questions to determine whether you understand how SEO fits into the broader marketing picture.<\/p>\n<p>These questions are relevant to any SEO role linked to marketing, such as an SEO strategist.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"15_How_Do_You_Collaborate_With_Other_Marketing_Teams\"><\/span>15. How Do You Collaborate With Other Marketing Teams?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>We reached out to <a title=\"LinkedIn \/ Zoe Ashbridge\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/zoeashbridge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Zoe Ashbridge<\/a>, co-founder of SEO and PPC agency forank, for her go-to SEO marketing interview question. And it\u2019s all about collaboration.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p>\u201cThe hardest part about SEO is that it\u2019s often a top- to middle-of-funnel marketing strategy, so the SEO team needs to work with other departments to nurture traffic and convert them into a paying customer.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>With this question, the interviewer wants to know how the candidate works with other marketing teams. And hopes to see a collaborative approach in their answer.<\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-15\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>I love SEO, but it\u2019s just one part of marketing. So, I like working with other marketing teams because this helps with SEO efforts. This collaboration might involve contacting the PPC team to see if I can use their data to help my keyword research.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>In the past, this has helped me find new opportunities for <a title=\"Long Tail Keywords: How to Find &amp; Use Them Effectively\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/long-tail-keywords\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">long-tail keywords<\/a> that I might not have found otherwise.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"SEO vs. SEM: What&#039;s The Difference?\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/seo-vs-sem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO vs. SEM: What\u2019s the Difference?<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"16_How_Would_You_Repurpose_a_Blog_Post_on_Another_Marketing_Channel_and_How_Does_This_Tie_into_SEO\"><\/span>16. How Would You Repurpose a Blog Post on Another Marketing Channel and How Does This Tie into SEO?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>SEO is at its best when united with other marketing efforts.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re asked this question, the interviewer wants to know that you understand SEO\u2019s role in marketing.<\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p>Interviewers are also testing how you might get more value from a single piece of content by sharing it across marketing channels.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-16\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>How I\u2019d repurpose a blog post via a different marketing channel depends on the context of the piece and the specific business. Repurposing could be as simple as using a meta description as a post on X. Or it could be a little more complex. Like engaging a designer to help me repurpose a B2B blog post into a LinkedIn carousel or YouTube video.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>As the content is shared across various platforms, it can attract backlinks from different sources, boosting its authority and rankings.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>You can also target different keywords and phrases with different content formats. For example, a video might rank for video-specific keywords on YouTube, while the original blog post targets traditional search queries.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p><strong>Further Reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"What Is Repurposing Content?\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/content\/repurposing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What Is Repurposing Content?<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"17_How_Does_the_Content_Marketing_Funnel_Relate_to_SEO\"><\/span>17. How Does the Content Marketing Funnel Relate to SEO?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Each stage of the <a title=\"What Is Content Marketing? Complete Beginner&#039;s Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/content\/what-is-content-marketing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">content marketing funnel<\/a> matches a different search intent. Someone in the Awareness or ToFu stage is looking for content that educates them about a specific problem.<\/p>\n<p>This could be a blog post targeting a ToFu query like \u201cWhat is the keto diet?\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p>Someone in the Action or BoFu stage likely wants a product or service to solve their problem. So, you\u2019d aim to create optimized sales pages targeting something like \u201cketo supplements.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Long story short?<\/p>\n<p>Your interviewer wants to see that you can meet your audience at different funnel stages with content that matches their <a title=\"Search Intent and SEO: A Complete Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/search-intent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">search intent<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-17\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>At the ToFu or \u2018Awareness\u2019 stage, people are just becoming aware of the problem. To serve the search intent, I\u2019d create educational blog posts that build trust.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>At the MoFu or \u2018Interest\u2019 stage, a prospect wants a solution but is weighing options. I\u2019d aim to produce helpful comparison guides to serve the search intent.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>At the BoFu or \u2018Action\u2019 stage, a prospect wants to purchase a solution. To serve this search intent, I\u2019d aim to produce product or sales pages.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Local_SEO_Interview_Questions\"><\/span>Local SEO Interview Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You might get asked these questions for general positions like an SEO executive or roles specializing in local SEO.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"18_In_Past_Local_SEO_Campaigns_What_Percentage_of_Leads_Came_Through_the_Clients_Website_Versus_Their_GBP\"><\/span>18. In Past Local SEO Campaigns, What Percentage of Leads Came Through the Client\u2019s Website Versus Their GBP?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>We reached out to <a title=\"LinkedIn \/ Christopher Levy\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/christopher-mark-levy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Christopher Levy<\/a>, SEO manager at Made Ya Click, for his favorite local SEO question. And why he finds it beneficial to ask.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p>\u201cA local SEO campaign relies heavily on winning the battle to rank on Google Maps. Many local search terms trigger the local map pack, which is a large and visually appealing SERP feature. Then, there are mobile users who search within the Google Maps app directly.<\/p>\n<p>This is a way of gauging how well the dichotomy works between the client\u2019s website and their Google Business Profile. For many local service providers, their Google Maps listings outperform their websites.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-18\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>In my last three <a title=\"Local SEO: The Definitive Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/local-seo-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">local SEO campaigns<\/a>, more of my clients\u2019 leads came through Google Maps than their websites. One of those clients gained 65% of leads via their GBP versus 35% through their website.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Optimizing the company\u2019s Google Maps listing was part of that campaign\u2019s success. For example, I covered the basics, like making sure the listing information was up to date and adding professional photos. But I also published posts frequently and focused on earning legitimate Google reviews to build trust. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"19_What_Techniques_Have_You_Employed_To_Earn_Legitimate_Reviews_for_Your_Clients\"><\/span>19. What Techniques Have You Employed To Earn Legitimate Reviews for Your Clients?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Christopher\u2019s next go-to interview question is related to online reputation management.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p>\u201cTo succeed at SEO, you have to understand your audience. I\u2019m not interested in growth hacks that could probably not be implemented on corporate clients. If you do not understand whom your client is attempting to reach and how to reach and motivate them, your local SEO campaign will not succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-19\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>The techniques I deploy to earn legitimate reviews really depend on each client\u2019s needs and specific audience. That said, we had one client in a very competitive market with customers who needed to visit a physical storefront. That meant maps, maps, maps. So, we had the store employees print QR codes that customers would use to quickly leave reviews from the premises.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>I have also worked closely with my client\u2019s social media teams in the past to earn reviews. For example, whenever a customer left positive comments on a company Facebook page, I encouraged the social team to ask them for a Google review.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"20_What_Do_You_Look_for_in_Local_SEO_Tools\"><\/span>20. What Do You Look for in Local SEO Tools?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In local SEO, it\u2019s essential to work with tools with local data rather than just national. You also need to ensure you can see local search results similar to what your employer or clients see.<\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p>Your interviewer wants to assess your understanding of that nuance and whether you know how to apply it using tools.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-20\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>First, I use a keyword research tool that allows me to specify the geographic area I\u2019m targeting. This way, I can gauge the keyword difficulty and monthly search volume based on the geographic area rather than nationwide data.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>I also look for an SEO tool that can generate SERPs in my employer\u2019s or client\u2019s market. I\u2019ll use a virtual private network (or VPN) if this isn\u2019t possible.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"5 Best Local SEO Tools to Dominate Search This Year\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/local-seo-tools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5 Powerful Local SEO Tools to Get More Customers<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Technical_SEO_Interview_Questions\"><\/span>Technical SEO Interview Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>An interviewer will ask technical SEO interview questions to test your understanding of the topic.<\/p>\n<p>As with local SEO, you might be asked these questions at interviews for general SEO roles at different levels. That said, these questions also apply to jobs like technical SEO specialists.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"21_Whats_Your_Biggest_SEO_Fail\"><\/span>21. What\u2019s Your Biggest SEO Fail?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a title=\"LinkedIn \/ Liam Fallen\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/technical-seo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Liam Fallen<\/a> is an SEO consultant and the founder of the MostlyMarketing Slack Community and LiamFallen.com.<\/p>\n<p>As a tech SEO specialist, he\u2019s helped well-known companies hire for technical SEO roles.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p>\u201cI ask this question because it shows whether the candidate has a test website and is openly testing theories rather than following the crowd. Testing and failing forward is one of the best ways to learn technical SEO, and from my experience, SEOs with a test website tend to be better overall hires.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>We couldn\u2019t agree more.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond a test website, it also shows you have the humility to admit failure and can learn from the mistake to avoid it in the future.<\/p>\n<p>While your answer will vary by personal experience, <a title=\"X \/ Jess Joyce\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jessjoyce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jess Joyce<\/a>, an SEO consultant at jessjoyce.com, shared her best answer to this question for inspiration:<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-21\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>I was working at an agency where we were rolling out a lot of updates to a website that included every arm of the agency. After some QA, I created a ticket to ensure the canonicals were set up. In my ticket, I included an example of the code to put in for the canonicals. But the dev pushed the canonical value as the example I had put in\u2014meaning it was the same for every single page.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The push was live for about a week\u2014and it was one of the most stressful weeks of my entire career. It involved me negotiating with multiple teams all the way up the chain. I finally convinced a PM to move their schedule around so we could update it correctly and push a fix.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>I learned that as many times as I QA something, something else can always go wrong. And when providing examples, a chat with the person implementing it is a great additional step to take.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"22_Whats_the_Difference_Between_a_Noindex_Directive_and_Disallowing_Googlebot_Access_via_robotstxt_Directive\"><\/span>22. What\u2019s the Difference Between a Noindex Directive and Disallowing Googlebot Access via robots.txt Directive?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You\u2019ll likely be asked this question when interviewing for entry- to mid-level roles. The interviewer wants to check your foundational knowledge and see if you have the desired experience.<\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p>A lot of people learn this answer by trying to deindex their staging environment with a disallow. But if the crawler has no access, it can\u2019t noindex it.<\/p>\n<p>In your answer, show you know the difference.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p><strong>Pro tip:<\/strong> Provide a relevant example of the concept in action to show you\u2019ve applied your knowledge in the real world.<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-22\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>One concerns getting a page out of the index, and the other concerns the crawler not being allowed to access the page.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Noindex is a directive you give to a page to remove it or prevent it from being indexed. Robots disallow is a line of code in the text that prevents crawlers (when specified) from accessing a certain page. This stops them from seeing (no index) directives.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>I have a staging website that I forgot to lock off from Google. As a result, it got indexed. To get it out of the index, I placed a noindex directive on the page, so the next time Google checks the page, it sees the directive and removes it from the index.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>But if I just disallowed the crawler from accessing that page, the crawler won\u2019t see the noindex directive. As a result, it won\u2019t know to remove the page from the index, and the problem remains.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"Robots.txt and SEO: Complete Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/robots-txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Robots.txt and SEO<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"23_What_Is_Page_Speed_and_Why_Is_It_Important\"><\/span>23. What Is Page Speed and Why Is It Important?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This is one of the more basic SEO interview questions you might get asked for a junior or internship role.<\/p>\n<p>At its core, page speed matters in SEO because a faster-loading page creates a better user experience. And let\u2019s remember that Google has used page speed as a ranking factor <a title=\"Using site speed in web search ranking | Google Search Central Blog\" href=\"https:\/\/webmasters.googleblog.com\/2010\/04\/using-site-speed-in-web-search-ranking.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">since 2010<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p>In your answer, clearly explain page speed and what can happen if your page is slow-loading. Bonus points if you add an example of how you\u2019ve improved page speed on a site.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-23\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>Page speed is the amount of time it takes for a webpage to load. It\u2019s important because it\u2019s one of the few ranking factors confirmed by Google. Aside from that, a slow-loading page negatively impacts user experience. A poor user experience may discourage people from returning to your site.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>In the past, I\u2019ve improved page speed by reducing image sizes, optimizing code, and removing render-blocking JavaScript.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"Core Web Vitals: What They Are &amp; How to Improve Them\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/core-web-vitals\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Core Web Vitals: What They Are and How to Improve Them<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"24_Explain_the_Difference_Between_Crawling_Rendering_Indexing_and_Ranking\"><\/span>24. Explain the Difference Between Crawling, Rendering, Indexing, and Ranking<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a title=\"LinkedIn \/ Ed Roberts\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/edwardrobertsdigital\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ed Roberts<\/a>, SEO and paid manager at Milexa Group, shared his favorite technical SEO interview question with us.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p>\u201cMy go-to question when interviewing candidates is to get them to explain the difference between crawling, rendering, indexing, and ranking. This might seem like something obvious that every SEO should know, but it\u2019s surprising how many don\u2019t fully understand or are mistaken about how each stage works.<\/p>\n<p>A good SEO, especially those in technical roles, should have a clear understanding of how search engines work so they can correctly identify issues and opportunities for improvement at each stage.<\/p>\n<p>I look for candidates to demonstrate a strong grasp of each element, how they relate to each other, and their importance for SEO. It doesn\u2019t have to be a super detailed answer, as long as they can show this understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-24\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>Crawling is the process where automated programs (also known as bots, crawlers, or spiders) discover and scan webpages, collect a copy of each page, and identify new links to be crawled.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Crawling is crucial for Google to find new or updated content and is one reason why internal linking is vital for SEO.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Once a page has been crawled, it\u2019s queued for rendering. This involves taking the HTML and CSS and executing the JavaScript to \u201crender\u201d the page as it would appear in a browser. This allows bots to parse all the information on the page. If a page can\u2019t be rendered properly, important content or links might not be visible to bots.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>After a page has been crawled and rendered, search engines determine whether to add it to their index (except in some edge cases). The index lists all the pages and other content that the search engine knows about. A page can only be shown in search results if it\u2019s indexed. This is why you need to ensure only the right pages are being indexed.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><em>The final process is where search engines sort through the content within the index to return the most useful results to users. This process is governed by algorithms and is influenced by numerous ranking factors and signals, including the words used in the query, relevance, and quality of the content, location, and external links to the page.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>It\u2019s essential to understand, test, and apply these criteria to improve rankings.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Off-Page_SEO_Interview_Questions\"><\/span>Off-Page SEO Interview Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Off-page SEO involves anything you do off-site to optimize and improve a website\u2019s or webpage\u2019s rankings, such as link building.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re applying for a role at a digital PR agency, you\u2019ll be asked questions on this topic. Roles like SEO strategists and junior SEO executives may also require off-page skills.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"25_How_Would_You_Evaluate_a_Backlinks_Impact_on_a_Target_Page\"><\/span>25. How Would You Evaluate a Backlink\u2019s Impact on a Target Page?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>We contacted <a title=\"LinkedIn \/ Olivian Stoica\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/olivian-claudiu-stoica\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Olivian Stoica<\/a>, senior SEO specialist at Wave Studio, to learn his best off-page SEO interview question.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p>\u201cThe question is tricky because it depends. A single backlink may not move the needle for a page. But a link-building campaign targeting the same page can. It depends on the context and nuance of the campaign.<\/p>\n<p>I have worked with an SEO agency that ran campaigns on several pages owned by a company I worked at. Within a few short months, we could see impressions growing in our GSC report. Knowing we\u2019d continue to build inbound links for the website, I needed someone onboard who could not only find an opportunity but own it from creation to result.<\/p>\n<p>I remember one of the candidates said they would check the referral traffic in Google Analytics. Honestly, I rarely follow a link within an article. That was an answer that didn\u2019t impress me. Because even if people wouldn\u2019t click the link, search engines could still see it as a trust signal for the referred page. What I was looking for was how they understand the power of a link and how to use tools to see how it performed for the website.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-25\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>I\u2019d start by examining the quality of the backlink using an SEO tool. I look at the Domain Authority or Authority Score of the referral site and the relevancy of the linking page\u2019s content to our target page.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><em>High-authority, relevant sites typically provide more SEO value.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>I\u2019d also monitor the impact of the backlink on the target page\u2019s rankings and traffic. I use Google Search Console and Google Analytics to track any changes in keyword rankings, organic traffic, and conversions after acquiring the backlink.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"26_How_Do_You_Determine_an_External_Websites_Health_Without_an_SEO_Tool\"><\/span>26. How Do You Determine an External Website\u2019s Health Without an SEO Tool?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>SEO tools can come in handy for many things, including gauging a website\u2019s health. But you can also learn a lot about a site\u2019s health and whether you should include it in a link-building campaign based on a manual review.<\/p>\n<p>Long story short?<\/p>\n<p>When asked this question, the interviewer wants to see that you have good instincts about what a low-quality website looks like.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-26\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>When determining a website\u2019s health without an SEO tool, I\u2019d want to see how fast the page loads as a priority. So, if I click on a page and images or text loads slowly, that\u2019s not a great sign of a healthy site.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>I\u2019d also look to see if there were a lot of ads throughout the website. Too many site ads can make it seem spammy, low-quality, and untrustworthy.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Another thing I\u2019d want to check is the on-page links to see if any are broken.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"27_How_Do_You_Measure_the_Authority_of_a_Website\"><\/span>27. How Do You Measure the Authority of a Website?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A website\u2019s authority gives a quick overview of how well it\u2019s likely to rank on search engines. If asked this question, the interviewer wants to see how well you use tools.<\/p>\n<p>Bonus points if you understand these scores are general indicators.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-27\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>It\u2019s not an exact science, but you can measure a website\u2019s authority in several ways. One way is to use third-party tools that provide a health score, like Semrush\u2019s Authority Score or Moz\u2019s Domain Authority checker. I use the <a title=\"Domain Overview: Get Instant Domain SEO Analysis\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/analytics\/overview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Domain Overview tool<\/a> in Semrush to measure a website\u2019s authority.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><em>The AS metric ranks a website\u2019s authority from one to 100. A higher score indicates a higher authority website.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> A free Semrush account lets you analyze up to 10 domains per day using the Domain Overview tool. Or you can use this link to access a <a title=\"Backlinko &amp; Semrush: 14-day PRO Trial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/lp\/backlinko-offer\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">14-day trial on a Semrush Pro subscription<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"28_What_Is_One_of_the_Most_Important_Factors_To_Consider_When_Creating_Link-Building_Outreach_Pitches\"><\/span>28. What Is One of the Most Important Factors To Consider When Creating Link-Building Outreach Pitches?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A big part of <a title=\"Link Building for SEO: The Definitive Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/link-building\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">link building<\/a> is reaching out to publishers or journalists. And the strength of your outreach pitch can determine whether you earn a backlink for your campaign or not.<\/p>\n<p>When answering this question, show that you know what a great pitch entails.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-28\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>Before pitching to publishers or journalists, I ensure what I\u2019m suggesting adds value to their page or website. I also want to make sure their site is relevant to the site I\u2019m building links to.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>One of my priorities is to customize my outreach message to each prospect so my pitch resonates with them. Part of that means making sure the prospect can clearly see the value I will bring to their specific audience.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script\">\n<p>Hi <span class=\"orange\">[First Name]<\/span>,<\/p>\n<p>I was looking for content on <span class=\"orange\">[Topic]<\/span> today, when I stumbled on your article:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"orange\">[Article Title]<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Good stuff! I especially enjoyed <span class=\"orange\">[Something specific from their article]<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Also, I just published a new guide on <span class=\"orange\">[Your Topic]<\/span>: <span class=\"orange\">[URL]<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>As someone that writes about <span class=\"orange\">[Topic]<\/span>, I thought you\u2019d enjoy it.<\/p>\n<p>My guide may also make a nice addition to your page. Either way, keep up<\/p>\n<p>the awesome work with <span class=\"orange\">[Website]<\/span>!<\/p>\n<p>Talk Soon,<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"orange\">[Your Name]<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"On-Page_SEO_Interview_Questions\"><\/span>On-Page SEO Interview Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>On-page SEO involves anything you do to optimize and improve a website\u2019s or webpage\u2019s rankings.<\/p>\n<p>Tasks include optimizing content with keywords, developing an internal linking strategy, and creating title tags and meta descriptions.<\/p>\n<p>These tasks are relevant to most SEO jobs across different experience levels.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"29_How_Do_You_Place_Target_Keywords_Strategically_Throughout_a_Blog_Post\"><\/span>29. How Do You Place Target Keywords Strategically Throughout a Blog Post?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>There are certain hotspots where you can place keywords throughout your content. Doing this helps Google (and your readers) scan your page and see what it\u2019s about.<\/p>\n<p>When asked this question, your interviewer evaluates whether you understand where these hotspots are and why they matter.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-29\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>I like to place target keywords in high-visibility places that help Google understand a page\u2019s topic. So, I will include the target keyword in the H1, first paragraph, and subheaders (H2 through H6). This helps Google and readers see at a glance if the page matches their search intent.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"What is an H1 Tag? Best Practices &amp; Examples for SEO\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/h1-tag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What Is an H1 Tag? Best Practices and Examples for SEO<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"30_What_Does_a_Click-Worthy_Meta_Description_Look_Like_to_You\"><\/span>30. What Does a Click-Worthy Meta Description Look Like to You?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Meta descriptions don\u2019t necessarily impact SEO because they\u2019re not a ranking factor. And sometimes Google will override your meta description anyway.<\/p>\n<p>But compelling meta descriptions can help increase clicks. So, creating custom content for them is often still worth the effort.<\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p>When answering this question, demonstrate your ability to evaluate whether a meta description is eye-catching and relevant enough to earn a click.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-30\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>I would say a click-worthy meta description doesn\u2019t just consider Google but the reader, too. So, I look for elements like whether a publisher has included the target keyword or whether the most important part of the text is visible on mobile.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>From the reader\u2019s perspective, we should write content in the active voice because it\u2019s more engaging. There should also be some conversion copywriting. For example, a writer might use voice of customer to target pain points. Finally, there should be a clear call to action that directs someone to click the page.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"31_How_Do_You_Make_Your_Content_More_Helpful_Than_a_Competitors\"><\/span>31. How Do You Make Your Content More Helpful Than a Competitor\u2019s?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When asking this question, an interviewer wants to see if you understand Google\u2019s helpful content update (HCU) and the competitive nature of search.<\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p>Demonstrate that you know what it takes to create content that outperforms competitors.<\/p>\n<p>One way to do this is to ensure your content is even more helpful than what already exists in the SERPs. You should also show that you genuinely care about providing your reader with an excellent experience through content.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-31\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>When briefing writers or writing content myself, I always keep Google\u2019s HCU guidelines top of mind. I want to make sure people who read the content leave feeling like they\u2019ve learned enough to achieve their goals, for example.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>I also don\u2019t want readers to leave the site to find better information from another source. With that in mind, I like to dive into the SERPs during research\u2014not to copy competitors, but to find gaps. A gap I\u2019d want to bridge is when a site provides a definition, but I have to look at another website to understand part of it. I\u2019d make sure my content didn\u2019t have that gap.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Adding relevant <a title=\"What Is Visual Content?\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/content\/visual\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">visual content<\/a> like images and videos is another way to create more helpful content. I\u2019m always surprised by how many organic competitors don\u2019t do that.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"32_How_Do_You_Use_Data_and_Analytics_To_Inform_On-Page_SEO_Decisions\"><\/span>32. How Do You Use Data and Analytics To Inform On-Page SEO Decisions?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For this next question, we turned to <a title=\"LinkedIn \/ Leigh McKenzie\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/lmckenzie16\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Leigh McKenzie<\/a>, head of SEO at Backlinko.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p>\u201cI like to ask open-ended questions that dig into a candidate\u2019s process and systems thinking. As much as possible, I want to understand how they think and how they would apply it to working together on the given job.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-32\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>To improve existing content with on-page SEO edits, I\u2019ll head to Google Analytics or Google Search Console. If there are content pieces with high impressions but low clicks, I\u2019ll prioritize them for on-page edits.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>When I\u2019ve organized my list of on-page content edits, I\u2019ll return to Search Console to identify keyword opportunities. I\u2019ll look at the queries people use that we aren\u2019t already targeting.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><em>If these make sense in terms of search intent and are logical in the context of the page, I\u2019ll add them to the existing content. For example, I might add them to existing headings or create new sections.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>I\u2019ll also use this data to inform new content opportunities, keeping on-page SEO considerations top of mind. If any queries from GSC don\u2019t fit the page\u2019s search intent or could use an entire article to match search intent, I\u2019ll pitch new content pieces.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SEO_Content_Writer_Interview_Questions\"><\/span>SEO Content Writer Interview Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>SEO content writers (sometimes called SEO copywriters) write web content with organic traffic and conversion optimization in mind.<\/p>\n<p>The following interview questions are specific to <a title=\"What Is SEO Writing? How to Write SEO-Friendly Content\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/seo-writing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO writing<\/a> roles.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"33_Whats_the_Difference_Between_Content_and_Copy\"><\/span>33. What\u2019s the Difference Between Content and Copy?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Although people often use SEO content writer and <a title=\"SEO Copywriting: The Definitive Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/seo-copywriting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO copywriter<\/a> job titles interchangeably, you should understand where the roles differ.<\/p>\n<p>That starts by knowing the difference between content and copy.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re asked this question, the interviewer wants to see that you understand the nuance. And know when to use copy versus content techniques in your writing.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-33\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>Web content typically leans more toward the educational side. It consists of how-to blogs, listicles, or guides. Meanwhile, web copy covers more of the sales side, such as homepage copy, product collections, or sales landing pages.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><em>That said, just because I\u2019m writing content doesn\u2019t mean I won\u2019t add an element of sales. And just because I\u2019m writing sales copy doesn\u2019t mean I won\u2019t educate my reader. Because of that, I will always have both styles or techniques in mind when writing content or copy.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>This could mean adding conversion copywriting techniques to a long-form blog post to encourage demo sign-ups. Or getting into the details of how a concept works to educate and build trust via a sales landing page.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"34_How_Do_You_Optimize_Content_for_Both_Search_Intent_and_Keywords\"><\/span>34. How Do You Optimize Content for Both Search Intent and Keywords?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Understanding search intent is a non-negotiable for SEO content writers. (And anyone in SEO, for that matter.)<\/p>\n<p>Why?<\/p>\n<p>Because search intent affects every stage of the writing process. From content format to subtopics.<\/p>\n<p>With this question, the interviewer wants to see if you can create content that\u2019s a double threat. Meaning, it ranks well and satisfies user queries.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-34\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>Optimizing content and nailing search intent go hand in hand. To start, I use tools like Ahrefs and Semrush to research keywords, focusing on their intent\u2014whether it\u2019s informational, commercial, navigational, or transactional. I also look at search volume and difficulty.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Next, I examine the top-ranking content for my target keyword to understand what Google considers relevant, whether it\u2019s a how-to, product page, or comparison guide.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Based on the intent, I structure my content to match. For example, for an article on the best noise-canceling headphones, I would do a comparison guide to match search intent. I\u2019d include top products, detailed reviews, and pricing and feature comparisons with clear headings and images.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><em>As I\u2019m writing, I\u2019d optimize the content with the target keyword and any secondary terms. I\u2019d also add relevant internal links, and optimize title tags, meta descriptions, and image alt tags.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"SEO and Content Marketing: Complete Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/seo-content-marketing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO and Content Marketing: A Complete Guide<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"media\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"35_How_Do_You_Approach_Keyword_Research\"><\/span>35. How Do You Approach Keyword Research?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Whether the role requires you to handle keyword research yourself or not, you\u2019ll want to display a basic understanding.<\/p>\n<p>While keyword research tools are essential, an interviewer wants to see that your research methods go beyond them.<\/p>\n<p>In your answer, show that you do preliminary research first. This could be as simple as asking customer support about common queries and sales tickets.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer-35\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em>I like to start by doing audience research. Of course, speaking to an audience directly is better, but sometimes that isn\u2019t doable. In this case, I might search relevant LinkedIn or Facebook groups and existing customer reviews or visit forums like Reddit for insights.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><em>I also like checking in with customer support to learn about common queries or support tickets.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>I\u2019ll then use that data to find keywords that match the queries and search intent. I love starting keyword research like this because it opens up content ideas I never would\u2019ve thought of. Even better still, the keywords link to queries that real people are actually searching for.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nail_Your_Next_SEO_Interview_with_Ongoing_Education\"><\/span>Nail Your Next SEO Interview with Ongoing Education<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Ongoing education will keep your skills sharp and your interview game strong.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re ready to find your next job, an <a title=\"The 7 Best SEO Courses &amp; Certifications\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/seo-certification-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO certification<\/a> can help. Whether you\u2019re looking for advanced tactics or just learning the basics, SEO courses can help you get hired\u2014and stay hired.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/seo-interview-questions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">35 SEO Interview Questions &lt;br&gt;(Top Answers from the Experts)<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Backlinko<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We have one goal for this article: to help you land an SEO job. This isn\u2019t a generic piece on SEO interview questions. Yes, we\u2019ve broken the questions down by career stages and SEO types to help you prepare. But we\u2019ve also spoken to people who actually hire talent in the SEO industry. To learn what hiring managers are looking for and the type of questions they might ask you. Keep reading to learn common SEO interview questions and the answers that\u2019ll get you hired. Interview [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":10493,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"h5ap_radio_sources":[],"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-backlinko"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/photo-nick-reijmerink-9meCvs-600x400.png","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/photo-nick-reijmerink-9meCvs-600x600.png","author_info":{"display_name":false,"author_link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/author\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10492","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10492"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10492\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}