SEO Manager

SEO ManagerWe're hiring a strategic, curious, and forward-thinking SEO Manager to help shape the future of organic search and AI visibility at Halstead Media Group.This role is for someone who gets excited about where search is going—not just where it's been. AI-driven search, evolving SERPs, local visibility, entity optimization, changing user behavior, and new tools are creating a huge opportunity for marketers who know how to adapt quickly and turn change into results.As SEO Manager, you'll own SEO strategy and performance across a portfolio of clients, identify opportunities for growth, and work closely with our copywriters, designers, developers, Project Managers, and leadership team to turn strategy into execution.You won't simply follow an SEO checklist. You'll analyze what's happening, determine what matters, prioritize the highest-impact opportunities, test new approaches, and continuously improve how we help our clients get found and generate qualified leads.This role is 99% remote, with optional annual travel for training or team planning.About HalsteadHalstead Media Group helps landscape and outdoor living companies eliminate instability, fuel growth, and build sustainable marketing systems.As a StoryBrand Certified Agency, we combine clear messaging, strong creative, smart strategy, and measurable performance to help our clients grow.Our clients trust us because we think strategically, move quickly, embrace change, and approach their businesses with the same level of care and ownership we would our own.SEO Strategy & Client GrowthOwn SEO and GEO strategy and performance across an assigned portfolio of clientsBuild annual, quarterly, and monthly SEO priorities based on client goals, opportunities, and performanceIdentify the highest-impact opportunities across content, local SEO, technical SEO, UX, and conversionTurn SEO data into clear recommendations and actionable next steps with SEO implementation that you would handle on your own and with other team members, including copy and design team members.Continuously evaluate what is and isn't working and adjust strategies accordinglyIdentify opportunities to increase qualified organic traffic, visibility, leads, and revenueHelp ensure SEO strategy aligns with each client's broader marketing and business goalsAI, Search Innovation & ExperimentationStay ahead of how AI-driven search, AI Overviews, answer engines, zero-click search, and evolving SERPs are changing organic visibilityExplore strategies for increasing client visibility across both traditional search engines and AI-powered search experiencesTest new SEO tools, workflows, technologies, and optimization approachesExperiment with structured data, schema, entity optimization, content formats, internal linking, and topical authority strategiesIdentify meaningful changes in search behavior and translate them into practical strategies for our clientsHelp develop internal SEO playbooks, processes, and best practices based on what we learnBring ideas to the table and actively challenge outdated SEO assumptions when the data points somewhere newContent & On-Page SEODevelop content strategies based on search demand, topical authority, client priorities, competitive opportunities, and conversion potentialProvide strategic direction for service pages, location pages, blogs, landing pages, and other organic contentCreate clear SEO briefs and recommendations for copywritersReview and optimize page structure, metadata, internal linking, headings, schema, and content hierarchyIdentify content gaps and opportunities to strengthen topical and entity relevanceCollaborate with design and development teams on UX improvements that support both search performance and conversionsEnsure content is created for real people first while giving search engines and AI systems the context they need to understand itLocal SEO & Google Business ProfileOwn local SEO strategy across Google Business Profiles, location pages, reviews, citations, and local authority signalsIdentify opportunities to improve visibility in Google Maps and local search resultsEvaluate geographic expansion opportunities and develop strategies for entering or strengthening visibility in new marketsBuild scalable approaches for location-based content without sacrificing qualityMonitor local search performance and adjust strategies as markets and SERPs evolveTechnical SEOIdentify, prioritize, and implement technical SEO issues based on their actual impactPartner with developers to address indexing, crawling, site architecture, redirects, canonicals, schema, Core Web Vitals, and other technical considerationsProvide SEO direction during website builds, redesigns, migrations, and launchesHelp ensure new websites are built with strong organic foundations from the beginningPerformance, Analysis & ReportingMonitor rankings, organic traffic, local visibility, conversions, leads, and other meaningful performance indicatorsLook beyond surface-level metrics to understand why performance is changingIdentify patterns, opportunities, risks, and anomalies in SEO dataTranslate complex SEO findings into clear insights for Project Managers, leadership, and clientsHelp evolve our reporting as search changes, including AI visibility and other emerging measures of organic performanceTrain and support team members in understanding SEO performance and communicating it clearly to clientsCross-Functional CollaborationWork closely with copywriters, designers, developers, Project Managers, and leadership to make sure SEO strategy is executed effectivelyPartner with our Paid Media team to uncover cross-channel opportunities, including keyword insights, conversion trends, landing page performance, and market demandProvide SEO guidance during client onboarding, strategy development, website projects, and ongoing marketing campaignsClearly communicate priorities so other teams understand not just what needs to happen, but whyHelp strengthen SEO knowledge across the agencyYou'll Thrive in This Role If You:Have 2+ years of hands-on SEO experience and understand how strong SEO strategies are actually executedThink strategically but are comfortable getting into the details when neededAre genuinely excited about how AI is changing search and want to help figure out what comes nextUnderstand content, local, technical, UX, and on-page SEO as interconnected parts of a larger strategyKnow how to prioritize opportunities based on potential impact rather than simply completing tasksAre comfortable analyzing data and turning it into decisionsCommunicate clearly and confidently with both SEO experts and non-technical teammatesAre proactive and don't need someone else to identify every opportunity for youEnjoy testing ideas, measuring results, and changing direction when the data tells you toAre naturally curious and continually learningLike building processes and frameworks that make great work repeatableCare about business results—not just rankings and trafficBonus SkillsExperience with AI search optimization, entity SEO, schema, NLP, semantic SEO, or topical authority strategiesExperience with landscaping, home services, B2B, multi-location businesses, or similar industriesExperience with tools such as Semrush, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, Google Search Console, GA4, Local Falcon, BrightLocal, Surfer, Clearscope, or similar platformsExperience using ChatGPT or other AI tools to improve SEO research, analysis, workflows, or productivityUnderstanding of UX and conversion rate optimizationExperience collaborating directly with developers on technical SEOExperience with website migrations or redesignsDetails & Perks99% remoteEquipment reimbursementMonthly perks, including snack and coffee/tea subscriptionsFlexible hours with a results-first mindsetPaid training and professional development