Remote, content SEO roles in decline: Report
The median salary of all open SEO positions was $82,000. Majority of open positions with salary range of $250,000 to $300,000 mentioned AI.
There has been a striking drop in remote SEO role listings — down to just 34% — as well as SEO content job listings – down 28%. That’s according to The 2025 Previsible State of SEO Jobs Report, released today.
Meanwhile, SEO job listings for leadership positions (e.g., vice president of SEO) grew by 50% in 2024, while SEO manager positions increased 58%.
Why we care. It may be too early to know whether this is a blip or a trend, but this data indicates that companies are looking to hire SEOs skilled in strategy, technical, and AI. Although content-focused roles are being squeezed by generative AI, leadership and technical skills remain as valuable as ever.
Job market. 90% of all open SEO positions came from companies with more than 250 employees. Other key stats:
- Remote jobs made up 50% of the market in early 2024. By year’s end: 34%.
- Openings for vice president of SEO grew 50% quarter over quarter.
- SEO content roles fell 28%, while SEO manager roles rose 58%.
Salaries. 12% of SEO job listings offered a salary over $100,000 in 2024. Meanwhile, 40% In-house positions offered a salary over $100,000 or higher, compared to 14% at agencies.
Here’s a breakdown of the average salary by position:
- Vice president of SEO: $191,850.
- Director of SEO: $141,178.
- Technical SEO: $97,500.
- SEO manager: $80,800.
- Content SEO: $67,500.
Bad sign? The median salary for all open positions in 2024 was $82,000. However, the median salary dropped every quarter, falling from $90,000 in Q1 to $75,000 by Q4.
Skills. What were the most in-demand skills? Technical SEO, content marketing, and data analytics.
- 56% of job descriptions with a salary of $250,00 to $300,000 mentioned AI.
- Higher-salary positions were more likely to mention AI, data analytics, technical SEO, and stakeholder management.
- Lower-salary positions were more likely to mention link building.
What they’re saying. Tyson Stockton, COO and co-founder of Previsible, said:
- “As the SEO industry continues to mature we are seeing the market further acknowledge the importance and complexity of search with an increase in director-level and above roles. There is a timidness around content SEO, as many are still trying to understand how best to leverage emerging technologies.”
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About the author
Goodwin has been editing and writing about the latest developments and trends in search and digital marketing since 2007. He previously was Executive Editor of Search Engine Journal (from 2017 to 2022), managing editor of Momentology (from 2014-2016) and editor of Search Engine Watch (from 2007 to 2014). He has spoken at many major search conferences and virtual events, and has been sourced for his expertise by a wide range of publications and podcasts.