What is a SEO/SEA Manager?

The SEO/SEA Manager is the driver of a company's online visibility. Their mission is to attract qualified traffic to the website through two complementary levers:

• SEO (Search Engine Optimization), or organic search,
• SEA (Search Engine Advertising), or paid search.

Their role is to optimize the brand's presence on search engines to maximize awareness, conversions, and the return on investment of digital campaigns.

Why do companies need this role?

In a world where most customer journeys begin on Google, the SEO/SEA Manager has become indispensable.
Their goal: place the right content in front of the right people, at the right time.

Companies need this profile to:

• generate qualified traffic without depending solely on social media or marketplaces,
• improve their conversion rate thanks to a fine-grained understanding of user behavior,
• optimize their advertising budgets to reduce customer acquisition cost.

They are at the heart of marketing performance and work in synergy with the content, tech, product, and data teams.

Main missions of the SEO/SEA Manager

1. Define the acquisition strategy
Identify strategic keywords, target audiences, and the most relevant channels to grow visibility.

2. Drive SEO (organic search)

• Run technical and semantic audits,
• Optimize site structure, internal linking, and content,
• Work with copywriters and developers to improve SEO performance (Core Web Vitals, markup, link building, etc.).

3. Manage SEA (paid search)

• Create, monitor, and adjust Google Ads campaigns (Search, Display, YouTube),
• Control budgets, bids, and conversion rates,
• Analyze performance and optimize ROI.

4. Measure and analyze results

• Track KPIs: ranking, click-through rate, cost per acquisition, conversion rate, etc.
• Produce regular reports to inform business decisions.

Their place in the team

The SEO/SEA Manager works closely with:

• the marketing team (Content Manager, Growth Hacker, CRM Manager),
• the product team to optimize the user experience,
• the tech team for technical implementations,
• leadership to align business priorities and budgets.

In startups or SMBs, they are often a hybrid profile, both strategist, analyst, and executor.
In larger organizations, they may lead a team of SEO experts and traffic managers.

The tools they master

• SEO: Semrush, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, Google Search Console, Yoast, SurferSEO
• SEA: Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, LinkedIn Ads, Google Analytics 4
• Analytics and tracking: Tag Manager, Data Studio, Hotjar

Profile and key skills

Technical:

• Mastery of search engine algorithms,
• Solid understanding of HTML, tags, and how CMSs work,
• Ability to manage paid campaigns across multiple levers,
• Data and dashboard analysis.

Soft skills:

• Curiosity and constant industry watch,
• Analytical mindset and test & learn culture,
• Rigor in tracking KPIs,
• Business sense and clear communication with teams.

Training

• Business schools with a specialization in digital marketing,
• Specialized Master's in communication or web marketing,
• Google training or certifications (Google Ads, Analytics, etc.),
• Self-taught paths possible with campaign management experience.

Salary

• Junior (0-2 years): 38 – 45K€
• Mid-level (3-5 years): 45 – 55K€
• Senior (6+ years): 55 – 70K€, and more depending on advertising budget size and the international scope of the role.

Career paths

• Head of Acquisition
• Head of Marketing
• Growth Director
• CMO (Chief Marketing Officer)