The SEO Archetypes
What Kind of SEO Are You?
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There isn’t just one type of SEOs
I’ve been thinking a lot about my audiences lately. And yes… audiences, plural.
When I send technical SEO topics in my newsletter, I get a few unsubscribes. But on LinkedIn, that same type of content performs better.
Then there’s my YouTube channel, my Python course, and my Strategy course… all attracting slightly different people.
And my experience with the SEOs I meet in my monthly townhall meetup too, all made me realize:
There isn’t just one type of SEOs
So if you’re doing any kind of audience research—or trying to understand where you fit in SEO—this article is for you.
The ones under pressure
These SEOs that are under immense pressure from their clients, they operate under “go high or go home”…
I’ve had a situation where one of those SEOs reach out to me on LinkedIn to perform a second audit to make sure they are doing everything right.
They were in their third month of an engagement with a client, whom had set unrealistic traffic and conversion goals from month one, similar to how you might measure a PPC campaign. As most SEOs know, that’s not always how SEO timelines work.
Can you imagine the pressure?
These SEOs only care about tactics that are directly tied to results. That’s all they want to hear.
If you’re marketing a product or a course to them, it needs to clearly show how it helps them drive results and prove progress.
If you do this, you get that type of messaging.
The non-techy
All SEOs need some technical knowledge, but some are more technical than others.
When I was job hunting, I noticed that being a generalist—or having skills across both technical SEO and content—was a big advantage.
Most SEOs, however, are more focused on the content side of things.
These are the readers who love my newsletter, they’re happy to dive into long-form content, frameworks, checklists, tips, and case studies. They enjoy actionable insights and practical guidance, as long as it’s not too technical.
In other words, they’re all about strategy and application, rather than deep technical details.
If you’re marketing to these folks, avoid jargon and make your messaging clear and approachable.
Many of them are interested in becoming more technical but aren’t sure where to start. If you’re offering a technical product or course, highlight that no prior technical knowledge is needed.
The nerds
These SEOs love diving into the details—analyzing data, mastering technical SEO, building their own tools, and generally having an opinion on everything. 😄
Many of the nerds in the industry become SEO influencers. They speak on webinars, contribute to industry publications, and share tips wherever they can.
They’re also probably the most challenging group to market to. Unless they genuinely see the value in your product, they’re unlikely to convert.
The career SEOs
These SEOs are a great bunch to hire or work with. They know SEO well, do a solid job, and are generally reliable.
Many are career-oriented. Their main goal isn’t to freelance or become influencers, though you might see a few pop up on a stage or podcast occasionally. That’s the minority.
What matters most to them is doing well in their role. Career growth, upskilling, and moving into more senior positions are what drive them.
Marketing Tip: If you’re reaching this group, tie your product or service to career progression. Show how it can help them elevate their role, develop skills, or prepare for the future.
The lazy daisy
In an industry like SEO, you can’t really coast. Things change fast, and you need to keep learning, testing, and analyzing—it’s just part of the job.
Not everyone keeps up.
These SEOs tend to focus on maintaining their current workload rather than actively pushing for growth or new results. They’re less motivated to experiment or seek out new insights.
If you’re hiring, they’re usually easy to spot. Ask about the newsletters or blogs they read… and you might hear… crickets.
Marketing Tip: This group is hard to engage. Products or courses that require active experimentation or self-driven learning probably won’t resonate. Focus your messaging on those who are naturally motivated or already seeking improvement.
The socials
Some SEOs excel at building strong relationships with clients and colleagues.
They can read the room, understand what clients care about—both at work and outside of it—and start meetings in a way that immediately establishes trust and connection (great at small talk too)
This group thrives on rapport and relationship-building. They excel at client communication, closing deals, strengthening industry connections, and navigating tricky work situations with ease.
This skill will become increasingly important as AI automates more aspects of SEO work.
They’re also great listeners, which makes them effective collaborators and trusted advisors.
Marketing Tip: Products, tools, or courses that help improve client communication, networking, or soft skills resonate strongly with this group. Show how it helps them connect better and build influence.
And That’s a Wrap (Almost 😄)
One thing remains clear as I wrap this up: there are way more SEO types than listed above. And it’s also rarely either or, you can be a mix of 2 or more types.
Did any of the above resonate with you? or some more than others?
That’s that for today folks and see you next newsletter!
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Disclaimer: LLMs were used to assist in wording and phrasing this blog.