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SEO performance is still without a doubt one of the most critical inbound marketing channels going into 2016 . Achieving top rankings in search engines is crucial for most online business –if not for all of them.

So, SEO strategy and tactics continue to be one of the most powerful aspects of  any online marketing effort. To this end, it goes without saying that companies in 2016 will take every SEO-related aspect of their marketing strategies very seriously, and that they look to hire only the best professionals.

This means a job interview for a SEO position will be really demanding. Before you’re hired to optimize their websites, recruiting managers will want to be sure that you are results-focused person by testing your knowledge and skills.

Yes, we know this can be stressful – so we decided to help you prepare for your next SEO oriented interview.

Take a look at 10 SEO questions you may get asked in an interview and some tips on how to tackle them:

1. What are the steps that you would take to optimize a website?

Before the interview, do some research –how is that particular company ranking on the search engines for a few keywords related with their business? Is their website working fine on mobile devices? Does it loads fast and smoothly? How are they using landing pages, headers, links, images…? Think about every detail and give out specific examples of ranking factors that you know have impact and probably can be improved.

2. What SEO tools do you use?

Be prepared to talk about your work tools. We suggest you try to cover most areas and not just Analytics. This includes tools for tracking keyword rankings, link analysis, page performance, etc.

3. What strategies do you implement for link building?

We can’t stress it enough: use examples! Talk and explain your strategies always accompanied by a clear example.

4. What is the largest site you have managed?

Big numbers make big impressions but if you have not managed sites with big volumes, then you can aggregate the numbers of several smaller sites. “In 2013, I’ve managed 12 sites and responsible for a total of 5 Million visits”

5. Can you describe your biggest failure in an SEO project?

No one likes to talk about negative things or mistakes but you should try to be serious and honest about this – being able to recognize a failure shows good self esteem. Also, mention what you learned from it.

6. What programming languages do you know?

If you don’t know any, don’t panic! However, it is important you demonstrate that you understand the technical side of SEO and you can work closely with developers/engineers.

7. What are effective metrics for tracking return on investment for SEO?

SEO is about clear results and making profit, so don’t take this question lightly. Really show a hiring manager you know how to connect SEO efforts into bottom line metrics for their company.

8. How do you do keyword research?

Make sure you don’t just jump in and talk about the tools you would use. Ask relevant questions about the business and competitors first so you can demonstrate that you are a strategic thinker.

9. What is the difference between Panda, Penguin and Hummingbird?

Study up on your Google Algorithm updates! A good place to check and stay updated is here.

10. How do you stay updated with latest SEO trends?

Demonstrate that you stay current with latest industry trends and you are up-to-date. A good time to specify some of the blogs you read, experts you follow, and industry events you attend.

JobFluent’s suggestion!

Transmit confidence and security by asking your own questions. Here are some questions that you should ask:

How significant is SEO to the business now?
Find out what % of visits or conversions are coming from SEO to get an idea of how critical this channel is and what you’re going to be dealing with.

Is there a dedicated budget for SEO?
This will give you an idea of how easily you can buy tools and services or if you need to be scraping by on your own.

How do you launch pages?
The bigger the company, usually the more complex it is to launch pages quickly. This will give you a better understanding of who and what is involved to get new pages out the door.

What reports are in place?
A good indication of how serious a business takes its SEO efforts is the depth of reporting. A good follow-up here would be to find out where the data is coming from for these reports.
Good Luck!!  Share your thoughts with us!