How to Hire an SEO Expert from India: Guide for Hiring Managers [+SEO Specialist Job Description Tips and Salary Analysis]

The number of digital agency businesses in the US has grown at an average annual rate of 15.6% from 2018 to 2023. Among these, over 41.2% of agencies are either bootstrapped or have seen their investors withdraw due to the economic downturn experienced in 2022-23.

With the expanding digital space, the demand for digital roles such as SEO experts, performance marketers, and web developers has increased tremendously. Consequently, these companies are also facing a gap between the demand for such roles and the shortage of talent supply. 

This blog will cover the current hiring trends for top SEO roles, right salary data points and offer tips on creating an effective SEO specialist job description when hiring from India.

Facts About Digital Talent’s Hiring Sphere in the US, UK, and AU

• In the US, UK, and AU, even tech companies are increasingly opting for in-house digital teams rather than outsourcing to digital agencies. This trend has led to a 51.3% increase in hiring requirements for roles such as Web developers, SEO specialists, performance marketers, and UI/UX designers since 2021. 
• Salaries for digital talents in the US have risen by 21.2% since 2022, while in AU & NZ, the increase is 14.1%, and in the UK, it’s 13.2%.
• Self-funded agencies are facing challenges in hiring for digital roles and often turn to alternatives like hiring talent from countries like India, where hiring costs are lower. (According to a 2022 report by Clutch, 23% of global agile agencies have hired remote talents from offshore locations). With the right hiring platform, companies can reduce their standard hiring cycle from 44 days to just 5 days.

Current Hiring Trend For SEO Roles in 2024: Salary Increase Projections, Demand-supply Gap 

• 16% of all companies, including ad agencies from US/UK/AUS/SA, are hiring remote talents from offshore regions. As per Kon Ferry, by 2030, it is estimated that digital and tech companies will face a shortage specifically for SEO roles (eCommerce SEO, technical SEO, and SEO analysts). 
• With that, the salary for SEO roles in the US has risen from an average $68,332 to $83,118,  in Australia, it went from $58,990 to $67,337, and in the UK $69,991 to $79,219. 
• In 2023 alone, 49.2% of tech and digital companies in the US chose to hire from India for roles of SEO, performance marketing, and web development. 16% of all companies, including ad agencies from the UK/AUS/SA, are hiring digital talents from offshore regions.
• In the US, the demand for SEO roles is increasing by 10%. However, it is estimated that there will be a significant shortage of digital talent by 2030 in the US, UK, AU, NZ, and Germany. Consequently, companies are facing a shortage of human digital talent. 

Nearly 50% of digital agencies are hiring from India for SEO-specific roles- the paradigm shift to curb margin pressures without affecting the quality of skilled talents 

“We needed an SEO expert who could align with our dynamic expectations- who is an expert, and fits within our budget was a challenge and that’s why when we turned to India”– Sydney Digital Marketing, Australia 

“We were looking for niche skills and we wanted to hire from India due to unavailability of talents locally. We were looking for the right partner who could help us with the talents who are pre-vetted and are open to work in our time zone, shorten our long drawn onboarding process and are culturally aligned”– Incubeta, USA 

To address the challenge of the demand and supply gap, along with the increase in local talent salaries, companies are turning to hiring from India. However, with this decision, hiring managers need to choose the right hiring platform. Otherwise, companies may end up hiring unfit talents, leading to retention issues, a prolonged hiring process, or misalignment on cultural aspects.

When it comes to hiring the right SEO expert, the first step is to understand the SEO specialist salary in India by doing a compensation market analysis and creating the right job description for the role. 

Salary market analysis helps hiring managers understand the right salary data points in the skewed Indian market. 

• Digital companies when hiring dedicated SEO experts from India, doing a salary market analysis gives them an in-depth analysis of salary benchmarks for the role. Hiring managers can conduct a thorough compensation analysis to get cost-effective and fine-rated Indian remote talent. 
• A lot of salary analysis tools help hiring managers with crucial information, companies can compare the experience and also potential savings on benefits, insurance, and perks when hiring from India compared to hiring from their location.

Knowing The Art of Creating The Right SEO Specialist Job Description When Hiring From India is the Key!

• Job description clarity refers to the degree to which a job description effectively communicates the key details and expectations of a specific job role within an organization. 
• When hiring an SEO consultant from India, hiring managers often begin with the mindset of writing roles and responsibilities in the job description in the same way they do when hiring locally. In reality, there isn’t much of a difference, but the crucial aspect is to make the job description relevant to align with the needs of the Indian talent market.
• For example, if the role is remote, it is important to include a benefits and perks section to clarify the IT infrastructure details – whether the system will be provided by a third party or if an allocation will be made. 
• Indians are particularly focused on understanding the responsibilities, reporting structure, and designation associated with a role (whether they will work as an individual contributor or lead a team).
• The salary range is crucial because, despite the vastness of the Indian talent market, hiring the right SEO expert requires setting the right expectations for remuneration, benefits, and perks for the talent.
• When the job description crafted is clean, clear, and precise, it not only sets the right expectations for job duties but also saves hiring managers from receiving hundreds of irrelevant resumes. 
• 7 out of 10 hiring managers agree that a well-crafted technical SEO specialist job description not only reduces time spent on the screening process but also aids in talent retention.

Mastering The Art of Hiring An SEO Expert From India 

There are several ways to hire an SEO specialist from India, from creating an effective SEO expert job description and outsourcing agency to a hiring platform. Hiring managers are focused on shortening their hiring cycle, handling onboarding, legalities, and compliance, and ensuring transparent pricing structures. 

“We know India has some quality talent, and sometimes choosing the wrong recruitment partner not only hampers your hiring process but it takes a toll on retention and overall performance”