SEO Experts by Country - Research by InBound Blogging

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It’s no secret that search engine optimization (SEO) is fundamental to online visibility and success. However, SEO’s importance didn’t surface overnight. What started as a simple trick to game early search engines has evolved into a specialized branch of digital marketing. Alongside this transformation, the demand for experts in the field is growing not only exponentially but also globally.

We analyzed over four million LinkedIn professional profiles to see which country has the most SEO experts in the world.

Key Findings From Our Report

The United States leads with the most SEO experts in the world with over one million US-based professional profiles on LinkedIn. Of all 50 states, California comes first with over 200,000 results. Meanwhile, Utah has the most SEO experts per capita (0.608%).
Just the top five US states contribute a whopping 53.3% of the nation’s total SEO workforce.
India holds the second position with an SEO workforce exceeding 722,000 professionals on LinkedIn.
Smaller nations hold the crown for per capita dominance. In Gibraltar, a staggering 1.4% of the population listed SEO-related jobs. Monaco (1.19%), Malta (0.673%), Andorra (0.551%), and Denmark (0.541%) follow closely behind.
Across online job boards, nearly a quarter of all advertised SEO roles were fully remote.

A Brief History of SEO

The origins of the term “search engine optimization” go all the way back to the late 1990s. Before Google asserted its online search dominance, the internet was a Wild West of information. Yahoo, AltaVista, and Lycos, to name a few early browsing platforms, attempted to organize the expanding web. But as the saying goes, they all walked so Google could run.

Early dot com websites for blogs, businesses, and forums wanted to stand out in the nascent search results. All of this led to the birth of SEO.

The initial process didn’t consist of more than crude keyword spamming and directory submissions. It all changed, however, when Google first introduced PageRank—an innovative algorithm that favored websites with high-quality backlink profiles.This was the turning point that led us to SEO as we know it today.

Kent Lewis is a digital pioneer and entrepreneur from the US who saw the lucrative future of this business from the very beginning:

“I chose to transition from a career in public relations into SEO in 1996, primarily because there was a need, an opportunity and it seemed interesting to me at the time. Back then, there were 14 search engines (Google was 2 years from launching) and no books, conferences, or classes. It was a new discipline and a relatively high-risk career move at the time and I’m grateful I took the opportunity and management believed in me.”

Presently, SEO is a multifaceted digital discipline focused on delivering exceptional user experiences. The days of keyword stuffing are long gone—modern search engines prioritize excellent content, fast loading times, and mobile-first web design, among many other things. It’s the mission of SEO experts to handle these complex tasks and create a user-friendly internet.

Countries With the Most SEO Professionals

Our research covers data from 228 independent nation-states, dependencies, and other territories. To clarify, by “SEO expert,” we mean anyone who has directly stated a position or skillset related to the field on the LinkedIn profile. This includes professions such as SEO specialists, managers, consultants, and so on.

The following top ten chart features the countries that have the highest average number of SEOs, their population, and the ratio of experts per capita:

Rank	Country	Number of SEO Experts on LinkedIn (Average)	Population	Percentage Per Capita
1	United States	1,000,000	339,996,563	0.294%
2	India	722,000	1,428,627,663	0.051%
3	United Kingdom	288,000	67,736,802	0.426%
4	Pakistan	196,000	240,485,658	0.082%
5	France	142,000	64,756,584	0.219%
6	Spain	132,000	47,519,628	0.278%
7	Bangladesh	130,000	172,954,319	0.075%
8	Brazil	128,000	216,422,446	0.059%
9	Canada	123,000	38,781,291	0.317%
10	Germany	113,000	83,294,633	0.136%

The US State of SEO

While certain cities, such as Thailand’s Chiang Mai, are often dubbed as the “SEO capital of the world”, we wanted to see if the data could back that up. Surprisingly, we found only about 725 Chiang Mai residents who listed SEO-related jobs on their LinkedIn profiles. Instead, another country claims the crown as the global SEO leader.

The United States came in first on our list with over one million LinkedIn users employed in SEO-related positions. The nationwide distribution of these digital experts is not uniform, however. Our research found that the top five states collectively account for 53.3% of the total number of specialists in the country.

The nation’s high GDP per capita, coupled with a culture of entrepreneurship and risk-taking, makes the US the perfect breeding ground for digital innovation. It’s no wonder that SEO talent flourishes with ease in such a favorable economic climate. Lauren Walter, Search & Content Director at Online Optimism, had this to say about the networking opportunities in the US:

“I find that the SEO community is extremely robust in the United States. There are national conferences like MozCon, media outlets like Search Engine Journal and Search Engine Land, and plenty of newsletters, online communities, and Slack groups, such as Top of the Funnel (TOFU) and Women in Tech SEO (WTS). The Slack groups are particularly supportive, with folks asking for advice or sharing resources and getting helpful responses.”

Regional SEO Hotspots in the US by Number of Experts

Here are the top 10 US states with the highest number of SEO professionals, according to our LinkedIn search data:

Rank	US State	US SEO Experts Count (Average)	US State Population	Percentage of SEO Experts Per Capita
1	California	200,000	38,889,770	0.514%
2	New York	110,000	19,469,232	0.565%
3	Texas	93,000	30,976,754	0.3%
4	Florida	91,000	22,975,931	0.396%
5	Illinois	49,000	12,516,863	0.391%
6	Georgia	39,000	11,145,304	0.35%
7	Pennsylvania	38,000	12,951,275	0.293%
8	Washington	37,000	7,841,283	0.472%
9	Colorado	35,000	5,914,181	0.592%
9	New Jersey	35,000	9,320,865	0.376%
9	North Carolina	35,000	10,975,017	0.319%
10	Massachusetts	34,000	7,020,058	0.484%

Over 200,000 listed professionals on LinkedIn make California the SEO hub of the US. This should come as no surprise—The Golden State has an established reputation as a tech hotspot. Silicon Valley, in particular, is a well-known epicenter for technological advancements. Reports show that over 30,000 tech startups call the San Francisco Bay Area home, each contributing to the region’s digital workforce.

Colorado, New Jersey, and North Carolina share the ninth spot because each of them has about 35,000 SEOs on LinkedIn. Their per capita figures varied, however. Colorado has an edge over the other two states, with about 0.592% of its population working in the industry.

Despite this, Colorado didn’t claim the top spot—another state managed to steal the crown for the highest per capita score.

US States With the Most SEO Professionals per Capita

Among all 50 states, Utah is a notable standout. Our research found that the Beehive State has the highest concentration of SEO professionals per capita, with SEO experts making up 0.608% of the state’s population. Despite ranking 17th overall in our findings with about 21,000 SEO pros on LinkedIn, Utah seems to have a surprisingly high concentration of digital experts within its smaller population. Here is how it measures up to the remaining top 10 US states in our per capita rating:

Rank	US State	Number of SEO Experts (Average)	US State Population	Percentage of SEO Experts Per Capita
1	Utah	21,000	3,454,232	0.608%
2	Colorado	35,000	5,914,181	0.592%
3	New York	110,000	19,469,232	0.565%
4	California	200,000	38,889,770	0.514%
5	Massachusetts	34,000	7,020,058	0.484%
6	Washington	37,000	7,841,283	0.472%
7	Oregon	19,000	4,227,337	0.449%
8	Florida	91,000	22,975,931	0.396%
9	Illinois	49,000	12,516,863	0.391%
10	Vermont	2,500	647,818	0.386%

India and Pakistan: Rising Tech Hubs With Unique Challenges

India is second on our list with over 722,000 LinkedIn profiles with SEO jobs. The country’s large SEO workforce is a testament to its burgeoning IT sector, which accounts for about 7% of India’s GDP. The nation’s demographic dividend, with a young and tech-savvy population, has fueled its growing digital economy.

Lower labor costs and an extensive outsourcing industry also contribute to the country’s SEO population. Freelancing is not an uncommon practice here, particularly when it comes to digital services. The founder and CEO of India-based RankWatch, Sahil Kakkar, understands the global nature of the profession:

“We serve clients in foreign markets, including Europe and North America, allowing us to apply a global perspective to our strategies. This international experience has been invaluable, enabling us to stay ahead of industry trends and deliver exceptional results for our diverse client base.”

Pakistan, which ranks fourth on our list with about 196,000 SEO professionals, mirrors these socio-economic conditions.

Muhammad Ibtehaj Ansari is a Pakistani SEO expert who works as a digital marketing executive at Digital Auxilius, a leading digital agency in Michigan. Here’s what he had to say about the career opportunities in his home country:

“The SEO industry has been developed a lot in recent times in Pakistan but still, there is a lot of potential in the industry as well. New people are learning SEO so that they can increase their skill set or start a full-time career in this field. The already developed players are encouraging newbies to join them so that newcomers can cooperate in their responsibilities and they can explore some new and exciting opportunities further.”

However, both countries have a relatively low number of experts per capita, 0.082% and 0.051% for Pakistan and India, respectively. Why is that so?

First of all, both nations have large populations that distort the per capita nature of the distribution. India, in particular, is the most populous country on the planet.

During our research, we found several other factors that also contribute to this.

Global SEO demand, for the most part, focuses on the English language. Most positions require technical skills with a proven track record alongside native-level English proficiency.

Both India and Pakistan offer cost-effective talent pools. However, the informal nature of many jobs and infrastructure limitations puts both countries far behind the US.

According to 2024 statistics, internet penetration rates in Pakistan and India are at 45.90% and 52.4% respectively. When we compare that to the US where 97.1% of individuals have internet access, it’s clear why the States came first on our list.

Europe’s Tech Sector and SEO Micro-States

It’s well known that the US has a huge competitive edge over Europe’s tech sector. Statistics show that the cumulative market capitalization of the largest American tech giants is 20 times bigger than that of their top seven European competitors.

Despite that, two European countries—the United Kingdom (UK) and France—are among the top five places with the most SEO experts.

Western countries benefit from extensive access to higher education. Coupled with high salaries and options for additional certifications, it makes sense that this is such a desirable profession for Europeans. Here’s what Axel Lavergne, the Reviewflowz founder based in France, had to say about that:

“From what I’ve seen, there are many ways to move up in your SEO job, especially in Europe. Recent numbers show that the need for SEO experts has grown by over 20% yearly, which shows how important it is for businesses to have a digital presence. There are many meetups, forums, and other online tools that make the SEO community here active and helpful. These help people work together and share their knowledge.”

European Territories With the Most SEO Specialists per Capita

Most interestingly, our research found that some of the smallest territories in the world have the highest concentration of SEO professionals. Take a look:

Rank	Location	SEO Experts Count (Average)	Population	Percentage Per Capita
1	Gibraltar	459	32,688	1.404%
2	Monaco	432	36,297	1.19%
3	Malta	3,600	535,064	0.673%
4	Andorra	441	80,088	0.551%
5	Denmark	32,000	5,910,913	0.541%

Gibraltar, Monaco, and Malta stand out with high per capita rates that are indicative of their well-developed economies.

But what do all of these places have in common?

Before all, these territories are among some of the most established financial centers in the world. Regions with favorable tax regimes naturally attract affluent individuals and businesses. Subsequently, this creates a demand for digital services to help companies succeed in these competitive markets.

It’s fair to acknowledge that within small populations, even a low number of SEO experts would result in a high per capita rate compared to larger countries.

For more search engine optimization insights, read our SEO statistics article.

Why Is SEO Such a Popular Profession?

Algorithms change constantly. We’ve yet to go a year without the entire industry prophesizing “the death of SEO” after a big Google update. Yet the industry persists. So what keeps it going?

We narrowed down four big reasons why SEO career opportunities are still in demand:

SEO is a multifaceted discipline. Very few professions are just as attractive to both analytical and creative individuals. It’s a career path that requires a mix of ingenuity, technical knowledge, and mathematical skills.
As algorithms change, so does the nature of the profession. SEO thrives simply because the work itself is rooted in adaptability. People who succeed in this field generally enjoy dynamic workplaces where they can upskill and tackle new challenges daily.
Digital industries and remote jobs go hand-in-hand. With a laptop and a solid internet connection, SEOs can work from anywhere in the world. Naturally, this career path is especially attractive for people seeking a work-life balance.
Consumer preferences largely contribute to job market trends. Users have shifted their attention from traditional publications to online platforms and social media. Consequently, the demand for SEO expertise is rising with no signs of this tendency faltering.

We surveyed experienced professionals to hear their thoughts on digital career growth opportunities in their countries. Oladimeji Oke, content & PR manager at Assisted Digital, had this to say:

“SEO is a big industry in the UK. Almost every business understands the power of SEO and how it can impact their business. As an SEO Specialist, you can move into a broader marketing role over time, become an SEO Lead, and perhaps start your agency or use the skill to grow your own business. In summary, it’s a huge industry in the UK, as most small businesses spend around £600 to £6000.”

Additionally, we collected job posting data from two of the most popular hiring platforms—SimplyHired.com and Indeed.com. At the time of our research, there were over 4,000 US-based SEO positions on Indeed.com and 3,953 on SimplyHired.com. About a quarter of the announced jobs were fully remote offerings.

On LinkedIn, that number was even more impressive—we found 23,561 results for SEO job openings posted in July 2024 for the United States alone. A whopping 5,344 of those positions were advertised as fully remote, while 4,212 were tagged as a hybrid workplace.

About the Survey

The data for this study was sourced from publicly accessible LinkedIn profiles listing SEO jobs as of July 2024. The figures represent the number of individuals with SEO-related job titles on LinkedIn across various countries, juxtaposed with the total population figures to calculate the proportion of SEO professionals relative to each country’s population.

The LinkedIn data includes individuals with tangential roles, such as digital marketers or content creators, who have “SEO” in their job titles.

We have to acknowledge that LinkedIn is widely used particularly in developed countries, especially in the West. According to the platform’s own data, the United States has over 225 million LinkedIn users. In comparison, there are only about 89 million Indian users. However, since SEO professions are entirely dependent on digital infrastructure and online presence, we believe that these results are a valid representation of the state of the industry.

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Article by

Nikola Baldikov

Nikola Baldikov is an SEO magician with a passion for helping companies succeed in their online efforts. He is a founder of Inbound Blogging, where he specializes in SaaS marketing, SEO, and outreach strategies. In addition to his work, he is an avid football fan and loves to dance.

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