The most important thing for getting any job is an interview. That’s why you must put in extra effort to ace your job interview. Many people believe an interview is only about telling the interviewer about your biggest achievements and milestones, which is important.

But you have to be the best, and you have to do proper research on the topic to show your expertise in the field.

If you plan to give an SEO interview, let me tell you there are many SEO professionals. There might be hundreds of people who applied for the same role. How can you tell recruiters that you have the expertise and best fit for the role?

You can do it with practical knowledge and answers to their questions. If you are preparing for a search engine optimization role, I’ve something for you.

A list of the most common SEO interview questions. Interviewers often ask these questions, and I’ll also share the best answer for these questions.

It’ll increase your chances of landing the job. So read this before interviewing and increase your chances of getting your dream role. Let’s get started.

Most Important & Common SEO Interview Questions

After a lot of research, interviewing several SEO specialists, and using my personal experience, I’ve made a list of questions often asked in such interviews. The range of these questions varies, so whether you’re a beginner, mid-level, or expert in the search engine optimization field, you should know them all.

What Is SEO?

This is the most basic query often asked by interviewers.

SEO is an abbreviation of Search Engine Optimization. It’s optimizing a website’s content, structure, and other elements to improve its visibility and search ranking on Google.

Another question they might ask is, why are we doing all of this? What’s the primary goal of this?

It is to make your website more appealing to search engines. So it’ll increase the likelihood of reaching more audience, sales, leads, and traffic without marketing campaigns.

What Are 5 Basic On-page Elements?

If you are asked this query in an interview, then you should answer like this. The five major elements of on-page search engine optimization are as follows.

• URL structure: Your URL should be unique. It helps search engines crawl and index websites easily. For this, you need to add target keywords in the URL.
• Title links: They are also known as title tags. This title shows on the SERPs, and Google can also determine links using different resources. 
• Meta Description: Every search engine uses meta description (meta title) tags in Google search results often as featured snippets. Remember, the title is usually 2-3 words, but the meta description can be two sentences, a paragraph, or even more.
• Header Tags: With this, Google can easily determine the hierarchical structure of your content. When search engine bots crawl to the page, they understand it better, making navigation smoother.
• Content Optimization: Your content is the most important part. If you have applied every technique, such as quality backlinks and guest posting, yet not seeing any progress. Then the issue might be in your content. Make error-free, high-quality, and original content. So create high-quality content and keep updating your older content with keywords for better chances of ranking. You can also get a rough idea of keywords by searching terms that appear on Google.

Suppose I’m a beginner. How Will You Explain Search Engine Optimization To Me?

Search Engine Optimization is like making your website stand out in a big online library.

What does a librarian do?

They help you find the right book. Likewise, search engines guide people to websites they want to see. But it’s difficult because search engines won’t recommend your site to anyone.

You’ve to follow some guidelines, rules, and tips for this. To be noticed, organize your site neatly, use clear headings, and include relevant keywords, primary keywords, secondary keywords, etc.

So when people type a search query for something related to your site, Google will show your website on top of their results. Search Engine Optimization is a type of digital marketing. This is helpful because more people can discover and find what you have to offer.

Is Seo Really Important?

You might get asked this, and it’s important to be prepared. Start by telling them some relevant stats. Ensure to give updated information and avoid telling facts that were applicable 5-10 years ago. It can leave a negative impression.

There are billions of web pages on Google, and everyone’s competing for the top position. Because around 95% of people stick to the first page of a Google search, they don’t even bother to click on page 2.

So if your business is at the top, you can reach more people.

First-page ranking = More Traffic = More Chances of Finding Potential Customers = Convert Them Into Customers

So even without spending any money on marketing campaigns, you still get to rank on Google and increase organic traffic. All of this is possible with search engine optimization.

What Do You Mean By Organic Result?

These search results are provided by Google based on quality, relevance, and many other factors. These results are also known as:

• Natural outcomes
• Free results

These results appear below the paid ads. One thing that you should know about organic searches is that you can’t change them by paying money to Google.

What Is Meant By Paid Results?

Paid results are paid search or pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. It refers to the listings that appear at the top or bottom of search engine results pages when you search for something.

These results are usually labeled as “Ad” or “Sponsored.”

Suppose you want to buy a generator and search “oppo a9” on Google. The first few results labeled “Ad” are paid results. These are paid results and it’s a way for businesses to get noticed and attract customers.

Source: acmethemes

What Are Keyword Frequency & Keyword Difficulty?

A keyword is a specific word or phrase used when searching for information on search engines like Google. Meanwhile, there are certain things that you should know about keywords.

• Keyword Frequency: The number of times a keyword is used in the content. However, many people add keywords often in hopes that content will rank better. But it’s false and is keyword stuffing. Google doesn’t like such tactics and might penalize your site.
• Keyword Difficulty: It is a metric through which you measure the difficulty of a keyword. It is based on prominence and the number of competitors already using it. If the keyword is complicated, you should get backlinks to increase performance.

What Is The Definition Of A Long Tail Keyword?

Long tail keywords are longer and more specific keyword phrases containing three or more words. Unlike shorter, more general keywords, long-tail keywords are more targeted and specific to a particular:

• Topic
• Niche
• Audience

The best way to use these keywords is to write high-quality blogs. They have a lower search volume, but if you use them correctly, you can receive a lot of traffic and increase your conversion rate.

What’s Your Keywords Research Process?

In this query, they are asking about your approach. How you are doing it because they want to know if you are following all the necessary steps. Here are some points you must add while answering this common question for freshers:

• Brainstorm relevant keywords, popular searches of the industry and understand your target audience, niche, and understand their business model.
• Find seed keywords.
• Use keyword research tools (e.g., Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush).
• Analyze competitors’ targeted keywords.
• Identify long-tail keywords.
• Consider search intent (informational, navigational, transactional).
• Choose keywords relevant to your content.
• Balance search volume and competition.
• Naturally, incorporate keywords into your content.

How Can Optimize Images for SEO?

Image optimization is extremely important. You should add alt text to all the images. It helps search engines find your images. An image sitemap is crucial because it’ll give Google relevant information on your webpage. It increases the chances of your images ranking on Google.

Most importantly, resize your images. Images with high resolution can increase loading time and frustrate website visitors. Use tools like Converterzu to resize your images. Make your images compatible with mobile devices.

What Is Domain Extension?

A domain extension, also known as a top-level domain (TLD), is the last part of a website’s domain name that comes after the “dot” symbol. It is used to categorize and identify the purpose or nature of a website on the internet.

For example, in the domain name “echofish.com,” the “.com” is the domain extension.

What Is Web Hosting?

Web hosting is a server through which individuals and organizations make their websites accessible online.

When someone enters your domain in a browser, it connects to the server and displays your content. Hosting providers offer plans with various features for different types of websites.

You can get web hosting from the blue host or any other service provider.

What Is Web Crawling?

Web crawling is where automated bots, often called “search engine crawlers” or “spiders,” navigate the internet to index and collect information from websites. Search engines like Google use web crawling to:

• Discover new web pages
• Update existing content
• Gather data to provide relevant search results to users

What Are Backlinks?

A backlink is when one website gives a link to another website. They greatly impact SERPs and skyrocket the chances of improving traffic and also known as inbound links or incoming links.

They can be either no-follow or do-follow. You should avoid bad backlinks from websites with low domain authority, and use different marketing channels to find backlinks.

You can do a link audit to check bad links, broken links, and all sorts of links directed toward your website. Use Moz to check linking root domains and link counts.

What is Google Webmaster?

Google Webmaster Tools, also known as Google Search Console. It is a free web service provided by Google that allows website owners and webmasters to:

• Monitor
• Manage the site

It provides a variety of tools and reports that help website owners understand how Google’s search engine crawls, indexes, and ranks their websites. Some people use the Bing Webmaster tools to monitor website performance on Bing. With Bing Webmaster tools you can optimize SEO which is a crucial digital marketing strategy. 

What Is A Do-Follow link?

A do-follow link is a hyperlink that tells search engines to follow the link to its destination website. It also passes on “link juice,” which is a term used to describe the authority, relevance, and search engine optimization value of the linking page. Remember:

High Link Juice = High Search Ranking

Is the No-Follow link Same As Do-follow Link?

It is the opposite of the do-follow link. Search engine bots can not follow the link or follow outbound links. This means that when a website adds a no-follow tag to a link, it doesn’t provide the linked page with the same search engine optimization value as a do-follow link would.

Wikipedia has nofollow tags in the external links, which gets a huge number of traffic. Nofollow links do not pass link equity.

What is On-Page SEO?

On-page SEO refers to the optimization of individual web pages. It is done to improve website visibility and ranking in search engine results. It involves optimizing various on-page elements, such as content, meta tags, headings, images, URL structure, and internal links.

You can use tools like Ahrefs, SEOreviewtools, and Semrush to find keywords and keyword density. Ensure that your content matches the search intent.

Source: jasonmun

What is Off-Page SEO?

In this, we use strategies and do activities outside your website to improve its search engine ranking and online visibility. In this, we build a positive online reputation and authority by:

• Acquiring backlinks from reputable websites
• Engaging in social media marketing
• Influencer outreach

Many other methods contribute to the rise in a website’s credibility and relevance. You can also use social media platforms and post relevant content. These social platforms include LinkedIn, Instagram threads, Twitter, etc. It will increase your online presence.

What Are Common SEO Mistakes?

This is among common questions for freshers and it confuses many of them. There are various search engine optimization mistakes that you should avoid. They include broken links, not making rich snippets, implementing black-hat SEO tactics, bad links, not focusing on social media platforms, bad user experience, not optimizing your website for mobile users, and delaying search engine submission.

Many people don’t even check the bounce rate or exit rate which can hurt your ranking signal.

What is a Page Title?

A page title is also known as a title tag. It is an HTML element that defines the title of a web page. It appears at the top of a browser’s window or tab when the page is open. It is also displayed as the main clickable link in search engine results. It should be well-optimized to attract search engines and the target audience.

What Is The Definition Of URLs?

URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator. It’s the web address used to access a specific resource, like a web page or a file, on the internet. A URL typically includes the protocol. A URL slug identifies the address of the webpage.

“HTTP” or “https,” the domain name, and then the page topic. So the URL for a web page with search engine optimization services will appear like this.

https: //echofish.io/service/seo-content-writing /

What Is An SEO-Friendly URL?

An SEO-friendly URL is a web address structured in a way that is easy for internet users and search engines to understand. It typically includes relevant keywords related to the content of the page.

An SEO-friendly URL helps search engines determine the topic of the page. It contributes to better search engine rankings and user experience.

For example, https://www.example.com/fitness-tips is more SEO-friendly than https://www.example.com/page123.

Remember that your URL should be clean, readable, and simple. Because that’s what search engines prioritize the most.

What Is Anchor Text?

Anchor text is the visible and clickable text within a hyperlink. It’s the text users see when they see a link on a webpage. Some links can direct to a document, webpage, pdf, article, or anything else.

They are often underlined blue. But the color can change depending on changes in HTML code. Remember that anchor text should be relevant to the page.

What is 301 Redirect?

A 301 redirect is a permanent web page redirection to a different URL. Suppose you have moved your website to a new location.

To inform internet users and search engines about this change, you can use the 301 redirects. So whenever someone visits the old URL, the server sends a 301 Moved Permanently status code. Afterward, it’ll automatically redirect them to the new URL.

What is Google Analytics?

It was launched in 2005 by Google. Google Analytics is a free web analytics service offered by Google. It provides website owners, marketers, and businesses with insights and data about their website’s performance and user behavior.

You can track your website performance, traffic, and other necessary things with Google Analytics. The SEO tool is free, but you must purchase a premium version for advanced features.

What Is Guest Posting?

Guest posting is a content marketing and SEO strategy where you write and publish content on someone else’s website. With it, you can show your bio profile as an author and link back to your website.

These articles are typically relevant to the target website’s audience and industry. With guest blogging, you can:

• Establish credibility
• Attract new readers
• Improve search engine rankings.

What is Blog Commenting?

It is a strategy in which you leave valuable and thoughtful comments on others’ blogs. They increase your credibility, and you can position yourself as an expert. There are two main approaches to the process.

• This involves utilizing tools like Scrapebox to automatically post comments on a large number of sites.
• You manually choose sites that are relevant to your niche. You aim to genuinely contribute valuable comments and become a part of the site’s community before including your link.

What is an SEO Audit?

This audit is a comprehensive analysis of a website’s performance and its compliance with search engine optimization best practices. It involves evaluating various aspects of the website:

• Technical setup
• On-page elements
• Off-page elements
• Content quality
• Positive user experience
• Overall search engine visibility.

An SEO audit aims to find areas for improvement and issues affecting the website’s ranking and visibility in search results, going one step ahead to provide actionable recommendations to enhance its SEO performance.

Source: Woofresh 

What Do You Expect In The Future Of SEO?

It is a popular question and asked to check your thinking and interest in the search engine optimization field. You might be wondering, what if I make a wrong prediction? Or what if my predictions don’t come true?

It’s absolutely fine.

But make your answers relevant. Talk about hot topics in the industry. As of now, local SEO is increasing, and many business owners are using it. Read SEO blogs to stay updated about the latest updates in search engine optimization.

More people will start using Google Sandbox and schema markup to increase their online presence.

What Are Some SEO Myths That You Are Tired Of People Believing In Them?

Don’t fret. Anyone with SEO knowledge can answer this basic question easily. But the interviewer is asking about your perspective. Here are some common myths.

Some of the most common myths are search engine optimization is a one-time effort, more backlinks are always better and keyword stuffing gives high ranking signals but it is a black-hat SEO technique. Still using meta keywords to increase social signals.

How To Check Which Page Is Indexed In Google?

You can check it by following this process step-by-step.

• Go to Google search.
• Type this search term “site:yourwebsite.com” (replace with your domain).
• Google will display indexed pages from your site.
• Alternatively, use Google Search Console.
• Verify your site in the Search Console.
• Go to the “Index” > “Coverage” section.
• Check the number of valid indexed pages there.

Bonus Tips For Your Interview

It’s fine to feel anxious or nervous about your interview. I’m sharing some bonus tips for a successful interview.

Be aware of recent trends, algorithm updates, and search engine optimization landscape changes. Prepare real-life examples of your SEO skills through projects, successes, challenges, and how you approached them.

Show your soft skills to explain complex concepts in simple words clearly. Highlight your ability to collaborate, adapt to changes, and work within a team, as these qualities are essential.

Ending Thoughts

If you answer these SEO interview questions, you can set yourself apart from others. But SEO is a dynamic field that keeps changing, so stay updated with the latest innovations. These are just some basic questions but there are still other things you need to know if want to become an SEO expert.

I have been in the SEO industry for the past six years and I realized one thing, SEO is not just a one time thing. You have to regularly follow all the updates to understand everything.