Head of SEO London
A Head of SEO in London is the senior marketing leader who owns organic search strategy, team performance, and SEO execution for a company or agency, often with responsibility for technical SEO, content, reporting, and growth targets.
Start here
- Review your hands-on technical SEO skills — you'll still need them.
- Focus your CV on business metrics (traffic, conversions, revenue), not just rankings.
- Start building team leadership experience if you haven't already.
- Get comfortable with cross-functional communication — it's a core part of the role.
- Benchmark London salaries against current listings to know your worth.
Here's what I've learned from current London job listings and talking to people in the role.
What I'd do first
- Check your hands-on skills. London Head of SEO roles still expect you to run a Screaming Frog crawl, audit a site, and interpret Google Search Console data. Don't assume you can delegate all of that.
- Get clear on the business metrics. The role is measured on traffic, conversions, and revenue — not just rankings. Make sure your CV and portfolio show that.
- Look at the team size. Most roles involve leading a small team (2-5 people). If you've never mentored or managed, start building that experience now.
- Know your tools. Google Analytics, SEMrush, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog — these are table stakes. If you're rusty, run through a few audits to refresh.
- Understand the cross-functional piece. You'll work with developers, content teams, PR, and product. Show examples of how you've navigated those relationships.
Plain-English take
Think of the Head of SEO as the person who decides what to do with organic search, who does it, and how to prove it worked. They're not just a manager — they're the strategist who also knows how to fix a broken redirect chain. In London, the role sits somewhere between a senior individual contributor and a director, depending on the company. You'll find it in both agencies and in-house teams, but the expectations are similar: own the roadmap, lead the team, and report on results that matter to the business.
When it actually matters
- You're hiring for the role. You need to know that a candidate who can't talk about technical SEO or business metrics probably isn't ready, even if they have 'Head of' on their CV.
- You're planning your career. If you're a senior SEO specialist or manager, this is the next logical step. Understanding the remit helps you prepare.
- You're benchmarking salary. London ranges from £65k to £100k+ — but the top end usually requires 8+ years and experience in a specific industry (like healthcare or finance).
- You're restructuring your SEO team. Knowing what a Head of SEO does (and doesn't do) helps you decide whether you need one, or if an SEO Manager + a Technical SEO Lead would work better.
What I got wrong
- I thought it was a pure management role. Most London listings still expect hands-on delivery. You can't just be a people person — you need to know how to do the work.
- I focused too much on rankings. The role is about traffic, conversions, and revenue. If you can't tie SEO to business outcomes, you'll struggle to get buy-in.
- I underestimated the technical side. Content strategy alone won't cut it. You need to understand crawling, indexing, structured data, and site architecture.
- I ignored cross-functional work. The Head of SEO spends a lot of time with developers, content teams, and stakeholders. If you can't communicate SEO priorities to non-SEOs, you'll hit a wall.
Next step
Quick answers
What does a Head of SEO do in London?
A Head of SEO in London leads organic search strategy, manages a team, oversees technical and content SEO, and reports on performance metrics like traffic and revenue.
How much does a Head of SEO earn in London?
Salaries typically range from £65,000 to £100,000+, depending on employer type, experience, and bonuses.
What skills are needed to become a Head of SEO?
Strong technical SEO, content strategy, analytics, team leadership, and cross-functional communication are essential. Hands-on delivery is still expected in most London roles.
Sources
Primary documentation is linked directly. Anything commercial is marked nofollow.
- Google Search Central — Best primary reference for how Google Search works and for technical SEO guidance that a Head of SEO is expected to understand.
- Indeed London Head of SEO listing — Useful for real-world London salary, experience, and responsibility signals in current job market data.
- Builtin London Head of SEO listing — Useful for leadership expectations, team management, forecasting, and technical requirements in London senior SEO roles.
Notes from Callum Bennett.