Location: U.S. Remote (Eastern Time Preferred)
Employment Type: Contract
About 36creative
36creative is a creative, marketing, and technology agency that helps organizations grow through thoughtful strategy, strong creative, and high-performance digital experiences.
Our agency work spans brand development, website design and development, ecommerce, UX, print and collateral design, marketing campaigns, and ongoing optimization programs. We love partnering with clients that value strategic thinking, strong design, and measurable outcomes from agencies.
We are building a network of senior SEO partners to support strategy, execution, and growth across our client portfolio.
This is not a task-based or production-only role. We are looking for operators who can own outcomes, think commercially, and integrate SEO into broader digital strategy.
The Role
This is a strategic, execution-focused role with client-facing responsibilities, not a production-only SEO position.
You will own SEO strategy across clients, guide execution across content and technical initiatives, and help position SEO as a long-term growth investment.
You will work closely with internal teams (strategy, creative, technology, and growth) to ensure SEO is fully integrated into digital experiences and campaigns.
The ideal candidate understands how SEO connects to broader business outcomes and can translate technical and content strategies into measurable ROI.
What This Role Is Not
This is not a checklist-based or production-only SEO role. We are not looking for:
- Pure link-building or backlink-focused specialists
- Keyword volume-driven strategists without intent or UX consideration
- Individuals who rely heavily on templated or AI-generated content without strategic oversight
- Individuals who cannot connect their work to business outcomes (revenue, conversion, customer acquisition)
We value strategic thinking, accountability, and measurable impact. Please be prepared to share some past examples with us.
Key Responsibility Examples
Lead SEO Strategy
- Own performance outcomes tied to organic traffic quality, conversion, and revenue impact
- Develop comprehensive SEO strategies across content, technical, and on-page optimization
- Conduct keyword research based on search intent, not just volume
- Define content architecture, topic clusters, and internal linking strategies
- Identify opportunities for structured data, rich snippets, and SERP enhancements
- Identify and strategize long-term, recurring client growth opportunities
Guide Execution Across Teams
- Create detailed briefs for strategic, creative, technological, and growth teams
- Audit and QA pages for metadata, headings, URLs, schema, and technical SEO best practices
- Partner with technology team leads to identify and prioritize technical improvements (crawlability, indexation, site performance)
- Ensure SEO is integrated into website builds, redesigns, and ongoing optimization efforts
Technical & On-Page SEO Oversight
- Conduct technical audits and identify issues related to crawlability, indexation, and site structure
- Provide recommendations for schema markup, page speed improvements, and core web vitals
- Optimize on-page elements, including meta titles, descriptions, headings, and internal linking
- Monitor and improve site health using industry tools (e.g., GSC, Ahrefs, SEMrush, Screaming Frog)
Content & Growth Strategy
- Partner with content teams to develop SEO-driven content strategies
- Identify opportunities for organic growth through new and existing content
- Align SEO strategies with broader marketing campaigns and business goals
- Continuously refine strategy based on performance data and search trends
Client Engagement & Communication
- Act as a strategic advisor, not just a channel specialist
- Lead SEO discussions with clients, translating strategy into clear business value
- Present findings, opportunities, and performance insights in a clear and compelling way
- Help clients understand how SEO contributes to traffic, conversion, and revenue growth
- Build trust with stakeholders, including marketing leaders, founders, and executives
Support Growth & New Business
- Contribute to scoping, pricing, and positioning SEO engagements
- Participate in new business conversations where SEO is a key component
- Participate in crafting SEO engagements tailored to clients, including ongoing retainers
- Contribute to positioning SEO services as a long-term growth investment
- Collaborate with leadership to evolve SEO offerings and packages
Partner Expectations
As an SEO partner, you will:
- Operate independently while collaborating with internal teams
- Take ownership of outcomes, not just deliverables
- Be comfortable working within a performance-driven, ROI-focused environment
- Contribute to long-term client growth and retention
- Participate in shaping how SEO is sold, packaged, and delivered at 36creative
Required Experience
- 5+ years of experience in SEO strategy with demonstrated impact on organic growth and revenue
- Proven case studies showing measurable outcomes (traffic quality, rankings, conversion, revenue)
- Experience owning SEO across multiple clients or business units
- 5+ years of experience working with ecommerce
- Proven experience across both content and technical SEO
- Strong understanding of on-page optimization, site architecture, and internal linking
- Experience guiding cross-functional teams (content, UX, development)
- Ability to translate SEO efforts into measurable business outcomes
- Experience working directly with clients and presenting strategic recommendations
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working within a creative, marketing, or digital agency
- Familiarity with CMS and Ecom platforms (WordPress, Shopify, headless CMS, etc.)
What Success Looks Like
Success in this role includes:
- Developing and executing SEO strategies that drive measurable organic growth
- Improving rankings, traffic quality, and conversion performance across client sites
- Successfully integrating SEO into broader digital and marketing initiatives
Engagement Model
This is a contract-based role with flexible engagement depending on client needs. Typical engagements may include:
- Ongoing monthly retainers (strategy + oversight)
- Project-based SEO initiatives (audits, site launches, migrations)
- Support during key growth phases (content expansion, technical improvements)
You may be working concurrently with multiple clients, depending on availability and fit. We operate in a highly collaborative but asynchronous environment, with occasional client-facing meetings as needed. This position has a potential path to full-time employment, if desired.
Compensation
Compensation is structured based on scope, experience, and engagement type (hourly, retainer, project-based).
We prioritize long-term partnerships with consistent, high-impact contributors.
How to Apply
Please submit your resume along with a brief note describing:
- A brief summary of your approach to SEO strategy (not tactics)
- 1–2 case studies demonstrating measurable impact (traffic, rankings, conversion, or revenue)
- The keyword apple pie (to confirm attention to detail)
- Types of clients or industries you’ve worked with
Optional but preferred:
- Examples of SEO briefs, audits, or strategic deliverables
- Links to sites or projects you’ve directly influenced
You should be prepared to speak in detail about your role in each example and the outcomes achieved.