With so many users starting their search online for the products and services they need, search engine optimization (SEO) continues to be a growing field. Those looking to begin a career in SEO, or established professionals seeking the best job opportunities, should look to the cities that have the highest demand for their service. Recently, Conductor analyzed research from Indeed and Payscale to discover and rank the top 20 cities for SEO pros.
California Holds its Own
California has the most cities in the top 20 list for 2016. San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Jose all made the cut for the best of the best in the US. The growing demand for SEO services in southern California is evidenced by the increase in San Diego internet marketing agencies. This growth allowed San Diego to break into the top 10 at #9, while Los Angeles jumped to #4 from #7 in 2015 indicating an increase in opportunities. San Francisco maintained its spot at #2, which indicates the stability of the industry in the area.
DC is Home to Politics & SEO
Though not ranking in the top 10 last year, Washington, DC took the #10 spot in 2016. According to data from Indeed, SEO Specialists here can expect to earn about 22% above the national average. While DC has been a hotbed for politics over the course of history, it’s exciting to see a new industry emerging and growing in the area.
SEO is Bigger in Texas?
In 2015, Austin was the sixth city with the most SEO job postings listed. This year, the city reprises its role, but this time at #8 – 2 spots down from #6 in 2015. The creative and digital media industry accounts for more than 40,000 jobs in the city, and because of its low cost of living, more companies are building or moving their headquarters into Austin.
Don’t Let Washington Rain on Your Parade
Seattle, Washington made it to #7. Much like the industry in Austin, Seattle also slid down two positions from their #5 slot last year. This doesn’t necessarily mean that there is less demand for SEO in this city than last year, but that demand has been growing in other cities at a much faster rate.
Boston Rises Above It All
Boston saw significant growth over the past year. In 2015, they made it to #8 and in 2016 they jumped to #6. To support this, as recently as April 2017, statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that in the Boston area, professional and business services – under which SEO and marketing services fall – saw a 3.3 percent growth in employment from the previous year. At this rate, we may see Boston moving into a top 5 position in 2017.
Don’t Discount Georgia
Atlanta saw impressive growth in their SEO job market. In 2015, they were at #10 and in 2016 they rose to #5. Professional services (including technical services and scientific services) are among the largest industries in Atlanta, accounting for more than 180,000 jobs in the city.
Chicago & New York Don’t Budge
Chicago held its own at #3 and New York remained the top contender. While Chicago may have seen only slow growth without moving up the list, we certainly don’t expect this city to drop out of the top 10 anytime soon. New York maintained their top spot, which comes as no surprise – the city has long held the reputation as East Coast city that is ready to grow in big and fantastic ways.
Moving to a city that offers you better and impressive job opportunities happens quite often. We encourage you to seek out those opportunities that will help your goals in the long run.
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