SEO Strategist (Search & AI Visibility)

McCANN Canada; Toronto; On-site; CAD 75,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

McCann Canada seeks an intermediate-level Search & AI Visibility Strategist to enhance client visibility across traditional search and AI-powered discovery platforms. You will craft integrated SEO and AI Optimization strategies, perform audits, and translate insights into actionable plans.

You will collaborate with content, analytics, and development teams to improve discoverability, authority, and performance across Google, AI Overviews, and emerging engines.

Qualifications

• 4-6 years of experience in SEO, organic search, or digital strategy.
• Proven experience conducting technical and content audits and translating findings into roadmaps.
• Experience with AI Search, AI Visibility, AEO, GEO, or related methodologies.
• Experience implementing structured data and knowledge graph strategies.
• Proficiency with industry tools listed above (SEMrush, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog).

Responsibilities

• Develop SEO, AEO, and AI Visibility strategies across client portfolios.
• Conduct technical, content, entity, and AI visibility audits.
• Analyze site architecture, crawlability, indexation, and structured data to improve performance.
• Perform keyword research, intent analysis, and content gap assessments.
• Develop content recommendations and support planning and optimization.
• Evaluate content across Google Search, AI Overviews, Bing/Copilot, and other engines.
• Develop structured data, schema markup, and knowledge graph strategies.
• Collaborate with CMS teams to audit, optimize, and publish content.
• Translate research into clear roadmaps with measurable outcomes.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to support SEO and AI visibility initiatives.
• Establish KPIs and reporting methodologies for organic and AI search visibility.
• Monitor trends and updates in AI search and best practices.
• Present findings and strategic recommendations to clients and internal teams.

Skills

SEO

Technical SEO

AI Visibility

Content strategy

CMS Knowledge

Structured data

Knowledge graph

Analytics

Presentation skills

Tools

SEMrush

Ahrefs

Screaming Frog

Google Search Console

Google Analytics

Google Trends

Similarweb

Job description

The Search & AI Visibility Strategist is an intermediate-level, client-facing role responsible for helping clients increase their visibility across traditional search engines and emerging AI-powered discovery platforms.

Reporting to the Director of Digital Strategy, you will develop integrated SEO and AI Optimization (AEO) strategies, identify growth opportunities through research and technical audits, and translate complex insights into clear, actionable recommendations. Working closely with content, analytics, web development, and account teams, you will help brands improve discoverability, authority, and performance across Google Search, AI Overviews, Bing/Copilot, ChatGPT Search, Perplexity, Gemini, and other answer engines.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical SEO expertise with a deep understanding of content strategy, structured data, entity optimization, and the rapidly evolving AI search ecosystem. You are equally comfortable analyzing technical website issues, identifying content opportunities, educating clients, and guiding teams on best practices for search and AI visibility.

What You Will Do

• Develop SEO, AEO, and AI Visibility strategies across a portfolio of clients to improve discoverability, authority, and performance across traditional and AI-powered search experiences.
• Conduct technical SEO, content, entity, and AI visibility audits to identify opportunities for increased search and answer engine visibility.
• Analyze website architecture, navigation, internal linking, crawlability, indexation, structured data, and information architecture to improve search performance and AI accessibility.
• Perform keyword research, search intent analysis, competitive reviews, content gap assessments, and audience discovery to inform strategic recommendations.
• Develop content recommendations and support content planning, authoring, optimization, and content lifecycle initiatives.
• Evaluate and optimize content for Google Search, AI Overviews, Bing/Copilot, ChatGPT Search, Perplexity, Gemini, and other emerging answer engines.
• Develop and recommend structured data, schema markup, entity optimization, and knowledge graph strategies to enhance search visibility and content understanding.
• Work within CMS platforms to audit, optimize, and publish content as required.
• Translate research and analysis into clear roadmaps, actionable recommendations, prioritized implementation plans, and measurable business outcomes.
• Collaborate with content strategists, developers, analysts, and client stakeholders to support SEO and AI visibility initiatives.
• Establish performance frameworks, KPIs, and reporting methodologies for organic search and AI search visibility.
• Monitor performance, industry trends, algorithm updates, emerging AI search developments, and evolving best practices.
• Present findings, strategic recommendations, implementation plans, and performance updates to clients and internal teams.

Who You Are

• 4-6 years of experience in SEO, organic search, content strategy, or digital strategy, preferably within an agency, consulting, or client-facing environment.
• Strong technical SEO expertise, including crawling, indexing, site architecture, redirects, structured data, page experience, and website governance.
• Proven experience conducting technical and content audits and translating findings into strategic recommendations and actionable roadmaps.
• Experience with AI Search, AI Visibility, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), or related emerging search methodologies.
• Experience implementing and evaluating structured data, schema markup, entity optimization, and knowledge graph strategies.
• Proficiency with tools such as SEMrush, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Google Trends, Similarweb, or comparable platforms.
• Experience developing SEO-informed content strategies and collaborating with content, editorial, and creative teams.
• Experience working with CMS platforms such as WordPress, Drupal, Sitecore, Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), Contentful, or similar systems.
• Understanding of content architecture, taxonomy, metadata, semantic search principles, and information architecture best practices.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and data interpretation skills, with the ability to derive meaningful insights from complex datasets.
• Experience measuring and reporting on organic search performance, content performance, and search visibility metrics.
• Ability to prioritize recommendations based on business objectives, technical complexity, resource requirements, and expected impact.
• Excellent PowerPoint, presentation, communication, and storytelling skills.
• Comfortable presenting to clients, facilitating strategic discussions, and translating complex technical concepts into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Collaborative, curious, and proactive, with a passion for evolving search technologies, AI-powered discovery, and digital innovation.
• General knowledge of paid search (SEM) is also considered an asset, but this role does not have a paid media focus.

The salary range for this position is $75,000 - $90,000 per year. Compensation will be determined based on qualifications, relevant experience, and internal equity.

McCann Canada uses artificial intelligence in our recruitment process to enhance job postings and streamline the screening and selection of prospective candidates. Our team will then review top applicants, ensuring that human judgement guides our hiring decision.

This posting represents an active vacancy that we are currently hiring for.

The Company

McCann Canada is committed to a diverse workforce as an Employment Equity employer (Women, People with Disabilities, Aboriginal Peoples, and Visible Minorities) and aims to maintain an inclusive and equitable workplace where employees feel valued, respected, and supported. If you require an accommodation, we would be happy to work with you to meet your needs.