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A Marketing Calendar Template To Plan Your Content For 2023

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A Marketing Calendar Template To Plan Your Content For 2023

The days have grown shorter, and the weather has grown colder, which can only mean one thing: The end of the year is upon us.

How did you do in 2022? Did you hit all your professional goals? Or did you fall short in some areas?

Take some time to celebrate your successes, but then it’s time to put that behind you and look ahead to 2023.

Seizing the new year and setting yourself (and your organization) up for success means having a solid marketing plan.

You need a detailed strategy that identifies specific holidays and events you can leverage to maximize the impact of your brand.

But it’s so much work to create.

If only there were some incredible resources you could use. Like a ready-made calendar with all the holidays in one convenient, customizable, and easily referenceable table you could use to help you create your own 2023 marketing calendar…

Just think of how convenient it would be to identify National Weed Your Garden Day (June 13), Better Breakfast Month (September), or International Firefighters Day (May 4) with just a quick glance.

Maybe you didn’t even know holidays like NASCAR Day (May 19), World Tourism Day (September 27), and Meat Week (January 29-February 5) exist.

While you could run successful marketing campaigns without acknowledging these events, they provide a great chance for you to target leads and customers in a fun and engaging way.

And you’re in luck – we’ve done all the work to create a marketing calendar template for you. And best of all, it’s free.

2023 Free Marketing Calendar Templates

Some marketers are like the ant in Aesop’s famous fable, planning for the coming year to ensure they’re moving into a new year with a defined and well-thought-out strategy.

And then there are the grasshopper types, who will suddenly recall mid-Christmas break that they don’t have anything on the calendar for 2023.

No matter which one you are, we’re here to help.

2023 Marketing Calendar

Here is your marketing calendar for 2023. We’ve created a list of events, holidays, and celebrations, plus a handy template to help you market more effectively this year.

Much of the calendar is focused on the U.S. and Canada, with some major international and religious holidays.

Use the tab titled “All Holidays + Google Calendar” to Google Calendar.

Your 2023 Holiday Marketing Calendar

This calendar is separated by month, so you can jump to whichever month you need:

January

A new year means a new start.

Whether your goal is to stop smoking, lose those pounds you’ve accidentally packed on since Thanksgiving, or take a more positive view of the world, this is the time when it all starts.

And outside of new resolutions, you also have college football bowl games, the Sundance Film Festival, and National Hat Day to look forward to.

Monthly Observances

  • Weight Loss Awareness Month
  • National Blood Donor Month
  • National Thank You Month
  • National Hobby Month
  • National Hot Tea Month
  • Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month
  • National Slow Cooking Month
  • National Skating Mont

Weekly Observances

  • January 1-7 – Diet Resolution Week
  • January 1-7 – National Thank Your Customers Week
  • January 8-14 – Home Office Safety and Security Week
  • January 15-21 – Hunt For Happiness Week
  • January 16-22 – Sugar Awareness Week
  • January 22-28 – National School Choice Week
  • January 23-27 – Clean Out Your Inbox Week
  • January 29-February 4 – Meat Week

Days

  • January 1 – New Year’s Day
  • January 1 – National Hangover Day
  • January 1 – Outback Bowl
  • January 1 – Rose Bowl
  • January 1 – NHL Winter Classic
  • January 2 – Science Fiction Day
  • January 3 – Festival of Sleep Day
  • January 4 – Trivia Day
  • January 5 – National Bird Day
  • January 5-8 – PGA Tournament of Champions
  • January 6 – National Bean Day
  • January 6 – Cuddle Up Day
  • January 7 – Orthodox Christmas
  • January 8 – Elvis’s Birthday
  • January 9 – College Football Playoff National Championship
  • January 10 – Golden Globes
  • January 10 – National Bittersweet Chocolate Day
  • January 10 – Houseplant Appreciation Day
  • January 10 – National Clean Off Your Desk Day
  • January 12 – Stick to Your New Year’s Resolution Day
  • January 13 – National Rubber Ducky Day
  • January 14 – Dress Up Your Pet Day
  • January 15 – National Hat Day
  • January 17 – Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day
  • January 17 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  • January 18 – Winnie the Pooh Day (Author A.A. Milne’s birthday)
  • January 19 – National Popcorn Day
  • January 19-29 – Sundance Film Festival
  • January 20 – Penguin Awareness Day
  • January 20 – National Cheese Lover’s Day
  • January 21 – National Hugging Day
  • January 22 – Chinese New Year
  • January 23 – National Pie Day
  • January 24 – Compliment Day
  • January 24 – National Peanut Butter Day
  • January 24 – Community Manager Appreciation Day #CMAD
  • January 25 – Opposite Day
  • January 26 – Spouse’s Day
  • January 27 – Chocolate Cake Day
  • January 27-29 – Winter X Games
  • January 28 – Data Privacy Day
  • January 29 – National Puzzle Day
  • January 31 – Backward Day

Popular Hashtags For January:

  • #NewYearsDay
  • #ScienceFictionDay
  • #NationalTriviaDay
  • #NationalBirdDay
  • #NationalStickerDay
  • #GetToKnowYourCustomersDay
  • #CheeseLoversDay
  • #MLKDay
  • #NationalHuggingDay
  • #PieDay
  • #NationalComplimentDay
  • #OppositeDay
  • #CMAD
  • #PrivacyAware

February

Though it’s only 28 days long, February is jam-packed with events you can leverage for your marketing campaigns.

Spread the love on Valentine’s Day, celebrate the end of winter (or lament its continuation) on Groundhog Day, and do some good deeds for Random Acts of Kindness Week.

Need a few more ideas to flesh out your calendar? Scroll on.

Monthly Observances

  • Black History Month
  • American Heart Month
  • National Heart Month
  • National Weddings Month
  • National Cherry Month

Weekly Observances

  • February 5-11 – Children’s Authors and Illustration Week
  • February 9-15 – New York Fashion Week
  • February 12-18 – Freelance Writers Appreciation Week
  • February 12-18 – International Flirting Week
  • February 19-25 – National Pancake Week
  • February 14-21 – Condom Week
  • February 14-20 – Random Acts of Kindness Week

Days

  • February 1 – National Freedom Day
  • February 2 – Groundhog Day
  • February 3 – Give Kids a Smile Day
  • February 3 – Bubble Gum Day
  • February 3 – Wear Red Day
  • February 4 – World Cancer Day
  • February 5 – World Nutella Day
  • February 5 – National Weatherperson’s Day
  • February 6 – National Chopsticks Day
  • February 7 – Send a Card to a Friend Day #SendACardToAFriendDay
  • February 8 – Boy Scout’s Day
  • February 9 – National Pizza Day
  • February 10 – Umbrella Day
  • February 11 – Make a Friend Day
  • February 12 – Lincoln’s Birthday
  • February 13 – Super Bowl Sunday
  • February 14 – Valentine’s Day
  • February 15 – Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday
  • February 15 – Singles Awareness Day
  • February 17 – Random Acts of Kindness Day
  • February 18 – Drink Wine Day
  • February 20 – Love Your Pet Day
  • February 20 – Presidents Day
  • February 21 – Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras
  • February 22 – Ash Wednesday
  • February 22 – Washington’s Birthday
  • February 22 – Margarita Day
  • February 22 – Walk Your Dog Day
  • February 24 – National Tortilla Chip Day
  • February 26 – National Pistachio Day
  • February 28 – Floral Design Day

Popular Hashtags For February:

  • #GroundhogDay
  • #WorldCancerDay
  • #NationalWeatherpersonsDay
  • #SendACardToAFriendDay
  • #BoyScoutsDay
  • #NationalPizzaDay
  • #ValentinesDay
  • #RandomActsOfKindnessDay
  • #PresidentsDay
  • #LoveYourPetDay

March

The beginning of spring, March Madness, and, of course, St. Patrick’s Day – who doesn’t love March?

Okay, that whole coming in like a lion thing is a little rough, but even on the coldest days, you can take heart that the worst is almost over.

Here are some holidays and events you can use to make your brand’s March a great one.

Monthly Observances

  • Women’s History Month
  • Nutrition Month
  • Peanut Month
  • Music in Our Schools Month
  • Craft Month
  • Irish Heritage Month
  • American Red Cross Month
  • March for Meals
  • The Great American Cleanup
  • Ramadan begins on March 22

Weekly Observances

  • March 6-12– Girl Scout Week
  • March 12-18 – Campfire Birthday Week
  • March 13-19 – National Sleep Awareness Week
  • March 27 – Apr 2 National Cleaning Week

Days

  • March 1 – Peanut Butter Lover’s Day
  • March 2 – National Read Across America Day (Dr. Seuss Day)
  • March 3 – World Wildlife Day
  • March 4 – Grammar Day
  • March 4 – Day of Unplugging
  • March 4 – Employee Appreciation Day
  • March 6 – Dentist’s Day
  • March 6 – Oreo Day
  • March 7 – Cereal Day
  • March 8 – International Women’s Day
  • March 10 – Popcorn Lover’s Day
  • March 12 – Daylight Savings
  • March 12– Girl Scout Day
  • March 12 – 95th Academy Awards Ceremony
  • March 13 – National Good Samaritan Day
  • March 13 – Napping Day
  • March 14 – Pi Day
  • March 15 – The Ides of March
  • March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day
  • March 17 – World Sleep Day
  • March 18 – Awkward Moments Day
  • March 20 – First Day of Spring
  • March 21 – World Down Syndrome Day
  • March 21 – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
  • March 22 – World Water Day
  • March 22 – Ag Day (Agriculture Day)
  • March 22 – American Diabetes Association Alert Day
  • March 22 – First day of Ramadan
  • March 23 – Puppy Day
  • March 26 – Purple Day for Epilepsy Awareness
  • March 26 – Earth Hour Day
  • March 29 – Mom & Pop Business Owners Day
  • March 30 – National Doctor’s Day
  • March 30 – Baseball Opening Day
  • March 31 – Crayon Day
  • March 31 – Transgender Day of Visibility

Popular Hashtags For March:

  • #PeanutButterLoversDay
  • #EmployeeAppreciationDay
  • #ReadAcrossAmerica
  • #DrSeuss
  • #WorldWildlifeDay
  • #NationalGrammarDay
  • #BeBoldForChange
  • #DaylightSavings
  • #PiDay
  • #StPatricksDay
  • #FirstDayofSpring
  • #WorldWaterDay
  • #NationalPuppyDay
  • #PurpleDay
  • #AmericanDiabetesAssociationAlertDay
  • #NationalDoctorsDay
  • #EarthHour
  • #TDOV

April

Just listen to those birds singing and the bees humming – April is a time of natural rejuvenation.

Give your targets and customers a laugh with an April Fool’s prank, schedule an event around the Master’s tournament (or hit the links yourself), and show your love for our planet on Earth Day. Just don’t forget taxes are due on the 15th.

For more ideas, we’ve provided a list below.

Monthly Observances

  • Earth Month
  • National Volunteer Month
  • National Autism Awareness Month
  • Keep America Beautiful Month
  • National Garden Month
  • Stress Awareness Month
  • National Poetry Month
  • Ramadan ends on April 21

Weekly Observances

  • April 17-23 – National Volunteer Week
  • April 17-23 – Animal Cruelty/Human Violence Awareness Week
  • April 24-30 – Administrative Professionals Week
  • April 24-30 – National Princess Week
  • April 25-29 – Every Kid Healthy Week

Days

  • April 1 – April Fool’s Day
  • April 2 – Palm Sunday
  • April 2 – Equal Pay Day
  • April 2 – World Autism Awareness Day
  • April 2 – National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day
  • April 3 – Don’t Go To Work Unless it’s Fun Day
  • April 3 – Find a Rainbow Day
  • April 4 – School Librarian Day
  • April 3-9 – Masters Tournament PGA
  • April 6 – National Walking Day
  • April 7 – Good Friday
  • April 7 – National Beer Day
  • April 7 – World Health Day
  • April 9 – Easter Sunday
  • April 9 – Winston Churchill Day
  • April 10 – Golfer’s Day
  • April 11 – National Pet Day
  • April 12 – National Grilled Cheese Day
  • April 15 – National Titanic Remembrance Day
  • April 15 – Tax Day
  • April 14-23 – Coachella Music Festival
  • April 17 – Boston Marathon
  • April 18 – Patriot’s Day
  • April 20 – Lookalike Day
  • April 21 – National High-Five Day
  • April 21 – Last day of Ramadan
  • April 22 – Earth Day
  • April 27 – Denim Day
  • April 27 – Administrative Professionals Day
  • April 28 – Take Your Daughter and/or Son to Work Day
  • April 28 – National Superhero Day
  • April 28 – Arbor Day
  • April 30 – National Honesty Day
  • April 30 – National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day

Popular Hashtags For April:

  • #AprilFools
  • #WAAD
  • #FindARainbowDay
  • #NationalWalkingDay
  • #LetsTalk
  • #EqualPayDay
  • #TaxDay
  • #NH5D
  • #NationalLookAlikeDay
  • #AdministrativeProfessionalsDay
  • #DenimDay
  • #EndMalariaForGood
  • #COUNTONME
  • #ArborDay
  • #NationalHonestyDay
  • #AdoptAShelterPetDay

May

School is winding down, temperatures are heating up, and barbecue grills are being lit – it can only mean the arrival of May.

Make your brand a Mayflower (insert terrible pilgrim joke here) by taking advantage of Cinco de Mayo, the Kentucky Derby, and Memorial Day as marketing themes.

Monthly Observances

  • ALS Awareness
  • Asthma Awareness
  • National Celiac Disease Awareness Month
  • Clean Air Month
  • Global Employee Health and Fitness Month
  • National Barbecue Month
  • National Bike Month
  • National Hamburger Month
  • National Salad Month
  • National Photo Month
  • Gifts from the Garden Month
  • Lupus Awareness Month
  • National Military Appreciation Month

Weekly Observances

  • May 1-7 – National Pet Week
  • May 1-7 – National Travel & Tourism Week
  • May 1-7 – Drinking Water Week
  • May 2-6 – Teacher Appreciation Week
  • May 6-12 – Nurse’s Week
  • May 8 – May 14 – Food Allergy Awareness Week

Days

  • May 1 – May Day
  • May 1 – Mother Goose Day
  • May 3 – Thank A Teacher Day
  • May 3 – National Teacher’s Day
  • May 4 – Star Wars Day
  • May 4 – National Firefighters Day
  • May 5 – Cinco De Mayo
  • May 5 – World Password Day
  • May 6 – National Nurses Day
  • May 6 – Military Spouse Appreciation Day
  • May 6 – Kentucky Derby
  • May 8 – World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day
  • May 10 – National Receptionists Day
  • May 11 – Eat What You Want Day
  • May 14 – Mother’s Day
  • May 14 – World Fair Trade Day
  • May 15 – National Chocolate Chip Day
  • May 16 – Love a Tree Day
  • May 18-21 – PGA Championship
  • May 19 – NASCAR Day
  • May 20 – National Bike to Work Day
  • May 20 – Be a Millionaire Day
  • May 20 – Armed Forces Day
  • May 22 – Victoria Day (Canada)
  • May 25 – Red Nose Day
  • May 25 – Geek Pride Day
  • May 25 – National Wine Day
  • May 26 – Sally Ride Day
  • May 28 -June 11 – French Open
  • May 28 – Indianapolis 500
  • May 29 – Memorial Day
  • May 31 – World No-Tobacco Day

Popular Hashtags For May:

  • #RedNoseDay
  • #MayDay
  • #WorldPasswordDay
  • #StarWarsDay & #Maythe4thBeWithYou
  • #InternationalFirefightersDay
  • #CincoDeMayo
  • #MothersDay
  • #BTWD
  • #MemorialDay & #MDW
  • #NoTobacco

June

Summer, summer, summertime. June is the month when it finally starts to feel like summer.

Make your brand a must-have companion for planning a beachside vacation or hosting a cookout.

And don’t forget it’s also the month for LGBTQ+ Pride, Flag Day, and Father’s Day, along with all the other events listed here.

Monthly Observances

  • Men’s Health Month
  • National Safety Month
  • Acne Awareness Month
  • LGBTQ Pride Month
  • National Adopt a Cat Month
  • Aquarium Month
  • Candy Month

Weekly Observances

  • June 4-10 – Pet Appreciation Week
  • June 12-18 – Men’s Health Week
  • June 19-25 – National Camping Week
  • June 23-26 – Watermelon Seed Spitting Week

Days

  • June 1 – Global Parents Day
  • June 2 – National Rocky Road Ice Cream Day
  • June 3 – National Donut Day
  • June 3 – Belmont Stakes
  • June 4 – Hug Your Cat Day
  • June 4 – National Cheese Day
  • June 5 – World Environment Day
  • June 7 – National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
  • June 8 – World Oceans Day
  • June 8 – National Best Friends Day
  • June 9 – Donald Duck Day
  • June 10 – Iced Tea Day
  • June 13-15 – Bonnaroo Music Festival
  • June 13 – National Weed Your Garden Day
  • June 14 – Flag Day
  • June 15-18 –U.S. Open PGA
  • June 18 – National Splurge Day
  • June 18 – World Juggler’s Day
  • June 19 – Father’s Day
  • June 21 – First Day of Summer / Summer Solstice
  • June 21 – National Selfie Day
  • June 22 – National Kissing Day
  • June 25 – National Take a Dog to Work Day
  • June 29 – Camera Day
  • June 30 – National Handshake Day
  • June 30 – Social Media Day

Popular Hashtags For June:

  • #NationalDonutDay
  • #FathersDay
  • #NationalSelfieDay
  • #TakeYourDogToWorkDay
  • #HandshakeDay
  • #SMDay

July

From pet safety tips for the Fourth of July to Amazon Prime Day, July presents lots of opportunities for savvy marketers.

So, celebrate your independence, gorge yourself on too many hotdogs, and celebrate your friends with one of many July-themed events.

Monthly Observances

  • Family Golf Month
  • Ice Cream Month
  • National Grilling Month
  • National Picnic Month
  • National Independent Retailer Month
  • National Blueberry Month

Weekly Observances

  • July 17-23 – Capture the Sunset Week

Days

  • July 1 – National Postal Worker Day
  • July 1 – International Joke Day
  • July 1 – 23 – Tour de France
  • July 2 – World UFO Day
  • July 3-16 – Wimbledon
  • July 4 – Independence Day
  • July 4 – Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest
  • July 5 – National Bikini Day
  • July 7 – World Chocolate Day
  • July 8 – National Video Games Day
  • July 11 – National 7-Eleven Day
  • July 12 – Pecan Pie Day
  • July 13 – Rock Worldwide Day
  • July 13 – French Fry Day
  • July 16 – World Snake Day
  • July 17 – World Emoji Day
  • July 17 – National Ice Cream Day
  • July 19 – National Daiquiri Day
  • July 20 – Hot Dog Day
  • July 20 – National Moon Day
  • July 21-25 – Summer X Games
  • July 24 – Amelia Earhart Day
  • July 24 – Parents’ Day
  • July 26 – Aunt and Uncle Day
  • July 28 – World Hepatitis Day
  • July 28-30 – World Lumberjack Championships
  • July 30 – Father-in-Law Day
  • July 30 – International Day of Friendship
  • July 30 – Friendship Day

Popular Hashtags For July:

  • #NationalPostalWorkerDay
  • #WorldUFODay
  • #WorldEmojiDay
  • #DayOfFriendship

August

August means the hottest days, back-to-school and the return of football.

Whether you’re celebrating the end of summer or trying to finish your tan in the dog days, August means lots of opportunities for fun.

Here are some holidays and celebrations you can use for your August marketing calendar:

Monthly Observances

  • Back to School Month
  • National Golf Month
  • National Breastfeeding Month
  • Family Fun Month
  • Peach Month

Weekly Observances

  • August 1-7 – International Clown Week
  • August 6-12 – National Farmers’ Market Week
  • August 14-20 – National Motorcycle Week (Always 2nd full week of August)
  • August 14-20 – Feeding Pets of the Homeless Week (Always 2nd full week of August)

Days

  • August 1 – National Girlfriends Day
  • August 2 – National Ice Cream Sandwich Day
  • August 3 – Hall of Fame Game/ NFL Preseason begins
  • August 4 – National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
  • August 5 – International Beer Day
  • August 8 – International Cat Day
  • August 9 – Book Lover’s Day
  • August 10 – National S’mores Day
  • August 11 – National Son and Daughter Day
  • August 12 – Middle Child’s Day
  • August 13 – Left-hander’s Day
  • August 16 – National Tell a Joke Day
  • August 18 – Bad Poetry Day
  • August 19 – World Photo Day
  • August 19 – World Humanitarian Day
  • August 20 – National Lemonade Day
  • August 21 – Senior Citizens Day
  • August 26 – National Dog Day
  • August 26 – Women’s Equality Day
  • August 30 – Frankenstein Day
  • August 31 – National Trail Mix Day

Popular Hashtags For August:

  • #InternationalCatDay
  • #NationalBookLoversDay
  • #WorldElephantDay
  • #LefthandersDay
  • #WorldPhotoDay
  • #WorldHumanitarianDay
  • #NationalLemonadeDay
  • #NationalDogDay
  • #WomensEqualityDay

September

The heat has finally broken, and Autumn has started to roll in – what better reason for dancing in September?

There are a lot of popular holidays and events you can leverage for marketing this month, including the kickoff of Hispanic Heritage Month, Grandparents Day, and, of course, Labor Day.

And if you forget to include National Talk Like a Pirate Day in your marketing calendar, someone may make you walk the plank, matey.

Monthly Observances

  • Wilderness Month
  • National Preparedness Month
  • National Food Safety Education Month
  • Fruit and Veggies—More Matters Month
  • National Yoga Awareness Month
  • Whole Grains Month
  • Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15)
  • Little League Month
  • Better Breakfast Month

Weekly Observances

  • September 10-16 – National Suicide Prevention Week
  • September 19-25 – Pollution Prevention Week
  • September 18-24 – National Indoor Plant Week
  • September 20-27 – National Dog Week

Days

  • September 2 – World Beard Day
  • September 3 – International Bacon Day
  • September 4 – Labor Day
  • September 5 – Cheese Pizza Day
  • September 5 – International Day of Charity
  • September 6 – Read a Book Day
  • September 10– Grandparents Day
  • September 11 – 9/11
  • September 12 – Video Games Day
  • September 13 – Uncle Sam Day
  • September 15 – Greenpeace Day
  • September 15-17– Rosh Hashanah
  • September 16 – Constitution Day
  • September 17 – Citizenship Day
  • September 17 – Oktoberfest Begins
  • September 17 – Boys’ and Girls’ Club Day for Kids
  • September 18 – Wife Appreciation Day
  • September 19 – International Talk Like a Pirate
  • September 22–25 – Presidents Cup PGA
  • September 21 – International Day of Peace
  • September 22 – Car-free Day
  • September 22 – First Day of Fall
  • September 22 – Native American Day
  • September 23 – Checkers Day
  • September 27 – World Tourism Day
  • September 27– National Voter Registration Day
  • September 28 – World Rabies Day
  • September 28 – National Good Neighbor Day
  • September 29 – World Heart Day
  • September 30 – International Podcast Day

Popular Hashtags For September:

  • #LaborDay
  • #NationalWildlifeDay
  • #CharityDay
  • #ReadABookDay
  • #911Day
  • #NationalVideoGamesDay
  • #TalkLikeAPirateDay
  • #PeaceDay
  • #CarFreeDay
  • #WorldRabiesDay
  • #GoodNeighborDay
  • #InternationalPodcastDay

October

Get your trick-or-treat bags ready, fill up that pumpkin spice latte, and light up the bonfire – it’s October.

There’s so much more to this month than just Halloween. It also has Teacher’s Day, International Coffee Day, and the beginning of the World Series.

Take a look at some other marketing themes for this month:

Monthly Observances

  • Breast Cancer Awareness Month
  • Bully Prevention Month
  • Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
  • Halloween Safety Month
  • Financial Planning Month
  • National Pizza Month

Weekly Observances

  • October 2-8 – Great Books Week (always the first full week)
  • October 2-8 – National Work From Home Week (always the first full week)
  • October 16-22 – Mediation Week (third week in October)
  • October 16-22 – National Business Women’s Week (third week in October)
  • October 23-31 – National Red Ribbon Week

Days

  • October 1 – Coffee Day
  • October 1 – World Vegetarian Day
  • October 2 – Name Your Car Day
  • October 2 – Brow Day
  • October 3 – Oktoberfest Ends
  • October 3 – National Techies Day
  • October 3 – National Boyfriends Day
  • October 4 – National Taco Day
  • October 4-5 – Yom Kippur
  • October 5 – World Teacher’s Day
  • October 7 – National Kale Day
  • October 7 – World Smile Day
  • October 9 – Leif Erikson Day
  • October 9 – Columbus Day
  • October 9 – Indigenous Peoples’ Day
  • October 9 – Thanksgiving Day (Canada)
  • October 10 – World Mental Health Day
  • October 11 – It’s My Party Day
  • October 14 – World Egg Day
  • October 15 – Sweetest Day
  • October 16 – World Food Day
  • October 16 – Boss’s Day
  • October 17 – Spirit Day (anti-bullying)
  • October 22 – Make a Difference Day
  • October 24 – United Nations Day
  • October 28 – MLB World Series begins
  • October 30 – Mischief Night
  • October 30 – Checklist Day
  • October 31 – Halloween

Popular Hashtags For October:

  • #InternationalCoffeeDay
  • #TechiesDay
  • #NationalTacoDay
  • #WorldSmileDay
  • #WorldTeachersDay
  • #WorldHabitatDay
  • #WorldMentalHealthDay
  • #BossesDay
  • #UNDay
  • #ChecklistDay
  • #Halloween

November

Smell that crisp air, take in the beauty of changing leaves, and warm up around the fire pit this November.

The month in which we all give thanks, it’s also Peanut Butter Lover’s Month and Movember.

Kick off your marketing calendar with a Day of the Dead celebration, honor those who served on Veteran’s Day, and get ready for the big sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Monthly Observances

  • Movember
  • National Healthy Skin Month
  • Gluten-Free Diet Awareness Month
  • National Adoption Month
  • National Gratitude Month
  • Peanut Butter Lovers’ Month
  • National Diabetes Awareness Month

Weekly Observances

  • November 7-13 – World Kindness Week (second week: Monday – Sunday)
  • November 13-19 – American Education Week
  • November 20-26 – Game and Puzzle Week

Days

  • November 1 – Day of the Dead
  • November 1 – All Saint’s Day
  • November 1 – World Vegan Day
  • November 2 – Day of the Dead Ends
  • November 3 – Sandwich Day
  • November 4 – King Tut Day
  • November 6 – Daylight Savings Time ends
  • November 8 – Cappuccino Day
  • November 8 – STEM Day
  • November 10 – Marine Corps Birthday
  • November 11 – Veterans Day
  • November 12 – Chicken Soup for the Soul Day
  • November 13 – World Kindness Day
  • November 13 – Sadie Hawkins Day
  • November 14 – World Diabetes Day
  • November 15 – America Recycles Day
  • November 15 – National Entrepreneurs Day (third Tuesday of November)
  • November 16 – International Tolerance Day
  • November 17 – Homemade Bread Day
  • November 20 – Transgender Day Of Remembrance
  • November 23 – Thanksgiving Day
  • November 24 – Black Friday
  • November 25 – Small Business Saturday
  • November 27 – Cyber Monday
  • November 28 – Giving Tuesday

Popular Hashtags For November:

  • #WorldVeganDay
  • #NationalSandwichDay
  • #DaylightSavings
  • #CappuccinoDay
  • #STEMDay
  • #VeteransDay
  • #WKD
  • #WDD
  • #BeRecycled
  • #EntrepreneursDay
  • #Thanksgiving
  • #ShopSmall

December

The end is in sight – you’ve made it to the last month of the year. But you know what that means, right? 2024 is right around the corner.

Send your year off in style with marketing campaigns dedicated to more than the holiday season. This is also the month featuring Nobel Prize Day, Bill of Rights Day, and the first day of winter.

And don’t forget to check back here for a handy guide to 2024 marketing content.

Monthly Observances

  • National Human Rights Month
  • Operation Santa Paws
  • Bingo Month

Weekly Observances

  • December 7 – December 15 – Chanukah
  • December 26 – January 1 – Kwanzaa

Days

  • December 1 – World AIDS Day
  • December 1 – Rosa Parks Day
  • December 3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities
  • December 4 – Cookie Day
  • December 6 – St. Nicholas Day
  • December 7 – Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
  • December 9 – Christmas Card Day
  • December 10 – Nobel Prize Day
  • December 12 – Poinsettia Day
  • December 14 – Roast Chestnuts Day
  • December 15 – Bill of Rights Day
  • December 15 – National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day (Third Friday in December)
  • December 18 – Free Shipping Day
  • December 18 – Bake Cookies Day
  • December 20 – Go Caroling Day
  • December 21 – First Day of Winter / Winter Solstice
  • December 23 – Festivus
  • December 24 – Christmas Eve
  • December 25 – Christmas Day
  • December 26 – Kwanzaa
  • December 26 – Boxing Day
  • December 27 – National Fruitcake Day
  • December 31 – New Year’s Eve

Popular Hashtags For December:

  • #IDPWD
  • #NationalCookieDay
  • #NobelPrize
  • #WinterSolstice
  • #NYE

Featured Image: Paulo Bobita/Search Engine Journal

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Is AI Going To E-E-A-T Your Experience For Breakfast? The LinkedIn Example

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Is AI Going To E-E-A-T Your Experience For Breakfast? The LinkedIn Example

Are LinkedIn’s collaborative articles part of SEO strategies nowadays?

More to the point, should they be?

The search landscape has changed dramatically in recent years, blurring the lines between search engines and where searches occur.

Following the explosive adoption of AI in content marketing and the most recent Google HCU, core, and spam updates, we’re looking at a very different picture now in search versus 12 months ago.

User-generated and community-led content seems to be met with renewed favourability by the algorithm (theoretically, mirroring what people reward, too).

LinkedIn’s freshly launched “collaborative articles” seem to be a perfect sign of our times: content that combines authority (thanks to LinkedIn’s authority), AI-generated content, and user-generated content.

What could go wrong?

In this article, we’ll cover:

  • What are “collaborative articles” on LinkedIn?
  • Why am I discussing them in the context of SEO?
  • The main issues with collaborative articles.
  • How is Google treating them?
  • How they can impact your organic performance.

What Are LinkedIn Collaborative Articles?

First launched in March 2023, LinkedIn says about collaborative articles:

“These articles begin as AI-powered conversation starters, developed with our editorial team, but they aren’t complete without insights from our members. A select group of experts have been invited to contribute their own ideas, examples and experiences within the articles.“

Essentially, each of these articles starts as a collection of AI-generated answers to FAQs/prompts around any given topic. Under each of these sections, community members can add their own perspectives, insights, and advice.

What’s in it for contributors? To earn, ultimately, a “Top Voice” badge on their profile.

The articles are indexable and are all placed under the same folder (https://www.linkedin.com/advice/).

They look like this:

Screenshot from LinkedIn, November 2023LinkedIn content

On the left-hand side, there are always FAQs relevant to the topic answered by AI.

On the right-hand side is where the contributions by community members get posted. Users can react to each contribution in the same way as to any LinkedIn post on their feed.

How Easy Is It To Contribute And Earn A Badge For Your Insights?

Pretty easy.

I first got invited to contribute on September 19, 2023 – though I had already found a way to contribute a few weeks before this.

Exclusive LinkedIn group of expertsScreenshot from LinkedIn, November 2023Exclusive LinkedIn group of experts

My notifications included updates from connections who had contributed to an article.

By clicking on these, I was transferred to the article and was able to contribute to it, too (as well as additional articles, linked at the bottom).

I wanted to test how hard it was to earn a Top SEO Voice badge. Eight article contributions later (around three to four hours of my time), I had earned three.

LinkedIn profileLinkedIn profile

Community top voice badgeScreenshots from LinkedIn, November 2023Community top voice badge

How? Apparently, simply by earning likes for my contributions.

A Mix Of Brilliance, Fuzzy Editorial Rules, And Weird Uncle Bob

Collaborative articles sound great in principle – a win-win for both sides.

  • LinkedIn struck a bullseye: creating and scaling content (theoretically) oozing with E-E-A-T, with minimal investment.
  • Users benefit from building their personal brand (and their company’s) for a fragment of the effort and cost this usually takes. The smartest ones complement their on-site content strategy with this off-site golden ticket.

What isn’t clear from LinkedIn’s Help Center is what this editorial mix of AI and human input looks like.

Things like:

  • How much involvement do the editors have before the topic is put to the community?
  • Are they only determining and refining the prompts?
  • Are they editing the AI-generated responses?
  • More importantly, what involvement (if any) do they have after they unleash the original AI-generated piece into the world?
  • And more.

I think of this content like weird Uncle Bob, always joining the family gatherings with his usual, unoriginal conversation starters. Only, this time, he’s come bearing gifts.

Do you engage? Or do you proceed to consume as many canapés as possible, pretending you haven’t seen him yet?

Why Am I Talking About LinkedIn Articles And SEO?

When I first posted about LinkedIn’s articles, it was the end of September. Semrush showed clear evidence of their impact and potential in Search. (Disclosure: I work for Semrush.)

Only six months after their launch, LinkedIn articles were on a visible, consistent upward trend.

  • They were already driving 792.5K organic visits a month. (This was a 75% jump in August.)
  • They ranked for 811,700 keywords.
  • Their pages were ranking in the top 10 for 78,000 of them.
  • For 123,700 of them, they appeared in a SERP feature, such as People Also Ask and Featured Snippets.
  • Almost 72% of the keywords had informational intent, followed by commercial keywords (22%).

Here’s a screenshot with some of the top keywords for which these pages ranked at the top:

Semrush US databaseScreenshot from Semrush US database, desktop, September 2023Semrush US database

Now, take the page that held the Featured Snippet for competitive queries like “how to enter bios” (monthly search volume of 5,400 and keyword difficulty of 84, based on Semrush data).

It came in ahead of pages on Tom’s Hardware, Hewlett-Packard, or Reddit.

LinkedIn computer hardware installation collaborative articleLinkedIn computer hardware installation collaborative article

collaborative article exampleScreenshots from LinkedIn, November 2023collaborative article example

See anything weird? Even at the time of writing this post, this collaborative article had precisely zero (0) contributions.

This means a page with 100% AI-generated content (and unclear interference of human editors) was rewarded with the Featured Snippet against highly authoritative and relevant domains and pages.

A Sea Of Opportunity Or A Storm Ready To Break Out?

Let’s consider these articles in the context of Google’s guidelines for creating helpful, reliable, people-first content and its Search Quality Rater Guidelines.

Of particular importance here, I believe, is the most recently added “E” in “E-E-A-T,” which takes experience into account, alongside expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.

For so many of these articles to have been ranking so well must mean that they were meeting the guidelines and proving helpful and reliable for content consumers.

After all, they rely on “a select group of experts to contribute their own ideas, examples and experiences within the articles,” so they must be worthy of strong organic performances, right?

Possibly. (I’ve yet to see such an example, but I want to believe somewhere in the thousands of pages these do exist).

But, based on what I’ve seen, there are too many examples of poor-quality content to justify such big rewards in the search engine results pages (SERPs).

The common issues I’ve spotted:

1. Misinformation

I can’t tell how much vetting or editing there is going on behind the scenes, but the amount of misinformation in some collaborative articles is alarming. This goes for AI-generated content and community contributions alike.

I don’t really envy the task of fact-checking what LinkedIn describes as “thousands of collaborative articles on 2,500+ skills.” Still, if it’s quality and helpfulness we’re concerned with here, I’d start brewing my coffee a little stronger if I were LinkedIn.

At the moment, it feels a little too much like a free-for-all.

Here are some examples of topics like SEO or content marketing.

misinformation example 1misinformation example 1

misinformation example 2misinformation example 2

misinformation example 3Screenshots from LinkedIn, November 2023misinformation example 3

2. Thin Content

To a degree, some contributions seem to do nothing more than mirror the points made in the original AI-generated piece.

For example, are these contributions enough to warrant a high level of “experience” in these articles?

thin content example 1thin content example 1

thin content example 2Screenshots from LinkedIn, November 2023thin content example 2

The irony to think that some of these contributions may have also been generated by AI…

3. Missing Information

While many examples don’t provide new or unique perspectives, some articles simply don’t provide…any perspectives at all.

This piece about analytical reasoning ranked in the top 10 for 128 keywords when I first looked into it last September (down to 80 in October).

Missing Information exampleScreenshot from LinkedIn, November 2023Missing Information example

It even held the Featured Snippet for competitive keywords like “inductive reasoning examples” for a while (5.4K monthly searches in the US), although it had no contributions on this subsection.

Most of its sections remain empty, so we’re talking about mainly AI-generated content.

Does this mean that Google really doesn’t care whether your content comes from humans or AI?

I’m not convinced.

How Have The Recent Google Updates Impacted This Content?

After August and October 2023 Google core updates (at the time of writing, the November 2023 Google core update is rolling out), the September 2023 helpful content update, and the October 2023 spam update, the performance of this section seems to be declining.

According to Semrush data:

Semrush data Screenshot from Semrush, November 2023Semrush data
  • Organic traffic to these pages was down to 453,000 (a 43% drop from September, bringing their performance close to August levels).
  • They ranked for 465,100 keywords (down by 43% MoM).
  • Keywords in the Top 10 dropped by 33% (51,900 vs 78,000 in September).
  • Keywords in the top 10 accounted for 161,800 visits (vs 287,200 in September, down by 44% MoM).

The LinkedIn domain doesn’t seem to have been impacted negatively overall.

Semrush dataScreenshot from Semrush, November 2023Semrush data

Is this a sign that Google has already picked up the weaknesses in this content and has started balancing actual usefulness versus the overall domain authority that might have propelled it originally?

Will we see it declining further in the coming months? Or are there better things to come for this feature?

Should You Already Be On The Bandwagon If You’re In SEO?

I was on the side of caution before the Google algorithm updates of the past couple of months.

Now, I’d be even more hesitant to invest a substantial part of my resources towards baking this content into my strategy.

As with any other new, third-party feature (or platform – does anyone remember Threads?), it’s always a case of balancing being an early adopter with avoiding over-investment. At least while being unclear on the benefits.

Collaborative articles are a relatively fresh, experimental, external feature you have minimal control over as part of your SEO strategy.

Now, we also have signs from Google that this content may not be as “cool” as we initially thought.

This Is What I’d Do

That’s not to say it’s not worth trying some small-scale experiments.

Or, maybe, use it as part of promoting your own personal brand (but I’ve yet to see any data around the impact of the “Top Voice” badges on perceived value).

Treat this content as you would any other owned content.

  • Follow Google’s guidelines.
  • Add genuine value for your audience.
  • Add your own unique perspective.
  • Highlight gaps and misinformation.

Experience shows us that when tactics get abused, and the user experience suffers, Google eventually steps in (from guest blogging to parasite SEO, most recently).

It might make algorithmic tweaks when launching updates, launch a new system, or hand out manual actions – the point is that you don’t know how things will progress. Only LinkedIn and Google have control over that.

As things stand, I can easily see any of the below potential outcomes:

  • This content becomes the AI equivalent of the content farms of the pre-Panda age, leading to Google clamping down on its search performance.
  • LinkedIn’s editors stepping in more for quality control (provided LinkedIn deems the investment worthwhile).
  • LinkedIn starts pushing its initiative much more to encourage participation and engagement. (This could be what makes the difference between a dead content farm and Reddit-like value.)

Anything could happen. I believe the next few months will give us a clearer picture.

What’s Next For AI And Its Role In SEO And Social Media?

When it comes to content creation, I think it’s safe to say that AI isn’t quite ready to E-E-A-T your experience for breakfast. Yet.

We can probably expect more of these kinds of movements from social media platforms and forums in the coming months, moving more toward mixing AI with human experience.

What do you think is next for LinkedIn’s collaborative articles? Let me know on LinkedIn!

More resources:


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What It Really Is & How to Build One

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What It Really Is & How to Build One

Building a personal brand is undeniably hard work, but it isn’t as tricky as you might think. 

I spoke with two influencers—Wes Kao and Matt Diggity—for their best tips on establishing a name for yourself online.

What is a personal brand, really?

A personal brand is how people perceive you and what you’re known for. It’s the skills, experience, and values that give you an edge over others.

Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman is one example. He helms and hosts the science/health podcast Huberman Lab, lectures at Stanford Medicine, and has earned media mentions from the likes of BBC, TIME, and more.

Andrew’s personal brand is built on his credibility and areas of expertise. Many of his posts attract thousands of likes and hundreds of comments on X and LinkedIn.

If we want to dig deeper, Maven and altMBA co-founder Wes Kao has a somewhat alternative take on the definition:

In my opinion, it’s better to reframe ‘personal branding’ into ‘personal credibility.’ Personal branding has a superficial undertone. It assumes you have your work, then you tack on an artificial layer of ‘branding’ to shape perceptions.

Wes KaoWes Kao

She suggests that personal credibility is about substance: Showing people what you do, how you think, and how you can contribute. Wes adds:

In this way, you build deeper connections with people who believe in your work—which means stronger relationships, more control, and more opportunities.

Wes KaoWes Kao

In this podcast interview snippet with Nick Bennett, SparkToro’s Amanda Natividad echoes Wes’ sentiment: 

People generally don’t like the term [personal brand] because it sounds disingenuous and icky. Acknowledging the existence of your personal brand is admitting that you care what others think about you, and that you find ways to manage those expectations at scale.

Amanda NatividadAmanda Natividad

Benefits of building a personal brand

Wild as it sounds, building a solid personal brand gives you more control over your life.

A strong following could:

  • Expand your realm of influence, particularly in your area of expertise (i.e., be viewed as a subject matter expert).
  • Boost your credibility, in turn allowing you to promote your company/product better.
  • Build a loyal following independent of the company you’re working for (or if you own that company, create more positive sentiment towards it).
  • Open doors to job, networking, and investment opportunities.

Chiangmai SEO conference founder Matt Diggity shares some excellent points in his Facebook post on the topic, too.

Excerpt from Matt Diggity's Facebook post on the benefits of personal branding. Excerpt from Matt Diggity's Facebook post on the benefits of personal branding.

How to build a personal brand

There’s no linear path to building your personal brand.

As a precursor to the below steps, let’s first talk about finding your “voice.”

Wes and Matt both emphasize the importance of staying true to yourself. That means not crafting an online persona of who you think you should be.

I try to write like how I sound in person. Talking and writing are different media, so you shouldn’t try to match the two in a literal sense, but you want to capture your overall spirit. For example, I have a hint of snark in my writing because that’s how I sound in person.

Wes KaoWes Kao

Matt echoes this sentiment: 

How I talk on the internet is how I talk IRL. If I’m not having a f**king blast on my YouTube videos, I won’t do them. It has to be fun.

Matt DiggityMatt Diggity

Keep this idea in mind as you go through the steps below.

Step 1: Position yourself 

Think of yourself as a product: What are your strengths, obsessions, and areas of expertise?

If you’re well-versed in technical SEO or a seasoned entrepreneur, these might be your unique selling points.

From there, double down on something you would be excited to think, write, and talk about for years—because “it will likely take years to get to where you want to go,” says Wes.

As an (optional) next step, consider solidifying your position with a spiky POV—a term coined by Wes, and which she cautions should be used with care.

A spiky POV is not about a contrarian hot take for the sake of it. In 2023, social platforms are flooded with hot takes and generic advice. I think about respecting the intelligence of my audience and teaching them something they don’t already know. A true spiky POV is rooted in deep expertise, including recognizing the limitations and counterpoints of your idea. This builds your reputation as someone who is rigorous and worth the time to engage with.

Wes KaoWes Kao

Here’s a LinkedIn post by Wes that combines all of the above: a unique perspective backed by her personal experiences, with a takeaway for the audience too. In other words—a spiky, worthy POV.

Step 2: Start sharing publicly

You already knew this, but social media platforms are one of the best ways to get growth and build your name. It’s your chance to build your reputation in a public arena.

Wes, Amanda, and Matt each utilized a combination of online channels to promote their voice and content. It’s one of the first things you should do—because your content is really only as good as its reach.

This doesn’t mean cross-posting your content across more platforms than you can manage, of course.

Study where your target audience spends most of their time, then hone in on those platforms (ideally, stick to no more than 2-3).

In Matt’s case, his followers are primarily on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube—and that’s where his SEO-led content thrives.

Matt Diggity's videos get lots of views on YouTube, again in part thanks to a strong personal brand.Matt Diggity's videos get lots of views on YouTube, again in part thanks to a strong personal brand.

If creating whole posts from scratch seems daunting, start by commenting thoughtfully in relevant online communities. Obviously, do it with heart:

Here are some simple ways to start.

LinkedIn: Contribute to a collaborative article

You might have seen these articles floating around LinkedIn—perhaps even been invited to add your insights to them.

These blog posts are similar to Wikipedia pages: LinkedIn users build on each AI-generated article with their perspectives, and readers can choose to react to these additions or engage with the content.

Example of a collaborative post on LinkedInExample of a collaborative post on LinkedIn

Here’s an example of what a contribution looks like:

Example of a collaborative post on LinkedInExample of a collaborative post on LinkedIn

Reddit: Weigh in on discussions

  1. Go to a relevant subreddit, e.g. r/bigSEO
  2. Sort by “Top” and “This Week”
  3. Browse the questions or discussions and offer your two cents where relevant.
Popular post from the /r/bigSEO subredditPopular post from the /r/bigSEO subreddit

Ride on trending topics

Found an interesting insight on X or someplace else? Turn it into a poll, question, or post. (Be sure to also tag and credit the author!)

Bring it all together

If some of your responses or posts get traction, repurpose those answers into new content: a blog post, video, or series of social posts.

(PSST: Learn more about my process behind curating and repurposing content for Ahrefs’ X account.)

This segues into our next and final step:

Step 3: Double down on what works

By now, you should have an idea of which topics you’re most comfortable discussing at length—and what resonates most with your target audience.

You can further maximize your reach by doubling down on the things that have brought you success. Or, more specifically, by repurposing popular content in other formats and creating more content about similar things.

For instance, we turned this popular video on how to use ChatGPT for SEO into a Twitter thread and LinkedIn post—and later, a blog post.

Our repurposed ChatGPT for SEO post on LinkedInOur repurposed ChatGPT for SEO post on LinkedIn
Performance of our repurposed ChatGPT for SEO post on LinkedInPerformance of our repurposed ChatGPT for SEO post on LinkedIn

Wes has also done this plenty with her “eaten the bear” analogy over the years. She first wrote about it in this 2019 blog post, rewrote it in 2023, and shares variations of the analogy on LinkedIn and X every few months.

Wes' "eaten the bear" analogy, from her original 2019 blog postWes' "eaten the bear" analogy, from her original 2019 blog post

Each time, these posts garner hundreds or thousands of likes

Don’t let your success die there, though. You can find more content ideas that will resonate with your audience by doing some keyword research around your topic. Here’s how:

  1. Plug your target topic into Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer
  2. Go to the Matching terms report

For example, if we enter “chatgpt seo,” we see that people are searching for ChatGPT prompts for SEO and ChatGPT SEO extensions:

Finding keywords (topic ideas) in Ahrefs' Keywords ExplorerFinding keywords (topic ideas) in Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer

Given how our audience is interested in ChatGPT and SEO, these would be great topics to create content about—whether that be social media posts, videos, blog posts, or something else. 

If you don’t have a paid account with us, you can plug your topic into our free keyword generator tool to view related phrases/questions.

Extra tips to build your personal brand

We mentioned some of these in some shape or form earlier, but they’re worth expanding on.

Maintain human connections

Who are you without the people who consume your content? Engage consistently with your followers and others’ content. Human connections are worth their weight in gold when you’re trying to get your personal brand off the ground.

Maintain consistency across your social media profiles

This means using the same profile picture across all platforms, and a standardized bio so others can quickly get a sense of who you are and what you often post about.

Jack Appleby is a great example. The creator/consultant is behind Future Social, an independent social strategy newsletter with 56,000+ subscribers.

Notice how he maintains consistency on X and LinkedIn:

Jack Appleby's Twitter brandingJack Appleby's Twitter branding
Jack Appleby's LinkedIn brandingJack Appleby's LinkedIn branding

Ahrefs’ Tim Soulo further explains the importance of your profile picture in personal branding here:

Be yourself

Remember how Wes and Matt shared the importance of staying true to yourself? We couldn’t emphasize that enough.

Final thoughts

These steps aren’t exhaustive, obviously. To truly stand out online, Wes suggests having a combination of these things: social proof, good design sense, strong writing, interesting insights, and a track record of contribution.

As she puts it: 

All these things will make people think, ‘This person knows their craft.’

Wes KaoWes Kao

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SEO Salary Survey 2023 [Industry Research]

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SEO Salary Survey 2023 [Industry Research]

How much do SEOs earn? I wanted to know, so I ran a survey at Brighton SEO and asked 111 attendees what they earned.

Editor’s note

We realize that this is a small sample set and not representative of all SEO salaries as it’s focused on UK and EU data. If you want to be part of the next Ahrefs salary survey, you can submit your details anonymously here.

Here are the top takeaways:

  • The median annual salary for SEOs we polled was $49,211
  • The highest annual salary we polled was $229,652
  • To earn the higher salaries in SEO you need be a technical SEO expert—Heads of SEO, SEO Directors and SEO Leads all said that their main specialization was technical SEO 
  • Only 5.4% of respondents learned SEO through a course—most learned on the job (52.3%) or by themselves (42.3%)
  • 36.9% described themselves as content specialists, 30.6% described themselves as technical specialists, 6.3% described themselves as specializing in link-building
  • 49.5% of respondents worked in SEO agencies, 42.3% in-house and 8.2% were self-employed
  • Most respondents (28.8%) worked in companies that had 11-50 people
  • The average SEO experience of our respondents was 6.9 years
  • Self-employed SEOs earned the most on average ($60,232k)—the median annual salary for in-house roles was slightly lower at $56,789, and agency SEOs had the lowest median annual salary at $44,169

There were also a few surprises:

  • Few SEOs in our survey said that they specialized in link building compared to technical and content. This is despite the fact that links are still one of the most important Google ranking factors.
  • The average level of experience between SEO Directors and Head of SEO is not that different—10.4 years for a SEO Director and 10.6 years for a Head of SEO—but the salary difference between the roles was ~$11,552—quite substantial.

Overview

Role Median annual salary ($USD) Average experience (years) Main specialization Main work location
Head of SEO $92,988 10.6 Technical SEO Agency and in-house
SEO Director $81,436 10.4 Technical SEO Agency and in-house
SEO Lead $38,289 7.4 Technical SEO Agency
SEO Specialist $49,229 5.8 Content In-house
SEO Account Manager $43,850 4.2 Content Agency
SEO Consultant $49,240 6 All-rounder Agency
SEO Executive $31,956 3 All-rounder Agency
SEO Analyst $56,393 5 All-rounder In-house

Here’s how annual salaries broke down across our respondents:

According to the SEOs we polled, most of them learned SEO on the job or were self-taught. 

Chart displaying how individuals learned SEO.Chart displaying how individuals learned SEO.

Average level of experience by role

Most of our respondents had a couple of years of experience under their belts. The amount of experience Head of SEOs had versus SEO Directors was not that different, at around 10 years.

Average level of experience by roleAverage level of experience by role
  • Across all respondents, the average experience was 6.9 years
  • For Head of SEO, the average experience was 10.6 years
  • For SEO Director, the average experience was 10.4 years
  • For SEO Lead, the average experience was 7.4 years
  • For SEO Account Manager, the average experience was 4.2 years
  • For SEO Consultant, the average experience was 6 years 
  • For SEO Executive, the average experience was 3 years 
  • For SEO Analyst, the average experience was 5 years

What areas of SEO do they specialize in? 

Technical and Content were the two top skills that SEOs we surveyed specialized in.

Areas of SEO specializationAreas of SEO specialization

The proportion of SEOs that said they specialized in links was much lower despite links being a major ranking factor.

Our survey showed an almost 50/50 split between the UK and Europe. 48.6% of respondents were from the UK—perhaps not surprising given that BrightonSEO is based in the UK.

Chart of countries SEOs are fromChart of countries SEOs are from

Most of the respondents we spoke to worked in agencies or in-house. It does mean, however, that our salary data was mainly focused on these two employment types.

Chart listing where SEOs workChart listing where SEOs work

How big are the companies they work in?

Across all respondents, the most common company size was 11-50. A large proportion of SEOs also worked for substantially larger companies that had over 1000 employees.

Number of people in the company
Number of people in the company

How much does each SEO role earn?

Here’s the full breakdown of each role.

Head of SEO salary

It’s probably not too much of a surprise that the Head of SEO role was our highest-paying SEO role surveyed. What’s more of a surprise was the variation in salary—our survey showed that a Head of SEO can earn anything from ~$25k to ~$229k. 

head-of-seo-salaryhead-of-seo-salary

Average experience

According to our survey, a Head of SEO has ~10.6 years of experience.

Type of company

46.7% of respondents worked for an agency, and 46.7% worked in-house. 6.7% were self-employed.

Education

66.7% of respondents said they were self-taught, 26.7% said they’d learned on the job, and 6.7% said that they had learned SEO from a course.

Specialization

40% said that they specialized in technical SEO, 33.3% in Content, and 13.3% said they were a generalist. The remaining 13.4% said they focused on people management. 

This is surprising, as it implies that 73.3% of people in Head of SEO roles are actively providing SEO services for their clients rather than focusing on managing a team.

Company size

There were two company sizes that were most popular for Head of SEOs to work in. 40% of respondents said they worked in companies with 11-50 people, and 20% said they worked in companies with over 1001 people. 

Location

40% of respondents were from the UK, 13.3% were from the Netherlands, and the remainder were from mainland Europe.

SEO Director salary

The salary variation wasn’t quite as extreme for SEO Directors, but salaries ranged from ~$42k to ~$121k—still quite a difference.

SEO Director salarySEO Director salary

Average experience

SEO Directors in our survey had 10.4 years of experience on average.

Type of company

There was a 50/50 split between SEO Directors’ backgrounds, with 50% from agency and 50% from in-house

Education

62.5% of SEO Directors described themselves as self-taught, and 37.5% said that they learned SEO on the job.

Specialization

75% of them specialized in technical SEO, whilst 25% described themselves as generalists or Other.

Company size

According to our survey, SEO Directors typically work in medium to large companies. 25% said that they worked in companies that had over 1000 people, and 25% said they worked in companies that had 51-100 employees.

Location

Most SEO Directors we surveyed were from the UK (62.5%). The rest were equal splits between India, the U.S., and Germany (12.5%).

SEO Lead salary

SEO Leads typically have a lot of experience, but our survey shows that they only earn slightly more on average than SEO Specialists.

SEO Lead salary
SEO Lead salary

Average experience

SEO Leads in our survey had 7.4 years of experience on average.

Type of company

50% of SEO Leads came from an agency background, 41.7% came from in-house, and 8.3% were self-employed.

Education

69.2% learned on the job, 23.1% were self-taught, and 7.7% learned SEO through a course.

Specialization

30.8% of SEO Leads specialized in technical SEO, 23% specialized in content, and 23.1% specialized in links. 15.4% described themselves as generalists. The remaining 7.7% described themselves as specializing in SEO strategy.

Company size

46.2% worked in companies that had 1001+ people, and the remaining 53.8% worked in smaller companies.

Location

23.1% of SEO Leads came from the UK, with the remainder coming from the Netherlands, Italy, and Sweden (15.4% each) and 30.7% from other European countries.

SEO Specialist salary

SEO Specialists we surveyed had around 5-6 years of experience, but they typically got paid better than SEO Leads. Based on my experience, this may be due to in-house roles paying better than agency roles in the UK.

SEO Specialist salarySEO Specialist salary

Average experience

SEO Specialists in our survey had an average of 5.8 years of experience.

Type of company

41.2% of SEO Specialists came from an agency background, while 58.8% said that they were from an in-house background.

Education

58.8% of SEO Specialists said that they had learned SEO on the job, 35.3% said that they were self-taught, and 5.9% said that they had learned SEO through a course.

Specialization

52.9% of SEO Specialists specialized in content, 29.4% focused on technical, 11.8% described themselves as all-rounders, and 5.9% described specialized in links.

Company size

41.2% of SEO Specialists said that they worked in companies that had 11-50 people. Only 17.6% of respondents said that they worked in companies that had 1001+ people. 23.6% said they worked in companies between 51-500 people. The remaining 17.6% worked in smaller companies with less than 10 people.

Location

23.5% of SEO Specialists said that they were from the UK, with the remainder from Europe.

SEO Account Manager salary

SEO Account Managers in our survey were one of the most consistent salary bands earning between ~$40k and ~$55k.

SEO Account Manager salarySEO Account Manager salary

Average experience

SEO Account managers in our survey had 4.2 years of experience on average.

Type of company

85.7% of respondents worked for an agency, and 14.3% worked in-house.

Education

71.4% of respondents said they learned SEO on the job, and 28.6% said they were self-taught.

Specialization

42.9% said that they specialized in content, 28.6% described themselves as an all-rounder, 14.3% said they were technical SEO, and the remaining 14.2% said they specialized in links.

Company size

42.9% of respondents said they worked in companies with 11-50 people, and 28.6% said they worked in companies with over 1001 people. The remaining 28.6% was split equally between people who worked in companies with between 2-11 people or 51-100 people.

Location

85.7% of respondents were from the UK, and 14.3% of the remainder were from Europe.

SEO Consultant salary

SEO Consultants we surveyed earned up to ~$87k, which was lower than I was expecting—because our SEO pricing post suggested that SEO consultants charge between $100-150 per hour. 

But as the data is UK-focused, the likely reason for this is the £85k VAT tax threshold

SEO Consultant salarySEO Consultant salary

Average experience

SEO Consultants in our survey had 6 years of experience on average.

Type of company

63.3% of respondents worked for an agency, and 36.7% worked in-house.

Education

45.5% of respondents said they were self-taught, 36.4% said they’d learned on the job, and 9.1% said that they had learned SEO from a course. The remaining 9% said they’d learned from other ways.

Specialization

27.3% said that they specialized in technical SEO, 27.3% in content, and 27.3% said they were a generalist. The remaining 18.1% said they focused on management and strategy.

Company size

SEO Consultants typically worked on their own or in smaller agencies according to our survey — 36.4% of respondents said they worked on their own, and 27.3% said they worked in companies with 51-100 people. The remaining 36.3% said they worked in companies with between 2-50 people.

Location

36.4% of respondents were from the UK, 27.3% were from the Netherlands, and the remaining 36.3% were from Europe.

SEO Executive salary

SEO Executive salarySEO Executive salary

Average experience

SEO Executives in our survey had 3 years of experience on average.

Type of company

80% of respondents worked for an agency, and 20% worked in-house.

Education

80% of respondents said they were self-taught, and 20% said they’d learned SEO from a course.

Specialization

40% said that they specialized in technical SEO, 20% in Content, and 40% said they were a generalist. 

Company size

80% of respondents said they worked in companies with 11-50 people, and 20% said they worked in companies with 1001 or more people.

Location

80% of respondents were from the UK, and 20% were from Belgium.

SEO Analyst salary

SEO Analysts typically had a few more years of experience than SEO Executives, but it looks like they earned roughly the same as them.

SEO Analyst salarySEO Analyst salary

Average experience

SEO Analysts in our survey had 5 years of experience on average.

Type of company

33.3% of respondents worked for an agency, and 66.7% worked In-house.

Education

33.3% of respondents said they were self-taught, and 66.7% said they’d learned on the job.

Specialization

33.3% said that they specialized in technical SEO, 33.3% in Content, and 33.3% said they specialized in News SEO.

Company size

33.3% of respondents said they worked in companies with 101-200 people, and 66.7% said they worked in companies with over 201 people.

Location

SEO Analysts came from a range of locations 33% of respondents were from Portugal, 33.3% were from Brazil, and the remainder were from Serbia.

Sidenote.

We didn’t get many respondents for the SEO Analyst role—so take these results with a pinch of salt.

Final thoughts

SEO salaries aren’t often discussed in detail within the industry, so getting a snapshot of their current state from one of the biggest SEO conferences in the UK was insightful.

For our next salary survey, we’ll be opening it up to all SEOs. If you’d like to take part—you can enter here.

Got questions? Ping me on X (formerly known as Twitter)



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