SEO used to mean blog posts, backlinks, and following a checklist of on-page basics. But that’s no longer enough.
If you want to scale in 2025, you need a search strategy that actually reflects how people find, trust, and engage with your content.
That starts with hiring the right SEO expert, someone who understands how search has evolved, not just how to stuff keywords.
In this post, we’ll cover:
What’s SEO in 2025
Today, search is faster and a lot more layered.
Google isn’t the only place people search. They ask questions on ChatGPT, find answers in snippets, and expect useful results right away. You’re not just competing for clicks. You’re competing for trust.
We’ve seen this shift firsthand at LevelUp. One of our prospect clients even mentioned they discovered us through ChatGPT. Definitely not a traditional search result. That moment made it clear: showing up in AI answers isn’t just a bonus. It’s now a real channel for discovery and decisions.
So to win in 2025, your search strategy needs to do more than rank. It needs to:
Think of it as a complete search system:
Fundamental SEO
solid on-page copy, fast load times, clean site structure
AI-ready content
clear facts written so tools like ChatGPT can quote you
Easy-to-read data
schema markup that helps machines understand your pages; technical SEO
User-first experience
pages that guide visitors to the next step, not just chase traffic
You’re not just optimizing for algorithms now, which is exactly why the person you hire for SEO today has to bring more than just textbook knowledge.
Why Hire Filipino SEO Specialists
There’s a reason more companies in the US, UK, and Australia are hiring SEO experts from the Philippines.
For many Filipinos, SEO isn’t a side hustle. In fact, the largest SEO Facebook group in the Philippines has over 75,000 members. It’s a serious growing profession. You’ll even find top Filipino SEO experts speaking at events alongside international names.
It’s not just about the lower rates but the depth of experience and strategy they bring to the table.
1. Strong English, global alignment
Filipinos are highly proficient in English. They can plan, write, and explain SEO clearly without the language gap. Most are trained in Western marketing styles, and can easily match your brand's voice and goals.
They follow the same blogs, newsletters, and thought leaders as your local team. And they know how to create content that connects with your market.
2. Remote work is second nature
Filipino professionals were freelancing and working online long before remote work became the norm elsewhere. Most are already fluent in async communication (clear updates without needing to meet live), and tools like Slack, Notion, and Trello are part of their daily setup.
They’re also resourceful with tools. Many test and tinker with a wide range, from Ahrefs and Semrush to budget-friendly or free alternatives, to improve speed and output.
3. Proven results with Western clients
Thousands of Filipino SEO experts have worked directly with agencies, founders, and brands overseas, as freelancers, in-house hires, or offshore team members. Ask around in any founder or agency, and you’ll hear stories of Filipino SEO hires who became key long-term contributors.
4. Better rates, without compromising quality
Yes, hiring from the Philippines is cost-effective, often 50-70% less than a local hire.
But the real win isn’t just the savings. It’s being able to afford quality and consistency without draining your budget on a single role. That means you can reinvest in tools or additional hires to scale faster.
2025 Salary Guide for SEO Specialists in the Philippines
Here’s a realistic salary breakdown for full-time SEO roles in the Philippines as of 2025.
Role Level | Monthly Rate (USD) | Hourly Rate (USD) |
|---|---|---|
Junior SEO Specialist | $700 - $1,500 | ~$4 - $9/hr |
Mid-Level SEO Expert | $1,200 - $2,200 | ~$7 - $13/hr |
Senior SEO Strategist | $1,800 - $2,500 | ~$11 - $16/hr |
Technical SEO Lead | $2,000 - $3,000+ | ~$13 - $20/hr+ |
Salary estimates are based on a mix of data from Upwork, Indeed, Payscale, and internal benchmarks at LevelUp. Rates vary based on experience, specialization, and working model (freelance vs full-time hire).
A note on underpaying:
You might see offers online for SEO work at $300/month. But that usually comes with one of two things: low quality or short-term gig. Sustainable hires need fair, competitive pay even in offshore markets.
At LevelUp, most of our clients hire mid to senior-level SEO specialists with rates typically around $1,900/month. It’s not the lowest on the market, but we focus on long-term hires who drive real results and stay.
What Skills to Look For (and What to Avoid)
Not every “SEO expert” plays at the same level. Some can walk you through a full search strategy (one that works in 2025) across Google and the AI tools your buyers are actually using.
Others? They just copy competitors and hope for clicks.
Big picture: SEO basics are everywhere. The advantage comes from nuance, knowing how to adjust strategy for each niche, business model, and buyer journey.
If you want to rank, convert, and show up in AI recommendations, here’s what to look for:
On-Page SEO
They should know how to structure content so it’s useful to humans and readable by machines. That means clear headlines, strategic internal links, proper metadata, and fast, mobile-friendly pages.
Technical SEO
Even if they’re not a dev, they should understand crawlability, indexing, site speed, and how to fix common issues flagged in Search Console. Bonus if they can guide your dev team too.
Off-Page SEO
Backlinks still matter, but not just any backlinks. A true SEO expert knows how to build authority through high-quality, relevant links, partnerships, and digital PR.
Content Strategy & Distribution
They don’t just write content. They map it to your funnel, choose topics based on buyer pain points, and think about where and how it’ll be repurposed (email, LinkedIn, even YouTube).
Search Experience (SXO)
Ranking is one thing. Converting is another. Your SEO hire should know how to optimize for user flow, UX, and CTAs. The goal is action, not just visits.
AI Visibility (AIO, GEO, AEO…)
This part’s critical now. They should know how to:
Search isn’t just Google anymore. It’s AI engines, voice tools, and real-time answers. Your SEO expert should understand that, and know how to build content that adapts.
Tool Proficiency
They might mention Semrush, Ahrefs, GA4, Surfer, or Frase but tools mean nothing without strategy. Ask them how they use those tools to guide decisions, not just check boxes.
Red Flags to Watch Out For
They list tools but can’t explain their process.
A flashy toolstack doesn’t mean much without context.
They only talk about rankings, not outcomes.
You want traffic that converts, not vanity metrics.
They copy competitors without asking what makes you different.
Real SEO aligns with your brand and your buyer.
They focus only on Google.
SEO now includes optimizing for AI engines, voice search, and social discoverability.
The right SEO expert doesn’t just “do keywords” anymore. They should understand the full search experience from how people find you to how they trust and act on your content.
Sample Interview Questions to Gauge Real Expertise
You don’t need to know everything about SEO to hire one (that’s why you’re hiring, after all), but you do need to ask the right questions.
These questions are designed to reveal how someone thinks, solves problems, and whether they understand the deeper layers of SEO beyond surface-level tactics.
Here are some sharp questions to start with:
1. How do you approach keyword research in 2025?
Do they talk about intent? Do they mention keyword clusters, search behavior shifts, or how they connect topics to your funnel?
2. How do you adapt when Google rolls out a big algorithm change?
Do they panic or pivot? A strong SEO expert will track updates, test their assumptions, and know how to shift strategy while keeping traffic steady.
3. AI tools are everywhere now. How do you use (or avoid) them in your SEO work?
Are they just using AI just to pump out content? Or do they know how to guide it, edit it, and add real thinking? The best SEOs don’t rely on AI. They know how to use it without losing the strategy.
4. They say SEO isn’t just Google anymore. So what is your take about visibility across other search tools, like ChatGPT, Reddit, or voice search?
Do they know how to build content that shows up in AI answers, not just SERPs? Are they thinking beyond keywords?
5. How do you prove your SEO work is actually working?
Good SEO isn’t just about rankings. Do they mention organic leads? Conversions? Reduced bounce rates? Watch how they tie SEO to business outcomes, not vanity metrics.
6. Walk me through how you’d audit a site that’s slow or underperforming.
Are they diving into Core Web Vitals or JavaScript issues? Or just throwing out a vague “fix your speed, and check your Pagespeed Insights”?
7. What’s one SEO win you’re proud of?
Listen for strategy and ownership. If they can’t explain what actually moved the needle, they probably didn’t drive it.
If you want to cut through the fluff fast, you can ask:
What makes you an actual SEO expert and not just someone who knows the theory?
What to look for: Can they explain how they think, not just what they’ve memorized? Do they show real examples, make decisions based on data, and adjust strategy when things change?
Where to Find and Hire SEO Experts in the Philippines
Once you know what to look for, the next step is: where do you actually find them?
There are plenty of options but not all of them are built for long-term success.
Freelance platforms
You’ll find thousands of Filipino SEO freelancers on sites like Upwork or Onlinejobs.ph. The upside? Choice. The downside? Choice.
Sorting through dozens (or hundreds) of applicants is time-consuming. And since there’s no real vetting, the quality varies wildly. You’ll likely need to conduct paid trial or manage heavily.
SEO Agencies
There are many Philippines-based SEO agencies offering full-service campaigns. This can be a great option if you want something plug-and-play but expect to pay higher monthly retainers, and you might not have full visibility into who’s doing the work or how they operate.
Offshore Staffing Partners
Offshore staffing partners handle the sourcing, hiring, and employment logistics so you don’t have to. Some even offer performance management.
However, not all of them handle legal employment. If they’re not an Employer of Record (EOR), you could still be on the hook for contracts, payroll, and compliance in a country you don’t operate in.
That’s one edge of working with a partner like LevelUp. We’re a full-service offshore hiring partner and a registered EOR in the Philippines.
We employ your hire legally, handle all the setup, and support both sides through structured onboarding which, for us, is the real driver of long-term retention.
So how do you hire an SEO Expert in 2025?
Start by avoiding the most common traps we’ve unpacked throughout this guide:
Still unsure where to start?
At LevelUp, we help you hire offshore SEO experts who are already vetted, aligned, and ready to deliver.
