SEO + AEO Manager

Carbondale, CO or Denver, CO. This role requires in-person work from our office 2+ days/week, with remote flexibility the rest of the week.

At Backbone, we live by the mantra that passion drives results. We are insiders of the outside and it’s our job to advocate for the brands we believe in. But to us, it's more than just a job, because we live those brands day in and day out. We've always believed it's possible to bridge the gap between work and personal passions, and our team is full of talented people who share in that vision. Ours is a team of smart, driven marketers, drawn together by a passion for the outdoors and doing great work for great brands. Find out more about us at backbone.media

The Role

The SEO + AEO Manager supports the execution of modern organic discovery strategies for Backbone clients. This includes traditional search engine optimization as well as emerging opportunities in generative search, AI-powered discovery, and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).

Reporting to the Senior SEO Manager, this role focuses on implementing SEO initiatives, conducting research and analysis, and executing optimization recommendations across client accounts. The SEO + AEO Manager works closely with the team lead to translate strategic direction into actionable tasks that improve visibility, traffic, and discoverability across search engines, ecommerce environments, and evolving AI-driven search experiences.

This position is ideal for a candidate with a strong foundation in SEO who is interested in expanding their expertise across technical SEO, content optimization, structured data, and emerging AI search ecosystems.

The Work

· Execute SEO and AEO initiatives across client accounts based on strategic direction from the Senior SEO Manager

· Conduct SEO audits to identify opportunities across site architecture, internal linking, technical SEO, and content structure

· Support optimization of product pages, category pages, and content hubs to improve organic visibility and conversion

· Perform keyword, topic, and search intent research to inform optimization and content opportunities

· Translate research insights into actionable recommendations for site improvements and new content initiatives

· Assist in identifying opportunities to improve client visibility across generative search results and AI-powered answer engines

· Recommend improvements to structured data, schema markup, and content formatting to support rich results and AI-readable content

· Support entity and topic mapping initiatives that strengthen brand authority across key subject areas

· Monitor organic performance against KPIs and identify trends, opportunities, and optimization priorities

· Prepare performance reports and insights for internal teams and client updates

· Support client communication by contributing analysis, recommendations, and reporting for client meetings

· Collaborate with internal teams including content, PR, paid media, and analytics to support integrated marketing initiatives

· Assist with SEO audits and analysis for new business opportunities

· Stay informed on evolving SEO, generative search, and AI discovery trends and share insights with internal teams

The Essentials

Bachelor’s Degree preferred:

· 1–2 years of SEO experience within an agency environment preferred

· 2–3 years of SEO experience overall (agency or in-house)

Your Capabilities

· Solid understanding of SEO fundamentals including technical SEO, on-page optimization, and search intent

· Experience working with SEO tools such as SEMrush, Ahrefs, Moz, Screaming Frog, and Google Keyword Planner

· Familiarity with structured data, schema markup, and how machine-readable content impacts discoverability

· Understanding of how content structure, product data, and site architecture influence visibility in search engines and AI-powered search experiences

· Ability to analyze performance data and translate insights into actionable optimization recommendations

· Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines

· Clear and effective communication when working with internal teams and contributing to client deliverables

· Detail-oriented with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities

· Proficiency in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel

· Experience working with Google Analytics and reporting platforms

The Extra Mile

· Experience working with ecommerce websites or product-driven brands

· Experience implementing or recommending schema and structured data

· Basic understanding of PR, affiliate marketing, paid search, community management, and integrated media strategies

· Experience working with reporting platforms such as Google Data Studio / Looker Studio

· Understanding of Backbone’s core values

· A love of the outdoors

Compensation: At time of posting, $55,000 – $60,000 annual base salary, based on experience

Comprehensive Benefits:

· Medical coverage

· Dental coverage

· Vision coverage

· 401 (k) match

· Wellness benefit

· Home office stipend

· Professional development/education assistance

· Paid volunteer hours

· Parental leave

· Flexible schedule

· Company-wide offsites

· Remote/hybrid workplace

Perks: Our culture creates the vibrant energy that fuels what we do and what we stand for. Flex time, powder days, wellness incentives, flexible work arrangements, team hikes, floats, runs and playtime

Be you, on our team. We seek to build an inclusive team and culture that values diverse lived experiences, backgrounds and skill sets.

About Backbone Media: We are the country's leading active lifestyle media agency. For nearly 30 years, Backbone has partnered with brands big and small to develop and execute effective, integrated media strategies. With offices in Carbondale and Denver, Colorado. Backbone has been consistently included on Outside Magazine’s “Best Places to Work” list.

Everything we do is backed by an internal culture of true believers with passionate, personal connections to the outdoor world. We don’t stand still. We can’t help but protect the environment and access to the outdoors in our actions. And we get stoked on amplifying the brands that want to make big things happen.

Backbone provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. We consider applicants of all backgrounds — if you're excited about what we're doing but don't meet every criterion, please don't let that discourage you from applying.

Please no phone calls regarding job inquiries.