SEO Generalist

Job Description

Empower the World to Design!

Canva is an all-in-one visual communication platform used by over 200 million people worldwide.

Canva provides design, presentations, documents, video, websites, and AI-powered content creation all in one platform, helping anyone turn their ideas into reality.

Canva Korea is creating locally optimized content and experiences so Korean users can leverage Canva more easily and effectively.

Team Introduction

The International SEO Team is responsible for improving search performance for logged-out areas of the Canva website and helping users worldwide discover Canva.

We are a global team with diverse expertise spanning keyword research, technical SEO, content strategy, outreach, engineering, data analytics, design, and operations. We combine proven global SEO frameworks with deep local market insights to drive Canva's global growth.

Position Introduction

Canva's SEO is world-class. We're looking for an SEO Generalist to help us build the next phase of growth in the Korean market. This is a 12-month contract role where you'll work closely with the SEO Country Lead and the Korea team to create content that truly helps local users.

We're not looking for someone to simply "translate" or "optimize" content. We need someone who deeply understands how Korean users actually search and what information they need, and who can create content tailored to those needs. If you're a native Korean speaker with a genuine interest in SEO and a solid understanding of the Naver ecosystem, that's even better.

If you demonstrate strong performance in this role, there are many opportunities to grow with Canva.

Key Responsibilities

Content Creation & Optimization

• Support the creation, optimization, and publication of SEO-driven content for Canva's key landing pages and blog posts.

• Use local insights, keyword research (including Naver Keyword Tool), and SEO tools to identify content opportunities that drive traffic, visibility, and engagement across priority pages.

• Localize key English website pages to strengthen search rankings for the canva.com/ko_kr subfolder on both Google and Naver.

Outreach & Link Building

• Explore external websites and partners to identify link-building opportunities, and conduct outreach with tailored messaging that aligns with Canva's brand standards and ethical guidelines.

• Accurately document and track campaigns, link quality, and SEO performance metrics, and share results with relevant stakeholders.

• Ensure all SEO activities strictly adhere to white-hat link-building principles and Canva's quality guidelines.

User Experience & Innovation

• Bring a user-centered perspective to SEO initiatives, proactively identifying opportunities to improve the search-to-conversion experience for Korean users.

• Propose creative ideas and solutions to enhance how Korean users discover and use Canva, including across Naver platforms.

• Continuously stay informed about Korean cultural, social, and digital trends across various fields to maintain content relevance.

• Constructively review existing approaches and suggest improvements based on user behavior observations.

Responding to Search & Discovery Trends

• Continuously monitor emerging search and discovery trends in the Korean market, including AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.

• Understand where traditional SEO delivers value and where new channels and approaches are more effective.

• Continuously learn about GEO/AEO developments and next-generation optimization techniques.

• Actively experiment with new content formats and optimization methods as the search landscape evolves.

• Share observations and insights about how Korean users discover content with the team to contribute to global trend understanding.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with internal teams including marketers, designers, Product Managers, SEO Content Specialists, and the SEO Country Lead to align on tone, messaging, goals, and brand standards.

• Monitor local search trends on Google and Naver, track competitor activity, and analyze user behavior to surface actionable insights that inform Canva's content and outreach strategy in Korea.

Strategic Collaboration

• Work with the SEO Lead to prioritize and achieve weekly and monthly goals.

• Share insights with team members in similar markets and strengthen international best practices together.

• Clearly communicate progress, blockers, and learnings across the team.

• Support Korea core team initiatives and contribute ideas to maximize the impact of marketing, branding campaigns, and partnerships.

• Actively share fresh perspectives and insights, especially regarding Korean user needs and Naver-specific market trends.

AI-Powered Work Efficiency

• Use AI tools for research, drafting communications, and other tasks.

• Develop workflows to automate repetitive work.

• Explore new AI solutions and share successful examples with the team.

• Identify inefficiencies in workflows and suggest AI-driven improvements.

• Document automation strategies and add them to shared resources.

We're Looking for Someone Like This

Essential Requirements

• Native-level Korean communication skills and strong business English proficiency

• Excellent Korean writing ability in both structured and creative styles, with deep understanding of linguistic nuance

• Understanding of SEO principles, content strategy, and link-building best practices

• Understanding of the Naver search ecosystem and how its algorithm differs from Google

• Experience using CMS platforms and ability to work with structured briefs

• Experience with SEO tools such as Ahrefs, Google Search Console, Naver Keyword Tool, and Screaming Frog

You'd Be a Great Fit If You

• Love learning through hands-on experience and actively ask questions about what you don't know

• Have excellent writing skills and attention to detail, carefully reviewing not just typos and grammar but also context and nuance by topic

• Enjoy collaboration and can take initiative in driving work forward

• Can suggest better approaches even while learning, going beyond existing methods

• Have strong interest in and understanding of the latest cultural, social, and digital trends in Korea

Growth Mindset

• Accept feedback as an opportunity for growth and actively pursue learning

• Want to develop strategic thinking over time in addition to execution

• Have genuine interest in being part of a global team creating greater impact

Future-Oriented Mindset

• Think beyond rankings and traffic to how your work connects to actual conversions and business growth

• Are interested in how content and page experience influence user behavior, and naturally incorporate CRO thinking into optimization work

• Actively explore how search and discovery are evolving, including AI search, LLMs, social search, and emerging platforms

• Understand that "SEO" increasingly means "discoverability" across traditional search engines, AI tools, social platforms, and channels yet to emerge

• Can work with ambiguity and experiment with new approaches even when best practices are still being established

• Are the type of person already exploring how Canva appears in new discovery channels, bringing insights and ideas rather than waiting for direction

Bonus Experience

• Digital or SEO content writing experience

• SEO content creation experience on Naver platforms (Blog, Cafe, KnowledgeiN, etc.)

• Understanding of Naver's algorithm, ranking logic, and SERP characteristics

• Experience using Naver analytics tools to measure and improve content performance

• Naver content promotion and distribution strategy experience

• Experience collaborating with power bloggers or influencers to secure high-quality backlinks

• Content creation experience for Naver video platforms such as Naver Clip and Naver TV

• Deep understanding of Korean digital content trends or user behavior

Grow With Canva

• Build content SEO expertise through real-world application across both Google and Naver.

• Learn global SEO best practices and how to adapt them for the Korean market.

• Develop the ability to analyze search data and interpret user behavior across multiple search engines.

• Advance your strategic thinking by working with world-class global SEO experts.

• Build deep expertise in the Naver content ecosystem—a uniquely valuable skill for the Korean market.

• Establish a strong foundation for long-term growth in content and organic search.

Canva's View of Talent

• Strategic thinking: Understanding purpose and context beyond the immediate task

• Collaboration: Building trust and enabling smooth teamwork with colleagues

• Problem-solving: Finding solutions and executing them even in difficult situations

• Data-driven thinking: Making decisions based on data and insights

• Ownership: Taking responsibility for your work and seeing it through to completion

• Growth orientation: Enjoying the process of learning and continuously improving

Join the team redefining how the world experiences design.

Hey, g'day, mabuhay, kia ora, 你好, hallo, vítejte!

Thanks for stopping by. We know job hunting can be a little time consuming and you're probably keen to find out what's on offer, so we'll get straight to the point.

Where and how you can work

Alongside our global campuses, we also collaborate with talented contractors and freelancers from all over the world to help us achieve our crazy big goals. While we support flexible, remote-friendly ways of working, for this role we're focusing on Seoul so we can best support our teams and keep collaboration flowing.

About the role

As Canva scales, change continues to be part of our DNA. But we like to think that's all part of the fun.

So this will give you the flavour of the type of things you'll be working on when you start, but this will likely evolve.

Canva's SEO is world-class, and we're looking for a passionate SEO Generalist to join the International SEO team to help scale our next phase of growth in South Korea! This is a 12-month contract, working [full-time - 40 hours per week].

The SEO Generalist will work closely with the Korea SEO Lead and local team. The role of an SEO Generalist is to create and manage engaging, SEO-optimized copy and content that informs, inspires, and converts local audiences.

As an SEO Generalist, you will provide initiative, direction, and support to create helpful and culturally relevant content for users in the South Korean market. Ideally, you are a native speaker with proficiency in Korean & English.

Canva is a fast-growing, mission-driven company, and we're looking for talented people who want to contribute to something meaningful. If you're excited about the opportunity to make an impact, show us what you've got—strong performers in this role have significant opportunities to grow with us.

About the team

The International SEO team is responsible for improving SEO performance of logged-out pages across the Canva website. Our mission in SEO is to empower every user in the world to discover Canva.

We're a global team of specialists spanning keyword research, technical SEO, content strategy, outreach, engineering, data analytics, design, and operations. We work across many regions and languages, combining proven frameworks with deep local market expertise.

Content Creation & Optimization

• Support the creation, optimisation, and publication of SEO-driven content for Canva's key landing pages and blog posts.
• Use local insights, keyword research (including Naver Keyword Tool), and SEO tools to identify content opportunities that drive traffic, visibility, and engagement across priority pages.
• Localize key English website pages to ensure strong rankings for the canva.com/ko_kr subfolder on both Google and Naver.

Outreach & Link Building

• Support Canva in identifying relevant external websites and partners for link-building opportunities and conduct outreach using tailored messaging aligned with Canva's brand and ethical standards.
• Maintain accurate documentation and tracking of campaigns, link quality, and SEO performance metrics, and communicate results to relevant Canva stakeholders.
• Ensure all SEO activities adhere strictly to white-hat link-building practices and Canva's quality guidelines.

User Experience & Innovation

• Bring a user-first perspective to SEO initiatives, proactively identifying opportunities to improve the search-to-conversion experience for Korean users.
• Propose creative solutions and fresh ideas that enhance how Korean users discover and engage with Canva — including across Naver surfaces.
• Stay up to date with Korean cultural, social, and digital trends across a wide range of topics to ensure content remains locally relevant.
• Question existing approaches constructively and suggest improvements based on user behavior observations.

Navigating the Evolution of Search & Discovery

• Stay curious about emerging search and discovery trends in your market—including how users find information through AI-powered platforms (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Google's AI Overviews, etc.)
• Understand where traditional SEO drives value versus where new channels and approaches may be more effective in your country
• Stay up to date on GEO/AEO evolutions and next-generation optimization techniques
• Be open to experimenting with new content formats and optimization approaches as the search landscape evolves
• Share observations and learnings about how users in your market discover content, contributing to our global understanding of emerging trends

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Canva's internal team, including marketers, designers, product manager, SEO Content Editor and the SEO Country Lead, to align on tone, messaging, goals, and brand standards.
• Monitor local search trends on both Google and Naver, track competitor activity, and analyse user behaviour to surface actionable insights that inform Canva's ongoing content and outreach strategy in South Korea.

Strategic Collaboration

• Partner with your SEO Lead to prioritize and deliver on weekly and monthly goals.
• Collaborate with peers in similar markets to share insights and strengthen international best practices.
• Communicate progress, blockers, and learnings clearly across teams.
• Support South Korea core team initiatives, contributing ideas to maximize marketing and branding campaigns and partnerships.
• Actively share insights and learnings — especially fresh perspectives on Korean user needs and Naver-specific market trends.

AI-Powered Efficiency

• Utilize AI tools for tasks like research, drafting communications, and more.
• Develop workflows to automate routine activities.
• Explore new AI solutions and share successful practices with the team.
• Spot inefficiencies in workflows and suggest AI-driven improvements.
• Record automation strategies and add them to shared resources.

Qualifications

Core Requirements:

• Native-level fluency in Korean and strong English communication skills.
• Technically strong writing skills with a flair for either structured or creative style — excellent grasp of Korean linguistic nuances.
• Basic understanding of SEO principles, content, and link building best practices — including familiarity with how Naver's algorithm and ecosystem differ from Google.
• Experience with CMS platforms and comfort working with structured briefs.
• Familiarity with SEO tools (e.g., Ahrefs, Google Search Console, Naver Keyword Tool, ScreamingFrog) is a plus.

Working Style:

• Curious and eager to learn through hands-on experience.
• Reliable and detail-oriented with strong writing skills — high attention to detail to catch typos, grammatical lapses, and the different nuances of requested topics.
• Comfortable asking questions and seeking feedback.
• Thrives in collaborative environments and takes initiative.
• Proactive in identifying user experience improvements and sharing ideas, even as you're learning.
• Brings fresh perspectives and isn't afraid to constructively challenge existing approaches.
• Trend-sensitive — stays up to date with the latest cultural, social, and digital trends across a wide range of topics in South Korea.

Growth Mindset:

• Open to mentorship and constructive feedback.
• Interested in growing strategic thinking over time.
• Enthusiastic about joining a team with global impact.

Future-Oriented & Adaptable Mindset

• Business-aware: you think about how your work connects to conversion and growth — not just rankings and traffic
• CRO-curious: You're interested in how content and page experience influence user behaviour, and you bring that thinking into how you approach optimisation tasks
• Curiosity about emerging channels: You're actively interested in how discovery is evolving—including AI search, LLMs, social search, and new platforms—and you're eager to learn
• Comfort with ambiguity: You can experiment with new approaches (like content formatting for AI-generated answers) even when best practices are still being established
• Channel-agnostic thinking: You understand that "SEO" increasingly means "discoverability"—whether through traditional search engines, AI tools, social platforms, or channels yet to emerge
• Data-driven adaptability: You can objectively assess what's working and adjust your approach based on performance and market signals
• Early adopter energy: You're the type of person who's already exploring how Canva appears in new discovery channels, bringing insights and ideas rather than waiting for direction

Bonus:

• Prior experience writing for digital or SEO content.
• Prior experience with SEO content creation on Naver properties (Blog, Cafe, KnowledgeiN, etc.).
• Familiarity with Naver's algorithm, ranking factors, and SERP behaviour.
• Experience using Naver analytics tools to measure and optimise content performance.
• Experience with Naver content promotion and distribution strategies.
• Experience collaborating with Korean influencers or Power Bloggers for authentic, high-traffic backlinks.
• Experience creating content for Naver video platforms such as Naver Clip and TV.
• Understanding of local digital content or user behavior trends in South Korea.

Additional Information

What You'll Learn and How You'll Develop

• Develop content SEO fundamentals through real-world application — across both Google and Naver.
• Learn international best practices and how to localize them for the Korean market.
• Grow your ability to analyze search data and user behavior across multiple search engines.
• Work closely with global SEO experts to build strategic thinking.
• Build deep expertise in Naver's content ecosystem — a uniquely valuable skill for the Korean market.
• Build a strong foundation for long-term growth in content and organic search.

The A-Player Standard

We're setting a high bar—because International is becoming Canva's biggest growth driver, and we need exceptional people driving it.

What "A-Player" means in this role:

• Strategic thinker: You define what should be done and why (not just execute)
• Relationship builder: You make collaboration easy and productive
• Problem solver: You're resourceful and resilient when challenges arise
• Data-driven: You use insights to drive decisions and demonstrate impact
• Ownership mindset: You act like it's your business, not just your job
• Growth-oriented: You're constantly learning, adapting, and improving