Zola is looking for a Director of SEO/AEO to lead our organic search strategy & execution, with a strong emphasis on content. We need a creative, hands-on operator who is excited about the future of search, including the integration of AI & new technologies, & who spikes in content strategy. You'll be responsible for building a comprehensive strategy from the ground up, identifying high-impact opportunities, & scaling our content & product efforts to drive meaningful growth for Zola.

This is NOT a cookie-cutter SEO role: thinkers who rely heavily on SEO best practice as an answer need not apply. We are looking for a leader who can serve at the forefront of the most quickly evolving discipline in marketing, who solves business problems through the lens of organic search.

This role reports directly to the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).

What You'll Do:

• Lead the Organic Search Strategy: Develop & execute a holistic SEO/GEO strategy that aligns with Zolas business goals, focusing on both foundational SEO & innovative, content-led growth initiatives.
• Drive Content Creation: Lead the end-to-end content creation process, from identifying high-potential keywords & topics to building scalable workflows for content production. Partner with cross-functional collaborators to execute against a content roadmap.
• Innovate with AI & Technology: Actively explore & implement new technologies, including AI tools, to accelerate keyword research, content generation, & co-occurrence acquisition.
• Conduct In-Depth Research: Perform advanced keyword research, competitive analysis, & opportunity modeling to identify new growth areas. You'll use data to make a strong business case for your content strategies.
• Manage Cross-Functional Projects: Work closely with product, engineering, & marketing teams to ensure SEO-first thinking is integrated into our product roadmap & marketing campaigns.
• Report on Performance: Monitor, analyze, & report on key SEO metrics to the leadership team, clearly articulating performance, trends, & future opportunities. You will own the results.
• Mentor & Grow: Stay on top of the latest search trends, algorithm updates, & industry best practices. You'll be the resident expert, educating others & championing SEO throughout the organization.

What We're Looking For:

• 6-9 years of hands-on experience in SEO, with a proven track record of driving significant organic growth through business-led content & technical strategies.
• Expert-level proficiency in platforms like Google Search Console, SEMRush, Botify, etc. as well as emerging AI search measurement & workflow platforms
• A proven track record of curiosity & innovation when it comes to AI, GEO, & the evolving search landscape. This isnt a platitude; we will ask you to give us examples of this.
• A builder & operator. You're not just a strategist; you're highly operational & ready to roll up your sleeves to build new processes & workflows.
• Deep expertise in content strategy. You know how to identify content gaps, model opportunity, & create engaging content that ranks. You have experience with co-occurrence acquisition & building a comprehensive content ecosystem.
• A strong understanding of technical SEO & how it intersects with content.
• Excitement for the future of search. You are genuinely curious about how AI, large language models, & other emerging technologies will shape the SEO landscape. You have experience working with AI tools for content or have a strong desire to dive in.
• Excellent communication & analytical skills. You can translate complex data into clear, actionable insights for both technical & non-technical audiences.
• Nimble & adaptable. You thrive in a fast-paced, startup-like environment & are comfortable navigating ambiguity.

The salary range for this role is $160,000 - $180,000.  This full-time role will be hybrid at our office in NYC (Tuesdays & Thursdays).

ABOUT ZOLA

We're Zola, the wedding company that will do anything for love. We're reinventing the wedding planning & registry experience to make the happiest moment in our couples lives even happier. From engagement to wedding & decorating your first home, Zola is there, combining compassionate customer service with modern tools & technology all in the service of love. 

We built our entire platform from the ground-up in 2013, & quickly became the fastest-growing wedding company in the country. Our team has deep experience creating award-winning online & mobile products that are helpful, intuitive, & simply magical. Were proud to have investor partners including Female Founders Fund, Comcast Ventures, Goldman Sachs, Canvas Ventures, Thrive Capital & Lightspeed Venture Partners, among others. 

We are passionate about supporting all forms of love, & were proud of our thriving community of over 2 million couples. We strive to hire a team that is as beautifully diverse as the couples getting married today, & we encourage individuals from every race, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, marital status, religion & perspective to apply. Zola will always be a place where every employee, couple, wedding guest, wedding vendor, & partner will be respected & accepted & valued. 

Our headquarters is in NYC. Come work with us!