Arabic SEO Generalist - MENA (12 month contract)

Overview

About The Role

Outreach, Link Building & AI Citations (GEO)

• Identify relevant external websites, publishers and partners for link-building and brand-mention opportunities across the Arabic/MENA web, and run outreach using tailored messaging aligned with Canva's brand and ethical standards.
• Build and run campaigns that earn Canva citations and mentions in AI answer engines by securing placements on the high-authority, frequently-cited sources these models draw from (industry roundups, "best tools" lists, comparison pages, reputable Arabic media and reference sites).
• Reclaim unlinked brand mentions and pursue placements on the listicles, directories and reference pages (including Arabic Wikipedia and equivalents) that disproportionately feed LLM answers.
• Monitor how often — and how — Canva is mentioned and cited in AI answers for priority Arabic queries, and feed those insights back into the outreach and content roadmap.
• Research and build prospect lists using Canva's proven frameworks: guest posting, resource-page insertions, and broken-link building.
• Analyse competitor backlink and AI-citation profiles to uncover replicable opportunities.
• Prioritise prospects based on relevance, authority, likelihood of success, and citation potential.
• Maintain accurate documentation and tracking of campaigns, link quality, AI-mention coverage and SEO performance metrics, and communicate results to relevant Canva stakeholders.
• Ensure all activity adheres strictly to white-hat practices and Canva's quality guidelines.

Content Creation & Optimization

• Support the creation, optimisation, and publication of SEO-driven content for Canva’s key landing pages and blog posts in Arabic.
• Use local insights, keyword research, and SEO tools to identify content opportunities that drive traffic, visibility, and engagement across priority pages.

Seo & Country Team Collaboration

• Partner closely with the Country SEO Lead to support broader SEO initiatives and contribute outreach insights that inform local strategy
• Collaborate with the broader MENA marketing, community, partnerships, and product teams to identify opportunities that strengthen brand visibility and organic growth
• Proactively apply outreach expertise to amplify regional campaigns, partnerships, launches, and events through strategic visibility opportunities

Innovation, Experimentation & AI Enablement

• Embrace emerging AI tools and evolving search trends to improve outreach workflows, scale impact, and identify new growth opportunities
• Continuously experiment with outreach tactics, messaging, platforms, and automation approaches to optimise performance and stay ahead of industry changes
• Share learnings, successful workflows, and best practices with local and global teams to contribute to a culture of innovation and continuous improvement
• Bring a user-first perspective to SEO initiatives, proactively identifying opportunities to improve the search-to-conversion experience.
• Propose creative solutions and fresh ideas that enhance how Arabic users discover and engage with Canva.
• You're probably a match if you
• Native Arabic speaker with strong understanding of regional dialects and business-level English.
• Experience in link building, digital PR, content marketing, or similar outreach-focused roles, with a solid understanding of SEO fundamentals.
• Confident building authentic relationships with publishers, creators, and partners.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging to different audiences.
• Detail-oriented and data-informed, with strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple outreach initiatives.
• Experience working with CMS platforms and structured content briefs.
• Familiarity with SEO tools (e.g. Ahrefs, Google Search Console, Screaming Frog) and/or outreach platforms (e.g. Pitchbox, BuzzStream).
• Growth mindset with a willingness to learn, seek feedback, and continuously improve.
• Proactive in identifying opportunities to enhance user experience and challenge existing approaches.
• Quick to learn new software and comfortable using AI tools for research, drafting, and analysis; basic knowledge of LLMs is a plus.
• Thrive in cross-functional, collaborative environments and global teams.
• Enjoy testing new outreach strategies, exploring tools, and using AI to scale impact.
• Experience creating content or assets that support outreach campaigns.
• Familiarity with search engines, social platforms, communities, and networks across the Arabic/MENA market.
• What you’ll learn and how you’ll develop
• Develop strategic SEO skills across technical, content, and authority pillars—growing beyond pure execution
• Learn international best practices and how to localize them.
• Grow your ability to analyze search data and user behavior.
• Work closely with global SEO experts to build strategic thinking.
• Build a strong foundation for long-term growth in content and organic search.
• Become proficient in AI-powered workflows that multiply your productivity and effectiveness
• Contribute to a global knowledge-sharing culture where your insights shape international outreach strategy
• Other stuff to know
• We make hiring decisions to engage contractors based on your experience, skills and passion.
• When you signify interest, please tell us the pronouns you use and any reasonable adjustments you may need during the contractor-accreditation interview process.
• Please note that interviews are conducted virtually.
• Please complete your application in English.
• We celebrate all types of skills and backgrounds at Canva so even if you don’t feel like your skills quite match what’s listed above - we still want to hear from you!
• Check out lifeatcanva.com for more info.