How Much Coding Do SEO Pros Need?

Google’s Martin Splitt and Gary Illyes have weighed in on a long-debated question in the search marketing world: how much technical expertise should SEO professionals really have?

In a recent episode of the Search Off the Record podcast, the two Google representatives shared their thoughts on the importance of coding skills in SEO, and where the balance should be drawn.

They emphasised that while understanding how the web works is valuable, being able to write code isn’t necessarily a requirement for success in SEO. The key, they suggested, lies in knowing enough to work effectively with technical systems, not becoming a developer yourself.

Martin Splitt explained that SEO professionals often interact with systems on a deep level, so having a grasp of how these systems function can make a real difference.

“You need to understand some of the characteristics of the system in order to optimise it properly,” Splitt said. However, he also made it clear that this doesn’t mean one must be an expert coder.

The discussion also touched on the common tension between SEO professionals and developers. Often, SEO advice can be misunderstood or overlooked due to a lack of technical communication between both sides.

Illyes and Splitt suggested that collaboration between SEOs and developers is crucial. Instead of focusing on learning to code, SEOs might benefit more from improving how they communicate their needs and concerns to technical teams.

While certain SEO roles may require more in-depth technical knowledge, many tasks can be accomplished with just a basic understanding of how websites operate.

For example, understanding how pages load, how JavaScript impacts content visibility, or how search engines crawl and index websites can help SEOs flag potential issues early.

In practice, SEO professionals should aim to understand the basics of HTML, page rendering, and site architecture. This allows them to spot problems and make recommendations, even if they can’t directly fix the code themselves.

Illyes pointed out that while knowing how to code can be a bonus, most SEO issues can be resolved through cooperation with developers rather than direct programming.

Splitt added that knowing the right questions to ask—and being able to interpret the answers—is often more important than being able to write code yourself.

Ultimately, the message from Google is clear: technical knowledge is useful, but not essential. A collaborative mindset and a good understanding of web fundamentals go a long way in effective SEO work.

As the web continues to evolve, SEO professionals are encouraged to stay curious and learn enough to keep up, without feeling pressured to master coding.

In summary, SEOs don’t have to become developers, but they should aim to be technically aware and work closely with those who write the code.

By fostering good relationships with developers and learning how web technologies affect SEO performance, professionals in the field can continue to deliver strong results—without necessarily touching a single line of code.

The Developer-SEO Divide

Martin Splitt, a regular speaker at both developer and SEO-focused events, pointed out the often strained relationship between the two groups. Despite operating in the same digital space, developers and SEO professionals don’t always see eye to eye.

Splitt explained that even when addressing SEO at developer conferences, the atmosphere can feel tense. “Even if you go to a developer event and talk about SEO,” he noted, “it is a strained relationship you’re entering.”

He further commented on the scepticism developers sometimes show towards SEO recommendations. This can happen even when the advice is delivered by someone who understands both sides of the equation.

Such disconnects are not just theoretical—they can lead to real-world issues.

Gary Illyes provided a striking example. He described a situation where a large agency implemented a calendar plugin across multiple websites. Unintentionally, this plugin created an enormous number of pages—roughly 100 million URLs.

As a result, Google started crawling all of them, which caused a major crawl budget issue for those sites. This is the kind of problem that could have been avoided with better collaboration and understanding between SEO professionals and developers.

The takeaway is clear: without mutual respect and communication between the two groups, mistakes can scale rapidly and impact website performance in significant ways.

What SEO Pros Need To Know

Instead of urging SEO professionals to become proficient in coding, Martin Splitt suggests they focus on understanding how web technologies operate at a conceptual level.

He explains that having a basic grasp of technical concepts can go a long way in improving SEO practice. “You should understand what is a header, how does HTTPS conceptually work, what’s the certificate, how does that influence how the connection works,” Splitt advises.

He also recommends learning the distinctions between different web protocols. For instance, understanding how HTTP/2 differs from HTTP/1.1 can help SEOs identify potential performance issues or compatibility concerns.

While there’s no need for SEO specialists to write code in complex programming languages like C, C++, or even JavaScript, Splitt notes that some familiarity with how JavaScript impacts page rendering is useful.

Being aware of how scripts can delay or block content loading allows SEOs to better communicate with developers and anticipate crawling and indexing issues.

Overall, Splitt emphasises that it’s more important for SEO pros to understand the environment they’re working in, rather than becoming full-fledged developers. This knowledge helps bridge the gap between technical and content teams, leading to more effective optimisation strategies.

What This Means

This recent discussion offers some useful takeaways for SEO professionals, particularly around the level of technical understanding required for success.

While a deep ability to code isn’t always essential, having a working knowledge of key technical concepts—such as HTTP protocols, HTML basics, and the role of JavaScript in rendering pages—can significantly improve how SEO strategies are developed and implemented.

The depth of technical knowledge you’ll need often depends on your specific role. If your focus is on content creation, localisation, or broader strategy, detailed coding expertise may not be crucial. However, if you’re involved in tasks like site migrations or in-depth technical audits, a stronger grasp of how websites function becomes far more important.

It’s also important to approach SEO decisions with context. Simply following advice without understanding the underlying reasons can result in avoidable mistakes. SEO is highly nuanced, and the right solution in one situation might be completely wrong in another.

Another key point raised is the importance of collaboration across teams. There’s still a noticeable gap between SEO specialists and web developers, and that disconnect can lead to technical errors that negatively impact a site’s search performance.

Improving communication between SEOs and developers could help resolve many of these issues. Working together ensures that important updates are implemented correctly and that technical considerations are aligned with SEO goals.

Ultimately, Google’s comments highlight that while coding isn’t a mandatory skill for every SEO, building a foundational understanding of the technical landscape—and fostering stronger cross-team collaboration—can make a significant difference in long-term success.

Looking Ahead

As modern websites grow more sophisticated and JavaScript frameworks become increasingly widespread, it’s expected that technical literacy will play a larger role in SEO.

Google has made its stance clear: while SEO professionals don’t need to be developers, having a solid understanding of how websites function can greatly enhance their effectiveness.

For businesses, one of the biggest opportunities lies in improving communication between development and marketing teams. Bridging this gap could help prevent costly technical issues and lead to more cohesive digital strategies.