Clara Soteras is an SEO and digital strategy consultant specializing in news publishers across Spain, Europe, and LATAM. She is Head of Innovation at AMIC, teaches news SEO at universities and business schools, and serves as a judge for international search and journalism awards (ONA, WAN-IFRA, LION). She recently published SEO Playbook for News Publishers.
I had the opportunity to work closely with Clara and Carlos Ortega while I was living on the Gold Coast, and together we increased the traffic of an Australian financial media outlet by more than 80% in just a few months.
1. In your book SEO Playbook for News Publishers, you question many of the assumptions behind “classic SEO.” Which concepts do you think journalists and editors should unlearn as soon as possible?
A few years ago, mentioning SEO in a newsroom often triggered scepticism or even resistance. There was a widespread belief that “SEO is here to change our headlines” which was never really the case. Journalists create content to be read and to reach an audience, and that is exactly where the SEO role comes in. The job is to act as a bridge helping their work achieve greater visibility and reach as many users as possible.
Over time trust has grown between media leaders, strategy teams, SEO professionals and audience departments. There is now a broader understanding that this work requires a different mindset and perspective, especially as editorial businesses also need to be sustainable. In many of the newsrooms I’ve worked with there has been a genuine shift in mentality, recognising that SEO goes far beyond keywords, links and bold text.
One of the most rewarding moments is when journalists and editors actively seek your input on content strategy and want you involved in their decision-making. In many cases, the SEO function ends up playing a key role in editorial meetings and in shaping how news coverage is planned.
2. The book includes a dedicated chapter on artificial intelligence and search. From your perspective, what real impact will AI have on the day to day work of newsrooms beyond the hype?
From a media perspective, AI can be approached in two main ways. The first is how it can be used inside newsrooms. The second is how it will reshape search itself. When it comes to newsroom workflows, training journalists to automate low value tasks is essential. This allows them to focus on deeper analysis, uncovering exclusive stories, and developing higher value products. The focus should move away from producing content or large volumes of URLs purely for ranking, especially as we are seeing that this type of content tends to perform significantly worse than content created by humans.
At the same time, the search landscape is clearly changing. AI Overviews are already visible across most markets, and a growing share of search queries is now being resolved directly within Search. This has a direct impact on the evergreen content that media outlets and creators have traditionally produced through blogs. Breaking news is not being affected in the same way yet, as we recently saw with coverage and analysis around Trump and Maduro.
There is also close attention on how Google Discover continues to evolve, as it is currently the primary traffic channel for many media organisations, alongside the development of AI Mode and other large language model platforms.
3. The idea of “evangelising SEO” within newsrooms comes up frequently in your work. What resistance do you usually encounter from journalists, editors or senior leadership and how can it be overcome?
I often talk about evangelising SEO because for me it is the fundamental starting point for activating any SEO strategy within a newsroom. Without the understanding and commitment of journalists and editors, there is no real product. If they do not trust the SEO team or see the value we can bring, it becomes impossible to move forward.
It is essential for them to understand data and analytics and to know how users behave, what they like to read and how they consume content. That understanding allows us to explore new formats, platforms and ways of communicating more effectively. At the same time this mindset needs to be shared not only by journalists and editors, but also by area directors and CEOs. That is how decisions around resources can be made more clearly, for example when planning coverage for major news events.
4. After working with very different newsrooms, what separates the teams that truly evolve from those that fall behind?
In newsrooms you generally come across two very different realities. On one hand, there are teams that want to move forward but lack the technological and financial resources, as well as specialised profiles with deep expertise. On the other, there are large organisations where scale, established roles and long-standing routines make change more difficult. Both have room for improvement but the approach needs to be different in each case.
In smaller or less resourced teams, the focus is on providing practical tools to train the newsroom, start implementing changes and achieve quick wins. Small improvements that help them stand out in specific areas and build momentum and motivation to keep going. In larger organisations, progress often depends on budgets and editorial and business decisions that need to be defended across multiple layers of leadership. In these cases, what really matters is helping decision-makers understand why a certain approach is being proposed.
Ultimately, the role is to show clear examples, explain where the market is heading and offer solutions that are both applicable and beneficial to their specific context. What works for one newsroom will not necessarily work for another. As with any web project, the SEO approach and execution must be tailored to each case.
5. With so many changes across SEO and media, which professional habit helps you maintain focus and clarity?
Staying consistently up to date is key, not only with SEO and the latest algorithm changes but also with the future of media and the different approaches publishers are taking. I follow a range of industry leaders, media outlets and newsletters that help me maintain this broader perspective.
I am particularly interested in understanding what publishers are putting into practice in different parts of the world. That global view gives me fresh ideas and new angles for analysis, especially when working across multiple markets such as Spain, other parts of Europe, Latin America and the United States.
6. Sport is a constant in your life. What role does it play in your day to day routine and how does it influence the way you work or think?
Sport recharges my energy and clears my mind. It helps me start the day feeling activated and focused. I usually wake up early to go to the gym, which means I am fully switched on just as everyone else is arriving at the office.
Quite often exercising is also when fresh ideas emerge. It might be a new angle for a talk or presentation, a different way of approaching an analysis, or even the starting point for a new project. Sport also brings discipline, improves concentration and helps with mental organisation. All of this supports stronger performance in more cognitively demanding work. In the end, it becomes a virtuous circle. “Mens sana in corpore sano.”
7. As a teacher, what do you consider most important to focus on beyond technical skills?
Above all I encourage them to be proactive, curious and genuinely motivated to learn, put in the effort and grow as professionals. I also emphasise that they should not be afraid of making mistakes. Things are rarely black and white, and experimentation is often the best way to discover what truly interests them.
Technical knowledge goes beyond what many of us look for when hiring in media. I have always prioritised the human side and soft skills. Commitment, reliability, professionalism and a strong sense of responsibility matter far more to me, because everything else can be learned. Ultimately, I look for people who believe in the project and feel genuinely connected to it.
8. Which skills do you believe future media professionals will need that are still not being taught enough today?
I would not even call them future professionals. This is already the present. Media SEO roles and the profiles that are emerging are becoming far more cross functional and require a strong understanding of business and strategy. It is no longer enough to focus only on one specific area or specialisation.
As audience focused professionals we need to understand product, social media, platforms, video and above all our audience and what it tells us through data and user behaviour. That is why having a solid grasp of analytics is also critical, as we are increasingly expected to work with and manage KPIs.
Finally, communication across different roles within a newsroom or media organisation is just as important. We cannot speak the same way to developers, journalists, editors and area directors. Adapting the message to each role is a key skill in itself.
9. This year are you planning to attend any SEO or media events as an attendee, either nationally or internationally?
I am planning to attend both SEO and media events, with a strong focus on international ones. I am open to attending conferences in Spain as well, but in recent years I have mostly been involved as both a speaker and an attendee at SEO conferences and international media organisations across several European countries.
I have also taken part in an experience in Indianapolis working closely with multiple newsrooms, and served as a judge for awards evaluating projects at a global level. These experiences have been incredibly valuable in terms of expanding my perspective and understanding how different markets operate.
This year, especially following the publication of my book in English SEO Playbook for News Publishers, I am very open to taking part in more internationally focused events, with English as the main language.
10. As both an attendee and a speaker at events, which types of content or conversations genuinely add value for you in the industry today?
Learning from people in different sectors outside of media, or from different markets where priorities may focus more on subscriptions or product strategy adds a great deal of value for me. It brings fresh perspectives, practical insights and meaningful connections that help me continue to grow.
These environments also foster very engaging conversations. At international events in particular, networking and relationship building are strongly encouraged and everyone has something valuable to contribute to one another.