The titles are used loosely and often interchangeably, which is why the question gets asked. There is a real distinction underneath, and it is about where someone’s work sits: deciding what should be done, or making it happen.
The distinction
- A strategist decides what to pursue and in what order. Which markets, which terms, which pages, what to ignore, and how the site should be structured to support it.
- A consultant is the broader role — diagnosis, recommendations and guidance across whatever the site needs, strategy included.
In practice most strategy work is done by consultants, and most competent consultants do strategy. Where the titles diverge is emphasis: a strategist is engaged for direction, a consultant for direction plus everything downstream of it.
When you want strategy specifically
- You have capable people executing but no agreement on priorities.
- Effort is spread across too many things and none is progressing.
- You are entering a new market, launching a new line, or restructuring the site.
- Two internal views conflict and you need an informed decision.
- You have an audit full of findings and no sequence for acting on them.
The common thread is capacity without direction. See SEO strategy.
When you want broader consulting
- You do not know why traffic or enquiries have fallen.
- You need diagnosis before anyone can sensibly plan.
- Your team needs guidance while implementing, not just a plan.
- You need someone accountable across the whole picture rather than one slice.
What matters more than the title
Neither word is protected, so both appear on people with very different levels of experience. The useful questions are about the work, not the label:
- Will the output be a decision you can act on, or a document?
- Who implements it, and is that included?
- What happens if the plan meets an obstacle halfway through?
- Have they worked on sites at your scale and in your kind of market?
That last one separates candidates faster than any title. See questions to ask an SEO consultant.
The failure mode to avoid
Strategy delivered and never implemented. It is the most common way this money is wasted: a well-reasoned plan arrives, nobody is assigned to execute it, and six months later nothing has changed.
Whichever title you engage, settle implementation before the work starts. See implementation support.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need both?
Rarely. One competent person usually covers both, and splitting the roles adds coordination cost without adding much.
Which costs more?
They overlap heavily. Seniority and scope drive the price far more than the title does. See SEO consultant prices.
Can an agency provide this?
Yes, though agencies more often lead with execution. If you specifically want direction, say so and confirm who will provide it.
What does a strategist actually produce?
A prioritised plan tied to commercial outcomes — what to do, in what order, and why. See what an SEO strategist does.
Consulting CTA
To work out which your situation calls for, book an SEO consultation.