Algorithmic Labor As a Game: Agency, Passion, and Unpaid Work in SEO
The findings reveal that SEOs experience a strong sense of agency and efficacy in navigating the uncertain algorithmic environment, framing their work as a game. This agency stems from their ability to influence marketplace outcomes by studying, interpreting, and strategizing around algorithmic rules. This, in turn, fosters a deep personal investment—or "illusio" (Bourdieu & Wacquant, 1992)—in the “game” of their work. The online marketing specialists frequently describe their work not merely as a job, but as a passion, love, or even a hobby. This romanticization of work (Gregg, 2011) conceals the unpaid labor involved, such as continuous self-education and skill development, which SEO specialists pursue in their free time. The paper argues that this phenomenon is grounded in the construction of SEO work as a metrified game. This gamified structure (Ranganathan & Benson, 2020) enhances their sense of agency, deepening specialists’ commitment to their work, while simultaneously concealing the labor embedded in activities perceived as “free time.” The paper thus illustrates how algorithmic, game-like experiences align individuals’ motivations with managerial interests.