Search Marketing Strategist Job Description and Salary Potential

This emerging profession is a great fit for marketers with computer skills.

If you have a strong command of the English language, basic knowledge of sales and customer service, a thirst for problem solving, and killer communication skills, you might be destined for a career as a search marketing strategist.

Search marketing strategists aim to identify, and act on, opportunities to boost brands’ visibility on the Internet. Through carefully placed search marketing tactics, they increase online engagement for a company’s products, content and services.

Responsibilities for Search Marketing Strategists

In order to heighten brand awareness, a strategist must first understand its audience. This involves collecting and analyzing Web metrics like how many people visit a website, the amount of time each person spends on it and number of page views per visit. They also consider data such as click-through and conversion rates, cost per click, cost per acquisition and transaction volume and revenue. Strategists may assist in building or optimizing analytics tools to better track this visitor activity.

Search marketing strategists often coordinate with Web developers to optimize their brand website for traffic. This may involve projects like altering the site architecture or rearranging webpage construction for optimal search engine visibility. Strategists may also be responsible for marketing projects like sponsorship programs, paid ad placement, email promotions, or social media campaigns.

Some other duties that may fall to a search marketing strategist include conducting market research analysis to evaluate ecommerce trends and competitor performance; coordinating with bloggers and merchants to strategically place sales-related links; helping with vendor contracts; and implementing online customer service processes to improve user experiences.

As you might have guessed, these professionals require a number of tools and technologies to effectively do their jobs. Necessary equipment might include desktop computers, teleconference and videoconference devices, email access, Web platform development software, business intelligence and data analysis software, and Web page editing software.

Search marketing strategists may have different job titles depending on their company. Commonly reported titles include Channel Supervisor; Director of Search Engine Optimization (SEO); Director of Audience Generation, Search and Analytics; Director of Online Marketing Strategy & Performance; Senior SEO Associate; and Senior SEO Specialist.

Education for Search Marketing Strategists

Most occupations in this field require a bachelor’s degree, but not all. Data from O*Net Online indicates that 78% of search marketing strategists hold a bachelor’s degree, and 13% have an associate’s degree and 4% have a high school diploma or equivalent

The same pool of research revealed that the median wage for search marketing strategists in 2016 totaled $41.59 per hour, or $86,510 per year.

Employment Opportunities and Outlook

Those looking to begin a career as a search marketing strategist would be wise to search opportunities in government or businesses specializing in professional, scientific, and technical services. These sectors represent the top industries for search marketing strategists in 2016.

Overall, professions in search marketing strategy will see projected employment growth of about 2% to 4% between the years 2014 and 2024, during which 37,700 jobs are expected to become available. While progress, this is slower than the average across all occupations.