About Sarah Parker

Sarah Parker is a freelance writer and communications consultant at Parker Communications. She lives and works surrounded by mountains and birdsong - in NSW Australia.

Search Industry Job of the Week – Search Engine Optimization Specialist

Job Title: Search Engine Optimization Specialist
Job Reference: unknown
Position Type: full time
Name of employer: VOCAL Technologies, Ltd
Location: Amherst, NY United States
Date Posted: 26 February 2013
Position description:

VOCAL Technologies, Ltd. are looking for self-motivated candidates to be responsible for the optimization of their website content for maximum visibility and ranking the major search engines.

SEO Responsibilities

  • Develop and implement SEO to ensure that traffic and ROI goals are met and exceeded
  • Optimizing site architecture, optimizing URL structures and patterns for maximized indexing and keyword relevancy
  • Link Analysis: including opportunities, broken links, redirects, cross linking
  • Improve inbound linking
  • Conduct competitive analysis in order to learn from competition
  • Monitor day-to-day activity in order to optimize keywords and ads
  • Provide recommendations for landing page updates in order to better integrate with keyword campaigns

The candidate qualifying for this role will possess the following required skills:

  • 3+ years experience in search engine optimization and working on websites
  • Proven success in raising website visibility in the Google search engine
  • Proven track record of ranking and maintaining target keywords on the number one spot in Google
  • Clear understanding of Google Algorithm updates and how they alter the landscape
  • Experience with analytics/reporting tools such as Google Analytics
  • Experience with leading search engine ranking, traffic and analysis software
  • Experience with social media marketing
  • BS Degree in Computer Science, Engineering or Information Technology required
  • Demonstrated ability to manage details, efficient work habits, and overall flexibility
  • Self-starter approach to work, with a desire to consistently meet and exceed objectives and take on more responsibility
  • A self-starter with an ability to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment
  • Should be familiar with HTML and JavaScript
  • A background in online marketing and/or website development is preferred

Salary range: Unknown
Closing date: Unknown
More info from: www.vocal.com
Contact: Send resumes to: hr@vocal.com

For more search industry jobs, or to post a vacancy, visit Search Engine College Jobs Board.

Fast Five in Search – Week 9, 2013

fast-fiveWARNING: This week’s Fast Five contains links you may want to bookmark!

Looking for ways to enhance your online reputation? Manage multiple client Google accounts? Sharpen your editorial skills? This week’s Fast Five shares some hard-earned professional wisdom…

1) Is Your business Image Suffering Online? By Dave Thomas                                       This is a great common sense article all business owners should read. The rise of social media and mobile apps has changed the way people communicate online. One unhappy customer, or a disgruntled employee, can harm your online reputation if you’re not careful. To prevent this, Dave shares four easy ways to keep on top of your online business profile.

2) Strategies for Administering Client Google Analytics Accounts by Ben Alvord             This is the kind of nuts-and-bolts post I bookmark and refer back to. Ben takes us through his administration process step-by-step and teaches us how to manage multiple Google accounts without compromising client privacy. Even the comments section is helpful with users adding interesting info on their experiences with managing client accounts.

3) Google Authorship and the Fast Track to Better Rankings: A Case Study by Jeff Sauer Many content producers are excited about Google Authorship and Jeff’s post explains why. I love the way Jeff narrates his own experiences with a new site and what happened when he linked it to Google +. Make sure you read to the end to get Jeff’s great tips on making the most of your site/blog in this new era of Authorship.

And finally, some editorial tips from Copyblogger’s Brian Clark…

4) The Art of Writing Great Twitter Headlines by Brian Clark                                             The journalist in me loved this one. Remember the 4 U’s? Or the eight words or less rule? Brian says a bit of editorial flair goes along way on Twitter. Writing attention grabbing headlines is not just for our own content though… we can also use it when we retweet. Brian also includes helpful links to other related articles.

5) SEO Copywriting: The Five Essential Elements to Focus On by Brian Clark                   If a client or friend asks you about the dos and don’ts of SEO Copywriting, this would be a great blog post to recommend. Brian gives a quick run-down on SEO generally, followed by five points to focus on for good SEO copywriting. Make sure you read to the end to download Brian’s free 28 page report, if you want more info. Thanks Brian!

Happy reading!

*Image courtesy of Threadless

Search Industry Job of the Week – Online Marketer

Job Title: Online Marketer
Job Reference: Unknown
Position Type: full time
Name of employer:  Confidential
Location: Great Neck, NY (Next to LIRR; 22min fr Manhattan)
Date Posted: 21 February 2013
Position description:

This is Online Marketing position with a company that owns and operates several popular and growing Internet brands serving loyal consumer audiences. The position offers unlimited opportunities for advancement for the right person.

They are looking for a talented and motivated person with a great work ethic to help spearhead the company’s marketing efforts while having the ability to stay hands-on and handle the day-to-day marketing activities, and are offering interesting and varied work experience and for the motivated candidate who is willing to jump into this exciting and friendly work environment!

Responsiblities:

In addition to a wide-ranging array of responsibilities, the Successful Candidate will:

  • Increase the engagement with and adoption of company’s Internet brands
  • Plan and execute strategies for the company messaging over different channels on the market ( Facebook, Twitter, website/blog , newsletter , etc. )
  • Generate and maintain PPC and Email campaigns
  • Maintain and grow the affiliate channel (both internally and by working with outside agencies)
  • Utilize traditional and non-traditional “social media” marketing approaches to create buzz and recognition for their brands
  • Develop and implement best processes to raise the adoption of their brands and ensure all marketing initiatives are set against measurable objectives
  • Pro-actively carry out all duties and responsibilities
  • Provide analysis and insight as needed

Compensation:

Starting at $500-$700 base/week + Commission & Bonuses — all commensurate w/ experience and performance.

Applying:

Please submit Cover Letter and Resume

Requirements:

This is a fast-paced environment where you will be given some instruction, but mostly you’ll be given real responsibility (much of it entrepreneurial in nature) and be expected to deliver excellence with little downtime and on short deadlines.

Successful Candidate will:

  • Have graduated from an accredited college (preferably a Bachelor’s in Marketing, Business, Communication, PR, Psychology, English, Writing).
  • Have excellent and provable writing skills and command of the English language
  • be smart and well-spoken.
  • Have experience and success in online marketing (whether full-time work/internship/part-time).
  • Have familiarity with PPC advertising on Google and/or Yahoo (experience is an huge advantage).
  • Demonstrate ability to use web (SEO, SEM, PPC, etc.), social, blogs, Email, PR, and affiliate programs to acquire new markets/customers.
  • Demonstrate ability to work in a fast paced environment with varying deadlines
  • be a highly-motivated self-starter with a high level of initiative.
  • Demonstrate ability to apply experience and knowledge in e-commerce setting (actual experience in ecommerce or social marketing will be considered as a significant advantage).

Why you really want to work with them:

You’re More Than Just Your Job Title — Being a small company, everyone does everything all the time. Company executives help in coding and SEO, the blogger does social media, and everyone is a beta tester and does customer support. Accordingly, everyone is part of whatever success the company achieves.

Startup Feel in a Well Established Company — Many of the benefits that come with working with them are ones you would find in a startup on the west coast, but what distinguishes them is that they’re a well-established 11 year old company.

Easy Transportation — If you wanna take public transportation, the LIRR is two blocks from their office. If you want to drive, they will set you up with a pass to a covered parking deck one block away, so you never have to look or pay for parking.

Fun Office Chat — Anything goes – as long as you can stay focused on your responsibilities.

Flexible Hours — Wanna skip rush-hour traffic and come in at 11, have a lunch break one hour into your work day? Wanna be out by 4:30? Within some limits, they can pretty much arrange anything

Casual Dress — You can dress in a suit, like you’re going to a Madonna concert, or just bum out in sweats. Feel free to dress how you feel that day.

Early Fridays — Your Fridays can end at 3:30 . . . heck, sometimes even at 2. It’s all how you set it up.

Unlimited Coffee/Tea/Water/Drinks — They have Starbucks across the street (and you are free to use it). . . but why spend your money when you can have unlimited gourmet coffee and tea in the office and a fridge always full of Poland spring water bottles (and sometimes even your favorite beer) to boot.

Weekly Lunch — Every week, they order lunch from a local restaurant. In the Summer, they often go out for lunch instead, with beers and margaritas, and as many of them as your little heart desires.

“Friday Bagels” — This is what they call it, but really they just buy you whatever you want for breakfast.

Health-Club Membership — Wanna get buff? stay toned? Pick things up and then put them down? They have a no nonsense NYHRC two blocks from the office and you get a membership (as long as you use it of course). You might run into Olympic gold-Medal Skater Sarah Hughes. If not, you’ll surely run into their ultra-gun-ho personal trainer Erik.

Movie Tuesdays — They’ve got a cinema across the street, and any Tuesday you want they’ll buy you (and your date) tickets to a movie.

Corporate parties and outings — They have these several times per year, and let’s just say that . . . to the extent you’ll remember anything the next day, you never forget any of them.

Salary range: Starting at $500-$700 base/week + Commission & Bonuses — all commensurate w/ experience and performance
Closing date: Unknown
More info from: Marketing Pilgrim Jobs
Contact: Send resumes via online form to: Marketing Pilgrim Jobs

For more search industry jobs, or to post a vacancy, visit Search Engine College Jobs Board.

Fast Five in Search – Week 8, 2013

fast-fiveThere’s no real theme to this week’s Fast Five, except for that which caught my attention… Enjoy!

1) How Do I Find a Good SEO? By Rand Fishkin                                                         Rand’s latest Whiteboard Friday is a good down-to-earth session on how to choose an SEO consultant, who is not only great at what they do, but suits our particular needs. Rand encourages us to spend some time identifying our unique requirements so that the SEO of our choosing can become the “cheese to our macaroni”. I got the feeling the inspiration for this post came from one too many emails asking for his recommendations…. But whatever the reason, I’m glad he posted it.

2) How to Identify an Online Community for Your Business by Mackenzie Fogelson Mackenzie uses great examples in the post, to describe how to build an online community for our business or client (or both). It’s like the first day in a new school, how do you find the people you want to hang out with? And how do you represent yourself once you meet them?

Mackenzie provides a great list to help focus our thinking about brand identity etc. She also provides some helpful tips on how to identify people or companies worthy of following.

3) 3 Scalable Link Building Tactics That Won’t Leave a Footprint by Mathew Green         We all know link building has radically changed in the past 12 months, and with it many opportunities for automation. In this post Mathew shares three great ideas for obtaining links that can be expanded into a sizable campaign, but are still white-hat genuine methods to obtain relevant links.

4) Quick Ways to Choose Better Guest Post Opportunities With Audience and Social Metrics by Adam Thompson                                                                                                I’ve often wondered how to analyse a blog without having access to their Google Analytics info, so this post is a godsend! Adam provides great examples and links to sites like: Blog Social Analyser and SimilarWeb to see how the content, on a blog you may be interested in writing for, is being shared.

And finally for a bit of social media scandal….

5) High Profile Twitter Takeovers: Fact or Fake? By Michelle Stinson Ross               Michelle uses the buzz from this week’s Twitter takeover of Burger King’s account by McDonalds to pass on some healthy advice about maintaining social media account security. Whether a promotional stunt, or an actual hostile hacking, the recent takeover attempts of high profile accounts, by other high profile competitors, is alarming and community managers need to remain on high alert.

Happy reading!

*Image courtesy of Threadless

Search Industry Job of the Week – SEM Manager

Job Title: SEM Manager
Job Reference: Unknown
Position Type: full time
Name of employer: BuildASign.com
Location: Austin, TX
Date Posted: 11 February 2013
Position description:

BuildASign.com is looking for a sharp and motivated SEM Manager to join their team.  You’ll be expected to manage, analyze, and improve on existing SEM strategies.  They are looking for someone advanced in online marketing thought processes and tactics, with a strong educational background and significant experience growing and managing internet marketing campaigns.

Mission of the position:

Direct strategy and day to day activities across multiple paid search and SEO accounts and a multi-million dollar PPC ad spend.

Desired Outcomes:

  • Provide strategy, direction and leadership for SEM/SEO efforts.
  • Set and reach weekly, monthly and quarterly paid search/SEO goals.
  • Generate and analyze weekly paid and organic search reports and provide recommendations.
  • Provide search data support for product management group to help prioritize deployment of new products.
  • Manage ad copy, day-parting and geo-targeting strategies, keyword build out, bidding methodologies, remarketing, landing page optimization, etc.
  • Lead and manage the search marketing and optimization team.
  • Launch and grow new SEM accounts/campaigns/ad groups.
  • Stay up-to-date with new methodologies/practices in search marketing field.

This person must be:

  • Passionate
  • Organized
  • Innovative
  • Analytical
  • Motivated

Their ideal candidate also:

  • Has a BS/BA Degree in a technical field (engineering, mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, finance, accounting, etc.) & 3+ years’ experience
  • Has 5+ years’ experience managing a large-scale PPC programs
  • Is an expert with Adwords, Adwords Editor, adCenter, & SEO tools
  • Has incredibly strong Microsoft Excel skills and HTML/CSS knowledge
  • Is Familiar with Adobe SiteCatalyst, Google Analytics, A/B testing

About Company:

BuildASign.com is a national e-commerce leader in custom signage and development of industry-leading software and innovations. One of the Best Places to Work in Austin five years running, BuildASign.com was also recently named the one of the fastest growing companies in Austin by the ABJ. In only six years, they have grown to nearly 30 million in revenue and over 225 employees without taking any venture capital. They have a proven model that works, an outstanding team, and a fun, welcoming work environment. If you like working in a fast-paced, results-oriented, team environment that values original thinking, analytical ability and bottom line results, this could be the right place for you. Austin, TX, BuildASign.com’s international headquarters, was named one of Forbes Magazine’s 2011 Top 10 Best Cities for Young Professionals.

Salary range: Unknown
Closing date: Unknown
More info from: www.buildasign.com/careers
Contact: Send resumes via online form to: www.buildasign.com/careers

For more search industry jobs, or to post a vacancy, visit Search Engine College Jobs Board.