Search Industry Job of the Week – Junior Search Engine Analyst

Job Title: Junior Search Engine Analyst
Job Reference #: Unknown
Position Type: full time
Name of employer: Switched on Media
Location: Sydney Australia
Date Posted: 24 April 2012
Position description:

Switched on Media is looking for a full time candidate with a passion in online marketing who wants a career in a fast growing digital marketing agency. You will have a unique opportunity to bring their clients to life in search and social media spaces.

You will undertake all technical aspects of a search engine optimisation (SEO) campaigns to maximise search engine visibility for a wide portfolio of blue-chip clients.

While this is primarily a technical role requiring a high level of technical ability, such as understanding content management systems and web build experience, you will be an integral part of a professional marketing team; communicating bespoke SEO strategies and solutions to both internal departments and external clients.

Responsibilities

You will be responsible for carrying out a wide range of SEO tactics, such as technical optimisation, and link development. Regular support will be offered to internal departments and clients on fast developing ideas and research that has been investigated to meet client’s objectives and outperform your client’s competitors.

You will monitor, track and report on search metrics to determine market trends and customer search behaviour, both on a client’s website and through the search engines, resulting in an in-depth understanding of the client’s industry and target customer that can be fed back to copywriters, webmasters, or paid search departments to maximise the client’s campaign results.

Your regular day-to-day tasks will include pre-ordained deliverables to the clients, ad-hoc support, such as setting up new campaigns, reactions to changes in the search landscape and technical problems within the client’s websites.

You will also have the pleasure to work with some of the greatest minds in online marketing to create and share strategies and tactics on how paid search, social media services, web development and usability can work together to deliver an integrated campaign across all forms of online media.

Scope of Natural Search Analyst Role

Provide consultancy to clients on all aspects of SEO including:

  • Keyword research using a suite of tools
  • Comprehensively research and analyse competitor sites and search results pages
  • Produce and implement back link strategies through email, telephone and face-to-face discussions with 3rd party web site owners

Production of change requests for a variety of changes including:

  • Internal link optimisation
  • SEO technical analysis and evaluation
  • Website architecture problems
  • HTML and CMS optimisation
  • Analyse campaign performance and report back with insightful recommendations
  • Understand issues surrounding user experience, accessibility and information architecture
  • Keep up to date with the latest industry developments

Person Specification

Part of what makes Switched on Media successful is the highly motivated people who work there, and their enthusiasm for online marketing. They recruit individuals who possess honesty and integrity, and who display great initiative with a desire to be different through creativity and analytical approach to problem solving – a person that places the client at the centre of everything they do, and someone who inspires colleagues through their adaptable approach with lateral thinking complimenting their motivated and positive attitude to online marketing. You’ll have passion for your job that will be reflected in the work you deliver and regular deadlines that you meet.

Key Skills You will possess:

    • A keen interest in online and web marketing
    • A good knowledge of business, including your clients markets and audience
    • An understanding of what differentiates Strategy from Tactics
    • Understanding of how search engines and websites work
    • Analytical, logic and mathematical skills
    • Great interpersonal and communication skills
    • Ability to prioritise conflicting workloads and consistently hit targets
    • A positive attitude to dealing with people
    • Ability to work independently and as part of the project team to strict deadlines
    • Capability to work hands-on to solve problems, with ability to generate ideas and solutions
    • Strong listening and questioning skills

Qualifications, Experience and Skills

      • A degree (or equivalent qualification) in computing, business, marketing, communications or related subjects.
      • 1+ year’s previous SEO experience – Ad agency or online marketing background a plus
      • Demonstrable experience of working within a web development environment
      • Website Build & Web Administration – HTML, XML, JavaScript, RSS, W3C, DDA, server maintenance, knowledge of analytics packages and internet protocols
      • Appreciation of Content management Systems (CMS) and dynamic URLs
      • Demonstrate a proactive work ethic when managing numerous competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
      • Proven ability to accommodate evolving responsibilities and last minute changes.

About

Switched On Media is a search marketing and social media agency that unites the best talent from across the industry to deliver business changing results for their clients. They aim to use the latest approaches to deliver their clients value through three key channels; search engine optimisation, pay per click and social media. Interested in working on blue-chip household brands? Maybe you prefer more innovative businesses? Either way, you’re in luck as they work across a broad spectrum of businesses enabling you diversified experiences and to have something to help explain what you do at the next BBQ.

Contact the team at Switched and apply today:

Scot Ennis: 02 8248 5054
Scot[at]switchedonmedia.com.au

Applicants must be eligible to work in Australia

Salary range: $35,000 – $50,000 package (base plus super), negotiable within range pending candidate.
Closing date: Unknown
More info from: www.switchedonmedia.com.au
Contact: Send resumes to: Scot[at]switchedonmedia.com.au

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

Latest Google algorithm penalizes web spam

Google has released a new update to their ranking algorithm this week, aimed at isolating and penalizing websites that use particular spam techniques. From the official blog post :

“In the next few days, we’re launching an important algorithm change targeted at webspam. The change will decrease rankings for sites that we believe are violating Google’s existing quality guidelines.”

So what constitutes a violation of Google guidelines? While deliberately avoiding being specific, Google has highlighted these tactics as problematic and likely to be targeted:

  • Duplicate Content
  • Keyword Stuffing
  • Link Schemes
  • Cloaking
  • Deliberate Redirects
  • Doorway / Gateway Pages
  • Unlike Panda, this algorithmic update has no cutesy name, simply the *webspam algorithm update* according to Search Engine Land.

    As much as this update is a slap on the wrist for aggressive search engine optimizers, Google were very careful to endorse the methodology of so-called *white hat* search engine optimizers in their announcement and isolate those “acceptable” tactics from the tactics they will be punishing with this update:

    “We want people doing white hat search engine optimization (or even no search engine optimization at all) to be free to focus on creating amazing, compelling web sites.”

    It’s interesting to see them so eager to support the SEO industry but probably a sign that they’re expecting webmasters to be confused by the changes and the possibility that they might accidently over-optimize their sites.

    The algorithm change has already started to roll out and Google claims it will affect approximately 3 percent of search queries.

    UPDATE 27 April 2012: You know how I said above that the new algorithm revision doesn’t have a cutesy name? Scrap that. Google has now decided to call it *Penguin*

    Search Engine College now teaches students in 54 countries

    SEC-smiley-150x178We’re feeling pretty chuffed at Search Engine College this week, because we now teach students in 54 different countries around the world.

    The College reached the 54 country milestone this week when a new student from Scotland enrolled online.

    Since its inception in 2004, Search Engine College has set new industry standards for education and training in the field of Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing and we are very proud to have produced over 1,500 happy graduates.

    Here’s a list of countries where we have enrolled students to date:

    Argentina
    Australia
    Austria
    Barbados
    Belgium
    Brazil
    Bulgaria
    Canada
    China
    Croatia
    Czech Republic
    Dominican Republic
    England (UK)
    Finland
    France
    Germany
    Greece
    Iceland
    India
    Ireland
    Israel
    Italy
    Jordan
    Kuwait
    Latvia
    Malaysia
    Malta
    Mauritius
    Mexico
    Montenegro
    New Zealand
    Norway
    Pakistan
    Philippines
    Portugal
    Romania
    Russian Federation
    Scotland (UK)
    Singapore
    Slovenia
    South Africa
    Spain
    Sri Lanka
    Sweden
    Thailand
    The Netherlands
    Trinidad and Tobago
    Turkey
    United Arab Emirates
    Ukraine
    Uraguay
    USA
    Vietnam
    West Africa

    I wonder which country will be next?

    ——————-

    Like to learn more about SEO? Download a free SEO lesson. No catch!

    Match Types to Change in Google AdWords

    When I first heard this news, I was incensed. Now I know that advertisers can opt-out of the changes, I am a little calmer, but still pissed.

    Here’s the deal: Starting next month, Google is changing the way match types work in AdWords. From mid May onwards, misspellings, plurals and variations of your Exact Match and Phrase Match keywords on Google AdWords will trigger your ads. In the past, if you wanted your ad to appear for variations, abbreviations or misspellings, you would use Broad Match targeting. If you wanted your ad to appear for plurals or word stemming, you would use “Phrase Match” targeting. If you wanted your ad to appear only when searchers typed in a specific phrase/keyword, you used [Exact Match]. Now, by default, using Exact Match or Phrase Match targeting will ALSO trigger your ads for each of the described variations.

    Despite Google calling this change *an improvement*, for all intents and purposes, this means Exact Match is dead. Yes, advertisers can opt-out of this so-called feature, but it is switched on by default, which means that new advertisers selecting Exact Match as a match type will wrongly assume their ads will only be triggered by exact matches of their keywords. It’s a pretty logical assumption! I don’t know about you, but I think that Exact Match should remain, you know, an EXACT MATCH. At the very least, they should change the match type to IN-exact Match so it is less misleading.

    According to Search Engine Land, Google has already been testing the new functionality with advertisers and claims the change has resulted in a 3 percent rise in clicks, at comparable CPCs. In the same sentence, Google states that individual results will vary. No freaking kidding. Variations can account for a LOT of searches and for advertisers on a tight budget, this could spell disaster. Here’s an example: if you are an artist selling color prints of your artwork and targeting [color prints] as an exact or phrase match, would you want your ad to be triggered if someone types in *color printers*? No. But it seems this is a distinct possibility under the new rules.

    With this move, it feels like Google is taking away some of the minimal control advertisers have over how/when their ads appear in their increasingly annoying quest to make more money for shareholders. I say hands off our Exact Match Google!

    What do you think? Do you feel like the changes are reducing the control you have over your campaigns? Please add to the discussion in the comments.

    Search Industry Job of the Week – Online Marketing Copywriter and Social Media Coordinator

    Job Title: Online Marketing Copywriter & Social Media Coordinator
    Job Reference #: 4283632
    Position Type: full time
    Name of employer: Cash Doctors
    Location: Gold Coast, Qld
    Date Posted: 10 April 2012
    Position description:

    Cash Doctors offers a totally new way of borrowing money. It’s a socially responsible, highly automated, consumer friendly credit solution. It’s strictly for small loan amounts over the short term – up to 45 days. It offers a real alternative to credit card debt and other traditional options offered by banks and sharky payday lenders via an innovative, technology driven, lightning fast, transaction process.

    The role

    You are an online marketing copywriter who understands direct response copy writing. You’ll be communicating in a couple of voices across and via multiple media channels – with a very clear goal in mind every time, always conveying our brand identity.

    Your writing ranges from loose conversational blogging at one end to finely tuned email, web and product launch copy. You can freely express yourself yet edit with precision.Press releases and writing for SEO are somewhere in the middle.

    Your writing should be engaging, building relationships and trust. It’s persuasive through a plain English, conversational style – maybe a touch whimsical, even playful at times. Transparency and customer experience are always anchors.

    It’s totally devoid of old school corporate speak, which is light on usefulness and humility and heavy on self-aggrandisement. Most importantly you have to think from your reader’s perspective and have enthusiasm for the way they do things and how it helps people every day.

    What you’ll be doing

    The writing you’ll do every day will matter. You’ll take full ownership of:

    • Web copy for conversions, new products and SEO.
    • Blog entries.Social media posts.
    • Direct response emails including tracking results and continually optimising effectiveness of campaigns.
    • Copy for new product releases.
    • Tweak existing auto-responder and SMS communication.
    • Press releases.
    • Assisting with customer service communication content and style.
    • Internal brand and cultural reinforcement through all communication.
    • Strategic and conceptual direction for email, social media and PR.

    You’ll be working with a very sharp team who are serious about what they do – if they do say so themselves.

    Your skills and attributes

    • Exceptional written communication skills.
    • Razor sharp editing skills and attention to detail.
    • The ability to take ownership of projects and work autonomously.
    • An interest in marketing and selling online.
    • High level computer literacy – the ability to navigate multiple software applications.
    • Superb time management skills.
    • The ability to produce content quickly and write concisely for the web.
    • The ability and courage to both give and take candid, constructive feedback.
    • An interest in experimentation and measurement of your results.
    • The ability and humility to suck it up when tests don’t work.

    They’re passionate about crafting copy that actually works. They don’t write ‘cute copy’ and cross their fingers. They write for customers. It’s the results that matter.

    The figures behind the role

    Cash Doctors is highly metrics driven. Having a good understanding of their reporting system and the numbers is therefore very important. You know you’re doing your job well if the following figures are improving:

    • Cash Doctors Facebook friends/likes.
    • Comments, conversations and visitor generated content on Cash Doctors Facebook pages.
    • Loans generated through Cash Doctors Facebook page.
    • Prospects that convert into clients through our email campaigns.
    • Existing clients that come back to our website through our email campaigns.
    • Visits, reads and comments on the Cash Doctors blog.
    • Links to/mentions of our blog posts on other websites.
    • Website conversions through better copy.
    • Positive PR/media mentions.

    On top of your measurable contributions you are expected to be the link between customer service and marketing ensuring that the Cash Doctors unique brand message is conveyed consistently throughout their communication with their clients.

    Think you have what it takes?

    By now you’ve probably figured out this is an opportunity with a difference… if you think you’re special and a good fit please send your resume along with a cover letter telling them why you’re their new copywriter.

    You should send these to: recruitment[at]cashdoctors.com.au

    Relocation assistance is available to the successful candidate if they’re from outside the Gold Coast.

    If you’re application is successful and they want to interview you, they’ll contact you within 3 weeks.

    No phone calls please. Good Luck!

    Salary range: negotiable
    Closing date: Unknown
    More info from: [www.comjobs.com.au]
    Contact: Send resumes to: recruitment[at]cashdoctors.com.au

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