SEO Specialist (Charlottesville, VA)
Company Description:
Merkle is a leading data-driven, technology-enabled, global performance marketing agency that specializes in the delivery of unique, personalized customer experiences across platforms and devices. For more than 30 years, Fortune 1000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations have partnered with Merkle to maximize the value of their customer portfolios. The agency's heritage in data, technology, and analytics forms the foundation for its unmatched skills in understanding consumer insights that drive people-based marketing strategies. Its combined strengths in performance media, customer experience, customer relationship management, loyalty, and enterprise marketing technology drive improved marketing results and competitive advantage. With 5,500 employees, Merkle is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with 24 additional offices in the US and 25 offices in Europe and APAC. In 2016, the agency joined the Dentsu Aegis Network.
Job Description:
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for this position.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the practice of improving a website to increase the number of visitors the site receives from search engines like Google. Sites that are poorly designed, irrelevant, or use black-hat techniques will be pushed lower in the list of results while high-quality and authoritative sites will rank higher. SEO Specialists at Merkle identify opportunities on clients’ websites to improve how search engines find and rank them. Leveraging a combination of technical, creative, and troubleshooting skills, SEO specialists help ensure clients are visible online.
- Perform keyword research based on trends, target audiences, patterns, and competitor analysis
- Create optimized page titles, meta descriptions, and content
- Analyze client performance and identify recommendations for SEO opportunities
- Extract insight from data, identify relevant trends, and provide proactive recommendations to reach client marketing goals
- Conduct industry, client and competitive research
- Provide regular communication to clients (written and verbal)
- Identify strategies and trends for client accounts and create client presentations
- Perform frequents data manipulation and interpretation exercises, with Excel and proprietary tools
- Self-manage execution of activities against deadlines across multiple work-streams
- Complete activities according to best practices, standard operation procedures, and team member guidance, consistently meeting quality standards, utilizing approach and striving to add value in each activity
- Active monitoring and sharing of industry news, online marketing trends, industry tools and internal cross-team key learnings
- Day to day engagement, collaboration, and partnering with internal teams, external tools, and client teams
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in a quantitative, marketing, or related discipline preferred with strong grades both in their major and overall
- Well-versed in the core MS Office suite programs and an intermediate to advanced user of Excel including the ability to use formulas, functions, and pivot tables
- Must be able to communicate effectively by phone; write clear emails and memos; be friendly, cheerful, and patient; and enjoy explaining complicated concepts to others
- Ability to handle multiple projects, prioritize responsibilities and work efficiently in a fast-paced environment
- Keen problem-solving and trouble-shooting abilities; high level of accuracy and attention to detail
- Occasional travel required (5%) typically for client QBRs
Additional Information:
At Merkle, we believe that a diverse environment improves us as a community and as a business. We want to foster an environment of growth, where all ideas and contributions are encouraged. We need this culture of courage to continue to thrive in our fast-paced industry. We embrace differences of opinion. We value diversity of experience and thought, which help us to challenge and define industry-leading solutions, and support our goal of being a great place to work.
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.