Recruiting the enemy

Guess what - MSN (amongst others...Yahoo, Ebay, etc.. are doing the same) recruits SEO! Here is the job description:

Role Purpose
This role plays an important part in driving up external traffic into our new channels and Homepage. This will include achieving high page ranks of key MSN content areas (homepage, channels) on major search engines (Google, MSN, Yahoo, Ask). To devise and implement a refined SEO strategy and tactics to achieve higher rankings. To embed SEO working practices within the editorial team and monitor progress on an on-going basis. To make recommendations and influence architectural changes on our Bedrock platform to enable better search rankings. With marketing, to review paid for keywords and ensure optimum performance.

Team/Department Mission
Inspire our current and future customers to realise their full potential by connecting them to
the people and information that matters most to them through market leading and increasingly
profitable services and content

Key Accountabilities
· Volume of MSN pages cached/displayed within major search engines
· High ranking of major MSN hub pages within search engines
· Management of keywords within MSN’s Editorial Featured Search product
· With marketing, performance optimization of paid for marketing search keywords
· Education of MSN Portal team of latest SEO techniques
· Continual monitoring, reporting and optimization of page rank performance
· Evaluation of external SEO agencies with a view to buying in additional consultancy and expertise if required
· Identification/analysis of high performing keywords relevant to major MSN content areas
· Become MSN UK expert on SEO and content publishing.
· Provide SEO expertise and support to other parts of the MSN/Microsoft business

Key Success Criteria
Precise metrics will be determined with the successful applicant but will include:
· Achieve x% of traffic from Search engines within our top channels and homepage
· Achieve x% of pages cached/listed within Google and Yahoo
· Achieve first page ranking in Google/Yahoo for major channel entry points and other important MSN content areas
· Beat Yahoo! on listing results in Google on major events
· Demonstrate clear traffic improvement as a result of implementation of SEO techniques
· Ensure all new pages are SEO compliant


Knowledge, Skills and Experience


1) Essential Experience
4+ years in working in an on-line content environment, on-line agency OR specialized SEO company, or a mixture of all three. We will be looking for evidence or measurable success and results in optimizing pages for Search engines

2) Technical / Functional Skills
The successful applicant must have specific experience relating to SEO techniques and good, technical knowledge of html, CSS, internet explorer and other major browsers, meta tags and related page elements, and depth knowledge of Search engine algorithms and optimization techniques

3) Personal Attributes / Interpersonal Skills
Great interpersonal skills - ability to get on with a wide variety of people, from developers to editors
Drive for results - we are looking for accountable success and results
Communication skills - and specifically the ability to simplify complexity


4) Qualifications
Degree level preferred, some marketing or technical qualifications desirable but not essential