Introduction

An online marketing vacancy is one of the most impactful hires a business can make today. Recruiting the right person or team changes how customers find you, how ad spend converts to revenue, and how your brand grows over 6 to 12 months. Many small and medium businesses treat this hire as a cost center, but when you define responsibilities and outcomes clearly, the role becomes a revenue driver.

This guide covers what to include in a job brief, the core skills to test, expected salary and agency pricing, a 6-week hiring timeline, and onboarding checklists that get a new hire productive in 30 to 90 days. It explains Search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media, analytics, and content expectations in concrete, measurable terms so you can evaluate candidates and vendors objectively.

Use this guide to write job ads that attract qualified candidates, shortlist by skills and tests, budget correctly, and run a structured onboarding that delivers measurable improvements in traffic and conversions within the first quarter.

Online Marketing Vacancy Overview and When to Hire

Why open an online marketing vacancy now? Typical triggers are stagnating traffic, rising customer acquisition costs, or launching a new product that needs demand generation. Hiring the wrong profile or waiting too long increases churn in ad spend and wastes time on low-impact tactics.

When to hire in-house:

You need daily oversight of campaigns and a single point of accountability.
Your monthly ad spend exceeds $10,000 or you run multi-channel efforts across SEO, PPC, email, and social.
You want a multi-quarter content and SEO strategy tied to product roadmaps.

When to hire an agency or contractor:

You need specialized technical skills fast (for example migration to Google Analytics 4 or enterprise SEO audits).
Your budget is limited and you need flexible monthly billing.
You require short-term ramp-up for a campaign or product launch.

Role types and expected outcomes in months:

Junior marketer (0-2 years): supports content, basic ad setups, and reporting. Expect incremental gains: 5 to 15 percent traffic lift in 3 months.
Mid-level marketer (2-5 years): manages campaigns across channels, improves conversion rate, and runs A/B tests. Expect 15 to 40 percent improvements in traffic or conversion rate in 3 to 6 months.
Senior/Head of Digital (5+ years): owns strategy, team management, vendor contracts, and ROI. Expect measurable revenue attribution improvements in 3 to 6 months and compounding growth by 9 to 12 months.

Practical hiring signal: if monthly digital revenue or attributable leads are not growing with current spend for two consecutive quarters, open the online marketing vacancy and prioritize candidates with cross-channel experience.

Core Skills and Kpis:

what to require

Define baseline skills before posting the vacancy. Candidates should demonstrate both strategic thinking and tactical execution across these domains: Search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media, email marketing, analytics, and conversion rate optimization (CRO).

SEO skills and metrics:

Technical SEO: site audits, crawl diagnostics, and Core Web Vitals fixes. Test: ask for an example audit with prioritized fixes and an estimated 8-week plan.
On-page and content SEO: keyword research and content mapping. KPI: organic sessions, organic conversions, and keyword positions. Target examples: move 10 priority keywords from positions 11-30 into top 10 within 6 months.
Link acquisition: outreach and partnerships. KPI: number of relevant links and referring domains.

PPC and paid social skills:

Platforms: Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising for search; Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) and LinkedIn for B2B. Test: campaign setup demo and a 30-day optimization plan.
KPIs: cost per acquisition (CPA), return on ad spend (ROAS), click-through rate (CTR), and conversion rate. Example goals: reduce CPA by 20 percent in 8 weeks or achieve ROAS of 4x for e-commerce within 3 months.

Analytics and reporting:

Tools: Google Analytics 4 (GA4), Google Tag Manager (GTM), and data visualization in Google Data Studio or Looker Studio. Test: set up a GA4 property and configure event tracking for a sample conversion funnel.
KPIs: traffic sources, session-to-lead conversion rate, average order value (AOV), lifetime value (LTV), and Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC).

Content and social media:

Content planning and repurposing: editorial calendar with keyword intent mapped to funnel stages. KPI: lead volume and engagement rates.
Social channel selection: choose based on audience. Example: B2B SaaS often prioritizes LinkedIn and Twitter/X; DTC (direct-to-consumer) brands prioritize Meta and TikTok for acquisition.

Soft skills and working style:

Data-driven communication: candidates should present decisions with numbers and experiments.
Project management: ability to run sprints, prioritize backlogs, and coordinate with product or sales.
Collaboration: experience working with agencies, designers, and engineers.

Screening checklist for applications:

Portfolio with 3 case studies including baseline metrics, tactics, and outcomes.
Practical test: a 48-72 hour deliverable such as a one-page PPC plan or a mini SEO audit.
References: one former manager and one peer, with contactable metrics.

A strong applicant will show specific improvements (for example, “increased organic traffic 65 percent in 9 months by implementing sitewide content consolidation and schema markup”) rather than vague claims.

Hiring Process and Implementation Steps

Use a structured 6-week hiring timeline that combines speed with skill verification. Below is a sample timeline and hiring tasks to ensure you recruit someone who can deliver in the first 90 days.

Week 1: Role definition and posting

Write a clear job brief with responsibilities, KPIs, and expected first 90-day outcomes.
Post on LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, and specialist job boards like Marketing Week Jobs or GrowthHackers.

Week 2: Screen applications and shortlist

Screen resumes for evidence of results and relevant tools (GA4, Google Ads, Ahrefs, SEMrush).
Send a 48-72 hour paid skills test to shortlisted candidates. Example test: provide a mini SEO audit of your site and a 30-day PPC optimization plan. Pay $200 to $500 for fair candidate time.

Week 3-4: Interviews and practical tasks

Interview round 1: 30-minute cultural and high-level strategy fit with hiring manager.
Interview round 2: 60-minute technical deep dive with practical questions and request for examples.
Final task: 1-week paid contractor assignment for top 2 candidates (optional), billable at contractor rates.

Week 5: Offer and negotiation

Prepare an offer that includes base salary, performance bonus tied to KPIs, and development budget.
Use clear performance milestones for 30, 60, and 90 days.

Week 6: Onboarding planning

Finalize tools access, goals, and first 30-day priorities.

Interview questions and practical tests:

SEO: “How would you triage a 15 percent drop in organic sessions week-over-week? What reports and checks do you run first?”
PPC: “Show a sample A/B test for ad creative. What would you measure and how long would you run the test?”
Analytics: “Explain how you would set up GA4 events for a checkout funnel and attribute conversions across channels.”

Sample 90-day plan to include in the job brief:

0-30 days: audit existing channels, quick wins (fix 3 high-impact technical SEO issues, pause underperforming ad sets).
30-60 days: implement experiments (new landing page A/B test, reorganize ad account, launch 2 content clusters).
60-90 days: scale winning experiments, document SOPs, and present results with ROI calculations.

Hiring scorecard (use during interviews):

Domain knowledge (SEO/PPC/CRO) 30 percent
Execution and tools (GA4, Google Ads, SEMrush) 25 percent
Results and metrics orientation 25 percent
Culture fit and communication 20 percent

This scorecard makes decisions objective and speeds up selection.

Budgeting, Salaries, and Agency vs in-House Comparison

Budgeting for an online marketing vacancy requires accounting for salary, tools, and advertising spend. Use the numbers below as starting benchmarks; adjust for region and seniority.

Salary ranges (approximate, annual):

Junior marketer: US $40,000 to $60,000; UK 25,000 to 35,000 GBP.
Mid-level marketer: US $60,000 to $90,000; UK 35,000 to 55,000 GBP.
Senior marketer or Head of Digital: US $90,000 to $150,000+; UK 55,000 to 90,000+ GBP.

Freelancer and contractor rates:

Junior freelance marketers: $25 to $50 per hour.
Experienced freelancers/consultants: $60 to $150 per hour.
Specialist agency contractors (SEO migrations, analytics): $100 to $300 per hour.

Agency retainers and monthly pricing:

Small performance agencies: $2,000 to $5,000 per month (often for 1-2 channels).
Mid-market agencies: $5,000 to $15,000 per month with multi-channel management.
Enterprise level: $15,000 to $50,000+ per month for full-service with dedicated account teams.

Typical ad spend to justify an in-house hire:

If monthly ad spend is less than $3,000, agencies or freelancers may be more cost-effective.
From $3,000 to $10,000 per month, evaluate hybrid models (in-house lead managing an agency).
From $10,000+ per month, in-house hires often provide better ROI through daily optimization and tighter integration with product teams.

Tooling and recurring costs (monthly, approximate as of 2024):

Google Ads and Meta Ads: variable ad spend; platform access free but payment for ads required.
Google Analytics 4: free; Google Analytics 360 enterprise tier is paid.
Ahrefs: $99 to $199 per month (Lite to Standard).
SEMrush: $129.95 to $249.95 per month (Pro to Guru).
Moz Pro: $99 to $249 per month.
HubSpot Marketing Hub: free CRM, paid Marketing tiers start around $50 to $800+ per month.
Hotjar: $39 to $99 per month for behavior analytics.
Hootsuite or Buffer: $15 to $99 per month for social scheduling.
Canva Pro: $12.99 per month.

Comparison summary (agency vs in-house):

Agency pros: access to specialists, predictable monthly fees, quick ramp. Cons: less ownership, potential communication lag, markup on ad or tech costs.
In-house pros: full control, deeper product knowledge, quicker iteration. Cons: recruitment overhead, salary commitments, potential skill gaps in specialized areas.
Hybrid approach: hire a senior in-house manager to coordinate a specialist agency for execution - common when ad spend is mid-range and internal coordination is important.

Decide by modeling ROI: estimate expected revenue lift from hire or agency and compare to total cost (salary or retainer plus tools and ad spend). Target payback of hire cost within 6 to 12 months for growth hires.

Tools and Resources

Below are recommended platforms, typical pricing, and why each matters. Prices are approximate monthly costs and available plans as of 2024.

SEO and research:

Ahrefs: $99 to $199 per month. Strong for backlink audits, keyword research, and rank tracking.
SEMrush: $129.95 to $249.95 per month. Good all-in-one for competitive research and PPC keyword planning.
Moz Pro: $99 to $249 per month. Useful for keyword tracking and domain authority metrics.

Analytics and tracking:

Google Analytics 4 (GA4): free for standard use. Essential for traffic and conversion tracking.
Google Tag Manager (GTM): free. Important for tracking events without code deployments.
Hotjar: $39 to $99 per month. Provides session recordings and heatmaps for CRO.

Advertising and social:

Google Ads: platform cost is ad spend only. Management platform included.
Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram): ad spend only. Good for direct response for DTC brands.
LinkedIn Ads: ad spend only, typically more expensive CPM but useful for B2B lead gen.

Marketing automation and CRM:

HubSpot CRM: free core CRM; Marketing Hub starts around $50 per month. Useful for lead nurturing and email workflows.
Mailchimp: free plan; paid tiers start around $10 to $20 per month for higher lists.
Klaviyo (for e-commerce): starts around $20 per month; strong for revenue attribution from email and SMS.

Creative and social management:

Canva Pro: $12.99 per month per seat. Quick design tool for social creative.
Adobe Creative Cloud: $20.99+ per month per app. Use for higher-fidelity creative work.
Hootsuite or Buffer: $15 to $99 per month. Social scheduling and basic analytics.

Hiring and collaboration:

LinkedIn Recruiter: paid product for high-volume hiring; standard job posts are cheaper.
Greenhouse or Lever: applicant tracking systems starting around $500 to $1,000 per month for small teams.

Staffing marketplaces and freelancers:

Upwork and Fiverr: variable rates; useful for one-off tasks or niche skills.
Toptal: higher-end freelancers, $60 to $200+ per hour depending on skill.

Choose tools that fit your current scale. For startups, focus on GA4, Google Ads, one SEO tool (Ahrefs or SEMrush), GTM, and a creative tool like Canva to start. Add enterprise tools only when process complexity requires them.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Hiring for tactics rather than outcomes

Mistake: Posting job ads listing tools instead of KPIs.
How to avoid: Specify measurable outcomes such as “reduce paid CPA by 20 percent within 90 days” or “increase organic leads by 30 percent in 6 months.” Use outcome-based interview questions.

Not paying for a real skills test

Mistake: Relying solely on interviews and resumes.
How to avoid: Use paid short assignments ($200 to $1,000) or contractor trial weeks to see real work and commitment. This filters candidates who can execute, not just theorize.

Under-budgeting tools and ad spend

Mistake: Hiring a marketer without providing sufficient ad budget or necessary tools.
How to avoid: Define the ad budget and tools upfront. For example, commit $5,000 monthly ad budget for initial testing and $200 to $500 for SEO tool subscriptions.

Ignoring attribution and data hygiene

Mistake: Drawing wrong conclusions because tracking is incomplete.
How to avoid: Prioritize setting up Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics 4 before running new campaigns. Create an event taxonomy and baseline reporting in the first 30 days.

Overcentralizing approvals and slow decision cycles

Mistake: Creativity and iteration are slowed by layers of approvals.
How to avoid: Set guardrails for spend and testing. For example, allow the marketing lead to run A/B tests with budgets up to $1,000 per test without executive sign-off.

Avoiding these mistakes shortens the time to measurable impact and improves the success rate of the online marketing vacancy hire.

FAQ

What Qualifications Should I Require for an Online Marketing Vacancy?

Require demonstrated results in SEO, PPC, or content marketing, plus hands-on experience with GA4 and Google Ads. Prioritize case studies with specific metrics over generic certifications.

How Long Does It Take for a New Hire to Deliver Measurable Results?

Expect quick wins within 30 days (fixes and low-effort optimizations), measurable improvements by 60 to 90 days, and compounding growth by 6 to 12 months. Set clear 30/60/90-day milestones.

Should I Hire an Agency or an in-House Marketer First?

If monthly ad spend is under $3,000 or you need short-term expertise, start with an agency or freelancer. For sustained multi-channel programs and ad spend above $10,000 per month, hire in-house or use a hybrid approach.

How Much Should I Pay for a Skills Test or Trial Project?

Pay between $200 and $1,000 depending on the scope and seniority. Small paid tests reduce risk and respect the candidate’s time.

What Kpis Should be in the Job Description?

Include KPIs like cost per acquisition (CPA), return on ad spend (ROAS), organic traffic growth, lead volume, conversion rate, and revenue attributable to digital channels. Tie at least one KPI to revenue or qualified leads.

How Do I Measure the ROI of Filling the Vacancy?

Compare total monthly cost (salary plus tools and ad budget) against increased revenue or reduced CAC within 6 to 12 months. Aim for payback of hire cost within 6 to 12 months for growth-focused hires.

Next Steps

Create a 90-day job brief

Define 3 KPIs, required tools, and the first 30/60/90 day deliverables. Use the 90-day plan sample in this guide.

Budget and post

Set a realistic salary or agency budget and allocate ad spend for testing. Post the role on LinkedIn and one specialist board.

Run a paid skills test

Shortlist candidates and send a 48-72 hour paid assignment or a one-week paid trial for top candidates.

Onboard for measurable impact

Set up GA4, Google Tag Manager, ad accounts, and an initial reporting dashboard in the first 14 days so the new hire can act on accurate data immediately.

Checklist for posting the vacancy:

Outcome-focused job brief with KPIs
List of required tools and stack access
Paid skills test or trial plan
Compensation and bonus structure tied to KPIs
Interview scorecard and onboarding timeline

This structured approach reduces hiring risk, accelerates impact, and turns the online marketing vacancy into a predictable driver of growth.

Online Marketing Vacancy Hiring Guide