Established in 1998, Cars.com is one of Chicago’s original tech companies. Our online platform makes it easier for consumers to shop for, sell and service their cars. With our expert content, mobile app features, millions of new and used vehicle listings, a comprehensive set of research tools and the largest database of consumer reviews in the industry, Cars.com offers innovative products to connect consumers with dealers across the country. Change is in our DNA, and 2017 has been no exception! We've moved to a new Chicago HQ @ 300 S. Riverside, acquired DealerRater, the largest online ratings platform for car dealerships and became a free-standing, publicly traded company on the NYSE!

A true constant through the years has been the incredible culture we've created. Our employees have cultivated an environment leveraging technology, fostering innovation and embracing collaboration. We take pride in how Cars.com empowers our people to win and gain valuable experiences along the way!

We are looking for a passionate, collaborative, forward thinking Senior Analyst, Search Engine Marketing (SEM) to join us as we grow and thrive in the next stage of our evolution.

The candidate must have strong analytical skills with an inherent ability to find trends by analyzing large data sets. Due to the high number of campaigns and keywords in the portfolio, organizational skills are a must. The candidate must be a self-learner who is comfortable working both independently and as part of a team.

The primary responsibility of the Senior Analyst will be SEM account management, including account setup and QA, optimization and maintenance. The Senior SEM Analyst will independently report on, analyze, and optimize campaigns on a daily basis to maintain and grow account performance. In addition, the Senior SEM Analyst will create and launch PPC (pay per click) campaigns, keywords and ads with varied goals and objectives through Google AdWords, Bing Ads, Yahoo Gemini and Google DoubleClick Search platforms.

This position is based in Chicago and reports to the Senior Manager, Acquisition Marketing.

The ideal candidate must possess a keen understanding of the online space with B2C experience and a strong background in pay-per-click (PPC) management. This role touches on all aspects of the search marketing roadmap including keyword management, creation of campaign messaging, bidding strategies, creative testing, and analytics.

Responsibilities include:

• Manage the day-to-day search marketing activities across multiple search engines including the campaign planning, implementation, budget management, performance review, and optimization of paid search campaigns.
• Keyword research (discovery and expansion), review and editing of creative copy (titles and descriptions), review and analysis of website performance metrics, and optimization of campaigns.
• Grow and optimize the keyword portfolio through testing with ad copy, landing pages, bidding strategies, day-parting, etc.
• Identify and report on key performance indicators, and opportunities for improvement on a regular basis.
• Stay current with new advances in search engine marketing/optimization and the competitive landscape.
• Be proactive in looking for expansion/optimization opportunities on a daily basis including audience development and segmentation for optimal performance. This role requires someone who thrives on finding ways to constantly improve the programs by looking for new ways to enhance performance.
  

Experience/Education/System Requirements: 

• Bachelor's Degree required; Marketing Degree preferred
• 3-5 years of relevant experience managing paid search programs for well-established online websites
• Experience in driving leads/sales for websites with large inventory/listings
• Requires hands-on knowledge of best practices in SEM and a proven track-record of delivering qualified traffic from both an acquisition and conversion standpoint.

• Exceptional copy writing and editorial skills
• SEO, display advertising, social/native PPC, email marketing experience a plus
• Strong analytical skills with ability to drive meaningful actions from large data sets
• Proficiency in MS Office - especially Excel (vlookups and pivot tables are a must) and PowerPoint
• Fundamental knowledge and experience with web analytical tools and interfaces ( i.e. Adobe Analytics and Google Analytics) is preferred
• Experience in writing simple scripts and work with database queries a plus
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment
• An organized individual with great attention to detail and focus on quality of results
• A self-motivated individual; a good team player