Advertising and Paid Media Jobs and Careers
A career in Advertising and Paid Media is all about strategic internet advertising. A Paid Media Specialist is responsible for planning and optimising the effectiveness of a paid campaigns. The term PPC is often related to Google Ads or Bing Ads, and advertisers will pay a fee each time their advert is clicked. A specialist in PPC uses their marketing expertise in order to maximise results by getting potential consumers to click-through and convert.
You’ll naturally be abreast of the search sector and the opportunities opening up within the market that will enhance the agency's or your business' offering. Outside of pure PPC, you may also be getting involved in paid social campaigns, programmatic, display or retargeting. This largely depends on the business’ strategy, or the goals of your clients if you are agency side.
Why consider a career in Paid Media?
If you’re a strategic thinker that loves helping businesses grow and forming technical campaigns (from writing enticing copy for adverts to pushing the campaign live and monitoring the success), a career in paid media / paid search is creative, analytical and systematic. There are a range of paths you can go down, including agency where you could be managing various campaigns for different clients, or you could be based in-house with one focus - growing the business of one brand through effective online paid strategies.
What a career or job in Paid Media may entail…
This career path can take you down a variety of different routes. Your role may blend more with digital marketing or you could specialise in PPC alone.
As a PPC Executive, you'll manage paid search campaigns on channels such as Google and Bing and social media. Part of your role is to create, optimise, report and to delve into the data and related analytics, to discover what is driving performance.
As a PPC Digital Account Executive, you may be part of an agency team, this role would involve managing various accounts for a wide range of clients. You'll specialise in paid search, biddable media, programmatic and display. You’ll be instrumental in supporting the success of client accounts, ensuring successful digital marketing strategies for your clients. You’ll be comfortable working across commercial, analytical, communication and hands-on PPC based tasks.
As a PPC Specialist, you’ll provide day-to-day management and optimisation of paid search campaigns – to enhance performance in line with ROI targets. Daily PPC optimisations will include, query reports, budget/bid management, ad copy changes and keyword expansions. Competitor research will be key in staying several steps ahead of the competition. You’ll play part in the wider marketing team, ensuring a unified message is portrayed.
As a Paid Social Specialist, you’ll manage campaigns on platforms such as Twitter, Linkedin, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube. The principles are similar to PPC, in you will create, manage and optimise campaigns. Analysis of analytical data will give you insight into customer behaviour and allow you to edit your overarching strategy.
As a Programmatic Account Manager, you’ll oversee the automated process of buying and selling ad inventory. This occurs in real-time and allows you to bid across mobile, display, video and social channels. The process makes use of artificial intelligence technologies and demand site platforms to facilitate the process.
Typical role titles include
PPC Specialist
PPC Executive
PPC Assistant
Paid Search Manager
PPC Account Executive
Head of PPC
Head of Paid Search
Paid Social Executive
Paid Social Manager
Programmatic Account Manager
Career progression example
PPC Assistant
PPC Executive
PPC Manager
Head of Paid Search
Salary Benchmarks
At an entry level, Junior/Graduate PPC Consultants on average will be earning between £18k-20k. At mid-level, you’d be looking to earn £25k-35k and seniors would be looking to earn £50k+.
Is it right for me? The skills it takes...
You should be naturally analytical with great organisational skills, along with the ability to communicate your ideas well and explain them technically.
What qualifications does it take?
You may hold a degree or diploma within a relevant subject such as IT, marketing or mathematics. There are other options to get your foot in the door, such as apprenticeships, online courses and on-the-job training.
Our Marketing recruitment team
Chris Currey
— Principal RecruiterClient Side Marketing
Ania Markowska
— Senior RecruiterClient Side Marketing
Theo Locke
— RecruiterAgency Marketing
Rina Maniar
— Principal RecruitereCommerce & Digital
Hannah Ellis
— RecruitereCommerce & Digital
Steve Kay
— Recruitment Director
Nick Dean
— Managing DirectorOur latest Marketing jobs
Search all jobs-
Exceptional & High Growth Company. Fun Dynamic Team & Working Environment. Flexible Working Pattern. Here is an exceptional opportunity to join a large Tech business in Swindon as their new Digital Marketing Manager. Tech businesses don’t get much better than this, having created an engaging environment, and working with exciting brands this is a company who puts emphasis on fun and creativity across all of its activities. Initially working remotely for the rest of the year, there is ongoing flexible working with the expectation that you’ll work full time but be in the office at least twice a week. What you’ll be doing Working closely with the Marketing Director, you will drive inbound opportunities, shape the strategy and messaging of the evolving brand and build solid nurturing workflows as they start the exciting journey of scaling up. This is a truly disruptive business, and you will have a thirst for new and disruptive processes and campaign strategies. There is an inbound marketing strategy in place, but you will massively ramp this up through integrated multichannel digital marketing campaigns that drive genuine business outcomes. You will understand buying personas, be adept at creating automation programmes (ideally through Hubspot), and find ways to bring prospective clients in to the funnel. Any experience of utilising an Account Based Marketing strategy for key accounts would be useful. This role is about results, and as such you will use a variety of analytical tools to provide in-depth reporting on campaign success rates, and will look to optimise and improve results wherever possible. As the role grows, you will have the opportunity to scale and grow the digital function and team, but there will always be a place for external agencies and third-parties to help maximise success, and you will work closely with these to ensure they’re an extension of the digital team. What experience you’ll need to apply Proven experience within a B2B Digital Marketing role Excellent experience across digital search, PPC advertising, remarketing, and social targeting Ability to drive exceptional growth through marketing activities and strategy Strong web management skills, ideally with Wordpress Previous experience of using automation tools, especially Hubspot Knowledge of Account Based Marketing strategies Excellent written and verbal communication skills A genuine desire to disrupt and challenge in creative activities Ideally experience of marketing to SMT and C-level audiences What you’ll get in return for your talents There is a competitive salary on offer for this one, plus you’ll be working with an exceptional company and proposition. There are good benefits and a flexible working pattern on offer. What next If you’re an Inbound Marketing expert then I want to hear from you. Apply now or contact Chris for more information.
-
New role as part of a significant marketplaces function. Largest UK independent within their market. Key focus on Amazon.co.uk. The largest independent brand in the UK for their market is looking to add to their thriving eCommerce function. They’re searching for a Marketplaces Trading Manager to take ownership of growing their extremely successful B2C marketplaces channels. With an already established presence in this area, it’s a great opportunity for a Marketplaces expert wanting to work at scale for a well-known brand. What you’ll be doing You will manage and develop a small but talented multi-lingual team, ensuring they perform at the highest possible level, meeting and exceeding sales targets and hitting KPIs. You’ll work closely with the trading analyst and product team in order to broaden the product mix and improve listing quality, taking the offering to the next level. You’ll also work in tandem with the paid search team, ensuring PPC is consistent across all channels, helping to create and optimise Marketplaces paid search campaigns and improve overall ad performance. What experience you’ll need You will have advanced knowledge and understanding of marketplaces (primarily Amazon), including branding, commercial planning, marketing, and operations. You will be commercially driven, as this role is fundamentally focused on growing sales. Comfortable with data and analysis in order to interpret reports. You will have a solid understanding of eCommerce strategies across PPC, SEO and copywriting. Experience of working across international marketplaces would be a significant advantage. What you’ll get in return for your talents There is a competitive salary on offer of between £30-40k depending on experience. Benefits include a bonus scheme, pension, staff discount and free parking. The offices have a huge amount to offer as well, including gym facilities, regular social events and a caƒe onsite. It’s an environment the team love working in! What’s next? Get in touch with Hannah to hear more about this one.
-
Highly Varied Role. Competitive Salary & Benefits. Flexible Working Options. Here is a great opportunity to join an innovative company within the Tech sector, who are looking to bring a new Marketing Manager in to their team. This is a highly varied role where you will promote tools and programmes that will ultimately help educate the younger generations and encourage them to train in one of the most in demand industries in the world. Due to the location, one to two days working from home will be considered for the right candidate. What you’ll be doing Working alongside the Marketing Team Lead you will help drive the marketing and communication strategy for both the global programmes and the B2C channels. You will be experienced in building and implementing marketing plans that are executed through a variety of digital and offline channels to a range of target audiences. Working as part of a small team you will set the direction and delivery of multichannel campaigns, and will be responsible for the creation and delivery of engaging marketing content. You will work across predominantly digital channels, but will also be responsible for wider activities and the creation of offline materials. You will have a strong grasp of analytical tools, and will track sign-ups, conversions and ROI, and will be able to report on this at regular intervals. The beauty of this role is the variety, and you will be targeting both businesses and consumers, and as such taking on a wide range of messaging and approaches. What experience you’ll need to apply Fairly extensive experience within a relevant role Strong digital marketing skills Proven campaign management experience Analytical with the ability to understand and report on data Strong copywriting skills Ideally having previous line management experience Excellent communication skills What you’ll get in return for your talents This is a really great role with bags of variety, and there is a competitive salary on offer depending on experience. As well as this, there is private healthcare, a generous holiday allowance, and a flexible working approach. What next If you think you have the right experience for this then please apply now, or contact Chris for more information.
-
Well Known National Brand. Both a Strategic and Tactical Role. Lots of Variety! This is a great opportunity to join a well known brand as their new Digital Marketing Manager on the outskirts of Bristol. Taking ownership of the Financial Services division you will be responsible for planning, delivering and evaluating the digital marketing plan. This is a hands on role with end to end campaign management across most digital channels, where you will promote new products and acquire new customers. What you’ll be doing Working closely with the line manager you will deliver the digital marketing strategy across Insurance and FS products, and deliver multichannel digital campaigns from start to finish whilst collaborating with the wider marketing team and agencies. You will utilise all of your knowledge and experience across key channels such as Paid Search, SEO, Email, Social Media, Content Strategy and Affiliates. This is an all encompassing role where you will not only deliver campaigns that create brand awareness and acquire new customers, but you will also oversee the digital marketing budget, develop digital strategies, monitor the digital trading performance, monitor competitor activity and run weekly updates to Senior Management. This role is ideal for a good all rounder, someone with strong communication skills, strategic yet tactical, and who is proficient with analytics and data management to report on campaign successes. What experience you’ll need to apply Previous experience within a Digital Marketing specialist role Sound knowledge across all digital channels Experience of developing and delivering digital strategies Analytical mindset with the ability to dive in to the data and draw conclusions and insights Strong verbal and written communication skills Knowledge of the Financial Services sector and Insurance products would be beneficial Ideally degree educated or holding a relevant professional qualification such as CIM What you’ll get in return for your talents As well as joining a large National organisation and a dynamic team, you will receive a salary of circa £35k, a company bonus, generous holiday allowance, healthcare, life assurance and a competitive pension scheme. What next Don’t miss this opportunity, please apply now for more information.
-
Work with a talented, dedicated team of experts. Join a truly innovative brand with huge growth plans. Fully flexible working and great benefits. This is a hugely exciting opportunity for a talented, passionate eCommerce Marketing Manager to take the lead on all things digital and play a key role in driving this already impressive business forward. What you'll be doing This is truly an end-to-end role that will require a blend of strategic input and hands-on delivery across the full customer journey. You’ll focus on creating and implementing the full D2C eCommerce strategy, assessing areas for improvement (using analytical data on site performance) in order to drive growth across trading, customer acquisition, conversion and retention. One day you could be focusing on eCommerce trading strategy (is the site merchandised effectively, where can I upsell similar lines to increase average order value?). The next, working on organic and paid digital channels (SEO, PPC, Paid Social, Social Media etc.), tying these in with marketing calendars. Or working on retention strategies through effective email marketing communications, using segmentation and A/B testing to constantly improve ROI. You'll work at pace and relish the opportunity to work on the full customer journey for a super exciting brand. What's not to like? What experience you'll need Have worked end-to-end on an eCommerce site with a track record of delivering strong growth. Huge passion for eCommerce and working with brands in their early stages of development. Extensive experience with Shopify and all digital marketing channels. Independent thinker and hard worker with tons of ambition. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Leader with ability to hit the ground running and drive positive change. What you'll get in return for your talents There is a competitive salary on offer and the team's business plan and way of working is very unique – work life balance is key here so fully flexible and remote working is on offer to all staff. This is an incredibly forward thinking and fast paced business where you’ll be presented with huge growth opportunities! What's next? Get in touch with Hannah to hear the finer details on this one.
-
Play a key role within a global high-end multichannel retailer. Be rewarded with a competitive salary and benefits package. Join a highly reputable team of experts. We’re working with an industry-leading retailer to find their next Head of eCommerce. This is a unique opportunity to join a truly innovative business and make a real impact through expanding their already impressive eCommerce offering. What you’ll be doing Your role will focus on developing and implementing the eCommerce and digital marketing strategies for this impressive brand, ensuring consistent channel growth and optimising brand awareness and lead generation in order to drive sales. Safeguarding brand consistency and relevance, as well as ensuring conversion rates are fully optimised through the use of analytics and A/B testing will be key in leading your team to success. You’ll get stuck in managing relationships with top e-tailers and those within the eCommerce teams of large wholesalers. It’ll be up to you to build and maintain long term strategic relationships and work collaboratively to produce and execute international sales strategies in line with annual targets and growth plans. There’s a real team focus here and an autonomous, relaxed culture which means you’ll have the opportunity to make a genuine impact and drive positive change. What experience you’ll need A strong track record in a leadership role for an established eCommerce business. Proven team management experience – the ability to lead and inspire a team is essential. Commercial acumen with demonstrable success leading growth and improving ROI for an online retailer. Extensive knowledge of digital marketing across all channels. First-rate communication and relationship building skills. Experience working with external online retailers e.g Amazon/Wayfair. What you’ll get in return for your talents A competitive salary is on offer here, entirely dependent on experience, up to around the £78k mark. In addition to this, you’ll benefit from flexible home working, a collaborative and inspiring work environment and a whole host of extra perks that come with working for a luxury brand. What’s next? If you fit the bill, please get in touch with Hannah today to find out more.
-
Fast Growing Fintech in Central Bristol. Exciting Growth Marketing Opportunity. Competitive Salary & Benefits. This is an exciting opportunity to join a fast growing and already successful Fintech start-up here in Central Bristol as their new Growth Marketing Manager. With a small but exceptional expanding team already in place, you will have people to bounce ideas off as you take the reigns and drive experimental campaigns, designed to acquire new customers through predominantly organic channels. What you’ll be doing Ultimately you’ll be finding the best and most efficient ways to drive new customers and sign ups across all channels. You’ll be working closely with the Chief Marketing Officer to set out a growth strategy framework that will help to identify, prioritise and run weekly experiments that drive new customer acquisition and increase conversion rates. You will have a lot of data to hand, and you will use this to understand customer behaviour, to understand why some things work and others just don’t. You will be naturally curious and willing to experiment with different ideas and campaigns, setting up AB tests, optimising on the fly, tracking results, and always looking for improvements. There will be key metrics to work to, such as increasing visitor numbers, click through rates, dwell times, sign ups and reducing drop offs, and you will be responsible for writing, building and testing different web pages, propositions and marketing campaigns that improve conversion and optimise revenue. This is a hands on role and you won’t be walking in to a ready made team for you to manage, but there is plenty of opportunity to recruit required additional resource to ensure the best results. This is an ambitious company and as such they’re looking for an equally ambitious person to come in and help drive things forward. What experience you will need to apply Previous experience within a growth marketing or similar roles Proven results driving business growth and new customer acquisition Strong digital marketer Creative and data-driven Ability to understand data and to use this to inform future business decisions Experience managing multiple projects, marketing campaigns and commercial targets Brave and willing to experiment with different ideas What you will get in return for your experience This is such a great brand, product and career opportunity. You’ll be joining at a really exciting time and will have a vital role to the success of future growth. There is a competitive salary on offer of circa £60k, but if you’re looking for a little bit more don’t be deterred from applying. There are some really nice little perks which come with the package, and a bonus scheme as well. What next Roles like this are always in hot demand, especially in the current market, so don’t wait around, apply now or contact Chris for more information.
-
Play a key role within this growing full-service Digital agency. Own client relationships and shape strategy. Exciting start-up feel with great benefits. I’m on the lookout for an Account Manager to join an impressive Digital agency operating in the world of video games and online tech based in the heart of Bath. The agency are in growth mode so it’s a really exciting time to get on board! What you’ll be doing Your role will centre around driving relationships with a portfolio of clients whilst meticulously managing a range of projects end to end, ensuring work is delivered on time, to budget and to the highest possible standard. You’ll work closely with colleagues across the business from creative, media, data and client services teams to guarantee the smooth running of campaigns from creative briefings right through to reporting and analysis. As an Account Manager you’ll naturally ask questions and push back on briefs if needed, delivering a range of digital marketing and content focused campaigns whilst pro-actively growing accounts through owning and developing client relationships. Regardless of the exact level you come in at, your communication and strategic and creative thinking is what’s essential here. What experience you’ll need Ideally you’ll be an Account Manager with agency experience looking for a new challenge. Commercial mindset with the ability to grow key client accounts. Solid understanding of the creative/media process within an agency. Commercial acumen and confidence to win new business. Ability to juggle several projects end to end and work well under pressure. Keen attention to detail and strong analytical skills. Passion for video games and online technologies would be ideal. First rate communication skills. What you’ll get in return for your talents The salary for this role will be up to around the £25k mark and there are some great benefits on offer. You’ll be entitled to unlimited holiday (providing work is completed to a high standard), flexibility to work from home, professional training, the opportunity to travel overseas to meet with clients, pension scheme, a lovely sociable team and more. What’s next? If this sounds like you, please get in touch with Hannah today to find out more.
Marketing case studies
Evolution Power Tools
Tracking down top talent outside the beaten track
- Evolution Power Tools are a fast growing International business expanding their market presence at pace.
- In need of a Paid Search Specialist ADLIB were approached to support in tracking down a marketing specialist that was proving an elusive skill set to find.
- The business location and specialism of paid search meant that there was a small candidate pool within which to source candidates.
- Through an integrated talent attraction campaign, headhunting and tapping into our existing networks we successful sourced and matched them with exactly what they were seeking within 4 weeks.
“ADLIB used their digital marketing expertise and network to source an amazing candidate quickly. This was such a smooth process down to ADLIB's knowledge and proactive nature.”
Oliver Woodland, HR Adviser at Evolution Power Tools Limited
Outlaw
Tracking down a perfect skill and cultural fit
- Outlaw are a new, progressive agency, specializing in branding and packing, in the heart of Bristol.
- They approached us to help them find a Senior Account Manager to come in and help establish their client services offering.
- The specialism of the agency as well as the fact that they were newly established and fast growing meant it was really important to find the right candidate for the role- not only based on experience but also culture.
- Tapping into our extensive network of agency professionals, we were able to find Outlaw’s perfect SAM. She perfectly met their requirements and is set to achieve amazing things there.
"ADLIB took the time to really get to know Outlaw, coming to meet us and getting under the skin of what we’re about. This meant we were able to meet great candidates and make a fantastic hire really swiftly."
Elissa O’Brien, Strategy Director at Outlaw.
