Category Archives: Blotter

We analyzed 50 website manager job descriptions on LinkedIn and Indeed with variations including “Web Manager” “Digital Manager,” and “Web Specialist” to create a list of top website manager job descriptions.

The results were surprising. 

You’re more likely to get hired for good project management skills than for great graphic design or technical coding, for instance. In today’s aggressive business sector, most website manager job descriptions point to project management as the most important skill.

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Most popular Website Manager job descriptions on LinkedIn and Indeed:

• 1. Must possess strong project management skills.
• 2. Must be able to manage SEO.
• 3. Must have good communication skills
• 4. Must direct the architecture, content management and user experience.
• 5. Must have experience using a CMS (i.e., WordPress)
  
• 6. Must create and manage newsletter builds.
• 7. Must be fluent in software PHP, HTML and Photoshop.
• 8. Must support social media initiatives.
• 9. Must manage Document Management Systems.
• 10. Must manage Customer Relationship Management systems.
• 11. Must have good analytical skills.
• 12. Must work directly with the marketing and technology teams.
• 13. Must manage all digital advertising including banner and text ads.

Web management has become a catch-all phrase for a great many skills.

LinkedIn Website Manager Job Listing

Indeed Website Manager Job Listing

A request for overall website improvement was present in nearly all the listings we analyzed. The data revealed companies are looking for website managers to promote better engagement with customers and back-office operations.

The implication points to a need for employees who are good writers as well as good communicators. Surprisingly, the raw technology skills companies asked for in potential employees’ CVs in years past (e.g., HTML, PHP, PERL, etc.) have slipped down the list of importance. Our research indicates a priority for project management skills in new hires. And while most of the listings did not necessarily use the term Search Engine Optimization (SEO), nearly all of them spoke to the point of driving traffic to the website using white hat search engine optimization techniques.

A rising emphasis on User Experience in website manager job descriptions

The data indicated a greater emphasis on improving the interface on websites as a whole. Of course, the requirement begs for relevance and quality in content and functionality, and good user experience is the ultimate aim for companies looking to increase their websites’ trustworthiness.

Also notable is the lack of emphasis these job descriptions placed on social media coordination and management.

Facebook, indeed, is a lesser skill set.

Another explanation may also be that companies are focusing on quality content first, understanding that SEO and social media benefits come from content and functionality rather than technical magic tricks. There’s little doubt social media fluency is a requirement, but employers assume everyone already has a core understanding of social media.

Finally, it is noteworthy to mention there were no jobs using the term “backlinking” but plenty with the term “coordination”. Marketing seems to have taken over the role of web manager for most of the listings we found, but we’re not at all confident today’s webmasters don’t need HTML experience with a dash of PHP if using the WordPress platform, especially.

Nonetheless, the employer web manager job listings all asked for someone who is both technical and creative in the way they implement web solutions. You no longer can be a programmer only. Employers are writing their website manager job descriptions to attract both technical and creative prospects.

A website manager role is marketer, strategist, implementer and all-around solution solver with the technical and communication skills needed to give a business its best chance at being found on the Internet. Yes, a basic understanding of HTML is required for most website manager roles, but the strategy around managing a company’s overall Internet presence goes far beyond technical skills and relies on the few simple things.

A website manager guards the whole Internet presence of a company

Although the simple description of a website manager is one who manages just a few roles, the complexity of skills that go into these management responsibilities can be exhaustive. There is marketing, strategy and implementation cornerstones for every website manager. Here’s a brief description for each:

1. Website Manager role: Marketer

Marketing is the process of communicating the value of a business’s services for the purpose of selling products. We believe in the Kotler, Philip & Keller method for defining marketing in a website manager role. Specifically, relationship marketing, internal marketing, integrated marketing, and socially responsive marketing are the keys to being a good marketer. The set of engagements necessary for successful marketing management includes capturing marketing insights, connecting with customers, building strong brands, shaping the market offerings, delivering and communicating value, creating long-term growth and developing marketing strategies and plans.

Website Manager role and juggling multiple tasks

The field of marketing strategy considers the total marketing environment and its impacts on a company or product or service. A given firm may offer numerous products or services to a marketplace, spanning numerous and sometimes wholly unrelated industries. Accordingly, a the website manager is required to implement a marketing plan in order to effectively advertise such products.

2. Website Manager role: strategist

Strategy means developing a course of action that outlines every step that will occur for a given project. The website manager is the strategist for a project and is responsible for creating specifications detailing what the business can expect from the Internet presence today, tomorrow and every day in the future. Planning is the beginning and the ending to every successful business project, so  take seriously the ongoing evaluation of how  strategies have been successful and how they need to be tweaked along the way. Communicating the strategy to other members of the business – as well as your customers – is central to executing on strategy with success.

3. Website Manager role: implementer

A website manager role focuses on the business implementation and management of brands and customer communication. Via the website, social media platforms, general news and company product information and data the website manager has his or her hand in all aspects of the company business. The website manager implements these platforms and information on their behalf.

The website manager will start by building a formalized means of organizing and storing an organization’s documents and other content that relate to their processes. The implementation phase begins when the strategies, methods, and tools are put in place for the sales funnel, most important. When viewed by employees and future or existing clients, compliance is at the core of implementing to ensure every aspect is in line with company policy, branding and sales’ purposes.

Why the Website Manager Role is central to marketing

The Internet presence of a company is the central repository of a company’s brand and identity in the new digital age. Whether managing customer communications on the website, social media, intranet or secure document repository, a website manager helps to promote specific information and procedures for employees, clients, or a broad group of potential clients, to act upon for the purpose of conducting business.