SEO and Digital Marketing Specialist

The Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Digital Marketing Specialist supports the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's mission to expand access to high-quality online education. This position is responsible for enhancing the visibility, discoverability, and reach of Illinois Online and its portfolio of online degree and certificate programs. The specialist develops and executes SEO and digital marketing strategies that improve the visibility of the Illinois Online website and increase qualified traffic to online program and course offerings.

The specialist assists in developing and implementing a campus wide SEO service model.

Working under Strategic Communications and Marketing (Strat Com) and closely with the Office of Online Learning (OOL) and academic colleges, this role ensures all digital content reflects university brand standards, accessibility requirements, and SEO best practices while advancing recruitment and engagement goals.

• Develop and implement a modern search optimization strategy to improve visibility and rankings for online programs across search engines.
• Support efforts to standardize digital performance reporting across colleges while streamlining operations by reducing duplicative SEO contracts campus-wide.
• Optimize site structure, metadata, and content for usability, accessibility, and SEO performance for Illinois Online website.
• Collaborate with campus web support and IT partners to ensure proper implementation of SEO best practices.
• Monitor search performance trends and recommend content and structural improvements based on analytics.
• Provide SEO consultations for designated departments or programs as directed by the Office of the Provost.

• Coordinate with other Strat Com colleagues on Illinois Online content creation and optimization across web and social media channels.
• Collaborate with Strat Com team members and colleges to develop targeted digital marketing campaigns that drive awareness and conversions for online offerings.
• Cultivate content-led SEO by identifying gaps in the prospective student journey (e.g., tuition info, career outcomes).
• Support storytelling efforts by showcasing faculty innovation, student success, and program impact through optimized content.
• Ensure all content adheres to Illinois branding, voice, and accessibility best practices.

• Track website traffic, search performance, and conversion metrics using Google Analytics, Tag Manager, Search Console, and related tools.
• Develop and maintain dashboards that inform data-driven decisions about online program marketing priorities and site enhancements.
• Report regularly on ROI and provide actionable recommendations to improve engagement and lead generation to OOL, campus partners and leadership.
• Stay informed of digital marketing trends, higher education SEO strategies, and evolving search behaviors in online education.
• Conduct keyword research and trend analysis to inform content strategy, landing page development, and program promotion.

• Work collaboratively with Strat Com, OOL, academic units, and Illinois Online leadership to ensure consistent messaging and alignment with enrollment goals.
• Attend weekly OOL team meetings and meet with the OOL Program Manager as needed to consult on campus SEO service model.
• Provide guidance on digital content best practices during website updates and content management processes.
• Contribute to shared marketing initiatives and support cross-functional campaign execution as needed.
• Partner with the Analytics & Alignment team within Strat Com on SEO best practices and contribute to training or documentation as needed.
• Assist with other Strat Com marketing projects as capacity allows.

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business administration, communications, public relations, or a closely related field.
• Two (2) years (24 months) of professional work experience in marketing, public relations, communications, brand management, or a related professional area.
• Demonstrated experience with web analytics platforms(such as Google Analytics (GA4), Search Console, Tag Manager, etc.).
• Demonstrated experience with search engine optimization (SEO) platforms/tools (such as SEMrush, Bright Edge, or Ahrefs).

• Experience in higher education, online program marketing, or recruitment-focused campaigns.
• Familiarity with university marketing processes, brand governance, and data privacy policies.
• Experience with CRM or marketing automation systems (e.g., Slate, Salesforce, or Hub Spot).
• Experience generating analytics reports and dashboards.
• Google Analytics or SEO certification.
• Basic understanding of accessibility standards (WCAG) and digital best practices.

• Analytical and detail-oriented skills
• Ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Ability to collaborate across teams with a wide range of…