What is a paid search specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

A business can have brilliant ads, but they're not worth much if customers never see them. A paid search analyst helps manage internet advertising campaigns to make sure that a business's advertisements actually get in front of customers. They take care of online ad placement, from initial research to monitoring their effectiveness.

There are two main types of online search marketing, organic and paid, and they require some of the same skills. A paid search analyst needs to know SEO optimization and conduct keyword research, or find out what people are Googling, just like organic SEO specialists. However, the paid search analyst uses those skills to place paid advertisements on the Internet where they will be most effective.

In order to get the skills necessary to succeed as a paid search analyst, many people complete a bachelor's degree in business or marketing. However, the skills to become a paid search analyst are so specialized that few schools teach them. Successful paid search analysts learn on the job, including in previous positions such as marketing internships.

ScorePaid Search SpecialistUS Average
Salary
4.9

Avg. Salary $62,694

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
5.7

Growth Rate 19%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 11.99%

Black or African American 6.24%

Hispanic or Latino 8.82%

Unknown 4.70%

White 67.73%

Gender

female 69.07%

male 30.93%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress Level
5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.4

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
5.5

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

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Key steps to become a paid search specialist

  1. Explore paid search specialist education requirements

    Most common paid search specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    67.9 %

    Master's

    11.5 %

    Associate

    11.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific paid search specialist skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Paid Search16.39%
    Digital Marketing14.86%
    Google Adwords11.51%
    SEM7.00%
    Search Campaigns6.48%
  3. Complete relevant paid search specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New paid search specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a paid search specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real paid search specialist resumes.
  4. Research paid search specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Plan, implement, manage and report on Facebook advertising campaigns.
    • Work with the SEO and Dev teams to optimize the website to accomplish ROI objectives.
    • Generate all new leads, develop strategies for lead nurturing and improve ROI from all sources.
    • Utilize Godaddy software and systems and any require portal tools to achieve campaign goals, objectives and KPI's.
  5. Prepare your paid search specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your paid search specialist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a paid search specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Paid Search Specialist Resume templates

    Build a professional Paid Search Specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Paid Search Specialist resume.
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    Paid Search Specialist Resume
    Paid Search Specialist Resume
    Paid Search Specialist Resume
    Paid Search Specialist Resume
    Paid Search Specialist Resume
    Paid Search Specialist Resume
    Paid Search Specialist Resume
    Paid Search Specialist Resume
  6. Apply for paid search specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a paid search specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Paid Search Specialist Job

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Average paid search specialist salary

The average Paid Search Specialist salary in the United States is $62,694 per year or $30 per hour. Paid search specialist salaries range between $41,000 and $94,000 per year.

Average Paid Search Specialist Salary
$62,694 Yearly
$30.14 hourly

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How do paid search specialists rate their job?

4/5

Based On 1 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Paid Search Specialist reviews

profile
4.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019
Pros

Remote work, pays good money

Cons

Fear to be unexposed to the marketplace, still vauge to me


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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