Manager, Search Optimization

Graco manufactures and markets premium equipment to move, measure, control, dispense and spray a wide variety of fluid and powder materials. What does that mean? Well, we pump peanut butter into your jar, and the oil in your car. We glue the soles of your shoes, the glass in your windows and the screen on your phone. We spray the finish on your vehicle, coatings on your pills, the paint on your house and texture on your walls. Graco is part of your daily life.

The Manager, Search Optimization, reporting to the Director of Demand & Lead Generation, will drive our keyword strategy and intent-driven content efforts across paid and organic search channels. This pivotal role will maximize visibility and lead generation for our contractor and industrial product lines through strategic search marketing initiatives. The Manager, Search Optimization will blend strategic thinking, technical expertise, and leadership skills to translate complex search data into actionable insights, driving continuous performance improvement and contributing to Graco's digital acquisition and retention strategies. Leverage analytics and market intelligence provided by category marketing teams to identify emerging trends and opportunities in the industrial sector, ensuring our search strategies remain agile and responsive to global market dynamics. This position will foster a culture of search excellence across the organization, empowering the digital content team to integrate best practices into their workflows.
 

What You Will Do at Graco

Keyword Strategy and Intent Mapping 

• Develop a comprehensive keyword strategy that aligns with the complex buyer journey for industrial fluid handling equipment. 

• Manage the process of in-depth keyword research and intent mapping to inform both organic content creation and paid search campaigns. 

• Analyze global search performance data to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement across different markets. 

• Identify high-value, industry-specific long-tail keywords that signal buyer intent for our specialized products. 

Paid Search Campaign Management 

• Oversee global paid campaigns across major search engines, focusing on high-intent keywords for industrial buyers. 

• Manage, select and manage in-region vendors and agencies to ensure localized campaign strategies align with global objectives while addressing market-specific nuances. 

• Develop keyword bidding strategies that account for the long sales cycle of industrial equipment. 

• Regularly analyze performance metrics to identify high-opportunity areas within paid search efforts. Shift budget allocations to maximize ROI, particularly in campaigns that drive significant lead generation. 

• Ensure consistent KPIs across all regions by customer journey phase. 

Intent-Driven Lead Generation 

• Create a funnel from search queries to lead capture, ensuring content matches user intent at each stage. 

• Advise on landing page content based on keyword intent signals to maximize conversion rates. 

• Collaborate with sales teams as a part of our ABM efforts to align keyword strategies with offline sales processes and lead qualification criteria. 

Analytics and Performance Tracking 

• Establish a robust search analytics framework that provides actionable insights on keyword performance across organic and paid channels. 

• Conduct regular content performance reviews, identifying opportunities to improve rankings for target keywords.

• Utilize advanced analytics tools to track the customer journey from initial search to lead submission, informing future keyword strategies. 

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Work closely with divisional go-to-market teams to understand technical specifications and translate them into effective keyword strategies. 

• Partner with the content team to ensure all digital assets are optimized for target keywords and user intent.

• Educate internal teams on the importance of keyword strategy in the context of industrial B2B marketing. 

Team Leadership and Financial Management 

• Lead, mentor, manage, and staff SEO & SEM team, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and promoting a culture of excellence. 

• Drive team performance by setting clear goals, providing ongoing feedback, and facilitating professional growth opportunities. 

• Establish, manage, and be accountable for the annual SEO and paid media budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources and alignment with organizational strategic objectives.