Leaf Group is a diversified Internet company that builds platforms to enable communities of creators to reach dedicated audiences in the ever-growing lifestyle categories.

We are looking for a motivated and creative Content & Audience Development Director to lay the foundation for and develop brands within our department’s portfolio. Performance Brands manages 60 websites with over 800k pieces of content driving 1.6B visits per year with a particular focus on personal finance, legal, education and lifestyle websites. This is a big opportunity and requires an ambitious individual.

You are a proven self-starter who understands how to build brands and has a passion for it. Your role will inform content creation across all platforms, manage audience development strategy and incorporate aspects of SEO such as keyword research and competitor analysis. As a member of a multi-disciplinary team, you will be responsible for taking initiative and contributing to the growth of our websites from our Santa Monica, CA office.

A big vision calls for a big job. As we grow, our need for a Content & Audience Development Director grows with us.

You’ll Report To: Media Executive

What You’ll Be Responsible For:

CONTENT

• Responsible for content published across the department, including ensuring all content is on-brand and high quality.
• Manage content renovation strategy and identify opportunities to improve previously published content at scale.
• Create and execute short-, mid- and long-term content strategies for specific brands.
• Own content innovation within the editorial team: identify and test new content areas and opportunities.
• Own high-level, strategic relationship across multiple platforms including Facebook, Pinterest, Email and more.
• Collaborate with sales and marketing on ideation, execution of large programs and attend client meetings if needed.
• Manage content budgets, staffing and goal setting in partnership with Editorial Operations.

SEO

• Execute research of high-impact SEO keywords related to monthly editorial calendar and identify new growth opportunities to inform content strategy, in tandem with Leaf resources. 
• Advise on keyword optimization within archive content to ensure all older, evergreen editorial services SEO needs.
• Execute competitive analysis and implement new strategies to maintain SEO authority (focus on mobile-first SERPs and AMP growth).
• Recommend and implement new tools to enable SEO best practice among the editorial teams.
• Work with Sr. Manager, Operations & Media to maintain and improve on current SEO workflow within editorial team, and empower them to execute SEO best practices. 
• Manage SEO Data Analyst whose responsibilities include keyword research, monitoring site performance, audience tracking and maintaining SEO best practices

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

• Create and execute iterative, innovation strategies for social and news platforms where applicable
• Manage paid social spend and relationships 
• Leverage data from our analytics platforms to define, analyze and communicate key cross-platform user metrics and user behavioral trends
• Manage timely reporting pulls of varying size and complexity, including preparing regular (spot, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly) written analysis and presenting findings and proactive recommendations to internal non-technical editorial stakeholders.
• Develop opportunities to better understand and segment our audiences through the acquisition of behavioral data. Examples include creating reasons for users to volunteer their personal data, such as via quizzes, competitions, events and user-generated campaigns.
• Create and grow email databases through innovative audience acquisition campaigns. 
• Using data, work with Director, Media to identify key content opportunities for video across core platforms. 
• Collaborate with Director, Media to prioritize, manage and optimize traffic-building partnerships with other digital media organizations, inc. traffic swaps, backlinking and content syndication. 

You will be successful if you are passionate about building online communities through content and are excited by open-ended opportunities. If you like to work with high-caliber teams, data-led processes and you have a knack for effective content strategies, then this is the role for you.

What You Have:

• At least 4+ years of experience in digital publishing
• 1+ years of experience being the owner of brand voice and content quality.
• 1+ years of experience supervising a team of digital editors/content creators. 
• 2+ years of experience executing an audience development strategy.
• An ability to use Google Analytics, or similar data platforms, and extract actionable insights from data. 
• Very strong familiarity with SEO and Social tools. 
• Not afraid to wear multiple hats - no job being too small or too large.
• We're casual and informal but we work hard and work responsibly. A pleasant and supportive demeanor goes a long way.

Who We Are:
We create experiences that celebrate the best of art, design, and technology. We want smart, curious people committed to putting people first, having fun while they work, a commitment to high quality service to make things better and a desire for constant growth. We work in a fun, hard-working collaborative environment that is diverse, adventurous, and open-minded. Check us out here: https://www.leafgroup.com/brands/

What We Have:

• Discounted gym memberships
• Paid-to-play vacation rewards
• Discretionary unlimited vacation time
• Employee discounts for Deny Designs, Saatchi Art, and Society6
• 401K
• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Flexible Spending Accounts

Agency Disclosure: 
If the Leaf Group Talent Acquisition department, or any current company employee, receives an unsolicited resume from a third party recruiting agency and Leaf Group does not have a signed Agency Agreement active, Leaf Group will not be deemed liable to pay a placement fee. The unsolicited resume will be considered a gift and can be considered for our recruitment efforts.