Hiring exceptional marketers can be like finding a needle in a haystack. Finding a remote marketer who’s an invaluable asset to your team? That’s like finding a golden needle in a haystack.
So it’s no wonder it generally takes 6-8 weeks to fill an open marketing position.
We’ve made it our business to shorten recruitment timelines and source remote talent that can excel at even the most challenging roles.
This article takes everything we’ve learned from 30+ years of recruiting overseas staff and boils it down so you can apply these tips in your own organisation.
Navigate easily through the guide here:
- What Do Remote Marketers Do?
- Which Marketing Roles Can Be Done Remotely?
- Benefits of Hiring Remote Marketers
- Job Requirements for Remote Marketing Roles
- 10 Steps to Hire a Remote Marketer
- Actionable Steps to Enhance Your Remote Hiring Strategy
What Do Remote Marketers Do?
What Do Remote Marketers Do?
Remote marketers are becoming increasingly common, as more people transition to work-from-home or hybrid working environments.
Just like in-person marketing staff, remote marketing talent can cover a variety of marketing activities, and often specialise in a particular type of marketing or marketing channel.
Here are some examples of the responsibilities that remote marketers handle:
1. Content Creation and Management
Remote content marketers are responsible for crafting compelling content that resonates with target audiences.
This includes:
- Writing blog posts
- Creating video scripts for YouTube, Instagram or TikTok
- Developing engaging social media content for Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
They also ensure that all materials align with the brand’s voice and strategic goals, plan content topics, and may also schedule content to be posted across all channels.
2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Remote SEO specialists are responsible for optimizing content and website architecture for search engines.
They conduct keyword research, develop SEO strategies, and implement on-page and off-page tactics to improve search engine rankings.
By driving organic traffic, they increase visibility and create more opportunities for customer conversions.
3. Social Media Management
Managing a brand’s social media presence is another key responsibility.
Remote social media managers plan, execute, and monitor social media campaigns across various platforms. Typically they work closely with the content marketing team to coordinate content creation and publishing.
They also engage with audiences, respond to comments, and analyze social media metrics to refine strategies for better engagement and reach.
4. Data Analysis and Reporting
To ensure marketing strategies are effective, remote marketers analyze performance data and generate reports that provide insights into campaign success.
They use analytics tools to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and help make data-driven decisions to optimize future marketing efforts.
5. Digital Ads
Remote marketers can also specialise in just doing paid ads.
This includes designing and managing digital advertising campaigns, like pay-per-click (PPC) ads, display advertising, and social media promotions.
Some focus solely on Google or Facebook ads, and others are focused on a specific niche, like B2B or B2C, so finding a paid ads specialist who’s familiar with your target channel and niche is key.
6. Email Marketing
Remote email marketing involves crafting and executing email marketing campaigns to engage with your email subscribers.
This covers:
- Segmenting email lists
- Creating personalized content
- Analysing campaign metrics to improve open rates and conversions
Email marketing typically accounts for 30% of sales revenue, so this is is a powerful marketing tool when done right.
All of this requires high levels of creativity and strategic thinking, so the key is to make sure you hire remote staff that can work to this standard independently.
Recruiter’s Tip: We see a lot of marketers who are a “jack of all trades, master of none.” So if a candidate claims they do all of this well, they probably don’t.
Look for experts with proven results in one or two specific areas of focus instead.
Which Marketing Roles Can Be Done Remotely?
Pretty much any traditional marketing role can be performed remotely, since the bulk of marketing efforts are done online today.
Here are some of the most common online marketing jobs we fill for clients:
- Content Marketer
- SEO Specialist
- Social Media Manager
- Digital Advertising Expert
- Email Marketer
- Marketing Analyst
- Product Marketing Manager
- Brand Strategist
- Copywriter
- Influencer Marketing Coordinator
- Affiliate Marketing Manager
- PPC Specialist
- Video Marketing Producer
- Community Manager
- Marketing Automation Specialist
All of these jobs can be done remotely, as long as you have a system in place for fostering collaboration and managing projects smoothly within your marketing team.
Benefits of Hiring Remote Marketers
Why would a company choose to hire remote marketing talent over an in-person employee?
Here’s a breakdown of the benefits (with cost comparisons):
- Cost Efficiency
Hiring remote marketers overseas is more affordable than paying local salary levels.
But even if you’re hiring remote talent in your own country, it still helps reduce overhead costs significantly:
- Office Space: The average cost for office space in the US is $32.89 per square foot per year. For a 150 square foot space per employee, this totals approximately $4,933 annually.
- Onboarding and Training: In the US, onboarding a new employee costs about $1,400, and training averages $986. This doesn’t include the cost of recruitment itself, or ongoing HR expenses.
- Equipment and Supplies: A new computer, hardware, and software setup in the US can cost over $2,000 per employee.
Overseas, costs can be much lower, depending on the country. In South Africa, for example, the total cost of onboarding a new hire is only around $1,700 on average.
- Access to Global Talent
Tapping into a global talent pool allows businesses to find highly skilled marketers at competitive rates:
- Salary Comparisons: A marketing professional in the US may command a higher salary compared to similar roles in countries with a lower cost of living.
For instance, here’s a breakdown of some common remote marketing jobs we hire for in South Africa, and how much you can save vs. hiring in the US:
- Skill Diversity: Experience is expensive in Western markets.
International hires, on the other hand, can be a “big fish in a little pond,” meaning they’re a rockstar in their industry, but you can actually afford them.
These are exactly the types of hires we look for when recruiting for clients.
3. Enhanced Flexibility & Scalability
Remote hiring allows for more flexibility and scalability than traditional models, letting businesses adapt quickly to market changes:
- Rapid Hiring: We fill remote positions within 2 weeks, compared to the typical 40-60 day cycle for traditional hiring.
- Scalability: We also operate on a single contract, so businesses can easily increase or decrease their workforce without additional paperwork. It’s also easier to predict growth, thanks to our flat-fee structure that simplifies budgeting and forecasting.
Recruiter Tip: Not all recruiters offer solutions like this.
If you’re working with a hiring partner, make sure they have systems in place for sourcing high-quality talent quickly and keeping costs transparent.
Job Requirements for Remote Marketing Roles
Here’s an overview of the role requirements for a remote marketing professional:
Overview
- Experience and Education: 3-5 years of proven marketing experience, preferably in digital or content marketing. A degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field is often required.
- Skills: Expertise in SEO, social media, and content creation. Strong analytical skills to assess campaign performance. Proficiency in marketing automation tools.
- Knowledge: Understanding of digital marketing trends. Familiarity with market research and consumer behavior analysis.
Responsibilities
- Develop and implement marketing strategies to achieve business goals.
- Manage and optimize online marketing campaigns.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance brand presence.
Crucial Soft Skills
- Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a virtual environment and adapt to changing digital landscapes.
- Creativity: Innovative thinking for crafting compelling marketing campaigns.
- Self-Motivation: Drive to achieve goals independently in a remote setting.
Keep in mind, this is just a general description and should be tailored to the specific marketing role you’re hiring for.
10 Steps to Hire a Remote Marketer
So you’re feeling the crunch – your social campaigns have come to a grinding halt, or your subscribers list is in complete disarray.
Which means the time has finally come to grow your marketing team.
If you want to do it the right way, though, you need to make sure you have a process for selecting the best possible remote marketer for your business.
The marketing industry has one of the highest employee churn rates out there (about 30% a year), so it’s important to get this right. Otherwise, you’ll just end up right back at square one.
So here are our insider’s tips for how to recruit marketers online, step by step:
- Determine the Right Time to Hire
Recognizing when to expand your marketing team – and in which direction – is crucial.
But how do you decide whether you need a marketing manager, a content manager, a copywriter, etc.?
To determine which role to prioritise, look at both your current marketing efforts and future needs:
- Revenue Growth: If your revenue is steadily increasing but you struggle to maintain consistent marketing efforts, a marketing manager can help streamline processes and optimize strategies.
- Customer Engagement: Look at metrics like customer acquisition cost, content engagement rates, and conversion metrics. If these indicate a need for more focused content strategies, consider bringing in a content manager.
- Conversion Rates: If your brand messaging lacks impact or fails to convert, a copywriter can provide the creative edge needed to resonate with your audience.
Action Step:
- Conduct Regular Reviews: Establish regular reviews of marketing performance metrics and business milestones to stay agile and responsive to changing needs.
- Create an Ideal Candidate Profile
Once you know which type of remote marketing role you need to fill, determine what the perfect person to fill that role would look like.
Here are some examples of ideal candidate profiles for positions like email marketer, PPC specialist, and eCommerce marketing manager:
- Email Marketer:
Look for candidates experienced in crafting compelling email campaigns. They should:
- Excel in segmentation and personalization tactics
- Understand the email automation tools your company uses
- Have a proven track record of improving open and click-through rates.
Strong attention to detail and creativity are crucial, too.
- PPC Specialist:
Ideal candidates are analytical thinkers adept at managing pay-per-click campaigns across platforms like Google Ads and social media.
They should have experience in:
- Keyword research
- Bid management
- A/B testing to optimize ad performance
You also need to look for candidates with a data-driven mindset, who will be able to derive insights from analytics and adjust strategies for maximum ROI.
- eCommerce Marketing Manager:
This role requires a strategic leader with experience in driving online sales growth.
They should have a deep understanding of digital marketing channels, SEO, and conversion rate optimization.
Experience with eCommerce platforms and a knack for understanding consumer behavior are key, along with leadership skills to guide a team in executing effective campaigns.
Action Step:
- Define Key Competencies: Tailor the candidate profile to reflect the unique skills and experiences necessary for each role. Specify competencies such as platform expertise, strategic thinking, and cultural fit relevant to your company’s marketing objectives.
- Craft an Engaging Job Description
Generic job postings get generic applicants.
Here’s how to make yours appeal to top talent, and communicate exactly what you’re looking for:
- Email Marketer:
- Emphasize creative opportunities in crafting engaging campaigns and the impact on customer engagement.
- Highlight skills in email automation and personalization.
- Mention remote work flexibility and pathways for advancing to strategic roles within the marketing team.
- PPC Specialist:
- Focus on the analytical nature of the role, detailing responsibilities like managing ad campaigns and optimizing performance.
- Stress the importance of data-driven decision-making and provide insights into career growth in the broader digital marketing landscape.
- eCommerce Marketing Manager:
- Outline leadership responsibilities and the chance to drive significant online sales growth.
- Highlight necessary skills in digital channels and consumer analytics
- Emphasize long-term career progression within the company.
Action Step:
- Optimize for SEO: Use relevant keywords specific to each role to enhance visibility. Include phrases such as “remote work,” “career advancement,” and skill-specific terms like “email automation” or “PPC optimization” to attract best-fit candidates.
- Develop Skills Tests and Interview Questions
Building robust assessments and crafting insightful interview questions are key to identifying the best candidates for marketing roles.
Here’s some ideas for how to evaluate an email marketer, PPC specialist, and eCommerce marketing manager:
- Email Marketer:
- Develop skills tests that challenge candidates to create a mock email campaign, focusing on segmentation and personalization techniques.
- Ask questions like, “Can you provide an example of a campaign that significantly increased engagement?” and “What metrics do you prioritize in evaluating email success?”
- PPC Specialist:
- Test candidates with exercises that involve setting up and optimizing a PPC campaign, including keyword research and bid management.
- Interview questions might include, “Describe a time when you significantly improved a campaign’s ROI,” and “How do you handle underperforming ads?”
- eCommerce Marketing Manager:
- Present scenarios that require strategic planning and analysis of consumer behavior.
- Questions could be, “What is a successful eCommerce strategy you implemented that boosted sales?” and “How do you leverage data to drive online growth?”
Action Step:
- Create Customized Tests: Design skills assessments that reflect the unique challenges each role faces.
- Build a Comprehensive Hiring Funnel
A lot of employers rely heavily on just one or two platforms (like LinkedIn) to find candidates.
But when you’re hiring for remote positions, the talent pool is vast. It covers the entire world, in fact. So your hiring funnel should, too:
- LinkedIn:
- Post jobs to target specific industries and roles.
- Engage with potential candidates through industry-specific groups.
- Use LinkedIn’s InMail to connect directly with prospects.
- Indeed:
- Optimize your listings with relevant keywords and clear job titles to improve searchability.
- They also have sponsored job features to attract a higher volume of candidates.
- Social Media Channels (Facebook, X):
- Share job openings, company culture insights, and employee testimonials to engage potential candidates.
- Leverage Facebook’s job posting feature and X’s real-time communication to quickly share open positions.
Action Step:
- Leverage Automation Tools: This not only enhances the candidate experience but also reduces the administrative burden on your HR team when managing multiple hiring channels at once.
- Screen Resumes Efficiently
The average job posting received over 180 candidates in 2024. To objectively sort through that many applicants, it’s better to have an evaluation report card that helps you easily spot the top contenders.
Here’s an example candidate evaluation scorecard for a content marketer:
Candidate Evalutaion Criteria: Content Marketer
- Digital Marketing Skills:
- SEO Expertise:
[ ] Excellent
[ ] Good
[ ] Fair
- Content Creation Tools:
[ ] Advanced
[ ] Intermediate
[ ] Beginner
- Analytics Proficiency:
[ ] Expert
[ ] Proficient
[ ] Basic
- Remote Work Experience:
- Years in Remote Roles:
[ ] 5+
[ ] 3-5
[ ] 1-2
- Self-Management Skills:
[ ] Strong
[ ] Moderate
[ ] Needs Improvement
- Past Achievements:
- Content Performance Metrics:
[ ] Outstanding
[ ] Above Average
[ ] Average
- Campaign Successes:
[ ] High Impact
[ ] Moderate Impact
[ ] Low Impact
Action Step: Implement this scoring system to ensure a standardised evaluation process that helps you identify top potential candidates quickly.
- Conduct Marketing Assessments
Once you’ve whittled down your 200 or so applicants to a select few, use targeted tasks to evaluate their real-world capabilities.
Below are example test tasks for key marketing positions:
- Content Marketer: Design a comprehensive content marketing campaign for a new product launch, including blog post topics, social media posts, and an email newsletter.
- Copywriter: Create an engaging landing page copy aimed at converting visitors into subscribers. Focus on clarity, tone, and persuasiveness.
- PPC Specialist: Develop and present a detailed PPC strategy for a fictional e-commerce brand, including keyword selection, ad copy, and budget allocation.
- SEO Specialist: Conduct an SEO audit for a sample website, identifying key areas for improvement and suggesting optimization strategies.
- Behavioral Interviews
Conducting behavioral interviews is essential for assessing candidates’ soft skills and cultural fit, particularly for remote marketing roles.
Here, focus on evaluating adaptability and resilience through scenario-based questions, like these:
- Content Marketer:
- “Describe a time when you had to pivot your content strategy quickly. What was the outcome?”
- “How do you maintain creativity and consistency in your content when facing tight deadlines?”
- Copywriter:
- “Share an experience where you had to adapt your writing style to suit a different audience. How did you approach this?”
- “Can you provide an example of how you turned a creative block into an opportunity?”
- PPC Specialist:
- “Explain how you handled a situation where your PPC campaign wasn’t performing as expected. What changes did you implement?”
- “Describe a challenging client request and how you managed it.”
- SEO Specialist:
- “Tell us about a time when a significant algorithm change impacted your SEO strategy. How did you adapt?”
- “Share an experience of working with a cross-functional team to achieve a common goal.”
- Make Competitive Offers
A well-rounded offer not only includes a competitive salary but also incorporates valuable benefits and enticing remote work perks.
On top of that, make sure you clearly communicate role expectations and future career opportunities so candidates understand how they can grow within your organisation. Top talent is always looking for growth opportunities.
Recruiter’s Tip: You can simplify HR and payroll by partnering with a comprehensive RHHR (Recruitment, Hiring and HR) firm, like Talent Sam.
This way, you can focus on finding the right fit for your team without being bogged down by additional administrative tasks.
- Onboard for Success
Setting up a remote marketer for success begins with great onboarding.
Because they’ll be working remotely, it’s more important than ever to get this right, so they can both be productive from day one and feel like a part of the team.
Here are four steps to onboard remote marketing staff successfully:
Step 1: Structured Training Program
Develop a comprehensive training program tailored to the specific responsibilities of the remote marketer.
This should include digital marketing tools, brand guidelines, project expectations, etc.
Use Loom videos (no one reads anymore!) and interactive online modules to introduce them to company tasks and workflows.
Step 2: Assign a Mentor
Pair each new hire with a seasoned team member who can provide guidance and support. This mentorship relationship fosters a sense of belonging and offers a reliable resource for navigating challenges.
Make sure mentors hold regular virtual meetings to discuss progress and address any questions.
Step 3: Establish Clear Communication Channels
Set up streamlined communication channels to facilitate seamless interactions.
Use tools like Slack, Zoom, or Teams for instant messaging and video calls, ensuring that remote marketers can easily connect with colleagues.
Clearly outline communication protocols (e.g. all emails must be answered within 24 hours, all direct messages within 12 hours, etc.) and encourage open dialogue to prevent isolation.
Step 4: Schedule Regular Check-Ins
Regular check-ins play a critical role in supporting the integration of remote marketers.
Schedule weekly one-on-one meetings to discuss achievements, address concerns, and provide constructive feedback.
These sessions also serve as opportunities to reinforce company culture and values, helping new hires feel more connected to your organization.
Actionable Steps to Enhance Your Remote Hiring Strategy
Are you already hiring team members overseas, but haven’t been finding the superstar candidates you’re looking for?
Here’s our recruitment insiders’ advice on how to solve three of the biggest painpoints associated with remote hiring:
1. Lengthy Hiring Process
A prolonged hiring process can lead to losing qualified candidates to competitors. To expedite hiring without sacrificing on the quality of talent:
- Streamline Your Workflow: Implement an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to automate repetitive tasks such as resume screening and interview scheduling. This technology helps reduce administrative burdens and speeds up the overall process.
- Set Clear Timelines: Establish definitive timelines for each hiring stage and communicate them to candidates. This transparency keeps applicants informed and engaged, reducing the risk of drop-offs.
- Conduct Efficient Interviews: Opt for virtual interviews to minimise time and logistical constraints. Use structured interview questions to assess candidates consistently and make quicker, data-driven decisions.
2. High Churn Due to Poor Culture Fit
Ensuring a strong cultural fit is crucial for reducing turnover rates. Here’s how to align candidates with your company culture:
- Enhance Job Descriptions: Clearly articulate your company’s values, mission, and work environment in job postings. This clarity helps attract candidates who resonate with your organisational culture.
- Incorporate Behavioral Assessments: Behavioral interviews and personality assessments help you gauge candidates’ alignment with your cultural values and team dynamics ahead of time.
- Foster a Transparent Onboarding Process: During onboarding, emphasise your company culture through mentorship programs and interactive sessions that highlight your core values and expectations.
3. Overwhelmed by Applications
With the rise of AI-powered job application tools, hirers often face an influx of applications. To efficiently manage this volume:
- Leverage AI for Screening: Use AI-driven tools to sift through applications quickly, identifying candidates who meet your criteria and are genuinely interested in the role.
- Refine Job Requirements: Be specific in your job descriptions and requirements to deter unqualified applicants. This specificity helps filter out candidates who don’t meet your basic qualifications.
- Implement Pre-Employment Assessments: Introduce assessments that test relevant skills early in the application process. These can help narrow down the pool to serious prospects only, although some AI tools now help candidates complete assessments, too.
These are just some of the challenges the recruiters and hiring managers face right now. And as the technology continues to evolve, so too will the complexities of navigating these issues.
But that’s exactly why we started Talent Sam: To make remote hiring simple (finally).
So if you’re still struggling to find amazing remote marketers even after reading this guide, don’t worry. There’s always Plan B.
Get remote marketing talent, minus the headache. Work with us, and we’ll source, legally employ, and set up your new hire’s remote office – all in 2 weeks or less.