SEO Analyst, Editorial

Why Hearst?

Hearst Magazines’ portfolio of more than 25 powerful brands in the U.S.—including Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, Harper’s BAZAAR, Popular Mechanics—inspires, entertains, and builds new and bold experiences for an engaged and growing audience across digital, video, social, and print, reaching nearly 139 million readers and site visitors each month. With sophisticated content creation, cutting-edge technology, and industry-leading data capabilities, we make media and products that move people across all platforms.

We are a global media company that publishes nearly 260 magazine editions and 200 websites around the world and, together, we are reinventing publishing for the 21st century.

Your Impact

Hearst Autos is looking for a detail-oriented, analytical SEO Analyst to support our editorial SEO efforts. This role will help ensure our content is aligned with search demand, user intent, and editorial excellence, while staying adaptive to a rapidly evolving AI-driven search ecosystem.

You’ll play a vital part in uncovering growth opportunities, identifying performance trends, and providing actionable guidance to editorial stakeholders. The ideal candidate is highly organized, curious about search behavior, and energized by the intersection of data, editorial strategy, and AI innovation.

Who You Are: 

• Support editorial teams across Hearst Autos by analyzing SEO performance and surfacing actionable insights.
• Build and maintain dashboards using GA4, GSC, and data visualization tools to report on content performance and growth areas.
• Conduct keyword research, competitor analysis, and content audits to identify optimization opportunities.
• Monitor AI-influenced search experiences (e.g., AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity etc) and assess their impact on content visibility and strategy.
• Track emerging AI tools and trends that affect how users search and consume information.
• Develop clear and concise SEO content briefs that reflect best practices and editorial goals.
• Maintain and update content calendars based on performance metrics and seasonal demand.
• Assist in the development of SEO documentation, training materials, and best practice guidelines for editorial teams.
• Conduct QA checks on new and updated content to ensure alignment with SEO and AI-informed best practices.
• Track emerging AI tools and trends that affect how users search and consume information, and share key insights with editorial stakeholders.

What You'll Do: 

• 2–4 years of hands-on SEO experience, preferably within a digital media or publishing environment.
• Proficient in on-page SEO and keyword research, with a working knowledge of off-page and technical SEO principles.
• Experience monitoring AI-driven SERP features and adapting SEO strategies accordingly.
• Highly skilled in Google Analytics 4 (GA4), Google Search Console (GSC), Screaming Frog and keyword research tools (e.g., SEMrush, Ahrefs).
• Familiarity with data visualization tools (e.g., Looker); SQL knowledge is a plus but not required.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to translate complex data into clear insights.
• Comfortable working cross-functionally with editors and product teams.
• Interest in the evolving search landscape, including the impact of AI on search, content creation, and user behavior.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. 
   

The base salary for this role is between $68,000-$80,000. The actual base pay offered is dependent upon many factors, such as: transferable skills, work experience, business needs and market demands. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

This position is based in the NYC office 3 days a week. No remote option.

Hearst Magazines is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.