SEO Jobs: The Hammock Source seeks an SEO / SEM Manager (Greenville, NC 27834)

Google is shortening the searcher’s journey. On the surface, this appears to hurt publishers, but reality may be more complicated. Google needs to create and feed search addiction. Instantaneous answers that don’t require a click gives Google the ability to grow searches per searcher per day.

Instant answers means fewer clicks on average, but more searches addicted to searching could mean a bigger pie for all [search marketers]. There are only two logical answers to the inherent risks of Google reliance: 1.) Diversify your traffic channels, and 2.) Become more important to Google’s searchers than Google is to your traffic.

Frankly, in all the time I’ve been writing ecommerce job postings, I’ve never written anything cooler than that. And it’s not even my material! But boy, it sure is hard to argue Rand’s point.

What this means is that now more than ever, it’s essential to have products that can be sold on the back of a single story. Kevin Hillstom has blogged about this repeatedly. And the best case scenario is to sell a well made, information-intensive product into a rabid, self-referencing subculture of fans. It’s great to optimize a site for SEO when you have fans who’ll lap up the company’s content.

The Hammock Source has two fantastic brands, both of which have strong followings: Hatteras and Pawleys Island.

What makes a Hatteras hammock so awesome is that it’s made in the USA with Sumbrella fabric (long favored by sailboaters) and DuraCord — a synthetic rope that looks and feels like cotton but does not stretch, mold, rot, or mildew. Beyond that, Hatteras spreader bars are made from Cumaru, a South American wood used in the construction of docks, such as the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Like all Hatteras components, Cumaru has its own following. (Cumaru’s fans are yachtsmen.) Think of “Intel Inside” times three.

From a design standpoint, Hatteras has won many awards for innovation in product design, much of which is contemporary. Hatteras even won an award for its Roman arc hammock stand at the Casual Furniture Manufacturing Show in Chicago. According to Hammock Source CEO, Walter Perkins, “The stand is a work of art. It’s really beautiful …”

Besides the Hatteras, The Hammock Source offers the Pawleys Island line, which is known for its traditional look and product longevity. The brand was created by Capt. Joshua Ward in the 1800s. Capt. Ward piloted riverboats in South Carolina, which is roasting hot in the summer. Given the unbearable heat of the mattresses at night, Capt. Ward created a cooler way to sleep: the hammock was woven from knotless rope and held together with barrel oak stays as spreader bars. Today, the company uses the same design, yet Sumbrella and DuraCord had been substituted to improve product quality and durability.

Pawleys Island designs are more traditional, with earth tones. And because of the brand’s popularity, The Hammock Source looks to introduce more products under the Pawleys Island label. Like the Hatteras line, Pawleys Island hammocks have a cult following, and it’s not at all uncommon for the brand’s customers to reminisce about the great experiences they’ve had with their Pawleys Island hammock.

Walter observes, “Crazy as it sounds, it’s common for people to spend more money reconstructing their family’s old Pawleys Island hammock than they would buying a brand new one. There’s an emotional attachment to the product, like the Peanuts character Linus has with his blanket. They simply refuse to give it up.”

As usual, my team and I have nearly a dozen pages of kickoff call notes, research, and assorted intelligence on the client’s business and industry. We’re happy to share those with qualified candidates. Until then, please know that The Hammock Source is anything but a sleepy little business nestled in the foothills of North Carolina. These folks are vertically integrated — and they have smartly and meticulously built their online business over nearly a dozen great domain names. Like Hayneedle — but with REAL outdoor furniture R&D and manufacturing capabilities. According to Walter, “If we don’t have a competitive advantage, we don’t compete.”

But the job’s not right for just anyone: The ideal candidate will be EXTREMELY COMPETENT in search marketing and motivated to work in a team environment. You must have a deeply analytical bias to the way you make marketing decisions, and you must be able to bust out the latest SEO / SEM best practices to drive revenue for the firm. Key tasks will include search campaign generation / implementation, keyword research, development and analysis, and more. If you can shine in such an environment, then we’d love to hear from you.