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I think the best place to look for you answer would be a job's site. You can find the job that best suits your talents and experience and look at the wage they are offering. This will give you an indication of the market at the minute.
Chris
Geographic location and past results tend to make a huge difference IMHO.
I agree 100%. You will make more in NY City or certain areas of California, but the cost of living is much, much higher.
Experience and results will play a huge role in what salary you can ask for. If you are good, they will want you, and you can name your price.
Also in an agency, many times but not always, the more you deal with clients the more you make even if everyone else writes and spoon feeds you and sugar coats everything to actually say to the client to explain programs and reporting. Often, the bigger the budgets you manage, the more you make.
One prominent Boston agency typically starts out a position similar to what you described at around 40k + bonus of anywhere between 5k and probably 30k depending on client satisfaction types of metrics.
In britain our company charges up to £50.00 per optimised page
and £20.00 per hour to set up pay per click programs, with a minumum monthly spending of £200.00
and a basic optimisation of a website costing £145.00 per month.
Just to give you an idea.
Once you've become a seasoned veteran, your prices will eventually increase because you then realize the value of your time and what it is that you are doing for the client.
In a salaried position, here in California, I would not settle for anything less than 70k to 110k per year plus bonuses. And, depending on the company, the volume of traffic and sales at the site(s), you may be able to become a small percentage partner in the deal.
Please, for those of you reading this thread, if you are good, then charge accordingly for your services. Would you want to work for 40k a year knowing that the company you are working for is making millions off of your services? There needs to be more balance, more of a win/win situation.
Definitely work out some form of bonus package based on web metrics. Maybe a per visitor charge or something else. Don't miss out on a great opportunity to enhance your income!
Please, for those of you reading this thread, if you are good, then charge accordingly for your services. Would you want to work for 40k a year knowing that the company you are working for is making millions off of your services? There needs to be more balance, more of a win/win situation.
I think that's the point PageOne. I don't know too many employees that make what they are worth... primarily because being an employee is much more secure... less risk.
If we consider a firm at say 5 qualified optimizers (employees) at the lower "suggested" wage 40K - that's still $200K for core primary labour, overhead another 400K minimum (support staff, financing, legal, marketing, advertising, rent, power, insurance, hardware, software, etc.), plus owners equity and benefits... and no profit made yet (can't run a business by breaking even).
Thus if you are that good that you deserve higher... generally you should be your own owner... taking much greater risk! ;)
110K x 5 plus bonus plus overhead, plus owner, etc. ... is a company needing millions just to stay afloat. :)
