Paid search (SEM) specialist

What does a paid search (SEM) specialist do?

A paid search specialist plans, runs and improves ads that appear on search engines such as Google.

You pay when people click, so the work is tied to leads, sign-ups or sales.

In Singapore, the role sits in a digital or performance marketing team. You may work in an agency, in a small in-house team, or in a regional marketing hub. National job classification groups it under digital marketing professionals.

You work with copywriters and content marketers on ad text, web developers on landing pages and tracking, and sales teams on lead quality. A marketing manager or finance lead usually approves budgets.

What the work involves

• Check campaign spend, clicks and conversions each day, and fix anything that is off track.
• Research keywords and search terms, then add new ones and block wasteful ones.
• Write and test ad copy, often with several versions running at once.
• Set up conversion tracking in Google Tag Manager and check the numbers in Google Analytics (GA4).
• Work with designers and web teams to test landing page changes.
• Send weekly or monthly reports that link spend to leads or revenue, with next steps.

Pay in Singapore

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Skills a paid search (SEM) specialist needs

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Paid search (SEM) specialist job description

We are hiring a paid search specialist to run and grow our search advertising in Singapore and nearby markets.

You will manage Google Ads accounts, control budgets, and turn clicks into leads or sales. You will work closely with content, web and sales teams, and report results without jargon to marketing leads.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage search campaigns in Google Ads, including structure, bids, budgets and targeting.
• Research keywords with tools such as Ahrefs or Semrush, and group them by search intent.
• Write ad copy and extensions, and run tests to find what lifts click rates and conversions.
• Set up and maintain conversion tracking using Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics (GA4).
• Review search term reports and add negative keywords to cut wasted spend.
• Work with web and design teams to improve landing pages and test changes.
• Track cost per lead, return on ad spend and other agreed goals against targets.
• Produce regular reports and explain results and next steps to managers and clients.
• Keep campaigns in line with ad platform policies and the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA).
• Test new features and AI tools, and check their output before it goes live.

Requirements

• Diploma or degree in marketing, business, communications or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• Usually 1 to 3 years of hands-on paid search work for a mid-level role. Entry roles may accept internships or project work.
• Working knowledge of Google Ads, Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics (GA4).
• Comfort with spreadsheets and numbers, including cost per click, conversion rate and return on ad spend.
• Clear writing for ad copy and reports, and the ability to work with sales, web and content teams.

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Paid search (SEM) specialist career path

Most paid search careers start in a marketing executive or junior campaign role and move towards account ownership, then team leadership.

Titles vary between agencies and in-house teams.

1. Paid search executive

   Entry

   You run day-to-day tasks on set accounts, such as keyword updates, ad uploads and basic reports, with a senior colleague checking your work.

2. Paid search specialist

   Mid

   You own accounts and budgets, plan tests, set up tracking and explain results to clients or managers.

3. Senior paid search specialist

   Senior

   You handle large or complex accounts, guide bidding and measurement choices, and coach junior staff.

4. Paid media manager

   Lead

   You lead a team, set channel plans across search and other paid media, and manage budgets and client or stakeholder relationships.

5. Head of performance marketing

   Head

   You set the paid acquisition plan across markets, own the budget, and report growth results to senior leaders.

The titles are ones commonly used in Singapore; employers may name the levels differently.

Related jobs and their pay

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Paid search (SEM) specialist interview questions

We wrote these questions from the skills this job needs. They are not an official question bank.

1. How does the Google Ads auction decide which ads show and in what order?

   What a good answer covers

   • States that Ad Rank sets the order and decides if an ad shows.
   • Names the bid, ad and landing page quality, and the expected effect of ad assets.
   • Explains that you often pay less than your maximum bid.
   • Links quality improvements to lower costs or better positions.

2. How do you use broad, phrase and exact match keywords together, and what role do negative keywords play?

   What a good answer covers

   • Describes exact and phrase match for control and broad match for reach with smart bidding.
   • Uses the search terms report to find new keywords and wasted spend.
   • Builds shared negative keyword lists for irrelevant terms.
   • Watches for overlap between ad groups competing for the same query.

3. You are launching ads for a Singapore B2B software firm. How do you build the keyword list?

   What a good answer covers

   • Starts with the product, customer problems and competitor terms.
   • Uses Ahrefs or Semrush to check volume, cost per click and difficulty.
   • Groups keywords by intent, such as research versus ready to buy.
   • Checks local phrasing and whether Chinese or Malay terms matter for the audience.
   • Expects small Singapore volumes and plans for narrow targeting.

4. How would you track a lead form submission using Google Tag Manager and send it to GA4 and Google Ads?

   What a good answer covers

   • Picks a trigger such as a thank-you page view or a form submit event.
   • Creates a GA4 event tag and marks it as a key event.
   • Imports or sets up the conversion in Google Ads.
   • Tests in preview mode and checks the data in real-time reports.
   • Notes consent handling before tags fire.

5. Explain the difference between last-click and data-driven attribution. How would each affect your bidding?

   What a good answer covers

   • Defines last-click as full credit to the final touchpoint.
   • Defines data-driven as credit spread by modelled contribution.
   • Says last-click can favour brand terms and undervalue early searches.
   • Gives an example of a budget move after a change in model.
   • Mentions that data-driven needs enough conversion volume.

6. A landing page gets plenty of clicks but few sign-ups. What would you change first, and how would you test it?

   What a good answer covers

   • Checks that the page matches the ad promise and search intent.
   • Reviews load speed on mobile, form length and the main call to action.
   • Changes one thing at a time or runs a clean A/B test.
   • Sets a success measure and a minimum run time before the test starts.
   • Records results so the team learns from them.

7. When would you choose target CPA bidding over maximise conversions, and what data do you need first?

   What a good answer covers

   • Explains that target CPA aims for a set cost per lead, while maximise conversions spends the budget for volume.
   • Says both need steady, accurate conversion tracking.
   • Notes low-volume accounts may need manual or simpler bidding first.
   • Plans a learning period and avoids frequent changes.
   • Sets the target from past results and margins, not guesswork.

8. How would you use ChatGPT to draft ad copy, and what checks do you run before the ads go live?

   What a good answer covers

   • Gives it a clear brief: audience, offer, tone and character limits.
   • Asks for several variants to test, not one final answer.
   • Checks facts, claims and prices against approved sources.
   • Reviews against ad policies and brand guidelines.
   • Keeps customer personal data out of the tool.

1. Cost per lead has doubled over the past week with no change to the budget. What do you check?

   What a good answer covers

   • Looks at the date range and compares clicks, click rate, cost per click and conversion rate.
   • Checks tracking for broken tags or form changes.
   • Reviews the search terms report and auction insights for new competitors.
   • Checks recent edits, bid strategy changes and landing page updates.
   • Fixes the cause and tells stakeholders what happened.

2. Google Ads shows 120 conversions for the month, but GA4 shows 85. How do you explain and resolve the gap?

   What a good answer covers

   • Names differences in attribution models and conversion windows.
   • Notes that Google Ads counts conversions to the ad click date, while GA4 reports by event date.
   • Checks that both platforms count the same event and avoid double counts.
   • Looks at consent settings and ad blockers as causes of lost data.
   • Agrees one source of truth with the team for reporting.

3. Your manager cuts the monthly search budget by 30% halfway through the month. Which campaigns do you protect and why?

   What a good answer covers

   • Ranks campaigns by cost per lead or return on spend, not by clicks.
   • Protects high-intent and brand-defence terms.
   • Pauses or trims broad and testing campaigns first.
   • Checks lost impression share to see where the cut hurts most.
   • Tells the manager the expected effect on leads.

4. A client wants to bid on a competitor's brand name in Singapore. How do you respond?

   What a good answer covers

   • Explains the benefits and the risks, including lower quality scores and a possible complaint.
   • Checks the current Google Ads trademark policy before agreeing.
   • Suggests safer options, such as comparison pages or generic category terms.
   • Sets a small test budget and a clear success measure if the client insists.
   • Writes ad copy that does not use the competitor's name in a misleading way.

1. Tell us about a test that did not work. What did you learn and what did you do next?

   What a good answer covers

   • Describes the idea and why you tried it.
   • States the result with numbers.
   • Explains what you learned and how you shared it.
   • Shows a follow-up test or a change in method.

2. Sales says the leads from your campaigns are poor quality. How have you handled a disagreement like this?

   What a good answer covers

   • Listens first and asks for examples of bad leads.
   • Agrees a lead quality definition with sales.
   • Feeds back outcomes into targeting, keywords or form questions.
   • Reports on qualified leads as well as form fills.
   • Keeps contact regular after the fix.

1. How does the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) affect your remarketing lists and lead forms?

   What a good answer covers

   • Says organisations need consent to collect, use or disclose personal data for stated purposes.
   • Describes clear notices and consent wording on forms and cookie banners.
   • Uploads customer lists only with a proper basis for use.
   • Handles opt-out and withdrawal requests.
   • Would check with the data protection officer or legal team on unclear cases.

2. You are advertising a financial or health product to people in Singapore. What rules and checks do you build into your ad process?

   What a good answer covers

   • Knows that regulated sectors have advertising limits and that Google has its own policies.
   • Names the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for financial products and asks compliance to review claims.
   • Keeps guaranteed returns and unproven health claims out of ad copy.
   • Keeps an approval step and a record of approved wording.
   • Checks the Google Ads policy for restricted categories before launch.

Common questions about a paid search (SEM) specialist job

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