By Maria Scheleen, Seattle Division Director, The Creative Group

There could be a little more green in your wallet this year, according to the newly released 2012 Salary Guide from The Creative Group. Average starting salaries for creative and marketing professionals are projected to increase 3.5 percent over the previous year. Some positions, like user experience (UX) designer and search engine optimization/search engine marketing (SEO/SEM) specialist, will see even greater gains.

The Salary Guide features average starting salary ranges for more than 100 design and production, interactive, advertising and marketing, and public relations positions, which can be customized for more than 130 U.S. cities. The information is based on a range of sources, including actual placements of creative professionals in 2011 by The Creative Group across North America, and an analysis of current and future hiring trends.

Here is a sampling of creative salaries for the coming year:

Right on the Money: Hot Skills and Positions for 2012
Companies of all sizes and industries continue to place a premium on digital skills as they invest more dollars in online initiatives. In fact, the 2012 Salary Guide shows that positions requiring interactive and Web expertise, like UX designer and Web analytics specialist, are seeing the greatest salary gains.

More businesses also are looking to refresh their branding to reflect new product and service offerings and take their marketing campaigns to the next level. When budgets permit, they often are turning to advertising and PR agencies to partner with, driving demand for account services and public relations professionals. In fact, according to The Creative Group Hiring Index, these ranked among the top three specialty areas in which advertising and marketing executives plan to hire.

Following are six in-demand positions for this year, as well as starting compensation levels based on research from The Creative Group 2012 Salary Guide:

Mobile designer – Continued growth of smartphone and tablet use is driving demand for individuals with experience creating and organizing content for the small screen and a variety of devices and browsers. These individuals can expect starting salaries in the range of $61,750 to $90,000, a 6.5 percent increase over 2011 levels.

User experience (UX) designer – Since so much customer interaction happens online, companies are looking for workers who can create positive digital experiences. The starting pay for these individuals is expected to rise 6.2 percent, to a range of $71,750 to $104,000.

SEO/SEM specialist – Being found online by search engines and consumers is essential to any firm looking to make its digital mark. That’s why companies seek SEO/SEM specialists who can develop strategies to optimize Web projects for search and increase online visibility. Those with three or more years of experience are projected to see starting salary gains of 6 percent, to a range of $63,750 to $87,500.

Online project manager – As companies strive to build more integrated campaigns that include print, online, broadcast, video and social media elements, they seek online project managers who can help plan, organize and execute multifaceted projects. Base compensation for these professionals is projected to rise 6 percent to $68,500 to $100,000 annually.

Web analytics specialist – Professionals who can analyze Web site, user, traffic and campaign data to identify opportunities for improvement and potential problems are in demand. Web analytics specialists with more than three years of experience will see an average base salary of $73,250 to $93,750, a 4.5 percent increase over 2011 levels.

Web designer/developer – As firms look to revamp the overall look and functionality of their Web sites and social media pages, they seek professionals who can design cohesive, eye-catching graphics that reinforce their brand’s overall look and feel, and who can develop and manage site architecture, functionality and data flow. Base compensation for Web designers with up to five years of experience will be between $50,250 and $74,750, an increase of 2.2 percent. Front-end Web developers can expect starting salaries to rise 2.4 percent, to the range of $61,500 to $98,500.

More Than the Moolah
Why are salaries rising despite sustained high unemployment rates? First off, finding creative talent with in-demand skills remains difficult. In fact, 45 percent of advertising and marketing executives interviewed for The Creative Group Hiring Index for Advertising and Marketing Professionals said it’s challenging to find talented creative professionals today.

Research for the Salary Guide also shows it’s taking a long time—anywhere from five to seven weeks—to fill open advertising and marketing roles.

The good news for those who are currently employed is that nearly 4 in 10 advertising and marketing executives are likely to promote from within, compared to three years ago.

To secure the best job candidates, some employers, in addition to offering competitive compensation, are sweetening the pot with perks such as sign-on bonuses or telecommuting options. So, when evaluating a job offer, be sure to look at the whole package, including on-the-job training and opportunities for career growth, to determine if the role is a good fit for you. And if you’re employed and hoping for a raise but discover your employer isn’t in the position to increase your pay, ask if there are other aspects of your job you can negotiate.

Visit The Creative Group Salary Center (creativegroup.com/salarycenter) to read additional commentary on compensation and hiring trends, to view The Creative Group 2012 Salary Guide, or to access The Creative Group salary calculator, an easy-to-use online tool that enables you to quickly look up the starting salary for a specific position in your area.

The Creative Group has provided readers with an accompanying article, “Hiring Projections Highlight In-Demand Creative Roles,” which is available here.