SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO) WEBSITE MARKETING: A List of Links to Articles Related to Getting Top Search Engine Rankings on Major Search Engines Such as Google, MSN, Yahoo, Excite, AlltheWeb, and Getting Ranked on Other Top Search Engines.
Increase Website Traffic by Giving Them What They Want : Many internet marketers still believe that link building, both one way and reciprocal, are the way to go. I find this to be an outdated method that wastes time that could be otherwise spent implementing other far better ideas.
Increase Traffic to Your Blog from Search Engines - The Top 5 Tips : If you haven't already submitted to blog directories, you are missing out on some great one-way links. But before you head over there and start submitting, you should know a little about how to optimize your blog. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Yellow Pages Introduces Local Search Guide : In response to the growing interest in local search, the Yellow Pages Association (YPA) introduced a new column this month called "Viewpoints" that features commentary and articles relating to the growth and development of the local search market. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Research Supports Aggressive SEM and SEO : Two eye-opening studies indicate where marketers should direct search dollars and search metrics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEO Showdown: Real Results vs. the Straw Man : I've seen SEO "consultants" claim that their top ranking for "guaranteed top placement money back seo consulting firm" was a demonstration of their great abilities, when in fact, nobody would ever search for that, or try to outrank them. Claiming top rankings for meaningless phrases is like the "straw man argument" in debate, so I refer to it as "Straw Man SEO." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consumers Search Before Buying Online : Contrary to conventional wisdom, the study finds most users complete product-related searches weeks ahead of their actual purchases, with a greater reliance on general searches than is usually presumed by marketers, said Stuart Larkins, VP of partner services at Performics, a DoubleClick division. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
New Study Explores how Search Engine Use Impacts Purchases : Half of online purchases are preceded by product related searches according to a study released this week by DoubleClick and comScore Networks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How to Waste $2.4 Million Dollars in 30 Seconds or Less : While it may not have been the most relaxing or exciting way to watch the Big Game, if you spent a majority of Sunday night's Super Bowl at your computer, typing in brand and product names the way we did, you probably realized that a lot of companies still have a loooong way to go when it comes to Search Engine Marketing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Meet the Local Search Engines : Local search has been hot over the past year, with the major search engines jostling for eyeballs, offering new features for both searchers and advertisers alike. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
AlmondNet Debuts "Post-Search" Search Behavioral Ad Network : AlmondNet is unveiling a new program today to deliver advertising across the web targeted to the topics someone has searched on recently, including queries done on major search engines such as Google and Yahoo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Going Where the Searchers Are : One of the problems of traditional search marketing is that by targeting keywords and keyword phrases for products that you can easily sell, you may be passing up the chance to draw tons of traffic and and create new revenue from so called "trivial" searches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Personalized Search : Personalized search is the fine-tuning of search results and advertising based on an individual’s preferences, demographic information and other factors. Presumably, the better a search engine understands a user’s interests and preferences, the better able it is to target search results, advertising, sponsored links, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Changes Blur the Line Between Myth and Reality : This year many common assumptions about search engine marketing have been made obsolete or require a different way of thinking. Many erroneous assumptions continue to be proliferated in hundreds of forum posts, emails and marketing articles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Users Head Offline to Shop : While search engine marketing has long been touted for its ability to deliver targeted traffic and generate high conversion rates, the reality is that most searchers research products online, but purchase them from brick and mortar stores. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
AOL Expands Advertising Opportunities for Local Businesses : A new advertising format soon to be offered by AOL opens up a world of opportunities for small businesses that have not yet had a chance to build a Web site, or that have difficulty tracking the ROI of a traditional PPC campaign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Buy Your Own Search Listings : Apparently, an employee of a noted search engine sent a series of emails to advertisers within a specific vertical with the express intent of bypassing the agency relationship and any level of known decision-making hierarchy on the side of the advertiser. This isn't the first time such an email has been sent, but it was the most instantaneously notorious. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Powered by Search, Online Advertising Continues to Grow : The growth in PPC advertising is expected to continue at a dramatic rate through 2005 as more and more businesses discover the effectiveness of this type of advertisement. The question that comes into play is whether or not that level of growth can be sustained. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search-A-Palooza '04 : Top-line gleanings of the trends, news, and, of course, a little of the latest gossip from Internet marketing's most hypergrowth-oriented sector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Online Ads & Search: Looking Back, Looking Forward : Paid search led the resurgence of online advertising in 2004 with a 34% increase in growth, and this trend is expected to continue over the coming five years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How Everything I Know About Web Marketing I Learned from Your Local Gas Station : Gas stations drive sales at high double-digit conversions versus an average e-commerce conversion rate of around 1.8%. What are we missing? Admittedly, leaving the gas station and finding another is a hassle, however, these conversions are rooted in a fundamental design to lure the right customer and meet specific needs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Small Businesses May Benefit from Ego Surfing : Small businesses are tight on resources, which is understandable, but the few minutes it takes to run a quick search for your name or your business on a search engine could end up giving you the chance to address a problem that you never knew existed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shopping around: comparison shopping Websites : Comparison shopping engines can help you boost sales and acquire customers — provided your company's product is a top contender among the search results. And that doesn't mean your company has to offer the lowest prices for the merchandise featured.
Search Engines Drive Traffic to Shopping Sites : Specifically, Google contributed 4.26 percent of visits to shopping sites last week, while Yahoo! Search contributed 2.24 percent and MSN Search 0.54 percent.
All Roads Lead Online: Convergence and the Future of Advertising : As media converge online, the distinctions between various forms of advertising will disappear. Branding and direct, electronic and print, it will all become part of one seamless marketing continuum online. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search-Engine Ready Corporate Communications : Media coverage leaves a trail of breadcrumbs. Do you know which ones search engines can follow? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shooting the Breeze with Ammon Johns - Worldwide Leading SEM Expert : Google in 2001 had about 50 PhDs, now they have about the same number of PhDs but their company, product range, their index, the search base has all grown exponentially. How can the same number of PhDs support the much larger Google? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
From the Diary of a Corporate SEM Manager : Search Engine Strategies events, search engine spam and shams, and the need for SEM managers in corporate America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Report: Agencies Control Most Search Money : Before this shift, most of the money went directly to search engines from marketers. Today, agencies account for 51 percent of the total spending on paid search -- a significant increase over the past 18 months, said JupiterResearch analyst Nate Elliott. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search for Some Perspective : Think about search in the context of the entire online shopping experience. ... Once users leave search, take the journey with them, each step of the way through the consideration process. At the end, maybe you'll create a customer for life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engines and the SEO Business : Ask Jeeves and Lycos will now offer SEO services. Is it a conflict of interest or a natural evolution in search monetization? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
For the Love of Local : ReachLocal recently announced the launch of their end-to-end advertising platform that makes it easy for local businesses -- and their representatives -- to reach customers online. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Last Local Search Hang-ups : If we have all the pieces, independent providers are on board, and local search is working, then why aren’t phone books all but antiquated?
Adding Offline Data to Online Search : You know a lot about your customers: why not use that knowledge to take your SEM campaign to the next level? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Web Feeds, Blogs & Search Engines : Blogs are increasingly popular, and can have a dramatic effect on search engine positioning. How can you best take advantage of this new search marketing channel? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Packaged Goods in Search 2 : In the search world, category killers rule the revenue. Yet, as the search space has evolved so have new categories in areas we wouldn’t think search would be of any benefit. Collectively, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPGs) make up one of those areas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Online, Buy Offline: How to Tell? : Many people do extensive product research online but end up buying from brick and mortar retailers. How can you track the effectiveness of search marketing campaigns that result in offline purchases? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mobile Search Is Almost Too Good to Be True : If you use search to present your product or service, you should start looking at mobile search. It is going to expand and change the search industry in ways we haven't even contemplated yet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Packaged Goods in Search : Will CPGs be the next category killer in search? As with any marketing initiative, understanding user interaction with products or services is at the core of developing a solid plan. Search marketing is no different. While searches for packaged goods represent millions of user-initiated queries every month, many of these searches are left unanswered. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
When Client/SEM Communications Break Down : Three major communication breakdowns that can demolish SEM campaign results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Socially Networked Start-Ups Challenge Big Boys in Local Search : Think Yahoo! Local and Google Local are the only games in town? While the big portals are attracting the majority of local search attention, several start-ups with impressive pedigrees and innovative approaches are angling for the local market, too. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEM: Still an Adolescent? : Only when advertisers integrate their search strategies with the rest of their media tools will SEM realize its true potential. Today, at most companies you can only find search in its own silo. Synergies that could be realized by integrating SEM are lost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Filthy Linking Rich And Getting Richer! :...what I want to do with this feature article is to try and highlight how great the bias is for high ranking pages which are fundamentally ordered on link based algorithms, to attract more links.
DoubleClick on Pay-for-Play : In the biggest news since DoubleClick acquired the performance marketing firm, Performics, a new search white paper hit the streets today offering a summary collection of guiding principles in pay-for-placement search and a taste of the upcoming DoubleClick Search Trend Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search engine evolution isn’t just for e-retailers : As Microsoft, Google, Yahoo and others fight it out in the Internet search engine market, the competition is bringing new opportunities to pure-play online retailers, but multi-channel retailers must work harder to fit search into their overall cross-channel marketing strategies, Joan Broughton, vice president of multi-channel programs at REI Inc., will advise on a panel at the Shop.org Summit next week. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shopping Search Tactics : Shopping search engines make it easy for people to research and buy products. They can also be a powerful and cost-effective customer acquisition channel for merchants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Why Search is Slowing :...as with the initial enthusiasm surrounding online marketing, when the party was over, the ensuing hyper mediocrity meant it was time to get down to business and begin to get smart. Let’s look at the numbers and a couple of smart movers that might just keep search leading the way. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Original Search : Greg Sterling of the Kelsey Group says, "While IYP [Internet Yellow Pages] sites have less traffic than search engines, IYP users are typically 'ready to buy' and thus considerably farther along in the buying cycle than users of general Web search." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
There's Search in Them There Hills : Mining for search at the Summit finds brands are more search-savvy than some give them credit for. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEM Wants to Embrace the CMO : Search has earned its way up the corporate food chain, from Webmaster to marketing coordinator to director of online marketing and VP of online marketing. It's time to claim the CMO as our own. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Can You Forecast Search? : From the simplest terms to the unknown factors, forecasting shouldn’t be a barrier to SEM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ThomasB2B Launches Paid Search : ThomasB2B.com is launching its new global online advertising network this week, featuring bid-for-position and pay-per-click pricing for advertisers wishing to reach business-to-business buyers. The Thomas Global Register Directory encompasses approximately 10,000 product categories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEM and Branding Are Not Mutually Exclusive : Mention the term search engine marketing (SEM) among those who engage in it and you’re likely to get the same three or four responses. It’s about being on page one of all the search engines. It’s about being #1 on Google. It’s about increasing brand recognition among prospects and customers. Um, wait a second…repeat that last one again? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Spammers hijack web site listings in Google : A large number of web masters are facing their search engine nightmare: Their Google listings have been taken over by another site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
New Analysis Tool Helps Compare Top Ten Search Results : A new tool offered by the folks at We Build Pages offers a quick and easy way to compare the top ten listings for a particular search phrase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEM Budget Multipliers, Part 1 : Tactics to get more impact and better results out of your search campaign -- with the same budget. Part 1 of a two-part series. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Barry Lloyd Interview - Part 2 : The realization that SEM is a lot more than just tweaking meta-tags or placing the maximum bid for your client on a PPC engine is starting to take hold - which takes us back to what we were talking about at the beginning of this interview - accountability to the client. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Who's Protecting Your Name? : A new study from the digital brand protection and intelligence company Name Protect suggests the relationship with brands and their search terms is not all sherry and giggles.
The Growing Pains of Search : The little search marketing companies are unfurling their new wings and trying to peer over the edge of the nest. Suddenly, VC firms are looking at search marketing technology with stars in their eyes. It's beginning to seem that a few people are going to make a lot of money in this industry. And we've even got internal politics. All signs of an industry that’s finally ready for a run at the main stage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Barry Lloyd Interview : Barry Lloyd, well know to most in the SEM community as MakeMeTop, is a high-profile search marketer based in Ireland. In this interview, Barry talks about his background, his marketing driven approach to SEM, and where he thinks the industry is heading.
Why Nonconverting Keywords Will Drive Search Ad Spend : As any brand marketer will tell you, conversion isn't always the goal. There's ROI in nonconverting keywords, too. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
14 Etailer Search Mistakes : Search engine marketing has proven to be an extremely effective means of achieving online sales growth, but not all etailers know how to properly execute their search engine marketing campaigns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
In Hurricane’s Aftermath, Google is a Priority : Not having Google made me remember my friend fondly as the perfect deliverer of my every search. But it’s not really. I hated not having my buddy at my side when the power was out. Googlelessness is a sad way to live. But as soon as the lights came back on, glad though I was to have my buddy back, I remembered the flawed slave it really is. Google answers to everyone, and not everyone is playing fair.
Local Search Critical to SMEs : More than half of the recently surveyed "Hometowner" businesses — SMEs whose customers and suppliers are primarily within 50 miles of their physical location — believe the Internet will enable them to be more successful in their local market, compared to 35 percent in 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engines and Competitive Research : Search engines can tell you a lot about your competition, if you know what to look for. A panel of experts offers tips on profiling your competition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
When Search Engines Become Answer Engines : The website is becoming a less prominent locus of experience as people use search engines to bring up answers to their current questions. How can sites cope with masses of freeloaders? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Feedster Preps Paid RSS Links as Ads Expand : Feedster Inc. is embracing RSS advertising with plans to add sponsored links into its feeds of search results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search: Bigger Means Smaller : As search engine marketing grows, it's fragmenting into an increasingly complex palette of niche media opportunities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search, the Final Frontier - Planning Search Budgets : Finding a balance between intelligent online advertising options and intergalactic online advertising costs will be a challenge for small business owners in the coming years. As with most challenging business problems, the best decisions come from effective planning based on solid information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Spend to Double by 2009 : Spending on paid search will more than double by 2009, but growth will slow as the market matures, a Jupiter Research (a Jupitermedia Corp. division) report revealed today. The firm expects advertisers to spend $2.6 billion on search by the end of 2004, and rise steadily through 2009 when it reaches $5.5 billion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Benchmarking and Baselines in SEM : Use internal benchmarking, or baselining. Beating your own baseline numbers is as satisfying as beating the competition because much of the lift comes from the competition. When you run smart, efficient campaigns, you take orders away from the competition while meeting ROI objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Marketers Reveal Dark Side Of Search, Cast Shadow On Agencies : SEM firms and interactive shops would do well to slow down, play nicely together, and have faith in the industry's ability to help them work out these kinks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Buying Brand Keywords: A Case Study : Every case is different. But in nearly every scenario I've looked at, it makes financial sense for the brand owner to buy his own brand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Panel: Still Early Days for Local Search : One problem of local search is that nearly two-thirds of U.S. small businesses have no Web site. While Overture hopes to entice them to advertise anyway through its business locator page, some see hope in new innovations such as call technology that traces a phone call placed to a business instead of a click. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEMPO Scandal Blast : Could SEMPO be nothing more than a marketing pyramid scheme? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEO and Paid Search Campaigns: Share the Data! : Failing to inform a natural search campaign with findings from a search advertising campaign (or vice versa) means a high lost-opportunity cost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Yes, Virginia, There Is SEM Brand Lift, Part 2 : The IAB's brand-lift study revealed some stunning results. Here's how brand marketers can leverage the information. Part two of a series. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Affiliate Manager Interview: Jennifer O'Neal, StubHub.com : We will share SEO tips, PPC formulas, & top performing keywords with our qualified affiliates. This information acts to incentivize, reward, & help them…which ultimately translates into sales & growth for StubHub. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bringing Search Down to Earth : Don't get me wrong. I fully believe search engine marketing (SEM) and paid placement (via text-based communications) should play a role in most interactive marketing plans. Yet to make SEM an integral part of a brand advertiser's media plan to drive preference, favorability, and purchase intent seems a little overzealous. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Google-envy and the Quest for Local Search : I believe the problem for local search is only partly technological, and partly a data acquisition issue. Both the essence and opportunity of real local search is and has always been, even in print directories, nuance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Report Says Search Needs More Inventory : A new report suggests that a lack of supply may drive prices so far up that it slows the growth of search advertising. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Gains Importance at Online Retailers : Seek, find... and buy. Online retailers are throwing resources behind making the process easier for online shoppers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dan Thies of SEO Research Labs Shares His Views on Search : By this time next year, I expect that "rankings" as we've traditionally seen them will be on the way out. The search results you see will be at least a little different from the results I see. It'll happen slowly, but it will happen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Yes, Virginia, There Is SEM Brand Lift, Part 1 : The IAB's brand-lift study produces some stunning results. Part one of a two-part series.
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Search Engines and Competitive Research : Search engines can tell you a lot about your competition, if you know what to look for. A panel of experts offers tips on profiling your competition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
When Search Engines Become Answer Engines : The website is becoming a less prominent locus of experience as people use search engines to bring up answers to their current questions. How can sites cope with masses of freeloaders? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Feedster Preps Paid RSS Links as Ads Expand : Feedster Inc. is embracing RSS advertising with plans to add sponsored links into its feeds of search results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search: Bigger Means Smaller : As search engine marketing grows, it's fragmenting into an increasingly complex palette of niche media opportunities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search, the Final Frontier - Planning Search Budgets : Finding a balance between intelligent online advertising options and intergalactic online advertising costs will be a challenge for small business owners in the coming years. As with most challenging business problems, the best decisions come from effective planning based on solid information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Spend to Double by 2009 : Spending on paid search will more than double by 2009, but growth will slow as the market matures, a Jupiter Research (a Jupitermedia Corp. division) report revealed today. The firm expects advertisers to spend $2.6 billion on search by the end of 2004, and rise steadily through 2009 when it reaches $5.5 billion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Benchmarking and Baselines in SEM : Use internal benchmarking, or baselining. Beating your own baseline numbers is as satisfying as beating the competition because much of the lift comes from the competition. When you run smart, efficient campaigns, you take orders away from the competition while meeting ROI objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Marketers Reveal Dark Side Of Search, Cast Shadow On Agencies : SEM firms and interactive shops would do well to slow down, play nicely together, and have faith in the industry's ability to help them work out these kinks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Buying Brand Keywords: A Case Study : Every case is different. But in nearly every scenario I've looked at, it makes financial sense for the brand owner to buy his own brand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Panel: Still Early Days for Local Search : One problem of local search is that nearly two-thirds of U.S. small businesses have no Web site. While Overture hopes to entice them to advertise anyway through its business locator page, some see hope in new innovations such as call technology that traces a phone call placed to a business instead of a click. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Marketing and Branding Challenges : Search engines are recognized as one of the best ways to generate qualified leads online. What about branding aspects? Should search engine marketing be considered as part of a brand-building campaign? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEMPO Scandal Blast : Could SEMPO be nothing more than a marketing pyramid scheme? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEO and Paid Search Campaigns: Share the Data! : Failing to inform a natural search campaign with findings from a search advertising campaign (or vice versa) means a high lost-opportunity cost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Yes, Virginia, There Is SEM Brand Lift, Part 2 : The IAB's brand-lift study revealed some stunning results. Here's how brand marketers can leverage the information. Part two of a series. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Affiliate Manager Interview: Jennifer O'Neal, StubHub.com : We will share SEO tips, PPC formulas, & top performing keywords with our qualified affiliates. This information acts to incentivize, reward, & help them…which ultimately translates into sales & growth for StubHub. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bringing Search Down to Earth : Don't get me wrong. I fully believe search engine marketing (SEM) and paid placement (via text-based communications) should play a role in most interactive marketing plans. Yet to make SEM an integral part of a brand advertiser's media plan to drive preference, favorability, and purchase intent seems a little overzealous. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Google-envy and the Quest for Local Search : I believe the problem for local search is only partly technological, and partly a data acquisition issue. Both the essence and opportunity of real local search is and has always been, even in print directories, nuance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Report Says Search Needs More Inventory : A new report suggests that a lack of supply may drive prices so far up that it slows the growth of search advertising. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Gains Importance at Online Retailers : Seek, find... and buy. Online retailers are throwing resources behind making the process easier for online shoppers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dan Thies of SEO Research Labs Shares His Views on Search : By this time next year, I expect that "rankings" as we've traditionally seen them will be on the way out. The search results you see will be at least a little different from the results I see. It'll happen slowly, but it will happen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Yes, Virginia, There Is SEM Brand Lift, Part 1 : The IAB's brand-lift study produces some stunning results. Part one of a two-part series. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Growing a Successful Search Marketing Business : Building a search marketing company holds the promise of both meaningful profits and a lot of fun -- but it takes hard work and some savvy business sense to be truly successful. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Integration Concentration : Clients are beginning to wake up and smell the malarkey, and it is only a matter of time before search shops are forced to live within the confines of normal margins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Affiliate Marketing and SEM Revisited :Affiliates extend your paid search advertising budget. Competing with affiliates on the same keywords is valuable because they help you dominate the page. If your affiliates are restricted from paid search advertising, they'll simply switch teams and bid for the same keywords on behalf of your competition.
Behavioral & Contextual Targeting: A Primer :Marketers should note that while search is a great medium for retail and other direct sales-oriented verticals, contextual marketing also provides a unique opportunity for branding as well as direct sales for certain verticals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEM and Online Publicity :Writing, linking, and thinking about SEO: a primer for writers, journalists, and PR professionals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consumer Direct: Ultra-Targeted Ad Delivery : ACNielsen and Yahoo!'s joint venture promises to catch the eye (and dollars) of powerful CPG companies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SearchTHIS: Top 10 Questions : As Grand Exalted Emperor of all things Q&A in the iMediaLearning Search Tour, I bring you the top 10 most frequently asked questions to date. Unedited (who am I kidding?) and in the director’s cut format, because you deserve nothing less. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The One-Two Punch: SEO and PPC : A new study stresses the importance of combining SEO with paid search ads. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SearchTHIS: From the Back of the Bus : Our mission was to produce an online learning course and road show with agnostic search engine marketing content to help educate advertisers about the delicate intricacies of search. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pandia cloned by copyright thief : If someone is stealing your content, you not only risk loosing well deserved traffic, you may also loose your search engine listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How's Your Reputation? : Actively managing what search engines say about your business can head off costly attacks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Managing Search Marketing Campaigns : While search engine paid placement campaigns can be immensely profitable, effective bid management can be time-consuming and can quickly become a drawn out game of chess, or tug of war, depending on your rules of engagement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NetIQ Quietly Changes SEM -- Forever : A new market was just created and NetIQ just cornered it -- the search engine marketing and advertising analytics market. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Geotargeted Search and E-Mail Indexing : Location-based search will enormously affect established industries, such as the yellow pages, as well as contextual advertising and e-mail marketing. The potential is huge, but it raises many questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Inside the Searcher's Mind: It's a Jungle in Here! : We decided to try to peel back the shroud that covers common search behavior. We wanted to see just how people searched, and ask them what went through their minds during the search process. It was a fascinating study, and resulted in a 30 page white paper. Today, I want to cover just a few of the things we uncovered. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEM Power Politics: PACs, Nonprofits, and 527s : Smart non-commercial entities are taking advantage of negligible keyword competition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Marketing Q&A : Last week's Q&A article was such a hit, I decided to do a similar one today since I still have lots of "shortish" questions to answer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Paid Search Programs Finally Growing Up : The search industry has come a long way since the days of running poorly targeted banner advertisements on search results pages. Enhanced keyword targeting capabilities and powerful new bidding and ROI analysis tools have raised the value of search as a promotional channel for online -- and increasingly offline -- merchants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Affiliate Programs: Moneymakers or Brandbusters? : Search engine affiliate programs offer the promise of greatly increasing your online exposure and sales, but be careful: They can also displace your firm in search engine results and dilute your brand image. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Media Planners Face Tough, Time-Consuming Task When It Comes To Search : Online media planners are struggling to keep up with the rapid pace of the search world, and some agencies are wrestling with whether search warrants an entirely new planning discipline--one that may or may not require outside assistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
B2B Search: Playing the Odds : You can stick to a search campaign budget, be it hundreds, or hundreds of thousands, of dollars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Local Search Brings Consumers Home : Geotargeting aids consumers who want to plan trips around a single location, shop online/pick-up offline, and find neighborhood goods and services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Why Is Search So Hot? : What does search have the rest of online advertising doesn't? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Questions for Dana Todd, Executive VP of SiteLab International : Dana Todd shares with ClickZ readers her thoughts on a wide range of topics, including Yahoo!'s paid inclusion strategy, the nascent markets for local and personalized search, and what will happen when the behemoth agencies stop paying lip service to SEM and actually start doing it. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Legal Clause Limits SEM Campaigns Before They Start : Many of our large clients insist we add a specific clause to our services agreement. It requires we not mention them on our Web site, in marketing materials, or in public presentations. In short, we may not benefit from any association with their brand. We call it the "do not utter our name" clause.
Yahoo!/Dynamic Logic Study Reveals Increase In Key Brand Metrics : The research, conducted on more than 80 campaigns that ran from the first quarter through the third quarter of 2003, revealed that online advertising on Yahoo! offered a 24 percent lift in message association, or the ability to associate a specific message or tag line with a brand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diary of a Google Gazumpee : Back in November, when the Google Dance began, Barry Lloyd of MakeMeTop wrote an article entitled "Been Gazumped by Google?" GAZUMPED! What a wonderfully descriptive term. In fact, it succinctly describes what happened to us when our website went from #1 to oblivion a few months ago. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How to Survive Search Engine Changes : Position dropped? Yahoo! or Google updated its index? Take a deep breath -- and eavesdrop on a call to the SEM hotline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Local Search Growing, but Small Biz Advertisers Cautious : Local search is a hot topic, but both search providers and small business owners face significant challenges before location based finding services gain broad acceptance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Strategy: Links or Content? : A debate is raging in the search engine optimization community, about whether content or linking is the best path to top rankings. In this article, I lay out the claims of both sides, reaching the conclusion that neither strategy is sufficient by itself. The number of people who truly believe you can do one without the other is small - they just happen to be extremely vocal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Has Paid Search Peaked? : eMarketer's new Search Engine Marketing report says US paid search ad spending growth peaked in 2003, but it will exceed one-third of all online ad spending next year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saving Your Web Site from the Search Abyss : Try inputting your business name into a search engine and see if it pops up on the first page. If not, then it is not a name. Rather, it is a dead weight, sinking your e-commerce dreams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Web Sites Test Local Search Marketing : Search engine giants Google and Yahoo are wooing local advertisers to what has been primarily a national medium. Both quietly are testing local search marketing programs, while smaller sites such as Citysearch have switched to Google-like pay-per-performance billing, effectively increasing their ad base. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEMPO's Search Engine Marketing Resources : The Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization's (SEMPO's) Web site offers a wealth of resources for both search marketers and information professionals alike. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEM - Research Measures Success : Remember when homework from school often required some research on your part to complete? It is much the same scenario for search engine marketing: you need to apply yourself by researching in order to understand your competition and target audience. Your visitors need to relate to you and understand your message and what you want them to do. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Agencies and SEM: Howdy, Partner : For something so simple, search is pretty darned complicated. That's why agencies need specialized SEM partners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Marketing – In a Funk? : Looking to start your online marketing plan? Do you follow the PPC route or aim for pure and organic search programs? Read on for Lisa's take on both ideas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
When Being First May Not Matter : Be obsessed with usability, and all of your marketing that focuses on driving users to the Web site will have a greater impact. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BBC buys up 'Hutton inquiry' Google links : Just 48 hours before Lord Hutton delivers his verdict on the controversy surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly, the BBC has begun an advertising experiment that involves buying up all internet search terms relating to the inquiry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Build Brand Equity for Search : People do business with companies they know and trust. If a customer knows and trusts you, she's more likely to click your search result listing and more likely to do business with you. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Slam Dunk or Scam Junk? : None of my search-engine colleagues have purchased browser-based keywords for their clients. Stories of overestimated traffic, lack of customer support and spyware are enough to prevent me from recommending it. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Wars - Innovate To Survive in 2004 : The message is clear: you can't rely on just one search engine for all of your traffic. You must use all your wits to emerge victorious from the search engine wars. Google is important, but it is not everything. Keep your eyes and ears open to new opportunities and old standbys: other search engines and directories, paid placement and pay-per-click, newsletters, and even more traditional channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Marketing Resources From SEMPO : The Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization's web site offers a wealth of resources for both search marketers and information professionals alike. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The "Secret System" of Search Engine Advertising : Search engines have become one of the fastest growing venues in the advertising market, bringing clients from the old world of traditional advertising to the new world of paid listings. Yet while ad revenue increases for the search engines, so do the concerns for some long-time search advertisers who have invested a huge stake in the industry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The 2004 Crystal Ball for Media : Search marketing will go on steroids in 2004. It will become local, personal, persistent, integrated... and far more powerful. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10 Ways To Increase Your Search Engine Ranking - Part 2 : AltaVista director of Internet search John Glick said links that come from link farms are considered by his company to be spam, and if any site uses such links excessively, it might be dropped altogether from AltaVista's listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10 Ways To Increase Your Search Engine Ranking : Be suspicious of sites that claim to mass-submit your URL to many dozens or hundreds of search engines. There are less than 10 major search engines that you should care about being listed in. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Is 2004 the Year of Local Search? : Google, Overture, LookSmart and others have self-consciously embraced the concept of Yellow Pages as a metaphor for the business models and marketplaces they are trying to create. Borrowing that old Yellow Pages tag line, they are "bringing buyers and sellers together." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Year of the Black Sheep : The take away lesson of 2003 for all marketers is consumers like being in control and their capability to take control is just warming up. Technologies have enabled them to construct their world in unique and individual ways. The Internet ties it all together and the businesses that use them wisely are experiencing record growth. All marketers should adapt and insert themselves into the consumer's world at the right time, rather than flinging creative swings into the ghostly apparition of marketing past. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tracking for Decisions in SEM : Your mission is to make sure the very best decisions are made with the data you have. Don't confuse data availability with data validity and actionability. Make informed, intelligent decisions based on valid data, and you'll have a great campaign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Jupiter Research Reports That Search Engine Marketing Requires A New Approach To Campaign Management : The iterative keyword selection and bidding processes involved in SEM mean that advertisers must constantly watch over a campaign in order to maximise ROI. The constantly evolving nature of SEM campaigns requires a different mindset from the "set and forget" one often adopted for online display advertising. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Online ad sales up in third quarter : Sales from online advertising hit an estimated $1.75 billion in the third quarter, the fourth consecutive period of gains for the industry. Much of the upturn has been attributed to search-engine-related marketing strategies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
They’re Searching So Why Aren’t They Buying? : There seems to be a common myth regarding site visitors and the buying process these days. I've heard this statement more than a few times over the last several months: "My visitors find me when they use search engines. They type in the exact keyphrases I'm listed under. So when they get to my site why aren't they buying?" The simple answer is that they aren't ready to buy yet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Marketing Has Just Grown Up : The free ride is officially over. From now on, you can't just create a site by the book, trade a few links with friendly competitors and expect to be found in Google for phrases that are relevant to millions of other sites. If you want to beat those other sites, you're gonna have to work your butt off. You're gonna have to live and breathe your Web site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shopping Search Engines Listing Information : For online marketers and retail site owners who are interested in expanding their holiday marketing with Shopping Search Engines, WebAdvantage.net has put together this rate and paid listing info for Shopping Search Engines and Product Comparison Sites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
'Tis the Season: Build a Search Engine Marketing Budget : To build your first SEM budget, you may first have to engage in SEM to determine volume and performance. But some forecasting is possible. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Webmasters Weary of Latest Google Tweaks : More than anything, the most recent brouhaha over Google algorithm changes points to the danger of relying too heavily on search-result positioning for one's business, experts say. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization Debuts : The organization, usually referred to by its acronym SEMPO, is a registered, non-profit group aiming to increase awareness and promote the value of search engine marketing worldwide. SEMPO represents the common interests of more than 300 search engine marketing professionals and provides them with a credible voice in the marketplace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Meets Marketing Savvy : Atomz Promote works like this: A product marketing manager at company that sell sporting goods equipment, for example, creates a promotion for soccer balls tied to an event -- could be anything from a state championship match to a World Cup final. Whenever a visitor types "soccer," "World Cup," "state title," or any other related keyword you choose, a promotion for your special edition soccer ball would appear on the top of your search results page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Overture & Google Unveil New Advertiser Tools : Overture's new Marketing Console is a performance marketing tool, while Google's Auto-Optimization feature automatically optimizes advertiser campaigns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEM Arbitrage: Golden or Cooked Goose? : In search engine marketing (SEM), arbitrage is rampant. Instead of securities, it revolves around differences between the cost of search traffic and the payout a client is willing to make, either on a CPC basis or a return on investment (ROI) metric (e.g., cost per lead, cost per sale, or commission per sale). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Overture unveils ad-tracking system : The Yahoo-owned commercial search provider on Thursday introduced the "marketing console," Web-based software that lets advertisers measure the performance of their online marketing campaigns, including paid search, online ad banners and e-mail promotions that are delivered by third parties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
New Developments in Local Search, Part 4 : Chuck the yellow pages! Search engines are bringing search local. Who's doing what and how SEM will change. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Pay or Not-to-Pay Conundrum : I’d like to end the debate on which form of search is best, paid or unpaid, with some common sense: Nothing in life is free and all search is paid. One pays a search engine optimization firm, specialist staffer, or analytics provider. One might also pay for URLs to be fed to a search site, or pay to bid for listing positions in direct proximity to one’s competitor’s listings. All search is paid, and all search traffic can be boiled down to a click cost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Future Search : Imagine a world where you type something into a search engine and the result is a uniquely indexed, real-time display of links generated just for you. Alongside them are, of course, superbly targeted paid listings as tempting, if not more so, than the algorithmic results. Judging by the public statements of some of the biggest search players, that's exactly what they're planning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Online Advertising Gets Its Groove Back : The question now is: What shape will the online ad market take? Paid-search ads will become dominant only if traditional advertisers finally accept the idea that it's possible to build brands online. Once again, it's up to the online publishers to make that case. And the latest numbers indicate that they're off to a good start. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
From Web Page to Results Page - Part Two : One thing I probably should say at this point is that when you read the word "index", just think of it as a great big database. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Why the Heck Do You Have a Website Anyway? : The important thing is that when you build a great site that keeps your users in mind, it will be easier to get good links, good rankings and all around good results. Your company and your customers will benefit -- and best of all -- you won't be as dependent on search engine rankings to meet your goals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
From Web Page to Results Page - Part One : So to help you understand search engines and why some SEO things work and why some are just silly miscomprehensions, I’m going to endeavour to tell you about the process of turning a web page into part of the search engine results page (SERPs). You can still guess if you want, but at least it’ll be an informed guess. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Keyword Search Emerges As Dominant Online Ad Format : If there was any doubt that search engine marketing has become the hottest aspect of the online advertising marketplace, it should be put to rest by today's release of the latest edition of the Interactive Advertising Bureau's and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Internet Ad Revenue Report. The study shows keyword search accounted for nearly a third (31%) of all online advertising activity, making it the dominant form of Internet advertising during the second quarter of 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Localized Search - The Future of Interactive Directories and Yellow Pages : Both sides -- Internet yellow pages and search engines -- readily acknowledge that neither has all the answers and can probably not develop them well alone. Partnerships already exist, and more seem to be cropping up weekly: Yahoo! partners with large local yellow page providers like Bell South and SBC; Google has partnered with Switchboard. Most panelists felt that IYP and search engines will converge at some point. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What Search Engine Marketing Does Your Site Need? : Search engine marketing can be broken down into a number of components. Know what you're shopping for before you buy search marketing services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A Way for Search Engines to Improve : To date, most webmasters and search engine marketers have ignored or overlooked the importance of traffic as part of a search engine algorithm, and thus, not taken it into consideration as part of their search engine optimization strategy. However, that might soon change as search engines explore new methods to improve their search result offerings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Local Search Not for Mom and Pop : It seems like everyone's rolling out local search. But who's going to buy these placements? Will a national advertiser like Domino's start hyping pepperoni pizzas in Boston and veggie specials in LA? Or will Joe's Pizza in Piscataway put one of the busboys on keyword optimization duty? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Protecting Your Search Engine Placement : If you want to keep outranking your competition, there are a few things you need to know about search engine rankings—and what you can do to affect the results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Why an SEM RFP Is a Mistake, Part 2 : RFPs won't help most companies select the best SEM vendor. There's a better way. Last of a two-part series. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Why A SEM RFP Is A Mistake: Part I : RFPs won't help most companies select the best SEM vendor. There's a better way. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Understanding the SEO Industry: An Analogy to Offline Marketing : One of the challenges facing any new industry is creating a demand for and an awareness of the industry in the mind of the consumer. Since many Website owners have only a general idea of what search engine optimization (SEO) is and how it works, I've come up with an analogy from another industry that makes it easier to understand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Balancing Paid and Organic Search Listings : Do you really need both "organic" or "natural" listings, generated by search engine optimization (SEO), and paid placement, aka pay-per-click advertising (PPC), to be successful on search engines? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sell the Information-Gatherers : It's important to concentrate on keywords and provide an easy way for people to "pick" your information as they go through the searching and buying decision process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Got Search? : Affiliate marketing company Commission Junction yesterday launched CJ Search, a tool encompassing paid search, paid inclusion and organic search. CEO Jeff Pullen describes it as a "one-stop-shop" where advertisers can manage search campaigns and optionally, work with CJ's publisher network. "We sit in the middle as an independent third party to guarantee a mutually beneficial relationship," said Pullen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Online Marketing's Killer App: Search Engines : The Internet now has the broadest reach of any media, including television and radio, during18 out of 24 hours per day. What are people doing all that time? To tell you the truth, I'd rather not know, but I do know this: More often than not, they begin by searching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dialing in on Channel Conflicts : We can learn a lot from smart brands participating in paid search that not only are embracing the space but also manage conflicts effectively. Here’s an overview of the situation and how a few industry leaders approach conflicts in search. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Searching For Holiday Profits, Part 3: Landing Page Optimization : Landing page optimization is an extremely powerful practice. It should be an ongoing process. Don't just save it for the holidays, or some other highly seasonal campaign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Why Shari’s Berries is happy to let affiliates pay the search freight : Although it reports steady growth in visits and sales as more gift shoppers find its chocolate-covered strawberries on the web, Shari’s Berries International doesn’t spend a penny on keywords or other means of improving its results in Internet searches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
earch Engine (Optimization) Blogs Reviewed : I've reviewed forums before. As everybody knows, blogs are just like forums but with less posts! So it's time to review some of my favourite blogs... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Finding the Right Keyword : Marketing via search engines like Yahoo and Google isn't as easy or cheap as it used to be. But it's still a great way to get the word out, if you're smart about it. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preparing for a Competitive Holiday Season : If you are not ready for the shopping season yet, you better get ready soon or you might find your competition making sales that should have been yours. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Specialty Search Engines : A good Yahoo listing or high rank in Google is crucial to the success of most commercial and general interest sites. But suppose your site is devoted to a more esoteric topic, say Norse mythology or some narrow aspect of pharmaceutical research. If so, specialty search engines may deliver more targeted traffic to your site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DMA Predicts increase in holiday sales : September is the perfect time to test keyword phrases, marketing messages and landing pages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Searching For Holiday Profits, Part 1 : Prep for holiday season searchers. A multi-part how-to series. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Trust, Search, Succeed : The emergence of search engines as the most innovative model to match people with products, services and information, heralds an evolution of the idea that dynamic business webs will gather spontaneously on the Internet. The search engines help guide consumer choices, as Internet users turn to them to light their darkened way. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contextual Advertising for Everyone is Available, Announces TCLA.net : Content sites now have a single point from which they can begin displaying contextually relevant advertisements in any HTML document including e-newsletters. This is done by delivering advertisements as either a standard text link, an image link built in real time or by turning any word or phrase on a web page into a hyperlink. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Natural Search: The Overlooked Strategy : It's easier to buy a listing than earn it. But not ranking in natural search results benefits no one -- except your competitors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
That Same Old SEO Soft Shoe? : It needs to be admitted that algorithmic search scientists do have something of an adversarial relationship with product marketers, especially when the algo designers are embedded in search companies whose revenues depend on ad revenues from such marketers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total cost of website ownership - SEO and PPC : A common mistake a lot of companies have is not realizing how much money and time it will take to compete with the already well established top competitors. This article will touch on SEO and PPC issues for your new online business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Making Sales on the Internet : If you build a better company than the other guys you can come out ahead. With lots of unique and useful content and a design that appeals to your audience, you can rank well with a commercial site and build a good business while you're at it. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Inquiry Marketing Fulfills SEM's Promise : If you're just thinking about keywords, clicks, and conversions, you may be missing out on search's potential. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Forums : Let me declare that these are my ideas and preferences. Different personalities, people, and knowledge levels will doubtless have different opinions about the forums. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Marketing Organizations: A Road Map : Unscrambling the abbreviations of the groups supporting SEM. What role does each nonprofit play? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Many search engine optimization experts, this author included, find Wordtracker research to be an in : Many search engine optimization experts, this author included, find Wordtracker research to be an invaluable part of the search engine optimization process. I recently interviewed Andy Mindel, Wordtracker’s founder and president, to learn more about the London-based company and the service that it provides. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEMPO, Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization, Opens To Members : The new Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization aims to raise the profile of search engine marketing, so that potential clients will understand what SEM is and budget money for it. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search in the Spotlight : Search marketing's adolescence. A dispatch from the Search Engine Strategies conference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Increasing Your ROI Return on Investment : An important aspect of search engine marketing that should not be forgotten to include is your ROI or Return on Investment into your marketing plan. In addition to achieving top rankings for your website, you should always look to ways to further increase your conversion rate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Marketing Forces Unite : A consortium of more than 300 search engine marketing firms launched a new industry association Wednesday. Their goal: to increase awareness and promote the value of search engine marketing services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization Founded, Site Launches : Barbara C. Coll, CEO of WebMama.com Inc. and President of SEMPO, said, "Search engine marketing is ready to become an integral part of all marketing campaigns for online businesses. SEMPO will inform marketing executives worldwide that search engine marketing programs are highly-effective, cost-efficient ways of generating high-quality sales leads and customers for their businesses." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search is King : While PUSH technology and other terms came and went, I doubt that paid search will be anything less than the great killer application in Internet history. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Counter-Googling : With consumers disclosing their most intimate secrets online (voluntarily!), Google has essentially created a 'domestic database', i.e. a world-wide database loaded with your customers' details and profiles, with a depth of information your company's database can only dream of. So instead of consumers Googling you before they buy your services, you should Google THEM, and instantly get more personal information than you'd ever be able to capture with traditional 1:1 in an entire life-time. Trendwatching.com has dubbed this emerging trend COUNTER-GOOGLING, and the opportunities are tasty! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Will Search Slay the Yellow Pages? : Online search and printed local directories: an either/or proposition? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Overture: A Conflict of Interest? : Does Overture (or Yahoo!) have any business being in tracking and analytics? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Best Search Practices for E-Tail : With so many marketers diving into search, the search industry needs to get more of them up to speed on best practices to take search marketing to the next level. This will benefit everyone in the long term. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
More reasons to use Robots.txt : Some disturbing news today shows just how effective search engines are at crawling and indexing a site. The report says that hackers are using search engines like Google to find pages containing passwords and other personal information for a website and then using this information to hack the website and take it over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Jupiter: Search Powers Online Ad Revival : Paid search, which just two years ago represented just over one in every ten dollars spent on Internet advertising, will power an online advertising revival that is poised to make the industry worth $14.8 billion in 2008, according to Jupiter Research. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Study: Paid search to boost ad dollars : An almost 50 percent increase in paid search listings will drive a modest recovery in online advertising sales during 2003, according to findings released by Jupiter Research on Wednesday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Averages Can Kill Your SEM Campaign : Averages might give us a pulse of the campaign, but relying on averages alone or even telling your team to manage to averages will result in large missed opportunities and wasted budgets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Branding vs. Offering : This article looks at how brand name and brand presence within search engine marketing plays a crucial and sometimes masking role on the success of your search campaign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Effectiveness Study Confirms SEM Power : How do searchers behave? New research reveals promising results for major brand marketers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Prioritize and Rationalize Search Engine Marketing : Organic listings are trusted. The four influencers and three questions that create better, higher rankings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Are Exclusive Keywords Worth Buying? : Find out what the deal is with these programs and why I advise posters to avoid them and put their ad dollars someplace else. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Will Adsense Kill Affiliate Programs? : Since it's all automatic with Adsense, I'm through with searching for affiliate programs to fit my content. It just doesn't pay enough to justify the effort in most cases. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Groundhog Day (Or, Towards Reflective Equilibrium in Web Metrics) : We owe a lot to the "new web scientists" who are pushing metrics harder than ever. After years of wallowing in the miasma of unaccountable, complacent search engine marketing, for example, it's refreshing to be reminded by Bryan Eisenberg that "conversion rates measure success, yet way too many Web marketers equate success with traffic." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search and they shall find ..or will they? : Search engine marketing campaigns are designed to deliver high returns by keeping customer acquisition costs low and conversion rates high. Each campaign must be created around a robust business model of clearly defined business objectives and be subject to the same rigorous business evaluation as any offline campaign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engines: The New, De Facto OS? : Why should marketers care about Microsoft, Overture, and Longhorn? If Microsoft gets into the search business and integrates search with the OS, the burgeoning paid placement search market could change. Big time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Is SEM Becoming Unaffordable? : To participate and win in search, every opportunity must be taken to improve and optimize the campaign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Landing Paths - Reinventing Landing Pages : No good salesman makes an identical pitch to all prospective customers. Instead he looks for clues about the customers main interest and then tailors his pitch to match. With landing paths, you can enable your website to do exactly the same thing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEO: Search Engine Optimists? : It's frightening to realize as hot as search is, so many are failing to maximize its potential. Conversion rates measure success, yet way too many Web marketers equate success with traffic. Every visit should end in a conversion! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Use IRTA to Measure Search Engine Marketing Success : Indexing, Ranking, Traffic, and Action collectively help gauge the progression and success of your search engine marketing efforts. When you use the four-step IRTA process, you are able to see at what stage changes need to be made to maximize your search marketing goals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How Marketers Are Measuring SEM Efforts : 41% of those marketers who are implementing SEM strategies are measuring such efforts based on click-through and general site traffic. Only 11% are using a detailed ROI analysis of their SEM efforts, which includes lifetime value as well as revenue by phrase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Small Businesses Embrace Search Engine Marketing : The study's findings indicate increased Internet savvy among small-business advertisers, as local businesses try to get their share of the rapidly growing number of local commercial searches being performed across numerous search platforms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Power of Copy : Words, copy, message -- all are critical to the success of any search campaign (paid or not). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Vanity : Many businesses now seek to ensure that when the average Internet user searches at Google, it is their website that sits at the top of the pile, proudly announcing 'Look at me, I am number one'. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Marketing vs. Search Engine Optimization : Before I can explain my reasons for concentrating on the optimization side of things, I should probably discuss the differences between search engine marketing (SEM) as a whole, pay-per-click (PPC) ads, and search engine optimization (SEO). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Future of Search Engine Marketing : What does 2003 and beyond hold in the constantly changing world of search engine marketing? A panel of industry experts looked into their crystal balls to provide some guidance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shopping Search Engines Fuel Online Sales : Specialized shopping search engines make it easy for searchers to research and buy products -- but they're also a powerful and cost-effective customer acquisition channel for merchants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Marketing Sherpa releases research results : Marketing Sherpa asked 729 B2B marketers what they would do with $50,000 their CEO gave them, with the only provision to "Please test something new." Of the top 7 results, web based strategies occupied 5 of the spots, with search engine marketing at #1 and email marketing at #2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Writing Effective Search Engine Ads : Relevancy is the name of the game when it comes to copywriting for paid listings, not only for your potential customers, but increasingly to meet the stringent requirements of the search engines themselves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ad Agencies Slowly Embrace Search Engine Marketing : As the cottage industry of search engine marketing continues to mature into a legitimate form of brand and conversion marketing, traditional ad agencies are actively stepping in to take advantage of the growth in search industry dollars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
B2B Search Best Practices : Long lead times and complex products are just two of the challenges faced by B2B search marketers. How to overcome these and more.
Case Study: PoolandSpa.com : Dan Harrison has a minor obsession with search engines. Harrison has tried most methods of driving traffic, from newsletters to all types of ad placement. But he finds that none of them provides as much splash as good placement in search engines.
How to convert leads to sales : You get the search engine placement, the traffic is coming in....then what? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Set a Search Marketing Budget : Luckily, there are strategies for budgeting search campaigns across vendors. I'll cover these as well as some top mistakes, for those working with a fixed search budget. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Marketing and Branding : Search engines are recognized as one of the best ways to generate qualified leads online. Should search engine marketing be considered as part of a brand-building campaign? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Boost Your Chances at Having a Successful Web Site : New Web sites are springing up online by the millions. However, when they don’t reach a level of success, the Web site owners assume that you can’t make money off the Internet. Wrong! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Making Web Advertisements Work : There are many reasons why advertisements don't work well on the Web, but it is most unsettling when an ad actually portrays something relevant to users and still fails. Why would this occur? Well, to start, we must consider why text ads work so well on search engines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Research Comes of Age : Previously unknowable metrics such as 'share of search' can be yours at last. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Use Search Engine Marketing Techniques to Drive More Traffic to Your Web Site : Search engine marketing, like most things, is more complex than meets the eye. But it offers many benefits, not the least of which is that it tends to be one of the lowest-cost and highest-impact marketing tools available. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wading Through the Search Engine Myths : There is an abundance of search engine information available on the web- some of it valuable, much of it contradictory. With search engine marketing, as with anything else, it is important to treat everything with a healthy dose of skepticism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Marketing Goes Mainstream : Most mainstream marketers (the ones in "suits") are still learning the differences between paid and editorial listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Who is Sarah Williams of TrafficMagnet? : Have you ever received an email from Sarah Williams or Christine Hall of Traffic Magnet? If you have a website and an email address you probably have. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Taking Disambiguation Seriously : Insofar as a search engine is too stupid to help me disambiguate my query about "storage," for example, (I am searching for shelves, but a lot of the search results give me info about esoteric RAID computer disk storage), they do a poor job of putting the right kind of information in front of the user. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Online Marketing Idol : Search engine marketing is getting more complicated, thanks to more options, mergers and new demands from marketers. Did-it.com CEO and ClickZ columnist Kevin Lee make sense of M&A, ROI and XML. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search and the Buying Cycle : Whether a search is aimed at casting a wide net, researching a product, or finding a retailer, you can optimize your campaign accordingly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How to Spend a Small Search Engine Marketing Budget : I have an initial budget of about $300-$500 I can spend on advertising and promotion. Where would you recommend I invest it? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Loving Each Other More: Search Engines and Blogs : There are things bloggers could do to make their content more accessible to ordinary web search engines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Making An RSS Feed : RSS is a method of distributing links or syndicating content in your web site that you'd like others to use. It can be an easy way to draw attention to your material, bringing you some traffic and perhaps a little net fame, depending on how good your information is. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search -- Look No Further? : By some estimates, 35 to 50 percent of all searches are for products, services or a commercial purpose. Put another way, of 210 million daily Web searches, nearly half generate revenue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Targets Direct Marketing Spend : Search engine marketing companies have direct marketing budgets firmly in their sights, aiming to take a greater proportion off more traditional forms of DM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interview - Alan Perkins : Alan has had many years of experience with search engines, and I spoke with him about the dos and don'ts with improving your site in the search engine rankings - as well as covering many other topics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Will Content Targeting Work This Time Around? : Google's mixed up some new secret sauce to better target keyword-based ads to topical content, but it seems as if this is a partial, evolutionary step towards fuller incorporation of semantic analysis into search. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CRM Meets Search : Some listing are more valuable than others because some customers are more valuable than others. CRM, meet SEM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If You're Great At SEO Why Are You Paying For Sponsored Links? : Any good campaign is going to involve a mixture of SEO, Advertising, Marketing, ezines and any other form of promotion that will help create good leads for our websites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hot Trends in Search Engine Marketing : Perhaps it's a terrible cliche, but the only thing that experts agree is constant in the search engine marketing business is constant change. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A study on the internet and how it’s used : And how do you maintain your position as an established website? Proper SEO with the focus on driving and keeping qualified customers is always a definite asset. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interview with Chris Ridings : Chris is the author of "Page Rank Uncovered", and is a regular commentator on all things SEO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
New Resource Site Launched By Search Engine Expert Shari Thurow : The premier launch of SearchEnginesBook.com and the companion book titled "Search Engine Visibility" is about designing, writing and creating a web site primarily for your site's visitors, and helping them find what they are searching via the major search engines, directories, and industry related sites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Question time with: Ammon Johns : Ammon Johns might be a new name to many, however Ammon has been in the online marketing game since 1995, with the enviable track record that not one of his 400+ clients has ever gone bust. Obviously, Ammon is doing something right! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Alexa uses ODP : The latest changes in Alexa turn it more in to a research tool and less in to a tool to use to compare two sites. This has implications for webmasters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search engines get "Gatored" : The Gator online advertising network is testing a new paid search product that lets rivals poach on each other's territory. Search Scout triggers a pop-under window when Gator members search on a site such as Google and Yahoo. The window lists search results tied to keywords purchased through competing search services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Enough with the RealNames Knockoffs! : Not a day goes by that I don't receive a spam e-mail from one of the countless imitators of RealNames' defunct Internet Keyword system. Well, I've had just about enough! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEM Power Tips : Boost performance, results, and ROI with this list of proven ways to turbocharge your search engine marketing.
Low Budget Search Engine Marketing Tips for Non-Profits : So how do you help your favorite non-profit increase its rankings? Most not-for-profit and community organizations cannot afford a 'full-blown' Search Engine Marketing campaign, nor the sustained organizational commitment to keeping a campaign going. So what can they do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How To Get Your Web Site Content Syndicated : The real secret to attracting more traffic is to add bucket loads of fresh content to your site. Providing you promote this new content effectively, it can act like a magnet on your site, pulling in new visitors every single day. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ten Questions with: Danny Sullivan : Interview with Danny Sullivan from SearchEngineWatch.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Finding More Than You Bargained For : Given their importance, many companies have sought out online marketing gurus for help deciphering the intricacies of how the search engines work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CopyRight, DMCA, Bandwidth Theft : If you're an SEO, or even if you're just good at optimizing sites, one of the things you're bound to come across is intellectual propery theft. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Budgeting for Online Success: Calculating Your Maximum Cost Per Visitor : Calculating your maximum cost per visitor and continually updating it will make it much easier to apply real success metrics to your website and online marketing campaigns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
You Build The Search Portal, I'll Send The Sites : I'd like to see a fair, affordable-to-all-websites ranking and indexing system developed for an environment of many cultures, languages, and user demands such as ecommerce, research, blogs, personal pages and news. Google, nor any other search company, hasn't found the answer yet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ten Questions with: Kenneth Norton : Introducing Kenneth Norton, Director of Marketing and Product Strategy for Inktomi Web Search. In the following interview, Kenneth talks about Inktomi's new Web Search 9 offering, index refresh rates and tell's us why "we're on the cusp of the third dynamic shift in Internet search". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The 12 Days of Web Marketing : On the first day of Marketing, SageRock said to me: Choose objectives for your site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Group Hug : If you haven't seen it yet, the MarketPositionTalk forum is a friendly place to learn about SEO or ask for help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interview with Mike Grehan : A talk with Master of Search Marketing, author, and wind-up merchant Mike Grehan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shoppers use search engines to find websites : According to new research from WebSideStory, the top four search engines account for more than 90 percent of search engine referrals to shopping sites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Yahoo!'s Web Ignites the Robot Industry : Now that Yahoo! is serving Google crawler-based results, do you still need the Business Express listing? Don't be a doubting Thomas, it's more important than ever because robot engines rule, and you need to boost link popularity. Web page design and professional search engine optimization are essential as major search portals move toward spider/crawler-based listings over human-edited listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ten Questions with: Cindy McCaffrey : Cindy McCaffrey, VP of Marketing at Google, talks about Google's marketing strategy, Google's view on search engine marketers and how Google are looking at new ways to connect to the community. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
More Search Engine Strategies : SearchDay's series of special reports from the Search Engine Strategies conference is complete, but here is more conference coverage if you haven't yet had your fill of tips, techniques and tactics from the pros. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating Useful, Traffic Retaining Web Sites : A web site should always be seen as a work in progress. If you are serious about retaining your web sites' traffic, you need to find and develop ways to make users stick around and come back often. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Yahoo!: Dayparting Can Boost Ad Campaigns : Yahoo!'s chief solutions officer, Tim Sanders, urged advertisers to embrace the Internet as a way to buff up their offline marketing efforts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ten Questions with: Ralph Tegtmeier : It's a no holds barred chat with the very engaging Ralph Tegtmeier of fantomaster.com. Ralph gives us his perspective on the search engine world and tells us he's looking into the possibility of building a SEM-friendly search engine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Marketing Shop Talk Forum : The Shop Talk forum at the Search Engine Strategies conference featured lively discussion and a wealth of tips and techniques from pros for maximizing search engine marketing efforts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Usage Ranks High : Top billing is essential and paying for high search engine rankings may be a good investment, some research finds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Beating Big Brands at Search Engine Marketing : Think big brands hold all the cards in the search engine marketing game? Kevin shows you some tricks the little guys have up their sleeves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Low Budget Search Engine Marketing : Need to be found in the search engines but can't afford to hire a search engine specialist? How can you attract visitors to your web site with little or no funding? Three experts share their proven low budget techniques. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Manifest Destiny : Doing business on the Internet is getting to be expensive and correspondingly so is Internet marketing. Nowhere is this squeeze of the little business more prevalent than in the search engine marketing industry.
Interview With Brett Tabke : Search Engine Marketing is just one aspect of the bigger marketing picture. The challenge now is to find alternative sources of traffic that are more cost effective. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Marketing Boosts ROI for B2B Sites : Many Business-to-Business web sites don't bother with search engine marketing, and that's an expensive -- and possibly fatal mistake, according to a panel of experts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interview with Danny Sullivan Search Engine Guru : Klaus Patzwaldt interviewed Danny Sullivan, on the ocassion of Search Engine Strategies 2002 in Munich. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Google CEO to Advertisers: Stop Scaring Users : Eric Schmidt says online advertising too often alienates users, instead of helping them. Schmidt said the key to Google serving its advertisers well is to serve its users well. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How to reach German Internet users : If you want to quickly reach customers in Germany, the easiest way is to advertise on pay per click (PPC) search engines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally : Steve Winkler takes a look at the development of a search engine marketing strategies. He points out that the most common of all online marketing mistakes is to have no clear understanding of the order in which strategies should be implemented. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sea Change in Search Engine Marketing : Search engine marketing (SEM) strategies have advanced over the years as search engine practices and pricing models have changed. An analysis of the impact of PPC advertising on traditional SEO editorial listings and recommendations for integrated campaigns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sea Change in Search Engine Marketing : Search engine marketing (SEM) strategies have advanced over the years as search engine practices and pricing models have changed. An analysis of the impact of PPC advertising on traditional SEO editorial listings and recommendations for integrated campaigns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
B2BMarketingBiz Case Study : Industrial manufacturer expands nationally by switching from print ads to search engine marketing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Marketing Issues : Following links in Flash navigation. Top positions without paying. SES conference worth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Big Sites + Big Brands = Big Search Engine Marketing Challenges : Big Web Sites and brands come with bigger challenges - that was the main theme at the Big Sites and Big Brands Forum held at the recent Search Engine Strategies conference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engine Visibility for the Holidays : With the 2002 holiday season fast approaching, it's important to ensure that your site ranks well in all major search engines. Why? For openers, Jupiter Research is predicting $13.1 billion dollars in online sales for November and December, an increase of 17 percent over 2001 holiday sales. This would represent 32 percent of online spending for the entire year! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Five Common Misconceptions to Achieving Success with your Online Business : How successful is your online business? Are you achieving the monetary rewards that you'd hoped to achieve when you set up your Web site? If not, you may have fallen prey to one of five common misconceptions to achieving success with an online business.
BUYING / LEASING SEARCH ENGINE TRAFFIC
Buying vs. Leasing Search Engine Traffic : When considering search engine marketing strategies, it's important to consider both short term and long term approaches, or 'buying' vs. 'leasing' web site traffic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Branding Via the Search Engines : How can search engine optimization and marketing play an integral role in our efforts to brand our products and services, and position our company? Andrew Gerhart discusses how the search engines and Internet can help our marketing efforts and increase sales, visibility, branding, and more.
Using Search Engine Traffic to Increase Branding : Today we will look at what it takes to get the newly found targeted traffic sold on your brand and your web site once you have completed your optimization plans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ALEXA
Traffic beats PR : We all do it - watch our site in Alexa to see how well it scores. As I watch this site's - it occurs to me that this is far better information than on another toolbar.
Lycos.com Search Results - Ranking in Lycos : This week we will cover Lycos.com. We will continue the series by taking a look at the status of the portal and search engine, results displayed, how clean and relevant they are, how to get your site listed and rank well, and what it will cost you. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
GOOGLE
Google On AOL - What are the Results? : We have known that at some point late in the summer of 2002, Google's search and Adwords results would appear on AOL, and as of Tuesday, July 23, 2002, the SEO world was given a sneak preview. While this appears to only be a test version of the new system, it gives some insight into this huge deal that is definitely going to open doors for some, and close doors for others.
Promotion Tip: Send Your Catalog To Google : It sounds too good to be true. Get publicity for your business and sell products to Web shoppers. Appear in one of the largest, most popular search engines on the Web. It's free and it happens even before you post your Web site. Are you in heaven? No, just in Google's new catalog search section.
What? There are other engines besides Google?! : If we talk about the long term view, relying on one engine alone is pretty silly - even if the engine presently dominates the search engine world.
Why Google Makes People Leave Your Site Faster : The easier it is to find places with good information, the less time users will spend visiting any individual website. This is one of many conclusions that follow from analyzing how people optimize their behavior in online information systems.
Coping With GDS, The Google Dance Syndrome : Google's monthly update is known as the Google Dance to those really into search engine optimization. And during the dance, some SEOs suffer from GDS -- Google Dance Syndrome, when they see their web sites face lower rankings. But does an epidemic of reported GDS mean a problem with Google's relevancy?
Nothing Sticking? Don't Stop Throwing it Against the Wall : If over 50% of the market knows that Google is a good place to look, but you can't be found on Google, then there must be something seriously wrong with your marketing strategy. Tom Roeder takes a look at the importance of search engine marketing.
Comparing Teoma and Google Using Niche Marketing Techniques : The key to search engine niche marketing is selecting a brand which will have no competitors for the word in search engines and therefore deliver you top position(s) for that word in search result pages.
On the Web, forget the A-list: It's the 'G' list that matters : Getting on Google in 2002 takes on bigger meaning when you consider that the company doesn't just point to you at its Google.com site. Google also provides search services for America Online, Yahoo, Netscape, Earthlink and, as of Monday, HotBot. So if you can get on Google, you're all over the Web.
iProspect Warns That Google Contract Extension With Yahoo! Reflects Industry Mega-Trend : iProspect today warns online marketers that Yahoo!'s decision to extend its contract with Google, and the unprecedented decision by Yahoo! to subordinate its own human-edited directory with Google's search database, represents an industry mega-trend that has significant implications to online marketing programs.
Wharton feels the Google love : Radio advertisements airing in Los Angeles and San Francisco for the school's executive M.B.A. program are promoting the Google words "Wharton West" on the popular search engine to deliver Web surfers to the site immediately--even though the top-listed links are not paid for and could change at random. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Google with more Advertisements! : I would be inclined to believe that this is the beginning of a wind down for Yahoo's directory and that they will concentrate more strongly on their portal features.
Google modified its ranking algorithms: There are no offical words from Google but it seems that the changes have been made to fight two phenomena that worried Google: Google bombing and selling advertising based on Google PageRank.
Google Advertising Professional: How I Did It, and Is It Worth It? : Google now offers a "Qualified Google Advertising Professional" certification. Is it hard? Will you learn anything? Most important of all, is it worth it? Chris Khoo shares his experience, and answers these and other questions.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Businesses Must Target More Than Just Google : The days of simply worrying about gaining a strong ranking in Google, sometimes at the expense of rankings in other engines, are long gone. Companies need to focus on building a strong organic and PPC presence on all of the top engines, or risk alienating a large portion of their potential audience.
How To Play In Google's Sandbox : Now that we have come to the conclusion that this sandbox, aging filter or whatever you want to call it, actually seems to exist, what can one do that has been affected by it?
The Terrier Project : Terrier is different because it includes a novel link analysis component that is more general than Google’s PageRank, does not use parameters such as the damping factor, can be applied in a query-dependent or independent way, and could be used in various applications, such as multilingual retrieval.
A New F-Word for Google Search Results : A new study has added tangible evidence to the widely held view that top-ranking search results get the most attention from users, and that lower-ranking results are all but invisible to most people. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
AdSense Faces Extinction -- Unless Google Shakes Things Up : AdSense is not long for the world -- unless Google makes major changes that restore the perception early on that AdSense was worth it for publishers. Here are some things Google can do...
AOL.com Search Results and Search Engine Relationships : The third part of this series of articles discusses the AOL.com portal. We dissect the search results within AOL.com and the AOL directory, how to submit your web site to AOL, and what it will take and cost to have your site ranking well in the AOL.com search results.
Google On AOL - What are the Results? : We have known that at some point late in the summer of 2002, Google's search and Adwords results would appear on AOL, and as of Tuesday, July 23, 2002, the SEO world was given a sneak preview. While this appears to only be a test version of the new system, it gives some insight into this huge deal that is definitely going to open doors for some, and close doors for others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MSN
How MSN.com Provides Search Results : Depending on the market that your web site is in and the keywords that you are targeting, MSN has the potential to be your largest source of referrals. So, how do you get your site listed in MSN, and whose results do they display?
26 Steps to 15k a Day : A step by step guide to building a website in 26 steps that will achive high rankings and produce up to 15k a day within a year.
Reliable Advice for Getting Your Site Found in the Search Engines : Part of the problem with some of the sites that offer information on search engine marketing is that you don't know how up to date that advice is, and you don't know if you can really trust the information. In other words, how reliable is the source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Are Yahoo! Sponsor Listings Worth The Investment? : In this article I discuss a real-life case study of my marketing experiment with a Yahoo! Sponsor Listing to reveal whether it was worth the investment.
Yahoo! Directory Makes Big Changes : Have you been to Yahoo! lately? It's a whole new directory. There are extensive changes in the way results are ranked and displayed. But the big news is that the Yahoo! algorithm formula has changed dramatically.
Yahoo.com Search Results and Search Engine Relationships : The second part of this series of articles deals with Yahoo.com. We breakdown Yahoo results, what search engines supply these results, how much you will have to pay for these listings, how to rank well in Yahoo results, and more.
Converting Searchers to Customers : Getting visitors to your web site is only half the battle. To be victorious, you need to convert searchers into customers.
Will Too Much Information Result In Lost Business? : It is entirely possible to read the Rank Write archives, learn the skills and perform an in-house search engine marketing campaign. Have we lost business because we give away our "trade secrets?" Not really.
Avoiding The Search Gap : Are you a victim of the search gap? You could be, if you've focused all your efforts on getting people to your web site via search engines rather considering what happens after they arrive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DMOZ OPEN DIRECTORY PROJECT
Becoming an Open Directory Project Editor : Can't get your site listed in the Open Directory, no matter how hard you try? Find out how you can become an editor of the Open Directory and get your site an optimum listing in it. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
All Along the Digital Watchtower : What you can (and should) do to secure the precise metrics of your online marketing success (or failure). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Absolute Top Five Search Engine Marketing Myths Uncovered! : The problem for many companies is the difficulty they face sifting through conflicting information and hyperbole! Here is the top five list of myths that need to be run to ground. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Achieving Tangible Results via Search Engine Marketing : Creating and building effective Search Engine marketing campaigns is like trying to nail jello to the wall for many companies as it typically involves deploying very specialized processes and melding them with technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Congratulations! You're A Search Engine Marketer! : As the nature of search engine promotion has expanded and matured, the label "search engine optimization" hasn't seemed to cover what some companies and individuals feel they do. But what should come to replace it, if anything? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consider a New Career as a Search Engine Marketer : If you're in the market for a new online career, or even a career to supplement your existing occupation, consider search engine marketing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Debunking Search Engine Marketing Myths : There are many preconceived notions about search engine marketing (SEM), and some are actually misconceptions that become established myths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Defining a Target Audience for Search Engine Marketing : While many site owners like to believe that their products and services apply to the general public - the truth is that there is a defined audience that the site should appeal to. When preparing a site for various methods of search engine marketing, an understanding of a target audience is critical to increasing the value of the campaign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Evaluating SEO Vendors : Many marketers like to outsource search engine marketing (SEM). They say it's worth paying an expert to optimize your site correctly because your traffic will increase faster, and you get a good return on the investment. The dilemma is knowing who to hire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Finding the Right SEM Contractor : There is much to learn about making an informed decision when it comes to selecting a search engine marketing (SEM) contractor. As in most industries, some are reputable and some can be flaky.
How Much Is Your Search Engine Marketing Budget? : Many marketers are in the dark about marketing budgets and particularly about search engine marketing (SEM) allocations. In fact, CyberAtlas reported last Fall that 58 percent of the marketers surveyed allocated less than 1 percent of their annual marketing budgets to SEM, while 20 percent allocated 25 percent or more.
Online Marketing Tools: Competitive Analysis Summary : Search engine optimization is as much about the targeted market as it is about rankings. In order to make the rankings work out for the good of the optimized web site, you need to understand the market that exists for your client.
Search Engine Marketing Finally Getting Respect : Search engine marketing has been like the Rodney Dangerfield of online advertising -- it's gotten no respect from analysts firms when compared to the attention spent on banner advertising. That's finally changing now, but it shouldn't have taken so long.
Search Engine Marketing Questions : A whole pile of questions I received over the past few weeks, along with my original answers. Most of them are short and sweet and to the point, but nonetheless informative.
Search Engine Marketing: You Like It, You Really Like It! : Readers like Danny Sullivan's suggestion last month about using the term "search engine marketing" rather than "search engine optimization" to cover the wide range of activities that involve obtaining traffic from search engines.
Search Engine Marketing Case Studies : Learn strategies and tactics for effective search engine marketing from three site owners who've experienced spectacular real-world success.
Search Engine Marketing: Luxury or Necessity? : Among the most highly visited sites on the Web, search engines and directories answer 200 million consumer search engine queries daily. Search engine marketing delivers highly targeted users predisposed to your marketing message to your Web site. Seed the engines with your text links to generate leads and sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Surplus Of Search Engine Marketing Reports : Three newly released reports cover the issues of selecting a search engine marketing firm, which search engine marketing strategies seem to work and a review of how the web sites of Fortune 100 companies rate in terms of search engine friendliness.
Search Engine Marketing Q&A : Optimizing individual product pages. My DMOZ listing is showing up in Google. Indexing a framed site. Using mini-sites for high rankings.
Target-market Questions : The first step is to narrow down your target market. In fact, you should do this even if you do target the whole world. You could start small by creating pages or subsites that focus only on certain geographical areas. Once those were in place and doing well, you could branch out to new areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Traffic Without Trying - 5 Principles for Smarter Search Engine Marketing : By optimizing a site the right way from the beginning, webmasters are reaping the benefits of higher search engine rankings. Here are some tips to help you become one of the lucky ones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Why Search Engine Marketing Works : Marketing separates success from failure for many online ventures. Search engines and directories are perennial favorites. You can create your own authoritative image with a bit of extra attention to search engine promotion.
State of the Search Marketing Industry 2004 : Jupiter Research and SEMPO (the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization) have released results of separate surveys providing one of the most detailed looks yet at current practices and advertiser spending in the search marketing industry.
A Marketers Guide to Search Engine Marketing and Staying Alive in 2004 - Part One : In 2003, search engine marketing accounted for 2% of the US advertising and marketing spend, the same amount as all billboard and outdoor advertising. 2004 promises to take search engine marketing beyond the signs dotting the roads and highways.
Integrating Search with Other Marketing : Search marketing is still 'stand-alone,' existing largely outside of the traditional marketing mix, but this must change, to address the needs of consumers who are increasingly turning to search to make all types of buying decisions.
Paid Search Market Maturing : A newly issued report from eMarketer examines the impressive number that have been driving the paid search industry for the past few years and estimates the increases that we will likely see through the end of 2006.
Report: Most Search Marketers are Unsophisticated : The majority of search marketers are unsophisticated, despite having worked in the field for two or more years, according to a study by JupiterResearch.
Why Search Engine Marketing Has A Passion for Web Site Usability : Believe it or not, search engines and user centered web design have a common goal. They want to provide the best experience for their web site visitor. Even better, they want that experience to be productive, satisfying and memorable.
Small Business Approach to Integrated Search Engine Marketing : Search can no longer exist alone. Understand the dynamics of search, email, display media and your customers. Use your website as a valuable tool for understanding your customers and potential customers.
Getting an Education in Search Engine Marketing : The search marketing industry changes at such a fast pace that even if a university were to offer a degree in search marketing, the information they taught would be out of date before the graduate could even put it into practice.
Successful Website Marketing Needs More Than Great Search Listings : In order for search marketing to be an effective marketing strategy, people have to look for what you sell. This seems to be an obvious statement, but it's surprising how many business owners overlook this detail.
How to Find an In-House SEM Specialist : Need for in-house SEM? There are several paths you can take to find the right person for the position. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Corporate SEM FAQ : What you've always wanted to know about being, working with, or working for an in-house SEM specialist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Local Search Marketing Tactics : It's tempting to think of local search as merely a subset of a broader search marketing campaign, but best results come with tactics specifically tailored to the uniquely nuanced needs of searchers looking for local information and services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Holistic Search Marketing – Organic and PPC : Adopting a strategy which combines Organic placements with PPC advertising, large websites receive more visitors, gain increased credibility through multiple references on a SERP, and generally make more sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lobbying for Your Search Marketing Budget : Total marketing spend is not growing at most companies, and marketers are working hard for every part of their budget. To accommodate new ideas, most have to reallocate money from other programs, going through a justification and lobbying process that can seem more like high level diplomacy than marketing.
Growing a Successful Search Marketing Business : Building a search marketing company holds the promise of both meaningful profits and a lot of fun -- but it takes hard work and some savvy business sense to be truly successful.
Search Engine Marketing and Branding Challenges : Search engines are recognized as one of the best ways to generate qualified leads online. What about branding aspects? Should search engine marketing be considered as part of a brand-building campaign?
The Holistic Approach to Search Engine Marketing : There are three major components of SEM. These three primary parts are often used individually to great effect- but it is only when they are effectively used in unison that the "whole" can become "greater than the sum of its parts".
SEM Marketing Leverage : Your site, product mix, and prices affect user experience. Your search budget is only as good as your site lets it be. The money is already working hard. To make it work harder still, consider improvements you can make to the overall user experience. Turn a visit experience into a buy experience, or at least a decision experience.
Search Marketing in Europe : Search marketing is increasingly global, but a local focus is still vital to achieve your goals. What does it take to have a successful search marketing campaign in Europe?
Search Marketing 2004: What's Right, What's Wrong : Danny Sullivan's wide-ranging keynote address at Search Engine Strategies San Jose prodded several raw nerves in the industry, sparing neither search marketers nor the search engines themselves, reports Andrew Goodman.
Search Engine Marketing For Travel-Related Sites : Search marketing in the travel industry is brutally competitive, with intense jockeying between travel agencies, affiliates, wholesalers and travel products companies themselves vying for top positioning. What's the most effective approach to search marketing in this cutthroat environment? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Holistic Approach to Search Engine Marketing : There are three major components of SEM. These three primary parts are often used individually to great effect- but it is only when they are effectively used in unison that the "whole" can become "greater than the sum of its parts". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Integration Concentration : Clients are beginning to wake up and smell the malarkey, and it is only a matter of time before search shops are forced to live within the confines of normal margins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Affiliate Marketing and SEM Revisited : Affiliates extend your paid search advertising budget. Competing with affiliates on the same keywords is valuable because they help you dominate the page. If your affiliates are restricted from paid search advertising, they'll simply switch teams and bid for the same keywords on behalf of your competition.
Local Search Critical to SMEs : More than half of the recently surveyed "Hometowner" businesses — SMEs whose customers and suppliers are primarily within 50 miles of their physical location — believe the Internet will enable them to be more successful in their local market, compared to 35 percent in 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEARCH ENGINE NEWS / OTHER
In UK, Search Engines Are Top Method To Find Sites : A recent study by Forrester Research found that search engines remain the leading way users in the United Kingdom find web sites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Search Engines Get Fancy With Ads : A look at advertising on search engines, and the different type of next generation ads search engines are using, such as Enliven and V-Banner.
Survey Finds Search Engine Referrals Low : My suspicion is that the true average of visits generated by search engines is higher, perhaps considerably so, especially when you consider how popular search services are as rated by user measurement companies such as Media Metrix and Nielsen//NetRatings.
Pandia launches search engine promotion portal : The Pandia Search Central, an online guide to search engines and Internet searching, has launched a new portal for search engine promotion resources and tools.
The Search Engines Ask You : At the Search Engine Strategies conference, representatives of the major search engines turned the tables on participants, asking the audience to respond to their key issues and concerns.
RealNames Clones Causing Confusion : Unlike RealNames, none of these companies offers native integration of their namespace services into Internet Explorer.
Search Engine Standards, Please! : Search engines should set standards and adhere to them, say webmasters, advertisers and a senior attorney for the Federal Trade Commission. Uniform standards would serve both web site owners and searchers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What? There are other engines besides Google?! : If we talk about the long term view, relying on one engine alone is pretty silly - even if the engine presently dominates the search engine world.
AllFreelance
has been around since 1997 as the Premiere Freelance Jobs Portal
and Resource for contract freelancers. Included on this page
are links to other freelancing sites, including graphic design
freelance sites, web design freelance sites, web development
and programming freelancing sites, writing freelance sites,
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tons of links for freelance contracts, freelance law, getting
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looking for submissions, so
if you have a resource to include.
