| I remember the first presentation I gave
| |
| | to these objectives. Common metrics
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| to a client regarding the importance of
| |
| | include unique visitors, trial downloads,
|
| having a high position in search engines
| |
| | online event registrations, email signups
|
| for relevant keyword listings. It was as
| |
| | or online sales (e-commerce). Set goals
|
| if I was speaking Swahili, and as a
| |
| | for each of your key metrics and empower
|
| result, I didn't get the business. Much
| |
| | the team to succeed.Stats
|
| has changed since 1996, as I've become
| |
| | How do you know you're choosing relevant
|
| fluent in Swahili and many companies have
| |
| | metrics and realistic goals? The best way
|
| come to realize the value of visibility
| |
| | to set up your SEM campaign for success
|
| in search engines. Instead of spending my
| |
| | is to create benchmarks based on key
|
| time educating prospective clients on the
| |
| | criteria. Compare your site's current
|
| value of search engine marketing (SEM),
| |
| | visibility against that of primary
|
| I'm allaying their anxieties when they're
| |
| | competitors, based on predetermined
|
| not #1 for "processed cheese spread."For
| |
| | metrics. The top performing site should
|
| those of you new to the SEM world, I've
| |
| | set the bar. Launch your SEM efforts with
|
| outlined key elements any company needs
| |
| | a series of test campaigns to minimize
|
| to address to generate results that go
| |
| | risk and maximize return on investment
|
| directly to the bottom line. Since I'm a
| |
| | (ROI). Within weeks, you should be able
|
| fan of alliteration, I've outlined these
| |
| | to validate your original objectives,
|
| elements with an "S" theme.Size
| |
| | metrics and associated goals. Effective
|
| According to Pew Internet & American
| |
| | SEM campaigns take time, so be patient,
|
| Life, 59 percent of U.S. households and
| |
| | monitor regularly and be consistent in
|
| over 90 percent of businesses have
| |
| | your efforts.Shift
|
| Internet access. According to Jupiter
| |
| | Depending on factors like competition,
|
| Research, 75 percent of marketing
| |
| | budget or bandwidth limitations, some
|
| executives that have utilized SEM find it
| |
| | companies focus exclusively on organic
|
| more effective than other forms of
| |
| | (SEO). On the other hand, other companies
|
| marketing. While I haven't used
| |
| | spend a majority of their budgets on PPC,
|
| statistics to sell SEM in years, it's
| |
| | as it can be easier to generate large
|
| still difficult to ignore the overall
| |
| | amounts of qualified traffic in a short
|
| market opportunity. Some companies
| |
| | amount of time. The ideal scenario,
|
| believe that search engine visibility is
| |
| | however, is to figure out a balanced mix
|
| inappropriate or even detrimental to
| |
| | of both. For target keyword phrases for
|
| their company or line of business. I
| |
| | which you'd like to achieve a high
|
| disagree with few exceptions. Regardless
| |
| | ranking, but SEO is not making the grade,
|
| of business model, your site needs to be
| |
| | turn to PPC. On the converse, for keyword
|
| visible to a multitude of stakeholders:
| |
| | phrases where you already have a high
|
| current or potential customers,
| |
| | position organically, reallocate the PPC
|
| employees, press, analysts, investors and
| |
| | budget accordingly. Either way, the best
|
| local community.Shape
| |
| | approach is always to start small and
|
| While Yahoo! has been the perennial the
| |
| | build momentum.Succeed
|
| king of search properties, there has been
| |
| | As the old adage goes, "I know half of
|
| massive consolidation in the market
| |
| | my advertising budget is working, but I
|
| recently. Many of the smaller search
| |
| | don't know which half." Without accurate
|
| engines that popped up in the late 90's
| |
| | Web analytics software, you're relegated
|
| have disappeared or been purchased or
| |
| | to a guessing game. Rather than
|
| merged with larger properties. The
| |
| | extrapolating or resorting to animal
|
| resulting aggregation means that a
| |
| | sacrifice, implement ROI tracking via
|
| company can get their URL in front of 90
| |
| | third party applications like WebTrends,
|
| percent of all searches by focusing on
| |
| | HitBox or ClickTracks. Configured
|
| three of the largest properties: Yahoo!,
| |
| | properly, Web analytics will tell you how
|
| Google and MSN. There are two ways to get
| |
| | much money you're making off of SEM
|
| into search engine listings: organically
| |
| | efforts. For example, for every dollar
|
| via search engine optimization (SEO) or
| |
| | one of my hospitality clients spends on
|
| to buying your way in on a pay-per-click
| |
| | SEO and PPC, they generate five dollars
|
| (PPC) basis.Speed
| |
| | in return. Put a cherry on top by
|
| While generating visibility in organic
| |
| | integrating SEM into your overall
|
| search results can be cost effective
| |
| | marketing mix. Coordinating public
|
| (it's free to submit your URL to Google),
| |
| | relations, advertising and direct
|
| there are no guarantees that you will
| |
| | marketing efforts with search engine
|
| appear in top 10 to 30 results for
| |
| | marketing has a compounding effect that
|
| relevant keyword searches, at least not
| |
| | generates even greater success.By
|
| for a few weeks to months. In fact,
| |
| | addressing the eight "S's" outlined
|
| without proper optimization of copy and
| |
| | above, your company will see a surefire
|
| source code, it's very unlikely you'll
| |
| | success, if implemented properly.
|
| ever be found at all. On the other hand,
| |
| | Knowledge is power, and profit, in the
|
| you can buy your way into listings via
| |
| | search engine marketing business. You can
|
| PPC in a week or less. The only downside
| |
| | even take Swahili classes with the extra
|
| is that your site will disappear as soon
| |
| | money you'll make.Kent Lewis, President,
|
| as you stop spending, and that popular
| |
| | Anvil Media, Inc.
|
| search phrases can be prohibitively
| |
| | With a background in integrated
|
| expensive.Simplicity
| |
| | marketing, Lewis left a public relations
|
| Dominating search results usually takes
| |
| | agency in 1996 to start his search engine
|
| significant resources. If you don't have
| |
| | marketing career. Since then, he has
|
| experienced, knowledgeable talent
| |
| | focused on helping clients solve business
|
| in-house, you need to consider one of two
| |
| | problems via the Internet. Lewis founded
|
| options: investing in your team's
| |
| | Anvil Media, Inc. in 2000 to help clients
|
| professional development by signing them
| |
| | enhance their Web site performance,
|
| up for industry newsletters and events,
| |
| | increase their visibility and generate
|
| or hiring a consulting firm that
| |
| | sales online. He was also Director of
|
| specializes in SEM services. Regardless
| |
| | Marketing and Business Development at
|
| of your choice, the bottom line is that
| |
| | goodguys.com, an online electronics
|
| your primary Web site should do all the
| |
| | retailer. Lewis is creator and
|
| heavy lifting. Using technology and
| |
| | Editor-in-Chief of Anvil, a free monthly
|
| trickery (i.e. IP spoofing and redirects)
| |
| | e-zine and is an adjunct professor at
|
| only get you in trouble with search
| |
| | Portland State University. He speaks
|
| engines. Make sure your Web site copy is
| |
| | regularly on emarketing-related topics at
|
| keyword-loaded and that your designers
| |
| | industry conferences like Search Engine
|
| minimize the use of Flash, frames and
| |
| | Strategies. Lewis sits on the board for
|
| dynamic URLs.Setup
| |
| | Portland Advertising Federation and is
|
| Before you bring in the big guns for SEM
| |
| | actively involved in local charitable
|
| activities, you and your marketing team
| |
| | organizations. He recently founded
|
| need to circle the wagons and figure out
| |
| | Anvil's Annual Get SMART Gala event to
|
| what you're trying to achieve. Develop
| |
| | raise awareness for children's literacy.
|
| SEM objectives based on your overall
| |
| | Lewis received Portland Business
|
| marketing and business goals. Determine
| |
| | Journal's Top 40 Under 40 Award in 2004.
|
| relevant metrics and goals to associate
| |
| |
|
