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