Search Engine Marketing articles by the best and brightest in the field

• Five Top Tips on How to Write More-Effective PPC Adsby Nick Usborne
  Contextual ads, whether delivered by Google, Yahoo, or any other company, are not standalone ads in the way that a newspaper classified ad is. In fact, your pay-per-click ad is simply the connector between a desired keyword or phrase and a destination landing page. So while you may have some wonderful things to say about your products or services, your PPC ad is not the place to try to cram your latest sales message into 95 characters. more
• Use Search Queries to Save Money and Increase Conversionsby Craig Danuloff
  Search queries, the exact word or phrases a person types, are a vital clue into the objectives of the searcher and how valuable that person is to your business. Is each searcher relevant to you? Are all the search queries equally valuable? Can you write a single text ad that matches the intent of each of those queries and inspires searchers to click and convert? The answer, likely, is no. Yet, search queries don't play as prominent a role in paid-search management as they should, especially with Broad-match and Phrase-match campaigns. more
• Put Your Site Search to Work and Improve Your Targeted Marketing, Part 1by Shaun Ryan
  If you're like most online marketers, you may not realize that some of the technologies that power your website can be critical tools for improving the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. For example, did you know that you can use data from your site-search solution to create emails with lists of popular products that match your customers' preferences? The result: stronger brand visibility, higher conversions, and a more engaging customer experience. more
• Opportunity Rocks: Establishing Your Natural-Search Goalsby John Thielmann
  Measuring your natural-search performance is definitely a good idea. However, establishing goals for your natural-search program is what will help communicate direction for the program and serve as a guide for measuring overall success. The challenge lies in establishing realistic goals in an achievable timeframe. more
• Seven Tips for Marketing Events With Paid Searchby Brian Combs
  Marketing events with paid search campaigns can be a great source for additional traffic and, with these tips, can also be an efficient promotion channel. more
• Boost Your Site Traffic (Part 2): 10 Tips for Getting High-Quality Links and Visitorsby Kimberly Smith
  Linking strategy is about doing whatever it takes—buying, swapping, going after as many reciprocals as possible—to maximize your presence on the vast expanse that is the World Wide Web, all of which will ultimately lead to increased site traffic and improved search engine rank, right? Wrong. more
• Boost Your Site Traffic (Part 1): 10 SEO Tips for Higher Search Rankby Kimberly Smith
  Where can you get the best ROI in online media? The answer is simple: great search engine rankings. Learn what it takes to push your listing to the top of your category with these latest exclusive tips from search and linking strategists. more
• How You Lose Sales With Bad Search Marketing Decisions Based on 'Best-Practice' Web Analyticsby Todd Miechiels
  One of the most dangerous trends emerging is that B2B marketers, and their extended search-marketing resources, are regularly making bad decisions based on "solid analytics data." All too often, marketers are deciding to spend either more or less money based solely on the conversion rate of how a certain search phrase, ad creative, or banner ad performs: in other words, the percentage of people who visited the site and requested a whitepaper, a demo, etc. While conversion rate, in the context of an analytics report, is one way to measure the effectiveness a search phrase, it can be extremely misleading. more
• Code Blue: A First Aid Kit to Revive a Failing PPC Campaignby William Leake
  Perhaps your spending has spiraled out of control and your conversions haven't budged. Or, like many of us, maybe your performance is fine but your budgets have been slashed, forcing you to produce the same results with less spend. Before you scrap everything and start from scratch, pull out this trusty first-aid kit for PPC campaigns. more
• Usability and Findability—Getting the Synergy Rightby Stephan Spencer
  Finding the balance between search engine optimization (SEO) and a successful user experience can be a challenge. The two strategies can conflict, and companies may mistakenly favor one over the other. more
• Top 5 Legitimate SEO Techniques That Will Help Your Business Get Foundby Mike Volpe
  Gems of 2008: People have not stopped buying things, so how are they researching and purchasing products since they have made themselves immune to old marketing techniques like banner ads and direct mail? The answer is with search engines and Google. According to comScore, Americans conducted 11.5 billion searches in June 2008, and Google was used for 61.5% of those searches. This means it is essential that you make it easy for customers to find you, and one of the most effective ways to do so is search engine optimization (SEO), which focuses on getting your Web site listed in the unpaid, organic search engine results. more
• Using Differentiators in Keyphrases: What Every Search Engine Optimization Effort Should Doby Scott Buresh
  In search, you have a very short window of opportunity for engaging your prospect. The only way to get a solid competitive advantage in SEO is to use techniques that ensure you are giving a prospect exactly what he or she is looking for. Otherwise, your prospect will simply click the back button and visit one of your competitors—a process that takes mere seconds. more
• Five Paid-Search Best-Practicesby Jeannette Kocsis
  Most companies should be using paid search as a mandatory component of their marketing. And with search engine marketing spending expected to reach $25 billion by 2012, it's obvious that a good share of marketers understand its potential. But first, understanding best-practices is essential to success. more
• Top 5 Legitimate SEO Techniques That Will Help Your Business Get Foundby Mike Volpe
  It is essential that you make it easy for customers to find you, and one of the most effective ways to do so is search engine optimization, which focuses on getting your Web site listed in the unpaid, organic search engine results. How do you actually get your Web site ranked high in search engines? The answer is quite simple, but getting there can be a bit more difficult. more
• 10 High-Impact, Low-Budget Ideas for Marketing in a Down Economy (Part 1)by Jonathan Kranz
  When the going gets tough, the tough get... cheap. Today, a good marketing idea has to be as inexpensive as it is clever. In this first of a two-part series are five inexpensive suggestions that can lead to productive results. more
• Top 10 for Online Marketing Success in 2009by Aaron Kahlow
  Do you know what will ensure your web site's success in 2009? Here's the top 10 ideas for online marketing success this coming year... and beyond. more
• Top 10 Tips to Recession-Proof Your Lead-Generation PPC Campaignsby William Leake
  by William Leake more
• Don't Settle for Web Site Mediocrityby David A. Salinas
  A Web site has to accomplish only two basic things to deliver success for your business—and those two things are mission-critical. A successful Web site must be built from the ground up to attract and capture: first, the attention of your target audience and, second, the attention of the major search engines. more
• Has Your Telephone Become Your Sales Prevention System?by Todd Miechiels
  Is your company guilty of throwing dollars at campaigns to increase Web traffic, only to turn around and squander sales opportunities due to poor telephone and email handling? Make sure that your telephone system isn't preventing prospects from reaching out and touching someone at your company. As soon as you finish reading this article, pick up the phone and call your company's sales lines and test the process for yourself. more
• Direct-to-Consumer PR Reflects Power of Do-It-Yourselfby Gail Martin
  With the rise of search engines, Wi-Fi, and a Do-It-Yourself mindset, today's consumers are more empowered than ever before. They not only believe that they're entitled to information but also have unprecedented access to information on a global scale. An increasing number of consumers turn first to the Internet when they want to make a purchase—even if the product will be bought offline. That's why any PR strategy focused solely on media gatekeepers is missing a large piece of the market. While there's still value in sending your message via traditional media, more and more prospective customers are doing their own research online, bypassing newspaper, magazines, radio, and TV completely. Here are five tips for creating successful direct-to-consumer PR. more

Search Engine Marketing: See all 171 marketing articles

Search Engine Marketing case studies, deconstructing real life examples and illustrating lessons learned

• How a Single Modification to a Web Site's Functionality Significantly Upped Natural Search Traffic, SalesDiapers.com
  CASE STUDY: Customer reviews are powerful, held in high regard by consumers—and search engines, which love keyword-rich content. But the technology that serves up reviews on a product page makes them all but invisible to those engines. By getting around that conundrum, Diapers.com scored big. more
• How a Little Sweet Talkin' on a Company Blog Led to Increased Search Engine Rankings, SalesFairytale Brownies
  CASE STUDY: Fairytale Brownies cooked up a win-win strategy to satisfy both its bottom line and its costumers' preferences. It created magic with a brownie blog optimized for search and attuned to customers' deepest dessert desires. The result? Some very happy endings. more
• How a Video Podcast Series Garnered a Top Industry Award and 68,500 views in 12 MonthsTellabs
  Last spring, telecom player Tellabs launched its "Get Schooled" video-podcast series as both a way to communicate with customers as well as showcase the depth and breadth of its offerings. Get Schooled did that and more... generating tens of thousands of views, landing a coveted interview, and garnering an industry award. more
• A Niche E-tailer Sizes Up Glamour... One Customer at a Time, Boosting Sales with a Personalized Web Site ExperienceSydney's Closet
  Five years ago, Sydney's Closet sold only plus-size prom dresses. Since then, however, the company has significantly expanded its lines, and it sought to segment its customers to help deliver content and offers that would be specific to their interests and needs. Here's its approach. more
• How a University Embraced Social Media and Scored Millions in YouTube ViewsCarnegie Mellon University
  How does a university up its visibility with an increasingly wired target market of both students of alumni? By orchestrating a Web 2.0-focused Web site redesign that set the foundation for an ongoing social media campaign. more
• How an Online Business Increased Conversions (Sales) on Landing Pages by Up to 12%AutoAnything.com
  AutoAnything.com, which sells custom-made automotive accessories and performance parts, designed its homepage almost a decade ago. But as e-commerce has become more competitive, the site needed a strategy. After testing different versions of landing pages, AutoAnything.com increased landing-page conversions by up to 12%. more
• How a Marketing Consultant Significantly Increased His Client Base via Social MediaL&G Business Solutions
  Marketing executive and consultant Lewis Green wanted to re-establish his company in January 2004 after moving across the country. With no professional network in place, he figured the best way to promote his business would be a blog. His first attempt failed. But not his second. more
• How a Consultant's Internet Radio Show Led to New Business, New Sources of RevenueCRM Essentials LLC
  Atlanta management consultant Brent Leary launched a radio show in 2006 to help small and mid-sized businesses understand technology. It proved so popular that he evolved the show into a series of online podcasts, bringing new business and (ultimately) new revenue to his 15-year-old consulting business. more
• How Goodwill Attracted Hip Customers via Social Networking, a Virtual Fashion ShowGoodwill of Greater Washington
  Goodwill Industries receives generous donations of clothing, many in good shape and by popular brands, but is perceived as a purveyor of low-quality, outdated merchandise. With a social-media marketing campaign, the nonprofit was able to change that perception and connect with young professional women who buy vintage clothing. more
• How a Viral Campaign Gave OfficeMax Brand Recognition, Drove ShoppersOfficeMax, Inc.
  Office supply chain OfficeMax also sells digital cameras and other products popular as holiday gifts—but its customers didn't think of it as a holiday-shopping destination. What's more, it was often confused with its chief rival. A wildly popularly web-based viral marketing campaign helped OfficeMax distinguish itself and encourage shoppers. more
• How a Patient-Support Program Increased Therapy Participation 20%, Upped SalesActelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
  Tracleer won approval in 2001 as the first oral treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension, an illness difficult for patients to grasp. Tracleer helps patients control the symptoms, but it has drawbacks. Faced with high patient-dropout rates early on in treatment, the drug's maker needed to change patient perceptions. more
• How an Ice Cream Company Increased Revenue More Than 8% a Year With Low-Cost BlogsDenali Flavors
  Denali Flavors creates and licenses premium ice cream flavors for regional and store brands. Its most popular flavor is Moose Tracks, which is made by more than 80 dairies nationwide—but many consumers have have never heard of it. The company needed to generate awareness at a little cost. So it turned to (where else?) blogs. more
• How a Dental Office Attracted Clients Using SEO and Other Internet Marketing StrategiesSynergy Dental Center
  Synergy Dental Center of Portland, Oregon, wanted to increase its client base, which Dr. Anthony Newkirk had inherited from the previous practitioner in 2003. He hired a marketing firm to develop a client-acquisition strategy, with a goal of 25 new patients a month. Here's how the Internet-based campaign played out. more
• How a B2C Web Site's Landing-Page Tests Resulted in a 67% Jump in ConversionsBabyCenter
  The landing page for a top Web site's most popular search term converted about 30 percent less frequently than the company's general landing page. By simultaneously testing four new versions of the landing page, the site was able to ensure relevance, increasing conversions 67%—and decreasing abandonment rates. more
• How a Niche Web Site's 'Telechats' Increased Credibility, Visibility and Google PageRankTheSpiritedWoman.com
  Here's how a relatively new women's Web site gained attention—and more regular readers—at a low cost. Plus, its "telechats" with authors has helped distinguish it from other sites focused on empowering women. more
• How Siemens Medical Proved That a Landing Page with a Single, Compelling Offer Is More EffectiveSiemens Medical Solutions
  Siemens Medical Solutions wanted to elminate links that were secondary to the main offer on landing pages. But Marketing needed to prove its case to other departments. The approach? Test, test, test. more
• How an Office Furniture Company Tripled Its Sales by Optimizing for SearchPanel Systems Unlimited
  Office furniture dealer Panel Systems Unlimited found its sales lagging during an economic recession, and knew that it had to act quickly to position itself for the inevitable recovery. Partnering with Medium Blue Search Engine Marketing, it focused on upping its search engine exposure. The result: sales tripled. more
• How Garden Fresh Realized a Huge Gain in Web Traffic and Longer-Term Loyalty via EmailGarden Fresh Restaurant Corp.
  Garden Fresh Restaurants sought to increase customer engagement with its "Club Veg" loyalty club, totaling more than half a million opt-in members. Its two interactive email campaigns worked like a charm -- leading to huge increases in site traffic and boosting customer loyalty. more
• How an Online Trader Uses Social Networking to Increase Revenue, Earn Loyalty From ClientsTradeKing
  When it launched in late 2005, online broker TradeKing wanted a fresh voice that would attract investors and help it compete against larger brokers. It created an online community for likeminded traders seeking to share info and trading strategies; its members now make up about 5% of TradeKing users—but account for nearly 10% of revenue. TradeKing has also been voted top discount broker for the second consecutive year by SmartMoney. more
• How a Software Company Became a Marketing Partner By Adding Mobile DataSalesTrac, Inc.
  When the clients of SalesTrac, Inc., were looking for more in-depth consumer insight to determine the effectiveness of their promotional events, SalesTrac seized the opportunity to provide increased value through an all-in-one system that added survey management and real-time reporting of consumer feedback to its services. Check out the results. more

Search Engine Marketing: See all 30 case studies

Search Engine Marketing online seminar broadcasts from the best minds in marketing

• It's All About the Click: Fundamentals of Paid Search MarketingAttendee rating:  - Jun 4, 2009
• Search Engine Optimizing Your Website, Soup to NutsAttendee rating:  - Jan 15, 2009
• Link Building for Online Publicity, Buzz and SEO: What's New and What's Tried and TrueAttendee rating:  - Dec 18, 2008
• Advanced Tactics in SEO: Part Art, Part Science Attendee rating:  - Mar 27, 2008
• Customer Carewords: Words on the Web that Make the SaleAttendee rating:  - Dec 13, 2007
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for Really Big WebsitesAttendee rating:  - Jun 28, 2007
• Search Marketing Essentials for Online RetailersAttendee rating:  - Feb 8, 2007
• Getting Google to Love Your Website . . . AgainAttendee rating:  - Sep 28, 2006
• Advanced Topics in Paid Search MarketingAttendee rating:  - Mar 9, 2006
• Essentials of Paid Search MarketingAttendee rating:  - Mar 8, 2006
• Inside Secrets to Building Links for Online Publicity, Buzz and Search Engine OptimizationAttendee rating:  - Feb 16, 2006
• Google in the Real World: How Links Boost Your RankingAttendee rating:  - Nov 10, 2005
• Killer Search Engine Content: Create Web Content to Get on the First Page of Search ResultsAttendee rating:  - Mar 23, 2005
• Paid Search Advertising: Successful Campaigns Using Google and OvertureAttendee rating:  - Feb 3, 2005
• Search Engine Optimization: Maximize Your Natural Search ChannelAttendee rating:  - Nov 18, 2004

Search Engine Marketing: See all 15 seminars

Search Engine Marketing mini articles distilling bite-sized advice (from our Get to the Point newsletters)

• Where SEO Yin Meets SM YangSearch Engine Marketing
  "Is your website search- and social-media-friendly?" inquires a recent post at the Online Marketing Blog. According to Lee Odden, search is the most efficient and effective way for consumers to ...
• Is This My Fairest URL of All?Interactive Marketing
  As of June 13, Facebook has made it possible for users to secure a URL for both their profiles and any Facebook Pages they administer. Why this matters: Facebook is ...
• Optimize B2B Email for Search, Pt. IB2B Marketing
  "I get a fairly large number of content marketing emails each week," writes Galen de Young in a post at the B2B Marketing Blog. "I'm surprised how many of them ...
• Take a Deep Breath. Do a Brief Test.Search Engine Marketing
  "Do you know what attracts your readers? What headlines they respond to most? Do they respond to pictures? Do they know what your offer is?" asks Peter Da Vanzo in a recent SEObook.com ...
• Serving Up a Perfect SEO SandwichSearch Engine Marketing
  To make an in-house SEO effort successful, you must first gain buy-in from the three main "layers" in most large organizations: executives, management, and everyone else. So says Duane Forrester ...
• Be a Pocket MillionaireInteractive Marketing
  Right in time for the much-anticipated iPhone OS 3.0 Software Update debut on June 17, AdMob has introduced a slew of ad units that will help enterprising advertisers make the most ...
• Deciphering the Vendor Mating CallSearch Engine Marketing
  "Finding a good search engine marketing vendor is a bit like finding a compatible mate," writes Katie Deatsch in a recent Internet Retailer article. To be successful, marketers "first need ...
• Meet the SEO Royal FamilySearch Engine Marketing
  We all know that content is king in search engine optimization, but in a recent Search Engine Land post, Daniel Waisberg reminds us that "usability is queen." According to Waisberg, ...
• Seeing the Light on ConversionsHigh-Tech Mktg & Sales
  Getting the most out of your website? As a B2B marketer in the IT world, you likely have a key objective for your site: generating leads and moving prospects to ...
• Wow! Look Who Just Stopped by!B2B Marketing
  Careful: You just missed out on a great lead when you analyzed that B2B conversion rate. That's what Todd Michiels says, anyway, in a recent article at Miechiels.com. All too often, ...
• Basic Tips for Fighting Click FraudSearch Engine Marketing
  Click Forensics has released statistics for the first quarter of 2009 revealing that 13.8 percent of clicks are a result of fraudulent behavior. Although that figure is down from 17.1 ...
• Spend Less, Get MoreSearch Engine Marketing
  Sad fact: Even if you have an unlimited budget to spend on paid search, you may not always get the number of Google ad impressions you seek. Why? Because, no ...
• In Content (and Google) We TrustHigh-Tech Mktg & Sales
  Welcome to the inaugural issue of the High-Tech Marketing & Sales Get to the Po!nt newsletter from MarketingProfs. This once-a-week guide is specifically intended for marketing and sales staff in the high-tech ...
• Five Stages of the Purchase CycleSearch Engine Marketing
  Occasionally people may buy on impulse. Often, however, they go through a recognizable purchase cycle. "By targeting specific cycle stages, advertisers can increase relevancy by delivering appropriate messages at the ...
• Friends Help Friends Boost RankingsSearch Engine Marketing
  "I get by with a little help from my friends." The words of that old Beatles song could well be applied to today's search marketers. After all, there's nothing like a ...
• Have Goals, Can MeasureSearch Engine Marketing
  You closely monitor the results of your paid-search efforts. Shouldn't you do the same for your natural-search program? In a recent MarketingProfs article, Netconcepts' John Thielmann says measuring your natural search ...
• It's OK to Repeat YourselfSearch Engine Marketing
  The news is out: consumers are changing their buying—and search—habits. SearchIgnite reports that users are taking longer to make purchase decisions online: the average time between when they click on an ...
• Paid-Search PrescriptionSmall Business
  Is your paid-search campaign on life support? "Perhaps your spending has spiraled out of control and your conversions haven't budged," says William Leake in an article at MarketingProfs. "Or, like ...
• Try Analytics the Natural WaySearch Engine Marketing
  Let's face it. The Web analytics process can quickly turn complex and frustrating. But a recent post at Marketing Jive suggests it doesn't have to be that way—at least for ...
• Lead That Search Party!Interactive Marketing
  According to an iProspect and JupiterResearch study released last year, search users prefer "blended" search results—in which results are potpourried with videos and other media—over standard (slightly boring) text-only search ...

Search Engine Marketing: See all 66 quick reads

Search Engine Marketing marketing downloads for the busy professional

• Marketing Metrics How-To Guide
  Metrics is the guiding light of your marketing efforts. Without measurements, you're operating in the dark. Make sure you are tracking the right metrics, and get tips on interpreting the data with this comprehensive guide.
• Shopper's Handbook on Search Marketing Firms
  This is the go-to guide for all your Search Engine Optimization needs. Get a first-rate overview of all things related to how search engines fit into your marketing plan. This guide even tells you how to decide if you should not outsource your search engine optimization. But the best thing about this handbook is a comprehensive list of questions you should ask any potential SEO vendor, and tips as to what to look for in the answers. Very helpful. 45 pages.
• Paid Search Advertising Template
  If you're a little intimidated by the prospect of Paid Search Advertising, seriously, join the crowd. Here it is though -- a guiding light through the complex waters of Paid Search Advertising. We assembled a 30-page template to make learning and implementing a successful paid search advertising campaign for your firm as easy as possible.
• Using Google as a Research Tool
  This in-depth handbook will walk you through the ins and outs of using Google as a powerful resource for market research. In 27 easy-to-follow pages with a dozen screen shots, this PDF is a handy tool you will want to print and keep nearby as you learn to incorporate the new techniques into your search routines.
• SEO Summit - MP3
• SEO Summit 2005 - Transcript
  SEO Summit 2005 - Transcript
• SEO Summit – Transcript
  SEO Thought Leader Summit

Search Engine Marketing: See all 7 downloads

Search Engine Marketing Daily Chirp for the busy professional

• New Brain in Town
  There's a new thinker in town, and its name is Wolfram Alpha—a "computational knowledge engine." It can handle some complex searches, and it's quite different from how Google functions. more
• Google: New Media Meets Old Media
  Google has always been considered a giant in the online world—it's even been said it rules the Internet. But one medium it hasn't ventured into is television. Until now, that is. more