SEO and Paid Search Campaigns: Share the Data!

Here is more on the stance that companies should hire 1 vendor that can handle all 3 aspects of search (paid placement, paid inclusion and natural). There is also a little shot against the traditional agency who typically handles the paid placement and treats it like a media buy.


SEO and Paid Search Campaigns: Share the Data!:

"Companies often hire multiple vendors to manage SEM campaigns. One firm, often a traditional agency, manages the paid search advertising spend; another executes an SEO or site-side optimization campaign; and in some cases, a third firm manages paid inclusion feeds into Yahoo!'s OSMX program. There's nothing wrong with this strategy, except these companies often don't -- or won't -- share information."

Using Paid Search Engine Advertising for Better SEO Campaigns

Yet another article that indirectly supports the position that your search provider should not just do natural SEO but also have the ability to do paid placement and paid inclusion programs as well. There are so many key findings from one aspect of search that will another.

Using Paid Search Engine Advertising for Better SEO Campaigns:

"SEOs know most search engines display up to 70 characters from a page's HTML title tag in search results. Smart SEOs write title tags that contain targeted keyword phrases people type into search queries that are also a call to action (CTA), such as clicking on a link to the Web page. Accomplishing both goals in only 70 characters isn't always a simple task.
One site we're currently redesigning uses the words 'find' and 'search' throughout the site. These are great keywords not only in terms of optimization but also because they're CTAs.
We came up with two samples of title-tag content:

Find payroll accounting software from XYZ Company (48 characters)

Search for payroll accounting software from XYZ Company (55 characters)"

Yes, Virginia, There Is SEM Brand Lift, Part 1

I have been meaning to post this article for weeks and now that I am finally getting around to it, I have additional thoughts on Search as a branding tool.

The article talks about the branding lift a marketer can receive with paid placement search marketing. That is great news but there is a down side. Beware... Search is addicting! I have some clients who started doing business with my company with the objective of increasing traffic to the site and giving their brand increased awareness. When we reviewed the early results of the program, the client became obsessed with search's ability to do more than brand. This awareness and visibility campaign is now turning into e-commerce, which is fine but not the original intent.

Whatever makes the customer happy is fine with me...

Yes, Virginia, There Is SEM Brand Lift, Part 1:

"This week, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Search Engine Effectiveness Committee published a study on the brand lift of textual paid search results. The results will knock your Christmas stockings off. Search can cause brand lift to soar!"

MediaPost Advertising & Media Directory

This is becoming one of my favorite topics. I have accumulated tons of agency contacts over the last few years but am still reluctant to call on them simply because many of them just don't get it. Dana Todd is exactly right in her statement below. But why don't they get it? This is the part that baffles me. A recent IAB study told us that 40% of the interactive budget is going to paid placement search marketing. The agencies are famous for chasing the money so why are they not better at this.

My theory on why agencies don't get it is because this is dirty work. Any good SEM firm will tell you that they work their butts off and are accountable for results. Hard core accountable for results. Most agencies measure success not by actual results but rather by awareness or visibility or some other fluffy metric.

I do have a couple of agency clients and although this is self serving, they have made the decision that I am their SEM guy. They do their thing and I do mine. The end result is a successful campaign and a happy client.

MediaPost Advertising & Media Directory:

"Dana Todd, co-founder of SEM firm SiteLab, said that this out-of-place feeling gives agencies something of an inferiority complex when it comes to SEM and SEO. They want to feel like they hold dominion over the entire campaign, and that outside firms are mere facilitators of that process. But Todd argued the reality is that the agency gets in the way of a campaign by unconsciously trying to over-exert its authority. 'You can't control what you don't understand,' she said. "

Search, Bigger Means Smaller (B2B Relavant)

I thought the analogy to TV with all the cable channels is not a new one but still very possible. I have actually used this analogy myself when referring to the advertising networks accross the web. This marketplace is so far from maturity in my opinion.

The part of the article most interesting to me is the B2B piece. It drives me crazy when I hear B2B companies say things like, " We can't use the web to drive new business in our industry..." Well guess what Mr., be prepared for the day when a more forward thinking competitor comes by and eats your lunch!!!

Search%3A Bigger Means Smaller:

"By smaller I mean I see search fragmenting into specialized niches. Hypersearch growth is channeling into increasingly more specialty and niche search players and opportunities. Just as three TV networks can't satisfy advertiser demand for inventory, or their need to reach very targeted niche audiences, a small number of generalized search engines can't be all things to all advertisers' marketers' or users."

Behavioral Targeting Study Reveals CPM Lift

Everyone hates the pop up ads and rightfully so... they are annoying. But the pops served through companies that specialize in behavior targeting are producing fantastic results. Why? My answer is execution. Do it right and make the ad relevant and it will work.

Behavioral Targeting Study Reveals CPM Lift:

"Researchers at AOL's Advertising.com found a definitive link between behaviorally targeted online ads and click-through (CTR) and conversion rates. The study, comprising 500 million impressions, examined three separate ad campaigns with the results indicating that users were most responsive to ads that drew upon their online behavior. The company declined to divulge specifics about the advertisers or their business categories. "

Why Won't Local Search Carry Its Weight?

Local search may not be all that effective today based on the way people use search. However, isn't it conceivable that the way people search will change. One of the biggest arguements against local search is that local advertisers are not present. Many local companies will never embrace the web but there are many successful companies that do. I think it is a little too soon to rule this out or call it a failure.

Why Won't Local Search Carry Its Weight?:

"What can the engines do to make this market grow more quickly? They must make lots of changes. They have to build the local databases so I can find all the bike shops in my neighborhood. And they must find a way to drive offline leads to local advertisers."

Search Engine Friendly or Search Friendly?

I happen to agree with the author in particular article. The primary point I come away with here is that agencies have much more of an image focus rather than a focus on results. As a marketer, I do believe there is a happy medium. User experience is key and giving the user what the want in a few clicks as possible almost always yields the best results. Sites can have a very graphically pleasing site while still generating great ROI from their marketing efforts.

Search Engine Friendly or Search Friendly?:

"Search-friendly design doesn't only make Google, Yahoo, MSN Search and Teoma happy. Search-friendly design focuses on user experience. That's a win-win situation. Create a site where visitors can easily find what they're searching for before they arrive%2C via the spider-based search engines. And create a site where they can easily find information after they arrive. All on the same site."

Bringing Search Down to Earth

Here is an article written by a true agency guy. Although very bright and experienced, his comments on the search listing miss the boat completely in my opinion. If you read his article, he compares the impact of a creative message delivered through rich media to a 40 word search listing. Well of course the rich media will be more impactful than a search listing. But what he fails to recognize, or at least talk about, is the experience the user will have after clicking on the search listing. How would you compare the brand impact of a site visit to a content rich web page versus a rich media ad. Add in that the user is actually looking for your brand. In my mind, this is a typical agency reaction and supports a recent post on how agencies view search marketing. It is not a media buy!!!!!

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."

Should Agencies Do SEM Themselves

Most of the postings on my Blog have been clips from articles I thought my clients would like to read.  As a slight change of pace, I’d like to share my thoughts on a topic that I feel strongly about. 
 
I’d like to give you some background on this topic before I appear to sound off against ad agencies.  In my prior career, I sold an ad serving technology primarily to traditional and interactive agencies.  As I trained these agencies on how to leverage the technology, I became increasingly frustrated with their lack of interest or desire to implement best practices for campaign optimization.  What I learned was that the agencies just didn’t have the resources necessary to effectively monitor and optimize these campaigns.
 
Fortunately for me, I have moved on to a company that manages interactive marketing campaigns for our clients.  So now I can see things from the agency perspective but the difference is that my company actually works hard to optimize and manage our client’s interactive campaigns.  This happens to be one of the major reasons why we have done so well for our clients in the search engine marketing space. 
 
OK, so what’s my point?  If you are following the industry news, you will be aware that paid placement search marketing is growing at an amazing pace.  The IAB has recently announced that as much as 40% of the interactive budgets are being spent on paid placement.  So who is going to plan, implement and optimize these campaigns?  Yes, the ad agency, and the worst part is that are going to treat it like an ordinary media buy.  “Hey Google, here is $60K, buy some keywords for me will ya!” For those of you lucky enough to be on the inside of the Google IPO, that is just fine with you.  But for the rest of us, that just won’t cut it.  Want to know the worst part?  Compared to other interactive advertising previously provided by this agency, this search campaign will still do well.  That is the power of search. 
 
What the advertiser will never know is just how good this campaign could have been.  At some point, like all other online advertising vehicles, the competition will catch up and if you want to be successful, you’ll have to do it right.
 
So here is my plea to the agencies.  Please don’t try and do this internally.  This is not banner advertising.   This is not buying the first position on Google regardless of price.  This is not about writing a few generic titles & descriptions and using them for 2000 keywords.  Paid placement search engine marketing is about doing the dirty work.  It is about daily ROI tracking and being so in tune with your client’s marketing objectives that you know exactly how to bid on keywords.  Paid placement search engine marketing requires technology, expertise, market intelligence and most of all; it takes a commitment to truly be successful.  Most agencies are just not set up to do this right.  It is time to find a partner and make them an extension of your agency.  Don’t be tempted to get in this game.  You will protect the ownership of your client by making sure that this critical piece of the interactive mix is cared for properly.  If you embrace this relationship with your SEM partner, the rest of your campaign will benefit as well.  The independent research shows that all interactive programs need to compliment each other. 
 
Thank you for reading and I truly hope you comment on my thoughts.  APZ

Affiliate Marketing and SEM Revisited

I encourage you to read through this article. My company is currently doing SEM as an affiliate for a major brand and the working relationship is fantastic. We share critical information to make sure that the brand is protected by their agency and that our campaign is a success with the end result being a big win for the client. Bottom line... it can be done.

Affiliate Marketing and SEM Revisited:

"In the first round of interviews, I discovered all my initial assumptions were wrong. My position was if you ran an affiliate marketing program, you should prohibit your affiliate network from engaging in any paid search advertising. It would drive up bid prices. You'd end up competing with yourself, effectively, for a finite number of paid search positions on a finite universe of keywords. What I learned convinced me I was wrong. To review, the merchants I interviewed taught me three things:
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."

The Bricks-and-Mortar Edge in SEM

I have started to see the offline impact of a search campaign. Clients with multiple ways to interact with thier customer have a huge advantage on the web and especially when their product has a longer sales cycle such as a large dollar purchase, a financial product and especially a B2B sales.

Are you set up to handle offline business from your search campaign?


The Bricks-and-Mortar Edge in SEM: "Do traditional businesses that use SEM in all the right ways have an edge over pure-play Internet businesses? A brick-and-mortar merchant very possibly has a killer advantage if we consider buyer behavior. Paid-placement SEM may be tailor-made for multi-channel retailers and businesses with both on- and offline presences.
For almost every e-commerce business you can think of, each customer has a preferred way to interact with that business, even if the merchant has several options available. Multi-channel marketers didn't evolve to become leaders in their industries by accident; they listened to their customers' needs and reacted with flexible ways of doing business. By providing catalog, phone, Web, and store access, for example, JC Penney came back from nowhere to become a major online retailing force. Some Internet pure plays now mail catalogs to their best customers. They've evolved into multi-channel marketers."

Local and Regional Search: A Primer

Here is an article on the developments of local search.

Local search is steadily improving, but who should use it? My dilemma revolves around the size of my clients. Many of them are just launching national campaigns which is primarily a result of their size. However, I do see my company taking the campaigns to another level and rolling out local search. Still a lot to be determined but it is great to see this continue to develop.

Do you think your company could leverage local search? Please give me your thoughts...


Local and Regional Search: A Primer:

"Recently, many IYPs embraced the auction-style pay-per-click (PPC) search listings. A sample of major players includes:
Verizon SuperPages. SuperPages listings are purchased from Verizon and powered by customized FindWhat.com technology. The tiered results are syndicated to other portals, including MSN, but the PPC listings are not.


Switchboard.com. Switchboard.com (recently acquired by InfoSpace) sells listings directly by category. It's partnered with Google to show relevant ads to searchers. However, my tests indicate the Google ads shown aren't locally targeted based on search query but instead are national directories for the category searched.


Yahoo! Yellow Pages. The Yahoo Yellow Pages uses a tiered approach. Monthly fees are based on the tier and category. Yahoo's yellow pages don't (yet) use Overture's local targeting or paid placement results.


YellowPages.com. This service sells listings directly by category and is partnered with ePilot.com (Interchange Corporation) to show relevant ads to searchers.


YP.com. Like Switchboard.com, it sells listings directly by category and is partnered with Google to show relevant ads to searchers. I did see more instances of geotargeted Google results at YP.com."

Microsoft $100m search push

So we already know that Microsoft wants to be a big deal in search. The key piece of this that I believe is more significant is the part about Yahoo's paid inclusion. Not only is it not going away... I believe we are still just scratching the surface of it.

Anyway, would greatly appreciate your thoughts.

This is the entire article so there is no link.


Microsoft makes $100 million search push

By Richard Karpinski

In a move that echoes back to its aggressive takeover of the Web browser market, Microsoft Corp. in late June began testing a significantly enhanced version of its own search service and pledged to invest $100 million to push it to the top of the search industry heap.

The question for currently dominant search engines—especially market leaders Google and Yahoo!—is whether Microsoft can overtake their lead in much the same way as it gobbled up Netscape’s lead in the browser market in just a few short years.

Analysts note Microsoft has a significant, but not insurmountable, hill to climb. As of February of this year, 30% t of Web searches were performed on Google, 28% on Yahoo! and just 15% on Microsoft’s MSN. Unlike the browser market—where standardization actually helped push the Web to the next plateau—advertisers like having multiple search vendors. So while market share fortunes may change, it is unlikely any of the big three search companies will disappear as did Netscape.

The upgrades to MSN include a new MSN Search home page (search.msn.com) that among other enhancements better integrates MSN services such as Expedia (travel) and Encarta (online encyclopedia).

Perhaps the most notable change from a b-to-b perspective was the decision to more clearly separate algorithmic search results (still delivered by Yahoo!) from paid results links. Microsoft also chose to do away altogether with Yahoo!-enabled paid inclusion, wherein advertisers pay to be in the main search results. Analysts estimate the decision could, at least in the short term, cost Microsoft $50 million or more annually in search revenue.

Microsoft said it hasn’t made a final decision on paid inclusion and will continue to evaluate consumer response. The move may have less to do with Microsoft’s aversion to paid inclusion in the long term than in the phasing out of its dependence on third-parties such as Yahoo! for crucial search tools, according to Jupiter Research analyst Gary Stein. In a blog posting, Stein characterized Microsoft’s move on paid inclusion as "a recapture of control, and a moving away from partner-reliance," adding that industrywide, "I don't think paid inclusion will go away."

Microsoft said it would invest more than $100 million to upgrade its search capabilities over the next year, including rolling out its own algorithmic search technology. It has already delivered a test version of the technology, which will eventually compete head to head with search technology from Google and Yahoo!

Search: A Brand Campaign Tool?

Finally, someone realizing that search engines can be a branding vehicle. I would greatly appreciate other view points on this. Enjoy the article...

Search: A Brand Campaign Tool?:

"The current argument is search has branding value. Some publishers and core search agencies push this thought to ensure they participate in the current surge of major brand marketers converting TV dollars to online efforts. I applaud their salesmanship. But this thinking seems to put the cart before the horse. Just because a client is reallocating its media mix to better reach its target doesn't mean a good set of keywords will help replace a few gross rating points (GRPs).
Does a client's name or product name in a search box constitute a 'brand moment'? On some level, everything we do for a client supports the brand, even direct response efforts such as search. But it's degree and level of connection, large or small, varies by tactic. So, yes, search does affect a brand. Question is: How much?"

SEM Firms: Search Engine Friend or Foe?

I am still amazed at how many companies are willing to trust the search companies with their budgets as opposed to hiring an agency or firm. Money is tight, still... but of all the places to cut cost, that is not one of them. OK, so I'm biased but it really does make sense. This article hits a few of the key points.

SEM Firms: Search Engine Friend or Foe?:

"Case Study: Yahoo!
Although this case study doesn't involve PPC search engine advertising at Yahoo, it does involve keyword purchases. Specifically, it involves banner advertising campaigns rather than text ads.
Yahoo came out with a new feature. When we contacted our client about it, we learned an overzealous Yahoo sales rep had already contacted this client... before the news was released to the general public. Needless to say, it was embarrassing to us as long-term Yahoo supporters. We had to do damage control because clearly the sales rep wanted to steal our client.

Fortunately, we kept the client. Here's why:

Though search engine sales reps have search data SEMs don't, they aren't always the most knowledgeable search experts. A newbie sales rep's knowledge is no match against a search engine marketer who's analyzed user behavior and tested for years.

The search engine sales rep is devoted to the search engine, not the advertiser. Search engines make money every time a user clicks on an ad. Therefore (understandably), their reps encourage as many clicks as possible.

Search engine marketers focus on conversions, not clicks. At least, the good ones do. An ad can receive lots of clicks but have a low conversion rate. Or, it can receive few clicks and enjoy high conversions.
In this instance, the Yahoo rep wasn't a graphic designer; she couldn't design banners. Thanks to her lack of search experience (she was a newbie), Web analytics and behavior tracking experience, and graphic design skills, we were able to keep our client.

But we no longer trust that rep. We switched to a Yahoo rep in a different state, one we find more trustworthy.

The moral? When we found a sales rep to work with us rather than against us"

Portfolio PPC Campaign Management, Part 2

Much of this article states a few obvious facts about ROI. Once you get through it, the rest talks about taking you search campaign to a higher ROI. Many of the companies I meet with make the mistake of summarizing the results of their campaign. In other words, if their entire campaign has a positive ROI, that is good enough. Few companies really work hard at finding an optimal ROI for each specific keyword.

Portfolio PPC Campaign Management, Part 2:

"Failure to achieve optimal profit levels is portfolio-style campaign management's greatest risk. Unfortunately, too many agencies, internal campaign managers, even search engine reps don't understand the best portfolio has each keyword listing at its optimal ROI all the time. Campaign managers unaware of best practices often allow some keywords to cross into negative profit. Ouch! To add insult to injury, performance reports hide the negative profit in a successful average ROI metric. If you can't see the individual results of a campaign at the most granular level, you'll never know the real deal.
Another common failure occurs when you use the same short-term ROI metric (CPO, CPA, or ROAS) for the entire campaign to simplify it. Don't oversimplify your business."

Yahoo! Reawakens the Paid Inclusion Debate

Interesting article on paid inclusion. Naturally, Google doesn't like it yet Yahoo finds it incredibly valuable to the user. Regardless, if you are going to market via search engines, you can not ignore this channel. The costs are low, the content is relevant and the results work. Marketers across the board are seeing great ROI from Paid Inclusion.

Yahoo! Reawakens the Paid Inclusion Debate

Is Your Search Marketing Campaign Lopsided?

Good article on what type of demographics click on natural vs. paid listings.



Is Your Search Marketing Campaign Lopsided?:


Women find paid search advertisements more relevant than men. Of female respondents, 43.1 percent choose a paid search advertisement, where just 34.6 percent of men click on a search ad when asked to choose the most relevant search result to a sample query.
If your products or services target a female demographic and the majority of your traffic and conversions come from 'natural' search results, you may miss a significant opportunity by failing to buy search ads. According to Jupiter Research, site categories most visited by women include personal care, cosmetics, home fashion and toys.
Marketers competing in these online markets would be wise to begin testing a paid search advertising program and devoting more resources to Overture and Google AdWords campaigns to attract some of that missed audience."

When to Kill a Keyword Listing

When to Kill a Keyword Listing:

"Imagine you trade stocks on margin. You'd never buy stock on margin if you weren't convinced transaction earnings would exceed your margin interest. Similarly, some keywords deliver revenue, but at a cost higher than you're willing to pay. Poorly managed listings also have a good chance of resulting in a loss. These dog keyword listings don't belong in your portfolio."

This is just a small clip of the article but it really nails my personal belief on how to run an effective paid placement program. If you manage your entire keyword list based on how it performs collectively, all you are doing is taking the easy way out. With statistical data available real time on a keyword basis, why not have every keyword in your program set at the level of positive ROI. OK, I'll buy the time issue... wait, no I won't!!! There are plenty of other choices. When you chose a financial planner, you must weigh the cost vs. benefit of their expertise. If it will result in an overall greater ROI, then you hire him. But how do you know what the results will be.

Time to take the plunge and get some help!!!