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."