Is search engine marketing just like this 'new' wall plug? Just add it to your outlet and shazam! Five appliances work where only two did before. How does search marketing fit in with TV, radio and print advertising in your company?
Gord Hotchkiss of Enquiro says:
here's the reality of search marketing. Its one thing to say "you're doing search" internally and it's a totally different thing to have the searcher realize that "you're doing search".
Isn't the point of doing search to have the searcher find you? and therefore realize that you're doing search?
In his blog entry here, Gord emphasized a symptom experienced by a Tourism promotion department of a provincial government, something most often associated with big budgets. Here the joy of influencing eyeballs and feeling good about the brand awareness completely overshadows the statistical significance of the conversion capabilities of search. Buyer performs a search, clicks on link, becomes informed about product, purchases online and voila, a direct correlation to purchase is made.
While at 3Com (I introduced the company to search engine marketing in 2004), it was clear that the big budget projects of reaching out via direct mail, telephone followups and the like were more fun for some than the simple and real-time aspects of search engine marketing. Change comes hard for some. It's what they had always done.
So, how does search engine marketing fit in your marketing plan?
Peter Brockmann is President of Brockmann & Company, a communications industry consultant and researcher with over 20 years experience. Learn more at www.brockmann.com.
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