The Google AdWords blog announced Quality Score improvements.

Google will replace their static per-keyword Quality Scores with a system that will evaluate an ad’s quality each time it matches a search query. This way, AdWords will use the most accurate, specific, and up-to-date performance information when determining whether an ad should be displayed. Your ads will be more likely to show when they’re relevant and less likely to show when they’re not.

Google will no longer mark search ads as “inactive for search.” The new per-query evaluation of Quality Score affects you in that keywords will no longer appear as ‘inactive for search’ in your account. Instead, all keywords will have the chance to show ads on Google web search and the search network (unless you’ve paused or deleted them). Keep in mind, however, that keywords previously marked ‘inactive for search’ are not likely to accrue a great deal of traffic following this change. This is because their combined per-query Quality Score and bid probably isn’t high enough to gain competitive placement.

Google has removed the “minimum bid” metric and replaced it with “first page bid”. As a result of migrating to per-query Quality Score, Google is no longer showing minimum bids in your account. Instead, Google is replacing minimum bids with a new, more meaningful metric: first page bids. First page bids are an estimate of the bid it would take for your ad to reach the first page of search results on Google web search. They’re based on the exact match version of the keyword, the ad’s Quality Score, and current advertiser competition on that keyword.

For the full Google blog post, visit adwords.blogspot.com

If you have additional questions, you may want to check out the FAQs on this topic or ask your question in the AdWords Group.

TV Widgets will enable consumers to engage in a variety of experiences, such as watching videos, tracking their favorite stocks or sports teams, interacting with friends, or staying current on news and information. Viewers will be able to use TV Widgets to deepen their enjoyment of the programming they are watching, discover new content and services, or share their favorites with friends and family.

TV Widgets Bring “Best of the Internet” Experience to Complement TV Viewing

INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 20, 2008 – Intel Corporation and Yahoo! Inc. today previewed plans for the Widget Channel, a television (TV) application framework optimized for TV and related consumer electronics (CE) devices that use the Intel Architecture. The Widget Channel will allow consumers to enjoy rich Internet applications designed for the TV while watching their favorite TV programs. The Widget Channel will be powered by the Yahoo! Widget Engine, a fifth-generation applications platform that will enable TV watchers to interact with and enjoy a rich set of “TV Widgets,” or small Internet applications designed to complement and enhance the traditional TV watching experience and bring content, information and community features available on the Internet within easy reach of the remote control. The Widget Channel will also allow developers to use JAVASCRIPT®, XML*, HTML* and Adobe Flash® technology to write TV applications for the platform, extending the power and compatibility of PC application developer programs to TV and related CE devices. In addition to supporting the Yahoo! Widget Engine, Yahoo! will also provide consumers Yahoo!-branded TV Widgets that are customized based on its category-leading Internet services.

TV Widgets will enable consumers to engage in a variety of experiences, such as watching videos, tracking their favorite stocks or sports teams, interacting with friends, or staying current on news and information. Viewers will be able to use TV Widgets to deepen their enjoyment of the programming they are watching, discover new content and services, or share their favorites with friends and family. TV Widgets can be personalized because they will be based upon popular Internet services such as Yahoo! Finance, Yahoo! Sports, Blockbuster® and eBay® that viewers have customized for use in their daily lives.

“TV will fundamentally change how we talk about, imagine and experience the Internet,” said Eric Kim, Intel senior vice president and general manager of the company’s Digital Home Group. “No longer just a passive experience unless the viewer wants it that way, Intel and Yahoo! are proposing a way where the TV and Internet are as interactive, and seamless, as possible. Our close work has produced an exciting application framework upon which the industry can collaborate, innovate and differentiate. This effort is one of what we believe will be many exciting new ways to bring the Internet to the TV, and it really shows the potential of what consumers can look forward to.”

“On the PC and mobile devices, Yahoo! is a leading starting point for millions of consumers around the world,” said Marco Boerries, executive vice president, Connected Life, Yahoo! Inc. “Yahoo! aims to extend this leadership to the emerging world of Internet-connected TV, which we call the Cinematic Internet™. By partnering with leaders like Intel, we plan to combine the Internet benefits of open user choice, community, and personalization with the performance and scale embodied in the Intel Architecture to transform traditional TV into something bigger, better and more exciting than ever before. By using the popular Yahoo! Widget Engine to power the Widget Channel, we intend to provide an opportunity for all developers and publishers to create new experiences that can reach millions of TV viewers globally. Yahoo! plans to enable the Cinematic Internet™ ecosystem, which will benefit consumers, device makers, advertisers and publishers.”

Widget Channel Framework and TV Widget Developers
Underlying the Widget Channel will be a powerful set of platform technologies, including the Yahoo! Widget Engine and core libraries that expose the powerful functions enabled by the Intel Architecture. The Widget Channel framework will use established Internet technologies to dramatically lower the barrier of entry for developing applications optimized for TV. To help create new TV Widgets for the Widget Channel, Intel and Yahoo! plan to make a development kit available to developers, including TV and other CE device makers, advertisers and publishers. The Widget Channel will also include a Widget Gallery, to which developers can publish their TV Widgets across multiple TV and related CE devices and through which consumers can view and select the TV Widgets they would like to use.

Intel and Yahoo! are working with a range of industry-leading companies that are planning on developing and deploying TV Widgets, including Blockbuster*, CBS Interactive*, CinemaNow*, Cinequest*, Disney-ABC Television Group*, eBay*, GE*, Group M*, Joost*, MTV*, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.*, Schematic*, Showtime*, Toshiba* and Twitter*. These and other companies and individuals will be able to innovate, differentiate and deploy TV Widgets across multiple TV and related CE devices using the Widget Channel framework. Additional information on the Widget Channel framework and the Yahoo! Widget Engine can be found at www.intel.com/go/celink and http://connectedtv.yahoo.com/newsroom.

Intel Architecture
Intel Architecture (IA) is at the heart of millions of PC-, MID- and server-based Internet clients, which has helped enable the proliferation of Internet-based content and services while providing users with an uncompromised Internet experience. Accelerating the delivery of the Internet to the TV, Intel today extended performance, headroom and connectivity of IA into a new family of “purpose built” system-on-chip (SoC) media processors for Internet-connected CE devices, including optical media players, U.S. cable set-top-boxes, digital TVs and other connected audio visual products.

Intel’s first CE IA-based SoC, the Intel® Media Processor CE 3100 (formerly “Canmore”), is a highly integrated chip which includes a high-performance IA core and other functional I/O blocks to enable high definition video decode and viewing, home-theater-quality audio, 3-D graphics, and the fusion of the Internet and TV experiences. The Widget Channel software framework is designed to work with a new generation of Internet-connected CE devices based on Intel’s purpose built SoC. The hardware and software compatibility of IA also provides support for broadcast and Internet content.

Intel also plans to release the Intel Media Processor CE 3100-based hardware development system called the “Innovation Platform” which will provide the initial development and validation environment for developers of TV Widgets on the Widget Channel.

An Open Framework
Finally, Intel and Yahoo! are working with industry members to promote the development of open and consistent standards necessary to grow the TV Widget ecosystem. As part of their efforts, the companies are sharing an early version of a development kit for the Widget Channel with selected TV Widget developers now.

About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and http://blogs.intel.com.

About Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO) is a leading global Internet brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo! is focused on powering its communities of users, advertisers, publishers, and developers by creating indispensable experiences built on trust. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information about Yahoo!, visit pressroom.yahoo.com.

Intel and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. Yahoo!, the Yahoo! logo and Cinematic Internet are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Yahoo!.
*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

Forward Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties concerning the Widget Channel and the Yahoo! Widget Engine (including without limitation the statements contained in the quotations from management in this press release), as well as Yahoo!’s strategic and operational plans. Actual events or results may differ materially from those described in this press release due to a number of risks and uncertainties. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, the possibility that the expected or planned further implementations of the Widget Channel and the Yahoo! Widget Engine described may be delayed, may not ultimately be implemented, or if implemented may not be successful; consumers may not accept or respond as positively to the Widget Channel and the Yahoo! Widget Engine as anticipated; and competitors may offer similar competing services. More information about potential factors that could affect Yahoo!’s business and financial results is included under the captions, “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” in Yahoo!’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, as amended, which is on file with the SEC and available at the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov.

Supporting Industry Quotes (Alphabetical Order):
“A growing number of consumers today are looking to have entertainment at their fingertips,” said Keith Morrow, Blockbuster Chief Information Officer. “The idea of delivering our growing library of digital content to consumers directly to their TVs with the Widget Channel is very exciting. The interface is simple to use and would make it easy for consumers to access movies and other entertainment from Blockbuster. This concept fits perfectly with our strategy of providing convenient access to media entertainment across a multi-channel distribution platform.”

“From Star Trek to sporting events to breaking news, CBS Interactive delivers information and entertainment consumers want – when and wherever they want it,” said Anthony Soohoo, Senior Vice President & GM, Entertainment, CBS Interactive. “There has been a lot of talk about bringing interactive Internet content to the television, but none of the approaches can match the ease of use, flexibility and level of customization of the Widget Channel framework. Working with Intel and other industry leaders on this open platform, we are happy to be pioneering a new way to provide interactive content and entertainment to consumers.”

“As online entertainment continues to grow in popularity, we still see consumers struggle with how to manage their content once it’s been acquired,” said David Cook, president and COO of CinemaNow. “The new Widget Channel framework will provide an easy, yet rich experience for consumers to access Internet-delivered entertainment on their TVs. At the same time, it also offers a new way to distribute digital content to the latest devices, making it even more accessible to consumers.”

“Cinequest is all about connecting people with their passion for independent, maverick films,” said Halfdan Hussey, co-founder & executive director, Cinequest, Inc. “We see an amazing opportunity in the Widget Channel to not only distribute film favorites from the world’s top festivals, but to elevate our digital delivery through the framework’s sophisticated, yet easy to use interface. Now, films that faced extinction after their festival debut will have a new, innovative and enjoyable way to connect with audiences which we are eager to pioneer.”

“We believe an open platform that delivers interactive TV applications will be a key driver for our industry over the next several years,” said Albert Cheng, Executive Vice President, Digital Media, Disney-ABC Television Group. “As the leading provider of interactive advertising online with the ABC.com full-episode player, we’re excited about the possibilities that the Widget Channel platform offers. It provides a broad canvas which allows content and entertainment providers such as ABC to develop interactive applications around TV content and gives advertisers new and unique ways to deliver their messages, while bringing consumers an intuitive new way to enjoy TV.”

“eBay is proud to work with both Intel and Yahoo! by creating a TV Widget based on the Yahoo! Widget Engine for the Widget Channel. The eBay TV Widget enables users to search, browse, monitor real-time eBay activity and bid on listings from their TV’s. As part of our eBay Anywhere strategy, enabling users to access eBay content through their TV is an exciting new way to keep our users engaged,” said Matt Ackley, VP of Internet Marketing of eBay. “eBay is happy to participate in the announcement of TV Widgets and the Widget Channel and we are excited to partner with Intel and Yahoo!”

“Intel’s new Widget Channel framework promises to provide a powerful new way to bring the Internet and TV together and enable new interactive services for the home” said John Garrity, RF and Photonics Manager, Electronics & Energy Conservation, GE Research. “GE Research is pleased to announce our collaboration with Intel to develop a home energy management capability for this exciting new platform which has the promise to provide solutions for reduced energy consumption as well as a means to provide intelligent demand response.”

“As the market leader in media investment management, we have an obligation to drive innovation and shape the industry. Our strategic partnership with Intel will serve to catalyze the development of advanced advertising solutions for the benefit of our clients and industry stake holders,” said Irwin Gotlieb, CEO, Group M.

“We fully support open initiatives such as the Widget Channel that bring enhanced personalized content to consumers,” said Nick Chakalos, senior director, strategy and business development at Motorola’s Home and Networks Mobility business. “We look forward to the creation of an industry standard development framework which will help accelerate the deployment of this new class of services on a wide cross section of CE devices.”

“Through its platforms and partnerships, MTV Networks strives to give audiences unparalleled interactivity with its content, and the introduction of TV widgets for MTV, VH1, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon further that goal,” said Alice Kim, Senior Vice President of Digital Distribution and Partner Relations, MTV Networks. “By partnering with Intel and Yahoo! on the Widget Channel, we’re bringing the online experience to the television screen, and giving our fans an entirely new way to enjoy our content.”

“Bringing the Internet experience to the television will deliver amazing new services to consumers,” said Mr. Kevin Kim, Vice President of Marketing, Samsung Electronics Telecommunications System Division. “With the new CE SoC Intel media processor and Widget Channel framework, consumer electronics and service providers can create closer bonds with their subscribers by delivering a new experience to that allows them to easily enjoy, share and access Internet content through their TV.”

“Merging the very different user experience of the Internet with that of the TV is no small task. Making that experience an easy to use, entertaining and memorable experience is an even greater one,” said Eric Breitbard, Senior Vice President and Group Director for Schematic. “The Widget Channel platform is a very impressive user interface for both developers who want a flexibility and speed to market, but it also provides consumers with a memorable, unique approach to enjoying Internet content and entertainment on their TV. It is great to be a part of the dawn of a new era for the TV - as we believe Widget Channel will change the way consumers see their televisions.”

“Showtime is always looking for ways to bring new and exciting content to our subscribers,” stated Robert Hayes, SVP and GM, Digital Media for Showtime Networks. “We are eager to work with Yahoo! and Intel to extend our web content using TV Widgets and the Widget Channel. Showtime plans to offer viewers web content around their favorite original programming including Weeds, Dexter and The Tudors. TV Widgets allow Showtime a simple and powerful way to engage users more deeply in the TV programs they enjoy.”

“Intel and Yahoo! are helping us realize the potential ubiquity of our simple utility by bringing Twitter to the television through a TV Widget,” said Biz Stone, Co-founder of Twitter. “Transforming television into an interactive device for sharing real-time updates among friends, family, and other trusted sources is an exciting prospect that extends Twitter’s reach into an important arena.”

Admit it. You know you’ve thought about it. Yet you hesitate. Chances are, you’re probably conflicted, wondering if it’s morally right, or if you really want to “go there” – even if it is legal. Well, you’re not alone. Many search marketers grapple with this decision at one time or another. The issue? Bidding on competitors’ branded terms.

Your hesitancy is both understandable and prudent as this is an important decision. However, it has far less to do with morals than pure business principals. In fact, it should be based on the same standards you measure everything else with: value, risk, and timing. Gaining an understanding of each may help you decide if bidding on your competitors’ branded terms makes sense for you.

The value

For the most part, bidding on competitors’ branded terms offers one key advantage: higher conversions. How so? When users search on branded terms, they are typically at or near the end of their purchase decision process. Consequently, these branded terms tend to have a significantly higher conversion rate than non-branded terms.

To get he full story, visit searchengineland.com

Think of them as digital water coolers—surrounded by thousands of workers engaged in serious business conversations.

Do business and socializing mix?

Apparently so. As the number of business users of social networks continues to increase, advertising expenditures will rise, too. In the US this year, advertisers will spend $40 million to reach a business audience on online social networks, and that is just the beginning. According to eMarketer projections, that ad spending will reach $210 million in 2012.

“As compelling as the ad growth is, marketers will spend far more over the next few years to create and manage their own social networks for business customers, partners, suppliers and vendors,” says Debra Aho Williamson, senior analyst at eMarketer and author of the new report, B2B Marketing on Social Networks: Engaging the Business Audience. “These business networks will serve a range of purposes, from improving customer communication and collaboration to aiding product development.”

A clear sign of the revolution in business thinking and behavior is the popularity of LinkedIn—the most widely known professional social network—where the audience has more than doubled in the past year, and the rise of additional business-oriented networks, including a raft of networks aimed at verticals.

Get the full story at eMarketer

To find out more about eMarketer report ‘B2B Marketing on Social Networks: Engaging the Business Audience’, click here

Jill Whalen describes 6 common website mistakes that prevents the website from reaching its full potential with the search engines. In other words, as long as these problems exist, you are not going to be able to gain all the targeted search engine traffic that you could be.

To put it into terms that anyone can relate to - the company is basically losing money every day they don’t fix their website.

Here are 6 common website mistakes that could be costing you money:

1. JavaScript or other crawler-unfriendly navigation that may impede indexing. Most newer sites don’t have this problem, but there’s almost always at least 1 site we review in every class that has its main navigation pretty much invisible to the search engines. If your navigation basically doesn’t exist as far as Google is concerned, then it’s very difficult to get all of the pages of your website indexed.

2. Navigation that buries important pages within the site architecture. The deeper that pages are buried within the website, the less importance they are given. For SEO, as well as usability purposes, it’s often helpful to showcase important sections of the website up an additional level in the site’s hierarchy. This can usually be achieved via a search-friendly CSS mouse-over menu.

To get the full story, visit searchengineland.com

One of the most frequently asked questions we get while speaking on social media marketing at conferences is “how can something boring be successful in social media?

Well there is really no product, service, or topic that cannot be successful in social media marketing if you are willing to be creative. To prove the point I have found four really boring products that rocked in social media.

Blenders
Outside of a few geeky modification articles, there was not a whole lot that had been done with the household blender in social media. That was until “Will It Blend” videos ripped onto the scene.

Blendtec, a blender company, had been putting their blenders through some extreme tests to validate the quality and durability. One employee was impressed by the tests and decided to video tape a few different test and put them on the internet.

The result was one of the most viral campaigns to date. Later a “Will It Blend” website was created and they have been blending just about every new gadget that comes out on the market continuing to stay fresh and with the current trends.

Get the full story at searchengineland.com

The dynamics of an acquisition campaign are fairly simple. You bid on keywords, users click on your ads, and then do one of the following: complete a call to action, become a lead, make a purchase, or move on. Given that, it’s fairly easy to define success and justify the spend, whether it’s click through rates, cost per clicks, cost per leads, or return on ad spend. However, when you use paid search for branding, things are not so straightforward.

Sure, you give users more freedom to interact with your site. However, it comes with a price: inability to track pure conversions. This can be scary territory for most search marketers. That’s why it is so important to redefine your success metrics. Not only will it help you accomplish your objectives and justify the spend, but it can also help eliminate the risk of not getting the campaign off the ground, or getting your budget cut due to either tough economic times or a less-than-convinced boss skeptical about the investment.

Successful branding with paid search: 6 key steps

1. The first step towards re-defining success is to segment your keywords into different buckets, depending on the intent of the user. To do this, you first need to put yourself in their shoes. Then, based upon the queries they conduct, think about how familiar they are with your brand. You can have several buckets, but in its basic form, you want to divide the keywords into groups of branded and non-branded terms. As you do this, try and assess what action or meaning the words denote. For example, with the non-branded terms, does the query indicate that they are a prime candidate to become a lead or make a purchase, or does it demonstrate that they are too new to the company to be ready to convert yet? You’ll need to take a close look at the branded keyword list as well, only here you’ll want to assess whether they are actively seeking what you have to offer, or if they are simply looking for information about the company or its products or services.

Get the full story at searchengineland.com

Google has launched Insights for Search, a new product designed with the advertiser in mind. It provides more flexibility and functionality for advertisers and marketers to understand search behavior, and adds some cool new features like a world heat map to graphically display search volume and regional interest.

Like Google Trends, you can just type in a search term to see search volume patterns over time, as well as the top related and rising searches. You’ll also have the ability to compare search volume trends across multiple search terms, categories (commonly referred to as verticals), geographic regions, or specific time ranges.

How does Google Insights for Search work?
Google Insights for Search analyzes a portion of worldwide Google web searches from all Google domains to compute how many searches have been done for the terms you’ve entered, relative to the total number of searches done on Google over time. We then show you a graph with the results, indicating interest over time, plotted on a scale from 0 to 100; the totals are indicated next to bars by the search terms.

How can you use Google Insights for Search?
Google in Google Insights for Search Help Center presents some examples of different ways of using Google Insights for Search. Whether you’re an advertising agency, a small business owner, a multinational corporation, or an academic researcher, Insights for Search can help you gauge interest in pertinent search terms.

Insight can be a helpful tool in:

• Choosing advertising messages
• Examining seasonality
• Creating brand associations
• Entering new markets

You can get started at the Google Insights for Search homepage, and, just a note, you’ll need to sign into your Google account to see numbers or download results to a spreadsheet. You can also take a look at more examples of how you can use Google Insights for Search.

Local search is a term that describes more than just Internet Yellow Pages (IYP) and local search engine searches. It also includes offline searches for local businesses. The type of local search consumers use depends on their degree of need. When comparing the top 10 IYP and print Yellow Pages headings as we did in today’s press release from the Yellow Pages Association, there aren’t many differences. The most frequent IYP usage mirrors consumer’s most frequent print Yellow Pages (PYP) usage.

According to research firm Knowledge Networks/SRI, the Top 10 category searches among 2007’s 3.8 billion total IYP searches(1) were:

1. Restaurants
2. Physicians & Surgeons
3. Hotels
4. Auto Repairing & Service
5. Florists-Retail
6. Auto Dealers-New & Used
7. Dentists
8. Auto Parts & Supplies - New & Used
9. Beauty Salons (tie)
10. Hospitals (tie)

However, when you look deeper into search behavior and beyond the top 10 lists, local searches conducted online vs. local searches conducted offline are influenced by factors including the timing of the consumer’s need, the availability of information online and also whether the consumer is searching for a product or service.

“It may come as a surprise to some but the top 10 IYP headings mirror the top 10 print Yellow Pages headings — typically because these headings drive so many on and offline queries. It is not until we drill down beyond the top headings where differences emerge among print and Internet local search behavior,” said Larry Small, research director of YPA. “These differences can be attributed to differences in consumer’s local search needs for product vs. service-oriented information and long-term vs. short-term purchase plans.”

For example, when searching for a Hotel room, an IYP search is often more productive as consumers can search not just the available options in the area they plan to visit but also pricing, availability and amenities. However, a search for an Electrician typically requires a live phone conversation for consumers to describe their unique and specific issue, determine if the service provider can help with that issue and what the next step might be — a service call/appointment, a free estimate or another service provider.

A new survey posted on the Local Search Guide, queries users about their online searching habits.

“Online usage through IYP and local search is growing and as we improve these products by helping more service-oriented businesses get online and more product-oriented businesses add online inventories this number will increase,” said Rod Diefendorf, vice president, consumer products for Idearc Media, sponsor of the YPA Local Search Guide. “Features like the business comparison function and the business reply to user reviews option on Superpages.com are some of the latest developments that have been well received by both consumers and advertisers.”

In addition, the profile of IYP users shows that:

• 63% are female
• 89% are aged 25-64
• 54% are college graduates
• 42% have lived at the same address for 10+ years

For more information about YPA or specific print and Internet Yellow Pages headings, visit www.ypassociation.org.

Also, to get the full article, visit searchengineland.com

Search engine marketing firm iProspect today published the iProspect Search Engine Marketing Integration Study. Sponsored by iProspect and conducted by JupiterResearch, the study reveals that 45% of search engine marketers do not integrate their search marketing efforts with offline channels. In addition, it also uncovers a big disconnect between search engine marketer strategy and search engine user behavior.

While the concept of integrating search with offline channels is far from new, the findings from this new study seem to indicate otherwise. In fact, the study finds that just over half of search engine marketers (55%) intentionally integrate their efforts with at least one offline marketing channel. Specifically, that integration most often takes place with direct mail (34%) and magazine/newspaper advertising (29%), while both television (12%) and radio advertising (12%) trail behind.

When compared to the iProspect Offline Influence on Online Search Behavior Study, these results take on new meaning. Published in August of 2007, the study revealed that two-thirds (67%) of search engine users are driven to search by an offline channel, and that 39% of those offline-influenced search users ultimately make a purchase from the company that prompted their initial search. Moreover, it also shows television advertising to be the leading offline channel that drives users to search (37%).

“Despite such a clear demonstration of the power of integrating search and offline channels,” said Robert Murray, President, iProspect, “surprisingly, the strategy has yet to gain widespread adoption. Unfortunately, by failing to integrate their efforts with offline, search marketers are essentially ignoring the very channels that drive users to search. Obviously, there is a big disconnect between search marketing strategy and search engine user behavior.”

But the subpar state of integration revealed in this study can be attributed to a lot more than search marketer failure, as obstacles abound. The study shows the lack of integration can be attributed to a number of factors, including: lack of budget (19%), lack of human resources (15%), not considered (13%), lack of senior management buy-in (11%), and separate people managing search marketing and offline channels (11%).

“There’s no question about the combined power of search and offline channels — that is well established,” said John Tawadros, Chief Operating Officer, iProspect. “What’s missing from this equation is the right environment. To truly push integration forward - and fully reap its benefits — it is incumbent upon the CMO to break down the silos, eliminate the obstacles that plague its progress, and create a culture that rewards integrated efforts.”

The study also discovered that when search marketers are optimizing various digital assets (press release, images, video, etc.), they give priority to images (58%) more than press releases (32%) or videos (20%). However, findings from the iProspect Blended Search Results Study (April 2008) show that when measured by their propensity to click on these asset types within the blended organic search results of Google, Yahoo!, and MSN, search engine users attributed importance to these forms of digital content in the following order: news (36%), image (31%), and video (17%).

“While search marketers are diversifying their digital content portfolios with videos, press releases, and images to remain competitive in the blended search landscape,” said Murray, “their lack of alignment with user behavior suggests that they are missing the mark. Again, this speaks to the big disconnect between search marketer strategy and search engine user behavior. To fully capitalize on their efforts, search marketers need to take user behavior into consideration at all times.”

Other key findings from the study include:
The two integration techniques most frequently employed by search marketers are: prominently including the company Web address (84%) and the company name (66%) in offline marketing initiatives.
Only 26% of marketers utilize the same keywords in offline campaigns as are used in search marketing campaigns in their integration efforts.
Nearly a quarter (24%) of companies DO NOT participate in offline marketing at all.
About iProspect

iProspect is the Original® Search Engine Marketing Firm. The company helps many of the world’s most successful brands maximize their online marketing ROI through natural search engine optimization, paid inclusion management, pay per click advertising management, shopping feed management and numerous other related services. By dramatically increasing business results for clients, iProspect helps to create search marketing heroes every day.

Proper attribution requires that the study is clearly identified as the iProspect Search Engine Marketing Integration Study.

With U.S. offices in Watertown, Massachusetts and San Francisco, California, as well as offices across the globe, iProspect can be contacted at 1-800-522-1152, or by visiting http://www.iprospect.com.

Questions regarding this release should be directed to iProspect Media Relations Manager, Colleen Reed, at 1-800-522-1152 x1203 or colleen.reed(at)iprospect.com.