Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is becoming a vital component of many advertising programs. Without keywords a search campaign cannot function. However, keywords are only one element to think about. In a SEM program keywords are simply the key that opens the door for an ad to appear.

The ads triggered by keywords are the real bait, and what the user actually sees. The ads need to motivate someone to take action. They need to convince the searcher to click on the ad, and hopefully lay the foundation for spending time on the landing page.

Think about how long you spend on search results pages. I bet it is not very long. With that in mind, think about how hard SEM ads like Google’s Adwords must work to convince a searcher that the answer they are searching for is provided on the other side of the click.

Developing effective SEM ads can be a real
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To start, the key to a successful search engine marketing (SEM) campaign, just like any advertising campaign, is determining the goal of the program, and defining the specific products and/or services that will be promoted. Focusing on keywords and phases often leads to a long list of keywords that you then try to mold into a campaign. 

Another important step is determining the content of your landing pages. Do you already have landing pages that support what will be promoted? If not they need to be developed, and designed so that visitors feel compelled to break anonymity. This is where the visitor moves from a nameless "page view" to a prospect. Also, having landing pages that are relevant to your keywords and your ad will help increase your ranking (and enhance your visitor's experience).
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In the Internet age, consumers like to comparison shop. Help them make better decisions with a robust Web site.

Today, when most people want information, they go to the Web – to educate themselves, to look for solutions or to compare companies and products. Often they may be ready to buy, based on the information they find. That’s why it’s so important to design a Web site that includes all the information customers need at any stage in the buying process. 

Your Web site is your electronic storefront and as such, it should accomplish three things. First, it should be easy to locate. You can invest thousands of dollars on the best Web site in the world, but if you don’t drive traffic to it, the site won’t do you much good.

Second, your Web site should position your
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When should B to B marketers start thinking about mobile technologies? 

The answer is now. Think about it. There are nearly 200 million subscribers in the U.S., which is about 65% of the population. And thanks to advancements like PDA’s, smart phones, Blackberrys and most recently the iPhone, cellular technology is narrowing the gap between phones and PCs. In fact, with more stringent security for air travelers, many executives have set aside their laptops in favor of their favorite web-enabled hand-held device. 

So how should B2B marketers take advantage of this newest medium? There’s no one perfect answer. The best thing to do is start understanding and implementing the basics. 

Text messaging was one of the first and most elementary forays into mobile marketing. We’ve all seen text messaging promotions using short codes on popular TV shows like "American Idol" or
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In the lead article in the December 10 issue of B2B magazine, Kate Maddox outlined “the top 10 marketing trends for 2008, based on interviews with marketers, ad agencies, media executives, analysts and other industry experts.” Read article.

The top 10 are green marketing, globalization, the shift to online, customer in control, embracing web 2.0, improving operations, targeted and personal events, integrating media platforms, going mobile and blended search.

The marketers interviewed include top tier marketers such as Boeing, Caterpillar, FedEx, GE, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Oracle, Siemens and UPS. But what about the rest of us? (Okay, we’re an agency but we came from and still serve primarily non-top-tier B-to-B marketers. You know – the real world.)

We think the top 10 list is on target.
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I start my day with coffee and Google. I have my iGoogle home page aggregating information from various business technology, digital and b-to-b marketing, web site design and information architecture sources. I also get Google news alerts on other subjects. The news alerts aren’t always relevant, but there are usually one or two things that interest me.

Today, my web site usability feed had a listing about BMW’s new web site launch, touting that “AJAX technology will increase the site's interactivity, speed, functionality and usability.” Although not a business-to-business web site, I like to stay on top of how leading companies are improving online experiences for customers.

After hanging out on the BMW home page for several minutes (reminder to
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Sports have always been a huge part of my life. I was a cheerleader all throughout high school and college and even spent four years as a high jumper. Any dialogue with my dad or brother seemed to focus on football, baseball or basketball and revolved around team and player statistics. If I wanted to participate in their conversation, I had to have my facts straight.

It only makes sense then that I got involved with the Godfrey Analytics team. What better way to keep track of campaign "stats" than having hardcore evidence at hand?

Analytics gives us that in-depth look at how a specific campaign is performing and to ensure we’re hitting the target audience. Not only do the campaigns have to be appealing, but they also must produce results. If those results are not being attained, utilizing the analytical data will help to decide what tweaks must be made in order to achieve those results.

I invite you to familiarize yourself with analytics, just
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Twice last week I heard about B-to-B marketing directors who were "ordered" to achieve the #1 ranking in Google search results for one or more keywords that were important to their company. That was the goal. Period. In one case, the company shelled out $75,000 over three months before they realized that they weren't getting significant results in terms of leads.

“Gotta be #1” might be a perfectly good move under the right circumstances, but absent strategy the mentality is reminiscent of the rush into e-commerce in the 1990s and that's a cautionary tale. If this approach catches on we’ll find ourselves in an auction situation and prices will soar. Hopefully that won’t happen, but until the search phenomenon matures a little, you might find yourself facing a similar dictate. You have to be responsive but, other than throwing money at it, what can you do?

First, if your management is stuck on buying their way into first place, you can ask if
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Your Web site IS your company. It is a critical customer touch point.  Before you allocate your budget to techniques to drive traffic to your site, make sure it’s the site you want visitors to experience. What does your Web site say about what it’s like to do business with you? Your marketing materials say you’re experts and provide great customer service---does your Web site pay this off? For first-time visitors discovering your company through a Google search or an ad link, what will their first impression of your company be?

Ask yourself these questions:

Is the organization and structure of your site intuitive to people outside your company, or does it just align with your business organization?

Do you have the information people expect and need presented in a web-friendly format, or is your site just an online brochure with a bunch of PDFs?

Can visitors find what they need quickly? Do you have useful tools to help with
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Search is a great way to connect with buyers when they are actively in the market for a product or service, but click fraud is causing SEM professional to take a second look. Being aware of click fraud is the first step in protecting your campaign. So here are my top 5 ways to fight click fraud.

1. Monitor your campaigns. Keep a close eye on what a normal traffic pattern is. If one day you notice that the content portion of the AdWords campaign is producing at 25% click through rate (CTR) when your average is .5% you’ll know something may be wrong.
2. Negative Keywords! Negative keywords are just as important as the keyword list. This is one
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