Search Engine Optimization Study: 350 Manufacturers

A viable search engine marketing (SEM) strategy should go hand in hand with other marketing efforts. Here are a few search engine marketing questions to ask:

• How accurate are your print and online mailing lists?
• How experienced is your sales manager? Is he or she familiar with search engine marketing?
• How are your trade journal ads performing?
• When did you last issue a news release?
• Do people respond to your yellow pages ad? How do you know?
• Did you ever launch an affiliate marketing program?
• What innovative viral marketing concept did you try out?
• Did you have a contest or promotion?
• How successful was your last permission-based e-mail marketing program?
• What kind of response did you get to your last corporate newsletter?
• Do you pay for sponsored listings on specialized guides or directories?
• How did you measure the success of your last exhibit at a trade show?

Puzzling studies and reports suggest that businesses are missing out when it comes to ROI, including a whole host of metrics that should confirm or shape search engine marketing strategies. The good news is that many companies recognize the disconnect between their needs (greater profitability from online marketing investments) and the methods and measurements that guide them.

For example, in a major 2004 survey of search engine marketing agencies and advertisers, the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization found that senior executives view search engine marketing as a "high business priority - at least among 50% of advertiser respondents. They even plan to increase search engine marketing spending "41% on average" in 2005.

Their objectives include:

• Increasing/enhancing brand awareness of products/services (61%)
• Selling directly online (58%)
• Getting leads closed in-house (54%)
• Getting leads from dealers to distributors to close (21%)

To pull it off, they plan to take money from a wide assortment of sources--everything from paid listings in shopping services and e-mail marketing to print newspaper ads and TV ads.

The anticipation - and possible commitment - contrasts with past measurement performance.

Aligning Search Engine Marketing with Corporate Marketing Strategies

You should start by knowing how your search engine marketing goals relate to your corporate marketing strategy. Which of the following (or more) do you want to accomplish?

• Generate leads
• Sell online
• Build brands
• Grab more market share

Search Engine Marketing - Conversions

You absolutely must track pages that allow visitors to take some kind of action, including:

• Requesting a quote
• Filling out a contact form
• Placing an order
• Registering for a newsletter
• Ordering a catalog

Establishing Your Metrics

Determine which of the following will be the search engine marketing metrics that will mean the most to you:

• Online sales (broken down by category)
• Repeat visits
• Profits on sales
• Customer satisfaction
• Length of visits
• Cost per click (CPC)
• Click-through rate (CTR)
• Cost per conversion (CPC)

Read excerpts from this manufacturers SEO study online:

• Summary
• Introduction
• Results
• Obstacles to Natural SEO
• Top Placement for Targeted Search Terms
• Manufacturers Pick The Wrong Keywords
• Case Studies
• Future Outlook
• ROI Insights
• Conclusion

Get your printable free copy of the SEO study in its entirety.