Exciting Trends in SEM - Changing Search Results and Marketing Integration

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Changing Search Results – Local Search, News, Products and More

One of the most exciting changes in the search industry is the search results themselves. Search engines are becoming more sophisticated in terms of the types of files they can index and the type of results displayed depending on what users are searching for. Here are a few examples.

1. MSN search has a “Near Me” button which provides local results for your search query. For example, if you enter “Pony Rides” into the search field, the results will include only local sites or listings for that query. Google also has a “Local” search feature which is easily accessible via the main Google search field. 
   
2. Satellite Images on Google now appear for millions of locations in the U.S. and Canada. This feature is accessible via the Google Maps beta site. 
   
3. Searching for a product on Yahoo produces a link at the top to Yahoo! Shopping. Clicking this link produces a list of products related to your search which are available at various prices and locations. 
   
4. Advanced search features on Google, Yahoo and MSN enable users to refine their searches based on specific criteria such as file type, domain type, country, language and more. The file type search is particularly exciting because it’s an actual keyword search that can be performed on non-Web documents such as PDF and Excel files.

Obviously all of these expanded search capabilities will not benefit advertisers and site owners, but many of them provide additional ways that sites can be found. SEO for PDF documents, for example, is something that can be explored for companies that may have a lot of white papers they use to help sell their services.

Search Marketing Integration

As an SEM professional, I think the integration of search marketing with more and more companies’ overall marketing strategies to be one of the most exciting trends in the industry. While the Internet has only been around for about ten years as a viable marketing tool (and just barely back in 1995), search engine marketing as an accepted form of marketing (e.g., something business owners are actually willing to pay money for), is a relatively new concept. Search engine optimization and paid search have often been budgeted separately from other online marketing tactics such as media buying and email marketing, with separate agencies and/or vendors responsible for each. However, both traditional and interactive marketers are starting to realize the benefits of SEM as yet another tactic in the overall marketing mix.

The acceptance and convergence of SEM with traditional-minded media professionals stems from the inherent success of this tactic. If done correctly, search engine marketing, both via paid search and natural search optimization, brings in highly qualified visitors. The ability to track search conversion rates for both organic and paid search has also helped the industry. Overture and Google both provide advertisers with tools to track conversion right down to the sales level. Smart marketers can employ these tools, or other third-party tracking tools, to help demonstrate the value of search in terms of solid ROI. Bottom line, that’s all anybody can ask for when considering the success of any marketing tactic.

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