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BizReport : Search Marketing : August 06, 2008
Are you integrating SEM with offline channels?
Over half of search marketers are integrating their search efforts with offline marketing, according to a new study by iProspect and JupiterResearch. Lack of budgets and staff are stopping many from making the move.
Search marketing is slowly getting its share of marketing budgets. More and more marketers, over half (55%), are integrating SEM with offline channels. That 55%, according to iProspect's 'Search Engine Marketing Integration Study', intentionally integrate SEM with at least one offline marketing channel such as direct mail (34%), magazine/newspaper ads (29%), TV (12%) and radio (12%).
The study attributes lack of budget (19%) and lack of staff (15%) as the main reasons the remaining 45% did not integrate offline channels with SEM, albeit 24% of respondents claimed not to do any form of offline marketing.
While many reports suggest that the findings (.pdf) of the study are disappointing, I tend to agree with Andy Beal of Marketing Pilgrim’s take on it. “It seems to me that 55% is a healthy number,” he says in a recent article on the topic.
“Search marketing is only just finding a dedicated place in the marketing budgets of companies, so it’s still early days, when it comes to blending SEM with other channels.”
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Comments
I wouldn't recommend using an agency like iProspect unless you're okay with having overworked, and underpaid employees serve your Fortune 500 needs. iProspect claims to be the original search engine marketing firm, but their client service is absolutely horrendous. Each client facing employee serves at least 5 Fortune 500 clients, and typically it's more like 6 or 7. If you feel like paying 8 to 12K a month for sub-par service and a consultant that is balancing your company along with several others, you've come to the right place. Otherwise, go with a smaller firm that can actually provide some value beyond optimizing URL names and meta data.
Posted by: Jonathan Poston on August 6, 2008 21:45