SEM is Dead

Search Engine Marketing, according to Didit cofounder and executive chairman Kevin Lee, is dead. The point is, consumers who are driven by desire are seeking out and browsing for information. Lee argues that consumers are not using just search engines (i.e. Google, YouTube, Yahoo!, etc.) as their main source for seeking information; consumers are searching for specific and highly-targeted consumer-oriented information in other search functions, including Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook.

The best way to capture a desired target audience, Lee suggests, is through keywords, as they describe both consumer and content interest. As consumers spend less time on search engines and more time on social networking sites, marketers are beginning to grasp a better understanding of their audience and the types of words their consumers like to search for in order to have their brands situated in the appropriate online environment.

Another reason marketers may be thinking about ‘find’ and ‘influence’ marketing is that massive search engines cannot find up to 30% of the sites consumers are searching for. Lee asserts that this is one of the main causes of consumer frustration when they retrieve an irrelevant website. Lee illustrates that this is where the Long Tail enters in, where websites reveal words that people actually search for and use, rather than the industry jargon marketers think they are looking for. The most commonly used search terms will direct customers to their desired web page.

So, what is the benefit to all of this? The idea is to encourage positive information (and word of mouth!) about your website, company and brand. According to Rob Fugetta of social media marketing company, Zuberance, 30% of frequent social networkers trust their peers’ opinions when making a major purchase decision. On the contrary, David Nowell of Nowell Enterprises argues that a mere 10% trust advertisers. Fugetta argues that consumers that are communicating through these social networks act as brand advocates that can positively influence their friends and family about your company. As consumers become informed and trust your company, consumers will positively influence others to seek out information on your website as well.

Sources

Fugetta, Rob. (2010). “Zuberance Data Sheet.”

Lee, Kevin. (May 28, 2010). “SEM is Dead – Long Live ‘Find’ and ‘Influence’ Marketing.”

Nowell, David. (2008). “Marketing on the Web.” Nowell Enterprises.