Pick up a Search Marketing Standard Mag subscription for just $4.95

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you're probably already aware of Search Marketing Standard magazine. If you're not, SMS is the first quarterly print publication devoted completely to the world of search marketing. It covers topics such as pay per click advertising, search engine optimization, web analytics, click fraud, local and contextual search. Each issue features articles and advice from leading experts in the field, interviews with the who’s-who of the industry, reviews of the most popular tools and services, latest news and trends and much more.

Yearly subscription to the magazine is usually a very reasonable $15 for 4 issues for US-based readers and $20 for international subscribers (including shipping). BUT... the magazine publishers and I have negotiated an extra special deal for readers of this blog. If you hurry, you can score an annual subscription for just $4.95 in the U.S. or $6.60 if outside the U.S. - that's a massive 67 percent discount!

On top of that, Search Marketing Standard publishers are taking this a step further and will donate $1 for every subscriber that signs up through this blog to the Toys for Tots Foundation.

To claim your discount and do your bit for some needy kids, subscribe via this link and enter coupon code HOLIDAY67. But hurry! The coupon expires on December 10. In case you were wondering, I don't make any money from this deal - it's not an affiliate link, merely a tracking URL.


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World First: Search Engine Wiki

We've done it! After many months of preparation, today we officially launched Search Engine Wiki (BETA). Search Engine Wiki is the world's first vertical wiki dedicated to search engines and search engine marketing. Here is the official press release.

The idea behind the site is to provide a collaborative online library of search engine marketing (SEM) resources, complete with resident librarian, Ms Parker (pictured). Some of the extensive resources found on the site include:

• Lists of international search engines - categorized by country, type and industry.
• A glossary of definitions for common terms used in Search Engine Optimization (SEO),
  Pay Per Click Advertising (PPC) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM).
• A library of search engine marketing articles.
• Employment resources listing SEO, PPC and SEM job vacancies.
• A collection of popular search engine marketing blogs and news feeds.
• Frequently Asked Questions about search engines and SEM.
• Lists of popular search engine marketing tools and time saving software.
• Links to upcoming search industry conferences and events.
• Introductions to well known search industry personalities.

Search Engine Wiki is designed for interactivity. Wiki users can suggest resources and definitions to be added or sign up to become editors and add these resources themselves. Search Engine College students are also encouraged to collaborate and contribute to the Wiki during their training and beyond.

Search Engine Wiki is now in BETA release and welcomes your contributions and feedback.


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20 MORE Must-Have Search Engine Marketing Tools

Not satisfied with just 20 Must-Have Search Engine Marketing Tools? Never fear, I compiled a list of 20 MORE Must-Have Search Engine Marketing Tools over at SiteProNews this week.

Enjoy!

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20 Must-Have Search Engine Marketing Tools

One month in and I'm still really enjoying my gig as a blogger and writer for SiteProNews. My latest article has gone live on their site today: 20 Must-Have Search Engine Marketing Tools.

Because I found so many useful tools for search engine marketing, I couldn't fit them all into one article so the piece will be followed up next week with Part 2: 20 MORE Must-Have Search Engine Marketing Tools. Got any favorite tools that I missed? Share your favs via comments on this post.


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Q and A: As a freelance SEM, how should I structure my fees?

Dear Kalena...

I've been running PPC campaigns and advising my employer's clients on SEO for a while and last month I finally decided to go freelance.

Something you may be able to help me with is how I should structure my standard charges for new clients? The fees charged by agencies vary enormously so it would be good to get your opinion on what constitutes a 'realistic' pricing structure for a freelancer. What works best for you?

Some SEM's charge a CPA but while this may at first seem attractive to some clients, I'm not convinced it's always as transparent as they are led to believe. Is an hourly rate better? Should I charge differently for SEO? Sorry for so many questions, but I'd really appreciate your advice.

Thanks
Giles

Kalena's Answer:

Hi Giles

It's really difficult to advise on fees because SEM and SEO consultants all work differently. The way you structure your fees should reflect both your working style and the projects you take on. I used to quote every client on a project-by-project basis, which required me to conduct a full analysis of each site up-front, for no fee (as this was technically pre-sales activity).

I soon learned that this was not cost-effective for me. I now charge an hourly rate and quote projects based on the estimated hours each will take. But some clients may not like an hourly rate. When it comes to freelancing, here are my tips:

1) Don't provide a fixed quote for any project, always provide an estimate in case the work takes longer than you expect.

2) Don't undercharge for your work. Quote a rate that you're worth or you will resent the project and the client. If you lose a project to undercutting by a competitor, let it go! It's not worth compromising the value of your expertise.

3) Unless you have full access to the client's site metrics, a solid understanding of and respect for their product and access to their current and future online sales figures, avoid any cost-per-acquisition or commission-based deals.

4) An hourly rate is often more cost-effective for you and easier for your clients to understand.

5) Try to quote in hours, not in dollars. This makes it easier to divide larger projects into smaller jobs and helps the client understand how valuable your time is.

6) Keep strict timesheets when working on a project to ensure you don't undercharge. A fantastic online tool for keeping timesheets and invoicing clients based on project hours is Freshbooks.

7) A monthly retainer for clients can often work well, with the ability for clients to top up hours as needed.

8) Allow clients to buy your hours in bulk for a discount e.g. 10 percent discount for a block of 10 or more hours.

9) Always ask for a percentage of the costs up front e.g. five retainer hours towards the project.

10) If a client is asking for exclusivity in their industry or market, don't be afraid to charge extra for the privilege. After all, it may mean you have to turn down future work.

Need more than advice? Take a Search Engine Marketing course online

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Q and A: Should we outsource SEO or take it in-house?

Dear Kalena...

Our company is looking into doing SEO for all of our publication and trade show websites. They feel that we need to outsource because a consultant did it for their company, versus keeping the knowledge in-house (either hiring or training staff).

Do you feel that if writers are trained to write for the web and a staff member is adequately trained, we need to outsource? We have about 45 websites.

Thank you
Gabrielle

Kalena's Answer:

Dear Gabrielle

The decision of whether to outsource SEO or manage it in-house is a difficult one. There is no "right way" because the requirements of each business are so different. But the job of optimizing 45 web sites is a large one and I doubt you could manage this effectively in-house without hiring several specialist SEO staff.

If the company you work for has used outside SEO consultants in the past, you need to discuss how well that relationship worked for them and whether it was cost-effective. Were the desired results achieved? Was it value for money? Could in-house staff have achieved the same results for less cost?

Unless a company is willing to hire a dedicated staff member to look after search engine optimization for their site/s, or send their existing staff for fast-track SEO training, my inclination is to recommend outsourcing, for the following reasons:

1) SEO has a steep learning curve and it could take your in-house staff many months and/or years to learn the ropes. Outsourcing it to professionals will save a lot of time (and therefore money).

2) A little bit of SEO knowledge can be a dangerous thing - the person/s optimizing your sites need to know *exactly* what the consequences are of the code changes they are making, or else they could end up doing your site more harm than good.

3) Successful SEO requires very specific knowledge and experience gained from years of trial and error optimizing web sites. It is unlikely your in-house staff have this knowledge and so you will likely get much better results by outsourcing to professionals.

4) Optimizing web sites is not your core business. Your staff should be focused on the core business of your company. Also, staff members assigned a new task of SEO are unlikely to dedicate themselves fully to the task if they have other responsibilities as well.

In my opinion, the best balance could be achieved by outsourcing a percentage of the work (e.g. the optimization of 5 web sites) to a professional SEO firm with a solid reputation and have them work closely with your in-house copywriting team to ensure the optimized web sites accurately reflect your business without compromising search engine compatibility.

If the arrangement works well, you can outsource optimization of the remaining web sites or bring it in-house if you feel that would serve you better. Best of luck!


Need more than advice? Take a Search Engine Optimization course online

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Q and A: What is the status of the search industry in Asia?

Dear Kalena...

What would you say about the current status of the search industry in Asia?

Pooja

Kalena's Answer:

Dear Pooja

I can't say I have my ear to the ground in Asia, so I really couldn't tell you about the status of the SEM industry there. I have noticed a huge increase in Indian firms offering SEO services and contract staff to SEO/SEM firms in Australia, Europe and the U.S. so my guess is that India is ahead of the curve.

China is also developing quite a big SEO market, judging by the attendances at the Search Engine Strategies conferences held there to date. For more insights into the Chinese SEM market, I suggest contacting David Temple of China Search Marketing Tour.

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Q and A: Does changing the name of a site impact search rankings?

Dear Kalena...

I am thinking of changing the name of my internet business site so as to direct more traffic because the current name, while nice, doesn't really spell out what we do. It is now Gilt-Edge Luxury Tours and Travel and I would like to change it to DC Luxury Tours. However, we have had this site for 10 years and it well indexed by the search engines. Does changing the name (but not the url which would stay the same) have any impact on the search engines? Or would I have to start all over from scratch if I changed the name?

Gilda

Kalena's Answer:

Dear Gilda

A site name change is not necessarily a problem. It would be different if you were changing your domain or changing your name from one with keywords in it to one without. Losing the word "travel" from your site name may slightly impact your site's rankings for searches involving the word "travel", but only if you no longer include that word prominently in your site. Your main site heading will no longer include "travel", but you can compensate by making sure that the rest of the site is optimized for travel-related keywords.

The other area that might be impacted is your link popularity. If other sites are currently linking to you using your old name, it might be contributing to your site's relevancy for "luxury tours and travel". But if ranking for "DC luxury tours" or "DC tours" is actually more important to you, then you should encourage sites already linking to you to change the anchor text of their link to your new site name and of course any new link partners should link to you using your new name. DC Luxury Tours is certainly easier to remember than your old name, so the change should be good from a marketing and usability perspective.

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Q and A: What is a reasonable budget for web site marketing?

Dear Kalena...

Love your website. I have been searching for good web marketing companies online and found that most of them charge upwards of $300 a month to give provide you with high rankings. Being an expert, what would you recommend is a reasonable budget for web site marketing? I have just started a website and I am overwhelmed. I contacted similar websites but I have been turned down. What is the trick to getting links? Should I only link with like-minded websites?

Abdi

Kalena's Answer:

Dear Abdi

Asking what a reasonable budget is for web site marketing is a bit like asking "What is a reasonable price for a steak?". It depends. Do you want to do all the work and cook it yourself? Do you want to have it in a burger joint with fries? Or do you want it served rare with a red-wine glaze in a 5 star restaurant? There is no one-size-fits-all answer.

Marketing your web site can be a full-time job, whether you have a 5 page hobby site or a 50,000 page shopping site. You need to decide what you actually want your site to achieve before you decide how to market it. Ask yourself:

- Do I want to attract more traffic?
- Do I want to convert more sales?
- Do I want to attract more sign-ups?
- Do I want more leads?
- How much time can I contribute to marketing?

Then think about what type of budget you can afford monthly and allocate it to in-house or outsourced marketing staff according to your priorities. Search engine marketing is less focused on gaining high rankings these days and more focused on ensuring your site is search engine friendly and user-oriented so it converts to more sales/sign-ups for you. What's the point of achieving high search rankings if the new visitors to your site leave immediately?

Regarding links - there is no point in swapping links with sites that have zero to do with your own site. I've ranted about this before. Concentrate on attracting one-way links from niche search engines and high quality sites with a similar theme to your own. Search my previous posts about link building.

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11 Reasons Why You Should Consider a Job in Search Engine Marketing

Are you currently seeking employment? Looking for a new profession? Considering a career change? Then a job in the field of Search Engine Marketing should be at the top of your list. Here are 10 reasons why:

1) The Search Industry is HOT

The first dot-com bubble may have burst 6 years ago, but the current bubble is getting bigger and stronger every day. One of the main reasons for the current dot-com boom is the skyrocketing growth of the search engine industry. No longer the territory of geekdom, search has exploded into the mainstream over the past few years and businesses are falling over themselves to get seen by online searchers. And they'll pay big bucks to search engines for the privilege.

Have you noticed that Google shares recently hit USD 500 EACH? It's not a coincidence. Search giants like Google, Yahoo and AOL can't fail to make money because everybody wants a bit of the search action. There's no denying, search is HOT, HOT, HOT.

2) It's Considered one of Four Jobs on the Cutting Edge

According to a recent article on MSN Careers, the position of Search Engine Optimizer is considered one of four jobs on the cutting edge right now. Who gave it this title? A representative from the world's largest specialized recruitment firm - Robert Half International Inc.

Search Engine Optimization is considered a sub-set of Search Engine Marketing. If you're unsure what a Search Engine Optimizer (SEO) does, below is a definition provided by MSN Careers:

"Search engine optimizers (SEOs) increase a firm's Web site traffic by improving its search-engine page rankings. This is an especially important task in today's Internet-driven world, where many customers first learn of an organization and its products or services through the Web. Because of a shortage of experts in this relatively new area, many top SEOs receive multiple job offers. SEOs typically supplement their knowledge of how various search engines operate and determine page rankings with strong marketing skills, as well as the ability to communicate effectively and program using HTML."

Wikipedia also defines Search Engine Optimizers here.

3) The Pay is Fantastic

A job in the search industry can be unbelievably lucrative. As noted recently by Jennifer Laycock of Search Engine Guide, "There are quite literally more jobs than there are skilled marketers and salaries can skyrocket to almost embarrassing levels."

Have you seen the type of salaries that search engine marketing and search engine optimization consultants are currently commanding in the US? Clearly, the search industry is making some people rich. Here are some typical salaries in USD:

Entry level SEO/SEM position = $30-45K

Three to five years experience / online account managers = $50-75K

Five + years / organic SEO specialists = $75-90K

Senior management level = $70-120K

SEM Director = $95-150K

VP Level = $100-315K

Additional Salary links:

http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3591061

http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?t=10543

4) You Don't Need a College Degree

Because the search industry is relatively young, there are only a handful of online courses and certifications offered in the field of Search Engine Marketing (Search Engine College being one training provider).

Most search engine marketing practitioners are self-taught, learning the trade by experimenting with their own sites, researching trends, attending conferences and participating in discussion forums and so employers don't generally require SEO / SEM certification or a tertiary qualification as a pre-requisite for a position in the industry.

However, candidates who hold a marketing degree or specific industry certification in Search Engine Marketing may well have an edge over their fellow applicants when it comes to interview selection.

Continue reading article...

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Danny Sullivan's Shock Departure from Search Engine Watch

What a tough week! First we lose Pluto as a planet and now we lose Danny Sullivan from Search Engine Watch and Search Engine Strategies Conferences. I'm not sure which news event is having the biggest impact right now.

You read right, Danny Sullivan has announced he is leaving SEW and SES when his contract expires at the end of the year due to irreconcilable differences between himself and Incisive Media (owners of Search Engine Watch and Jupiter Media) regarding his contract renewal.

Seems Incisive Media have been holding out a holographic carrot to Danny for some time now and he's tired of chasing it. The news has got the entire search underworld gossiping about what Danny's going to do next and how this might impact the future of the industry. That's what I call influence! Here's to you, Mr Sullivan...

A: Do you know of research that links SEO to increased brand awareness?

Hi Laura

Sure, there are a number of quite recent studies that relate to the impact of SEO on brand awareness. Perhaps the best known of these is the paper The State of Search Marketing 2004, commissioned by the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) last year.

The study showed that:

1) U.S. based advertisers would spend over $4 billion dollars in 2004 on search engine marketing.

2) Brand awareness was overall the #1 objective advertisers set for search marketing programs, above sales and lead generation initiatives.

A full copy of the study is available from the link above.

Other research that may assist you includes:

- How America Searches (released this week)
- Consumers Search Before Buying Online
- Increased Brand Awareness via PPC and SEO
- How Much Should You Budget for Search Marketing in 2005?

Q: Do you know of research that links SEO to increased brand awareness?

Dear Kalena...

I am conducting research for a proposal to a large-scale corporation. The purpose of the proposal is to convince the larger corporation to fund the redesign of a smaller organization's web site. (The smaller organization is a collection of independent specialized retailers, and the larger corporation is a product line.)

Our major selling-point is that the corporation would be heavily featured in the organization's web site, which will eventually lead to higher brand awareness. Part of the funding will go towards a search engine optimization service. The proposal needs to convince the corporation that SEO is a worthwhile investment.

After spending a few hours looking for research on SEO as it relates to an increase in brand awareness, I was lead to your blog. Do you know of any research that relates search engine ranking to an increase in consumer awareness? Or how SEO can increase brand awareness?

Thanks for your time,

Laura

A: Should we split our site content into multiple sites on different domains?

Hi Pawell

It all depends on your motivation for doing so. Will it make life easier from an editing and design perspective to divide up your content into multiple sites? Does it make more sense from a visitor and usability perspective? If so, then go for it.

If your motivation is purely about the perceived link popularity and/or search engine advantages, then think again. Why? Lots of reasons. Here's three:

1) Whatever link popularity the site currently has and the number of links to it will drop once you start moving content away from your main domain. Think about it. Existing links from search engines and other sites will be broken if you change domains, you'll have fewer links pointing to you and you'll dilute all the valuable link pop you have built up to date. It will take any new domains a long time to develop link popularity of their own.

2) With more information and content focused on relating themes, your existing single domain is more likely to score higher with search engines due to the "hub and authority" factor. If you split this content off into different domains, you'll have fewer links pointing to your site and fewer pages so search engines (and probably visitors too) will see your main site as less relevant than they did before. Also, depending on the type of internal linking structure you plan on using between your new domains, they may trip the aggressive link spam filters engines currently use (particularly Google) and cause a ranking penalty on one or more sites.

3) Search engine strategy should not rule your web design decisions. Site usability should be the highest priority in that regard and you'll usually find that a highly usable, visitor-friendly site will end up being the most search engine compatible. Funny that!

If you are determined to improve your link popularity, you could start by improving the internal linking of your existing site and cross-link sections where it makes sense to do so. If you haven't already got one, integrate a full text-based site map and have a link to it on every page. Also, keep link building on a daily basis and only swap links with sites that are RELEVANT to your audience.

Q: Should we split our site content into multiple sites on different domains?

Dear Kalena...

I'm a webdesigner and I look after polish financial news website - besides this website is also wide knowledge base about different financial services and products and supports as well visitors with online financial advices - all of those services exist at one net address in different subdomains.

My question is: what do you think about splitting this service to a few independent domains with a bit different content but being every independent part densely linked with each other? Will it help to promote this service having links from completely different domain addresses than from subdomains of one address (as it is now)?

thanks in advance for your valuable answer

regards
Pawel