Biggest search optimisation mistakes 2006
What's the biggest mistake paid search marketers are making today? How about the biggest SEO mistake? Will Pay Per Call really take off? Is click fraud over-hyped?MarketingSherpa.com : Practical News & Case Studies on Internet Advertising, Marketing & PR: "Search marketing is changing so rapidly that it all feels a bit bewildering.
MSN to launch its new AdCenter... Rumors of a Google algorithm 'earthquake'... Yahoo!'s search team plotting changes to recapture more of the paid ad market. AskJeeves dumped Jeeves.etc etc
Keeping up with all of this is a full-time job. Thing is, you already have a full-time job. Plus, the news-of-the-day that's breathlessly reported in the press often doesn't truly impact your SEM tactics in a meaningful way.
MarketingSherpa asked 12 top search marketers seven basic questions about factors that really will affect many search campaigns in 2006...
Most common or biggest mistakes re paid search marketers strong
"Driving to landing pages that are not customized to search, AND the key-word or category searched on is the most common mistake...
Many search marketers invest money and time in Google only..
Not tracking well enough to take full advantage of paid search...
Lose sight of ROI
The biggest search engine optimization (SEO) mistakes
(Note: SEO is all the tactics from site design to copywriting that you use to get higher rankings in the "organic" listing on engines. Although you may pay consultants for SEO help, you don't pay the search engines a dime.)
often see that what the SEO team wants to have implemented is either denied or only partly implemented because technology invented or purchased by IT staff will not easily accommodate the needed SEO changes, and instead of supporting the SEO effort the information technology (web design) team will fight the changes.... many IT departments simply do not want to change their systems because they do not understand the importance of SEO. Until the entire web team is taught to 'think search engine' and every member gets it, SEO will always be a battle, and most often a very frustrating losing battle.
Trying to optimize for too many terms and not focusing on the top volume and highest converting phrases.
By not being involved at the strategic level they suggest optimization tactics that do not respect the branding and positioning of the company they are working for. This leads to search results that are embarrassing or misleading...
Participating in inappropriate and often damaging linking scams in hopes of improving their search rankings, and ending up banned from an engine completely. Second biggest mistake: Outsourcing to a firm that does the same. They can walk away from the damage done, you can't."
"The most common mistakes we see are: not planning for the traffic drops associated with major site re-designs by increasing paid search and/or re-launching during slower traffic times; not having solid analytics in place to understand the business outcomes and not just traffic arriving at your site from organic search; and looking at search as its own initiative rather than a part of your online marketing mix."
what's the best competitive tactic to improving search ROI for 2006 for clients who have expanded their keywords as far really as it's worth going?
"A keyword list is a living entity. It should be constantly refined according to seasonality and be consistent with trends in market and human search behavior.
Using press releases to get search engine traction -- this appears to be the hot trend of 2006"
There are techniques in using appropriate keywords and link architecture in press releases that work, but the best practical advice I can offer is make sure you have something newsworthy before issuing a press release.
"We've actually seen this as a successful strategy since 2004, but now it seems like everyone's getting on the bandwagon
Pay Per Call -- is this going to get enough traction to be a major segment in 2006? Who should be testing it, and who should not?
"May not have enough revenues in 2006 to be 'major,' but it will gain further momentum.
Linking strategies -- getting hot again for SEO (shades of 1996), got a practical tip or stuff to avoid on this front?
"Please please, please know the pros and cons of any tactic you decide to try. The engines are actively looking to identify linking tactics driven by SEO motives. The best strategies for one site are not the best strategies for every site. Holistic Linking will become much more vital."
-- Eric Ward, President, EricWard.com
"Too many clients are obsessed with the number of links pointing to their sites. Focus instead on the quality, relevance of content and anchor text of the links. A small number of big wins will beat a large number of insignificant and irrelevant links every time."
Fredrick Marckini, CEO iProspect
Are you alarmed by any trends in Search Marketing Industry these days?
ever-present click fraud issue
the speed at which innovation is happening. Every day, there are new developments with local search, mobile search, video search, increased targeting, personalization, and emerging technologies.
With too many organizations, the search team witnesses a spike in search referrals and only later learns that an off-line marketing campaign hit. Organizations must integrate their efforts and keep the search firm in the loop if they want to win in the new digital marketplace."
posted by Jen @ 7:34 AM
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