Search engine optimization seen as alternative to traditional marketing

BY VERONICA C. SILVA-CUSI, Online EditorBusinessWorld Optimizing websites to make them more visible on the Internet is seen as one of latest trends that businesses can tap to make money on the Web. Known as search engine optimization (SEO), there are many free tips and tricks to make sure that a Web site ranks high when searched using Internet search engines such as Yahoo! and Google. In the Philippines, SEO is relatively new, only about four to five years old, said Marc Hill J. Macalua, founder of SEO Philippines, an online interest group that is advocating SEO in the Philippines. However, even top companies in the country have slowly started to realize that SEO can be a new marketing channel that will bring in the return on investment. "There have been several genuine, serious inquiries [from some companies] about their interest in SEM (search engine marketing)," Mr. Macalua told BusinessWorld on the sidelines of a recent search engine marketing conference held in Makati City. In 2006, spending for search engine marketing in North America was up 62% at $9.6 billion, according to the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO). Spending is expected to almost double to $18.6 billion by 2011. SEO involves several strategies and tactics for technical people as well as creative and marketing people. SEO also involves copywriting, press release writing, blogging and Web site design. The ultimate objective of SEO is not just to rank first in most search engines. The challenge for SEO marketers is to translate the page ranks to money by turning Web site visitors into customers. This is the promise of many SEO experts offering their services on the Web. Compared to traditional marketing methods like ad placements and events, SEO marketing is less expensive. Myung-Jo Choi, senior sales manager of Yahoo! Southeast Asia, said at an SEM Conference in Makati last month that often, marketers consider search marketing last but instead put most of their budget offline, or in traditional marketing. He suggested that marketing should combine search marketing efforts with online display ads for more impact. In online marketing, Mr. Choi debunked the current common practice of having to choose between display ads or search engine marketing. Instead, he showed conference participants the "power of integrated search marketing" by combining SEM with display ad placements. "When a user sees a brand term in the online banner ad, the chances for the user to search the brand term [increases]," he said, citing a 2007 Robo study saying that advertising becomes more effective when consumers see the brand in both search engines and display ads. The study said that 27% of consumers exposed to both search engine ads and online display ads made up 67% of in-store revenue compared to only 20% in-store revenues made from 54% exposure to display ads. He added that integrated search marketing is not just for large businesses. Mr. Choi also debunked the idea that there is a different set of clients for marketing offline and online. He cited the campaign of Kellogg’s Special K which involved search engine marketing, a cereal box campaign, print ads and a TV commercial. The integrated campaign got 2.6 million page views in the first week of the campaign and two million unique visitors with an average time spent of more than four minutes. Mr. Choi added that ranking high in search engines conveys a perception of leadership that ultimately drives traffic to the Web sites. Mr. Macalua said that in the Philippines, real estate companies are examples of businesses that are early adopters of SEM. He noted that some of the companies are not even aware that they are already doing SEO. "Bigger companies are initiating [SEM]. Most [companies] will follow," he said. Some of the pioneering SEM agencies in the Philippines are those also engaged in Web design and services. They added SEO competencies in their services, said Mr. Macalua. But there are also several freelancers. As one of the channels for online marketing, SEO Philippines is thinking of becoming a part of the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP), an industry association headed by Yehey! President and Chief Executive Officer Donald Lim. In a separate interview, Mr. Lim said "any organization or group out there whose intentions are to educate marketing professionals with the tools of online is definitely in the same direction as us. "SEO/SEM is one part of online marketing. It is a tool, much like banner advertising, electronic direct mail and microsites, among many others." Mr. Lim noted that compared to the budgets for traditional marketing channels like TV commercials, SEO/SEM efforts would just be a tenth of the cost. "I believe Philippine marketers have yet to understand online marketing, let alone SEO/SEM. That is the very basic premise and reality why IMMAP was created in the first place. "Most marketers are still comfortable with their ’traditional’ marketing methods, and thus, afraid to make that jump towards understanding the complexities of online marketing," Mr. Lim added. He noted, however, that the next generation of marketers is more equipped to grasp online marketing because they "grew up" online.