“Keeping pace with the rapidly changing search marketing landscape, the latest edition of Bill Hunt and Mike Moran’s search industry bible, Search Engine Marketing, Inc., incorporates informative and enlightening sections on optimizing multimedia, improving Web site search, and the emergence of social media and what it really means to the search marketer. There is valuable information in this book to help inform at every level from the beginner who is curious about search to the advanced enterprise search marketer. Taking a very complicated, technical, and data-driven industry and making it easily understandable and actionable is no small task, and Search Engine Marketing, Inc. succeeds on every level. If you only read one book on search marketing principles and best practices, this is the one.”

—Jay Middleton Senior Manager, WW Search Marketing, Adobe Systems, Inc.

“With Search Engine Marketing, Inc., Bill Hunt and Mike Moran have successfully updated what is already known in the industry as “The Search Marketing Bible.” With new content, examples, and insight including social media and Web site search, this is a must read book for marketers at companies of all sizes from startups to the Fortune 100.”

—Lee Odden CEO of TopRank Online Marketing and Author of Online Marketing Blog

The #1 Step-by-Step Guide to Search Marketing Success...Now Completely Updated with New Techniques, Tools, and Best Practices!

In this book, two world-class experts present today’s best practices, step-by-step techniques, and hard-won tips for using search engine marketing to achieve your sales and marketing goals, whatever they are. Mike Moran and Bill Hunt thoroughly cover both the business and technical aspects of contemporary search engine marketing, walking beginners through all the basics while providing reliable, up-to-the-minute insights for experienced professionals.

Thoroughly updated to fully reflect today’s latest search engine marketing opportunities, this book guides you through profiting from social media marketing, site search, advanced keyword tools, hybrid paid search auctions, and much more. You’ll walk step-by-step through every facet of creating an effective program: projecting business value, selling stakeholders and executives, building teams, choosing strategy, implementing metrics, and above all, execution.

BONUS DVD Packed with Tools and Resources

DVD includes over 2 hours of exclusive how-to video presentations, plus audio interviews and white papers on cutting-edge search engine marketing topics

The authors systematically address every issue you’re likely to encounter, while helping you implement timeless strategies for delivering superior long-term results. You’ll learn how to

•   Identify and leverage new search engine marketing opportunities arising from social media
•   Align search engine marketing with your company’s evolving strategic and tactical goals
•   Implement programs that drive sustainable improvements— not counterproductive quick fixes
•   Systematically optimize your existing Web site search programs
•   Manage the unique marketing challenges associated with large sites
•   Create monthly scorecards and use them to drive improvement
•   Provide effective guidance to content developers and designers in language they’ll understand
•   Automate checking and reporting for every page on your site
•   Choose effective target keywords, optimize your content, and attract links
•   Make the most of Google, Yahoo!, Live Search, and the latest specialized and local search tools
•   Measure site-wide success rates across multiple systems and technologies
•   Hire the right SEO consultant—and avoid the wrong ones

Whether you’re a marketing, Web, or IT professional, product manager, or content specialist, Search Engine Marketing, Inc., Second Edition will help you define your SEO/SEM goals, craft a best-practices program for achieving them, and implement it flawlessly.

Foreword xxv

Preface xxvii

Acknowledgments xxi

Part 1: The Basics of Search Marketing 1

Chapter 1: Why Search Marketing Is Important…and Difficult 3

Chapter 2: How Search Engines Work 31

Chapter 3: How Search Marketing Works 57

Chapter 4: How Searchers Work 81

Part 2: Develop Your Search Marketing Program 101

Chapter 5: Identify Your Web Site’s Goals 103

Chapter 6: Measure Your Web Site’s Success 119

Chapter 7: Measure Your Search Marketing Success 143

Chapter 8: Define Your Search Marketing Strategy 171

Chapter 9: Sell Your Search Marketing Proposal 199

Part 3: Execute Your Search Marketing Program 227

Chapter 10: Get Your Site Indexed 229

Chapter 11: Choose Your Target Keywords 267

Chapter 12: Optimize Your Content 293

Chapter 13: Attract Links to Your Site 337

Chapter 14: Optimize Your Paid Search Program 383

Chapter 15: Make Search Marketing Operational 447

Part 4: Beyond Search Marketing 477

Chapter 16: Explore New Media and Social Media 479

Chapter 17: Optimize Your Web Site Search 505

Chapter 18: What’s Next? 533

Glossary 551

Index 583

In this book, two world-class experts present today’s best practices, step-by-step techniques, and hard-won tips for using search engine marketing to achieve your sales and marketing goals, whatever they are. Mike Moran and Bill Hunt thoroughly cover both the business and technical aspects of contemporary search engine marketing, walking beginners through all the basics while providing reliable, up-to-the-minute insights for experienced professionals. 

Thoroughly updated to fully reflect today’s latest search engine marketing opportunities, this book guides you through profiting from social media marketing, site search, advanced keyword tools, hybrid paid search auctions, and much more. You’ll walk step-by-step through every facet of creating an effective program: projecting business value, selling stakeholders and executives, building teams, choosing strategy, implementing metrics, and above all, execution.

The authors systematically address every issue you’re likely to encounter, while helping you implement timeless strategies for delivering superior long-term results. You’ll learn how to:

• Identify and leverage new search engine marketing opportunities arising from social media
• Align search engine marketing with your company’s evolving strategic and tactical goals
• Implement programs that drive sustainable improvements—not counterproductive quick fixes
• Systematically optimize your existing Web site search programs
• Manage the unique marketing challenges associated with large sites
• Create monthly scorecards and use them to drive improvement
• Provide effective guidance to content developers and designers, in language they’ll understand
• Automate checking and reporting for every page on your site
• Choose effective target keywords, optimize your content, and attract links
• Make the most of Google, Yahoo!, Live Search, and the latest specialized and local search tools
• Measure site-wide success rates across multiple systems and technologies
• Hire the right SEO consultant—and avoid the wrong ones

About Mike Moran

Mike Moran has worked on the Web since its earliest days, in both marketing and technical roles, including eight years at ibm.com, IBM’s customer-facing Web site. In 2008, Mike retired from IBM to pursue speaking, writing, and consulting, including serving as Chief Strategist for the digital communications agency Converseon.

                Mike is also the author of Do It Wrong Quickly: How the Web Changes the Old Marketing Rules, and he writes regular columns on search marketing for Revenue magazine, WebProNews, and Search Engine Guide. He’s a member of the Search Engine Marketing Council of the Direct Marketing Association and a charter member of the DMA’s Interactive Marketing Advisory Board. Mike is a frequent keynote speaker on Internet marketing at events around the world, serves as a Visiting Lecturer to the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, and he holds an Advanced Certificate in Market Management Practice from the Royal UK Charter Institute of Marketing.

                Mike also has a broad technical background, with over 20 years experience in search technology working at IBM Research, Lotus, and other IBM software units. He led the product team that developed the first commercial linguistic search engine in 1989 and has been granted four patents in search and retrieval technology. He led the integration of ibm.com’s site search technologies as well as projects in content management, personalization, and web metrics. Mike led the adoption of search marketing at ibm.com back in 2001 and pioneered product search facilities that dramatically raised conversion rates. Mike was named an IBM Distinguished Engineer in 2005.

                Mike can be reached through his Web site (www.mikemoran.com), which is also the home of his Biznology newsletter and blog.

About Bill Hunt

Bill has been a pioneer in search marketing and is considered the top thought leader on enterprise and global search engine marketing. He is an internationally recognized search marketing expert who has spoken at conferences in over 30 countries. Press, industry analysts, and corporate leaders frequently seek Bill’s advice to effectively leverage enterprise and global search marketing.

                Bill has a dual role as CEO of Global Strategies International and Director of Global Search Strategy for Neo@Ogilvy. As CEO, Bill is responsible for developing and executing GSI’s corporate strategy and global expansion while ensuring stellar results and client satisfaction for all clients. In his role of Global Search Strategist for Neo@Ogilvy, Bill is responsible for Ogilvy’s search marketing thought leadership and for developing global search marketing strategic roadmaps integrated into Ogilvy’s 360° integrated communications programs.

                Bill is currently on the board of directors of the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization and is active in growing SEMPO’s international base of members. Bill has also been named by BtoB Magazine one of the Top 100 Marketers for 2007.

                Bill is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, and he earned a B.A. in Asian Studies/Japanese from the University of Maryland, Tokyo Campus, and a B.S. in international business from California State University, Los Angeles. Bill can be reached through his company Web site (www.globalstrategies.com) or his blog (www.enterprisesem.com).

Foreword xxv

Preface xxvii

Acknowledgments xxi

Part 1: The Basics of Search Marketing 1

Chapter 1: Why Search Marketing Is Important…and Difficult 3

Chapter 2: How Search Engines Work 31

Chapter 3: How Search Marketing Works 57

Chapter 4: How Searchers Work 81

Part 2: Develop Your Search Marketing Program 101

Chapter 5: Identify Your Web Site’s Goals 103

Chapter 6: Measure Your Web Site’s Success 119

Chapter 7: Measure Your Search Marketing Success 143

Chapter 8: Define Your Search Marketing Strategy 171

Chapter 9: Sell Your Search Marketing Proposal 199

Part 3: Execute Your Search Marketing Program 227

Chapter 10: Get Your Site Indexed 229

Chapter 11: Choose Your Target Keywords 267

Chapter 12: Optimize Your Content 293

Chapter 13: Attract Links to Your Site 337

Chapter 14: Optimize Your Paid Search Program 383

Chapter 15: Make Search Marketing Operational 447

Part 4: Beyond Search Marketing 477

Chapter 16: Explore New Media and Social Media 479

Chapter 17: Optimize Your Web Site Search 505

Chapter 18: What’s Next? 533

Glossary 551

Index 583