Any serious marketing initiative begins with a solid marketing plan, search marketing should be no different. It is however an unfortunate fact that many search marketing campaigns are conducted without the firm foundation and clear direction that a good search engine marketing plan can provide.
Furthermore as world SEM revenues continue to climb, search engine marketing campaigns will demand increasingly stable and intelligent management approaches which incorporate time tested methodologies common to traditional marketing.
A carefully crafted SEM plan, like a traditional marketing plan, can assist the “powers thatbe” in making a favorable decision to approve budgetary allocation for a search marketingprogram. And while, the focus of the strategy that follows is on assisting the creator of theplan in gaining a greater insight into their e-venture, the structure also lends itself readily tothe former.
In the series of articles to follow I will detail the essential components of a basic Search EngineMarketing Plan. Every attempt has been made to generalize the instructions and examples sothat a greater diversity of readers will find the guidelines that follow to be a good startingpoint upon which a very insightful and effective SEM strategy can be developed.
Each numbered item represents a unique section within the plan itself.
Part 1: The Title PageUnderstanding
“Why” search marketing
1) Define “success” for your campaign.
What is a successful search marketing campaignto you? Is it increased brand awareness? Is it an increase in traffic? Conversion?Popularity? Market Share? Market Reach? Be specific and define what success meansto your campaign in terms of concrete and measurable criteria.
2) S tate the purpose of the search marketing plan.
Why is this plan being created? Is it toexplore the possibility of SEM? To codify the details of a decision to use SEM? To gaindirection in the application of SEM?
3) Explore the organization’s purpose on the Internet.
Does the organization exist solelyon the Internet? How do the traditional and virtual aspects of the business interact?What are your target markets? How does this translate into the online arena? Outlinecompany business philosophy and mission. Focus on what this means for yourbusiness on the Internet. What are the strengths of the company? What benefits doesthe online customer receive by doing business with the company?
Next Week: Part 2: Situational Analysis
Jason Green is a professional SEO consultant based in Reno Nevada. Jason is credited with a variety of technical accomplishments including the development of AXP technology and the S.I.R.E. project.
Read other articles by Jason Green
