Report: Search Marketing Transforming Business

San Francisco, CA, December 12, 2006 --Search Marketing has evolved from a tactical exercise focused on finding search engine keywords to the center of the marketing universe, according a newly released white paper by Fathom Online. Search marketing’s unique ability to rapidly test, adjust and pinpoint customer preferences online is enabling marketers to use that knowledge to improve the return on investment of offline advertising, direct marketing, telemarketing and other marketing initiatives. Because of its effectiveness, search marketing–-combined with advanced analytics-–has become the marketer’s ultimate weapon in generating sales and consumer interest, and the organizing principal of marketing and advertising budgets. The Impact of Search Marketing 2007, is available at www.fathomonline.com. “Each day your search marketing program is not leveraging all of these strategies and tactics, your qualified leads are fewer, your return on investment is lower and your competitors gain an edge,” the report said. “Each day that you don’t apply the lessons learned online to your other marketing programs, your advertising, telemarketing, and direct marketing programs are less effective and more expensive.” The 12-page paper is written for chief marketing officers and senior marketing strategists at the Fortune 1000 and strips away the jargon that typically surrounds discussions of search marketing. The analysis illustrates the significant business opportunity that exists today in executing a well-managed search marketing program, and outlines some common mistakes. Part I of the paper explores the opaque dynamics of search marketing; details the many differences between Organic and Sponsored search; and underscores the complementary benefit of doing both well. Part II describes Fathom Online’s core competencies and expertise. “If there’s one word that captures the rapidly evolving practice of search marketing today it’s ‘complexity,’"the report states. “The variables and the permutations in any campaign--let alone multiple campaigns-- require sophisticated technology and analytics, combined with human judgment and experience. One without the other simply guarantees a sub-optimal campaign.”

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