Archive for Kevin Lee

Showing 306 items

• Learn How to Say No to Dumb Ideas
  Being a "yes man" can be dangerous to your career. Jan 2, 2009
• SEM Is Really Scary to Businesses
  Confusion and misinformation about SEM abound. What we need to clear up. Dec 19, 2008
• Setting Up Campaigns in Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft
  Back to basics: A look at the fundamentals of paid search operations. Dec 12, 2008
• SES Chicago: Speakers Speak Out, Part 2
  During economic weakness, how should marketers ensure they get appropriate search budgets even if overall marketing budgets are shrinking? SEM experts weigh in. Dec 5, 2008
• SES Chicago: Speakers Speak Out
  What major changes do search engine marketers want to see from the PPC search engines next year? Nov 21, 2008
• Google AdSense: Tips for Success
  How working in the Google content network differs from working in a search campaign. Nov 14, 2008
• Google's Ever-Evolving Quality Score
  The changes make the formula a little more fair to everyone. Nov 7, 2008
• Where's the Creativity in SEM?
  Don't be a PPC drone. Here are four ways that search marketers can use the right side of their brains. Oct 31, 2008
• Organic Search Results vs. PPC: The Black Hat Wars
  In paid search, the exact opposite occurs: marketers are rewarded for enhancing relevancy -- not degrading it. That's not the case with SEO. Oct 24, 2008
• Organic Search Results vs. PPC: The Relevance Wars
  For local searches, do paid listings provide more relevant results than SEO? First of a two-part series. Oct 17, 2008
• The Biggest Problem of the Google-Yahoo Deal
  If an advertiser submits a bid on both Yahoo Panama and Google, will the higher-priced Google ad preempt the one on Yahoo? Last in a series. Oct 10, 2008
• Is the Google-Yahoo Deal Good for Marketers?
  Looking at the dollars and cents behind Yahoo's deal to publish ads sold by Google. First of a two-part series. Oct 3, 2008
• Your Search Campaign Needs Two Brains
  Technology to automate search campaigns can bring double-digit efficiency gains. But don't leave out the human touch. Sep 26, 2008
• Google's Evolving Algorithm
  Google updated its Quality Score system again this week. Sep 19, 2008
• Using Search To Reach Influencers and Passionistas
  Why you need to design search campaigns differently for influencers than for other customers. Sep 12, 2008
• Don't Sell to Visitors From Corporate HQ
  There's no better time to use a microsite to pump up your conversion rates. Sep 5, 2008
• Learn How to Say No to Dumb Ideas
  Being a "yes man" can be dangerous to your career. Aug 29, 2008
• Trust: The Backbone of Consumer Satisfaction
  Microsoft plans to increase transparency in keyword and media auctions. Will Google follow? Aug 22, 2008
• Analyzing the Perils of Government Regulation
  Are marketers prepared for new laws and enforcement actions? Aug 15, 2008
• Reputation, PPC Search, and SEO: Harmony or Discord
  What a bidet manufacturer and a home appliance merchant do not have in common. Aug 8, 2008
• Pennywise, Pound Foolish in Paid Search
  How to calculate if a higher-paid agency is more effective than a less-paid one. Aug 1, 2008
• Ten Ways to Waste Your PPC Budget
  Search marketing works great during a recession or during boom times. Make sure you are using your budget wisely. Jul 25, 2008
• The Publisher Opportunity in Search and Contextual, Part 1
  Properly executed, a keyword-targeted traffic-building campaign can turn a marketing expense into a cash machine. Part one of a series. Jul 18, 2008
• CPM Auctions and Google's CPA Network
  Why don't search engines run their paid placement auctions as CPM auctions? And why is Google's AdWords CPA being phased out? Jul 11, 2008
• Google Trends, Ad Planner, and Site Affinity
  Where does Google get the data for Google Trends or Ad Planner? Here's one theory. Jun 27, 2008
• SEM Implications of the Yahoo-Google Pact
  How exactly will the Yahoo system decide whether to run advertising from Google, Yahoo Panama, or an alternate source, such as Microsoft? Jun 20, 2008
• The Internet Sales Tax Time Bomb
  Will the law treat Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft as affiliates? Jun 13, 2008
• Are Search and Affiliate Marketing Budget Cuts Irrational?
  By accounting for these expenses as a commission -- instead of a sales and marketing cost -- some marketers may be committing marketing suicide. Jun 6, 2008
• Google AdSense: Tips for Success
  How working in the Google content network differs from working in a search campaign. May 30, 2008
• Google Content: New Strategies and Options
  What marketers need to know about Google's AdSense for content. First of a two-part series. May 23, 2008
• A Strong Appetite for Behavioral Search Targeting
  Whatever cool behavioral targeting options roll out will likely come from Yahoo or Microsoft -- not Google. May 16, 2008
• The Yahoo-Microsoft Saga
  Why Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's letter to Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang may go down in history as one of the best-crafted business letters ever. May 9, 2008
• SERP Position: Myth vs. Reality
  What the Holy Grail of relevance means to search marketing. May 2, 2008
• Google, Yahoo Search News Mashup in Earnings Season
  Google's Quality Score change, Microsoft-Yahoo deadline approaches, whither Performics and Avenue A, and other search engine marketing news. Apr 25, 2008
• Are SEM Agency Fees Too Low?
  Are you shortchanging your campaign, along with your SEM agency? Apr 18, 2008
• Branding as a Direct Response PPC Search Byproduct
  Why branding and direct response initiatives aren't separate disciplines. Apr 11, 2008
• Is Organic Search Enough?
  Pulling PPC ads after achieving high organic search position may be a very bad idea. Apr 4, 2008
• Recession: PPC Threat or Opportunity?
  Prepare for some short-term testing pain to weather longer-term economic pain that may be headed your way. Mar 28, 2008
• It's the PPC Search Economy, Stupid!
  While the economy is volatile, search marketing looks promising. But is it recession proof? Mar 21, 2008
• GoogleClick: Death of the Third-Party Ad Server?
  Companies with large on- and offline budgets have concerns about conversion data being used to influence both pricing and future changes to the auction marketplaces. Mar 14, 2008
• Search's Impact on Brand Metrics
  Search will no longer be a marketing methodology and media opportunity existing in a silo. Mar 7, 2008
• Affiliate PPC Brand Bidding: Right For You?
  Eleven questions to weight before working with performance-based media buying relationships. Feb 29, 2008
• PPC Search: Create, Influence, Capture, and Harvest Demand
  Why search marketers must be aware of the overall consumer response ecosystem. Feb 22, 2008
• Vote Now for the Future of Search
  What the board election at SEMPO means to your company, campaign, and career. Feb 15, 2008
• Google Bashes Microsoft's Yahoo Bid
  What Yahoo's sale would mean to PPC marketers and digital marketing teams. Feb 8, 2008
• Nonprofits, Google Grants, and Search
  If you have a desire to use your valuable knowledge and skills to help nonprofits, you have several choices. Feb 1, 2008
• Moving Beyond Campaign Efficiency to Campaign Effectiveness
  To thrive in any economic climate, combine efficiency with strategic testing to obtain effectiveness. Here are three places to start. Jan 25, 2008
• The Publisher Opportunity in Search and Contextual, Part 2
  Calculate how to buy the very best traffic in a keyword campaign. Jan 18, 2008
• The Publisher Opportunity in Search and Contextual, Part 1
  Properly executed, a keyword-targeted traffic-building campaign can turn a marketing expense into a cash machine. Part one of a series. Jan 11, 2008
• 2007 PPC Search Retrospective
  Plus, a look at "GoogleClick." Jan 4, 2008
• Two Search Budgets for One Business?
  All this brand vs. direct response search advertising craziness must stop! Dec 28, 2007
• PPC, Backwards and Forwards
  In paid search, past performance isn't a true indicator of future results. Three ways to improve your chances of winning. Dec 21, 2007
• Top 10 Reasons to Double Your Search Budget for '08
  Increase your search budget before rivals collectively kick your butt, take market share, or poach your most valuable customers. Dec 14, 2007
• Information Is a Competitive Advantage
  The evolution of SERPs and the search industry. Dec 7, 2007
• It's 10 p.m. Do You Know Where Your Brand Is?
  Brand marketers fear their brands' ads running with a rough crowd. Are their fears exaggerated? Nov 30, 2007
• Are You Really Ready for Black Friday?
  Why you might have a valid reason to complain to Google about cost-per-click rates. Nov 16, 2007
• New Research Validates Search For CPG Marketers
  How search fits into the online marketing mix for consumer packaged goods. Nov 9, 2007
• Have You Planned for Aspirational Searchers?
  Why relevant listings don't always add up to high conversion rates. Nov 2, 2007
• The Mobile Browser: Emergency Browser or Killer App?
  As Web sites and device browsers become more mobile and user-friendly, mobile search may increase. First, the mobile ad industry must solve some issues. Oct 26, 2007
• Coca-Cola, Google, Branding, and Direct Marketing
  Interactive marketing is the catalyst to unite direct and brand marketing. Oct 19, 2007
• In-House vs. Outsourced SEM: The CMO's Guide
  A CMO must determine the balance of skills and expertise required to accomplish search marketing objectives. What factors should be evaluated? Oct 12, 2007
• Has Bid Management Become Obsolete?
  Google and Yahoo roll out bid management systems that can help some marketers, but others should beware. Oct 5, 2007
• Holiday Budget Jitters: Gut or Double Your Search Budget?
  Build a case now before management hands down the budget cuts. Sep 28, 2007
• Lead Gen Is Dead. Long Live Lead Gen!
  How to ensure lead generators deliver quality leads, not garbage. Sep 21, 2007
• PPC Search and the View-Through Conversion
  A must-read for marketers using view-through conversions in conjunction with search marketing. Sep 14, 2007
• Changes to Google's Top Rank Formula, Part 2
  The way to get your paid search ad to the top of Google pages has changed. How the formula has changed. Second of a two-part series. Sep 7, 2007
• Changes to Google's Top Rank Formula, Part 1
  The way to get your paid search ad to the top of Google pages has changed. How the formula has modified. Part one of a two-part series. Aug 31, 2007
• Quasi-Search: Contextual and Behavioral Marketing
  Overall campaign efficiency may depend on understanding the types of quasi-search and how they fit into an integrated campaign that may include other on- and offline media. Aug 24, 2007
• Will an Economic Recession Hurt SEM?
  Or will it help SEM? Aug 17, 2007
• Which Test First?
  How to prioritize SEM experiments. Aug 10, 2007
• Obsessed With the Competition
  You can outrun the competition if you stop looking behind you. Aug 3, 2007
• SEM Immaturity Threatens Industry Future
  Five advertiser-side obstacles to a grown-up relationship with their search provider. Jul 27, 2007
• Google vs. Microsoft: Beyond PPC
  Tease: Someday soon, the SERP will become the smallest part of a digitally targeted media buy. Jul 20, 2007
• Share of Voice in Search
  More data is always better, so long as the data are actionable. Jul 13, 2007
• The Folly of PPC Independence
  How to determine the right level of paid search in the media mix strategically when it comes to media mix decisions. Jul 6, 2007
• Designated Searchers May Thwart Personalization
  Who does the searching? You may find you're not talking to potential customers at all. Jun 29, 2007
• Advice for Yahoo's Jerry Yang
  Yahoo is missing an opportunity in search. Capturing it could propel the company back to the top. Jun 22, 2007
• The Buzz on Google Quality Score Changes
  Google's changes to its Quality Score system are a challenge for some marketers and advertisers. Here's how to cope. Jun 15, 2007
• Beware the Beginning PPC Search Marketer
  Neophytes and lunatics can upset your search campaigns unless you bake their actions into your plans. Jun 8, 2007
• RFP Do's and Don'ts
  Sixteen questions to ask when an RFP is absolutely, positively necessary. Jun 1, 2007
• Microsoft: Agency, Publisher, and Network
  Microsoft's aQuantive purchase promises to change the rules about conflicts of interest in ways that will affect all online marketers. May 25, 2007
• The Other Paid Search: Paid Direct Links
  Paid direct links are controversial, but marketers risk missing out if they don't understand this rising business. May 18, 2007
• Microsoft and Yahoo: Match or Misery?
  Why Microsoft may want to acquire Yahoo, and some major challenges it would face if it does. May 11, 2007
• Does Microsoft Need an Ad Network?
  The Yahoo-RightMedia deal increases pressure on Microsoft -- and on all marketers. May 4, 2007
• DoubleClick and Google, Part 2: The Reality
  Why the reality of the Google/DoubleClick deal and the vision behind it may not match up. Last in a series. Apr 27, 2007
• Two Search Budgets for One Business?
  All this brand vs. direct response search advertising craziness must stop! Apr 13, 2007
• CPC, CPA, or CPM: The Publisher's View
  Understanding the publisher perspective gives search marketers the ammunition to invest in developing more comprehensive, effective campaigns. Mar 30, 2007
• Google's CPA Trials: Right for You?
  Issues to consider when deciding whether to opt into Google's CPA test. Mar 23, 2007
• Panama's Relevance Score Causes Pain and Gain
  Blindsided by Yahoo's changes? All is not lost. Four steps to ensure relevance. Mar 16, 2007
• Search Engine Wish Lists, Part 3
  The year's well underway, but there's plenty of time for the search engines to implement changes that will make PPC search advertisers' lives easier. Last of a three-part series. Mar 9, 2007
• Search Engine Wish Lists, Part 2
  The year's well underway, but there's plenty of time for the search engines to implement changes that will make PPC search advertisers' lives easier. Part two of a series. Mar 2, 2007
• Search Engine Wish List, Part 1
  The year's well underway, but there's plenty of time for the search engines to implement changes that will make PPC search advertisers' lives easier. Feb 23, 2007
• SEMPO Survey Reveals Major Shifts, Part 2
  More top-line results from SEMPO's annual SEM survey. Feb 16, 2007
• SEMPO Survey Reveals Major Shifts, Part 1
  Some top-line results from SEMPO's annual SEM survey. Feb 9, 2007
• The Affiliate PPC Search Controversy Continues
  How much power should you give to affiliates in regard to PPC search bidding? Feb 2, 2007
• The Search Tax: Are Search Engines Leeches?
  Do the engines unfairly appropriate and leverage marketers' advertising, PR, and buzz? Jan 26, 2007
• Search Scent in the Search Engines
  If your paid placement landing pages don't reinforce the search scent, you lose too many visitors to the "Back" button. Here's how to change that. Jan 19, 2007
• I'm Not a Click. I'm Not a Keyword. I'm a Person
  Using segmentation models in search advertising. Jan 12, 2007
• SEM and SEO: Rocket Science or Just Plain Science? Part2
  Should the search industry even be debating this question? Last in a series. Jan 5, 2007
• SEM and SEO: Rocket Science, or Just Plain Science? Part 1
  Should the search industry even be debating this question? First of a series. Dec 29, 2006
• Twenty Days on Yahoo's Panama
  First impressions on campaign management with the Panama interface. Dec 22, 2006
• Think Organic, Act Paid
  Want your PPC search campaigns to kick competitors out of the running? Five tips to making your ads more relevant than the organic results in every engine Dec 15, 2006
• Wanted: PPC Search Industry Standards
  Campaigns often aren't portable between engines. A standardization wish list. Dec 8, 2006
• Yahoo's Peanut Butter Recipe
  There are lots of great things you can make with peanut butter when it isn't spread too thin. Dec 1, 2006
• Are You Chasing the Wrong Long Tail?
  Make your campaigns more powerful and more relevant: manage the tail, don't let the tail manage you. Nov 17, 2006
• Voice Your Opinion: The SEMPO Survey
  SEMPO is once again asking for your views on the state of the industry. Nov 10, 2006
• The CMO's Guide to CPA, CPC, and CPM
  CPA campaigns are influenced by differences in media invoice type influence the level of control, the level of ROI, and how media are bought. Nov 3, 2006
• SEM's Reach and Frequency
  In SEM, reach and frequency are visibility and coverage. Oct 27, 2006
• Search Ad Complexity: Man vs. Machine
  More precise search engine targeting and more search ad formats won't make your life easier. Oct 20, 2006
• Google Buys Reach With YouTube
  Google snaps up the video-sharing site to own millions of ad-viewing eyeballs. Oct 13, 2006
• Budgeting PPC for '07
  Planning media spending a year in advance doesn't work for search and auction-based media. Oct 6, 2006
• Social Networking and Social Search in PPC
  Search traffic gets a little more social. What does that mean when you're paying for it? Sep 29, 2006
• SEM Agency Selection: Brilliance or BS?
  When choosing as SEM agency, you have to separate the buzz from the blather, and the brilliance from the BS. Sep 22, 2006
• Planning for Panama, Part 2
  A man, a plan, an updated bid management platform: Panama. Last in a series. Sep 15, 2006
• Planning for Yahoo's Panama, Part 1
  A man, a plan, an updated bid management platform: Panama. Sep 8, 2006
• Paying for Shelf Space in the Search Supermarket
  Why search engines aren't as far removed from grocery stores as you might think. Sep 1, 2006
• The Data War: Google, Yahoo, and MSN
  Recent announcements show competition for behavioral data is heating up. Aug 25, 2006
• The Click Fraud Conundrum
  What is a click and when should a marketer be charged for one? When should a publisher be paid for one? Aug 18, 2006
• Planning for Google, Fox/MySpace, and MTV
  What do Google's latest moves mean for search advertisers? Aug 11, 2006
• SES San Jose, Google Dance, and More
  If you're not going to SES San Jose, you'll miss a lot more than just the Google Dance (the party, not the search algorithm shift). Aug 4, 2006
• Stock Prices and the Future of Search
  Should marketers worry -- or even care -- about Wall Street's opinion of the search engines? Jul 28, 2006
• Expect the Unexpected: Keyword Delivery Monitoring and Tuning
  Think you only get traffic on the keywords you buy? Search engine definitions of broad match are getting broader all the time Jul 21, 2006
• Nielsen's TV Moves and Google's Quality Score
  What do Google's Quality Score and Nielsen's move to measure TV commercial ratings have in common? Relevance. Jul 14, 2006
• The Outsourcing Debate
  In-house or outsource? It's not necessarily an either/or decision. How to determine which aspects of SEO and SEM stay and which go to outside experts. Jul 7, 2006
• The Best Ad Server Wins
  What makes the best ad server? Jun 30, 2006
• Dayparts, Day of Week, and Other Cherry-Picking Techniques
  The hows and whys: Google AdWords ad scheduling and MSN's new incremental pricing for targeting. Jun 23, 2006
• Behaviorally Retargeting Searchers
  The new big idea in search advertising is retargeting searchers based on their search behavior. This could be the year of behavioral search advertising. Jun 16, 2006
• Offline Conversion Tracking and SEM
  Why gauging success purely on measurable online conversions is bad for business. Jun 9, 2006
• ShaveEverywhere Isn't Everywhere
  Marketers must be creative not just with their sites but also with PPC search campaigns. Jun 2, 2006
• Google's Click Settlement: Should You Opt In or Out?
  Some thoughts on Google's settlement and what action you should consider taking. May 26, 2006
• Think Organic, Act Paid
  Want your PPC search campaigns to kick competitors out of the running? Five tips to making your ads more relevant than the organic results in every engine. May 19, 2006
• Search Wars Intensify
  The search wars among the portals are being fought on three fronts: relevance, scale, and stickiness. May 12, 2006
• Competitive Research, Intelligence, and Search Marketing, Part 2
  What are your competitors up to with their search marketing campaigns? Plenty of tools can help you find out. Second of a two-part series. May 5, 2006
• Competitive Research, Intelligence, and Search Marketing, Part 1
  Tools for competitive search analysis for marketers of all sizes and budgets. Part one of a two-part series. Apr 28, 2006
• Dirty Data Equal Bad Bids
  Too many search campaigns -- and bid strategies -- are based on bad data. A list of the biggest stumbling blocks. Apr 21, 2006
• Predictive Modeling and Programmed Trading in SEM
  When does predictive modeling makes sense as either a tactical or strategic campaign management tool? Apr 14, 2006
• Keyword Testing and Expansion Done Right, Part 2
  The right and wrong ways to discover, test, and implement new keywords. Part two of a two-part series. Apr 7, 2006
• Keyword Testing and Expansion Done Right, Part 1
  The right and wrong ways to discover, test, and implement new keywords. Part one of a series. Mar 31, 2006
• Searcher Behavior: On- and Offline Purchase Stats
  A new comScore study reveals more searchers are going offline to make their purchases, but online buys are rising. Mar 24, 2006
• Click Fraud: An Industry Crisis?
  Google will pay up to $90 million to advertisers for click fraud. Here's how to determine if you should be among them. Mar 17, 2006
• Search Marketing as a Metric
  Thinking about search cause rather than an effect can be very liberating. Mar 10, 2006
• Tune Your Google Ad Campaign
  Don't let an antiquated campaign structure result in missed opportunities or waste. A step-by-step guide to fine-tuning a Google AdWords campaign. Mar 3, 2006
• Ten Reasons to Attend SES NYC
  Learning how to increase your search ad's CTR is just one reason to attend next week's Search Engine Strategies conference in New York. Feb 24, 2006
• Affiliate Marketers: SEM Friend or Foe?
  Outsourced lead generation can be great for shifting risk onto external agencies and publishers. But what happens when you decide to get into the SEM game yourself? Feb 17, 2006
• Google Ban of German Sites Highlights SEO Quandary
  The risks of using doorway pages and cloaking just got higher. Feb 10, 2006
• Google's Quarterly Earnings Report and the SEM Industry
  Google's quarterly earnings statement may have disappointed Wall Street, but there's still plenty of lift in the SEM rocket. Feb 3, 2006
• Google Radio Ads: Perfect for Podcasts and Offline
  Buying offline media is about to get a lot more interesting. Jan 27, 2006
• Strategies for Yahoo!'s Shorter Descriptions
  Yahoo! reduced search ad copy to just 70 characters. How should you handle your campaigns going forward? Jan 20, 2006
• SEMPO Research Breaks Down 2005
  SEMPO estimates North American SEM spending was $5.75 billion in 2005 Jan 13, 2006
• TV Advertising, Search, and the Google Cube
  Once again, we're talking about convergence. But appliances don't have to be connected to the Web to be important to search. Jan 6, 2006
• SES Hints of Coming Convergence, Increased Complexity
  There's a coming convergence of SEM and mainstream advertising. Here's why. Dec 30, 2005
• AOL: Worth $20 Billion?
  What's the added value AOL and Google can bring to one another? Dec 23, 2005
• SEM in the Age of Uncertainty
  You have less control over the position of your paid search ads -- which isn't necessarily bad. Dec 16, 2005
• Tapping the Power of Google's AdSense Bidding
  Google has added some new features to its AdWords system. Here's how to take advantage of them. Dec 9, 2005
• How to Cope With SEM Staffing Shortages, Part 2
  There are more jobs than there are SEM professionals to fill them. You need the right staff, trained and up-to-speed. Part two of a two-part series. Dec 2, 2005
• How to Cope With SEM Staffing Shortages, Part 1
  There are more job listings than there are SEM professionals to fill them. You need the right staff, trained and up to speed. Part one of two. Nov 18, 2005
• Navigating Between Agencies, Networks, and Publishers
  So many companies are positioning themselves in the SEM business. Step back from the sizzle and consider business fundamentals. Nov 11, 2005
• SEMPO Survey Probes SEM/SEO Issues
  What's the state of the search industry? Nov 4, 2005
• Better Targeting With adCenter
  How adCenter improves the PPC auction place -- and how to get invited to the party. Oct 28, 2005
• Five Best Practices for PPC Search
  Media and Marketing 101 never went out of style. In search, traditional best practices simply manifest themselves differently. Oct 21, 2005
• Brand Discounts at the Major Engines
  Hybrid auctions reward brands and compelling, relevant creative. How to compensate if you're not a name brand. Oct 14, 2005
• Conversion and Control: Organic vs. PPC Clicks
  Testing only existing site pages for PPC traffic? You may be leaving money on the table. Oct 7, 2005
• Tune Your Google Ad Campaign
  Don't let an antiquated campaign structure result in missed opportunities or waste. A step-by-step guide to fine-tuning a Google AdWords campaign. Sep 30, 2005
• Turn Holiday SEM Blunders Into Best Practices
  Many marketers are setting themselves up to make some serious blunders this holiday season. Instead, turn naughty into nice. Sep 23, 2005
• The Media Revolution, Powered by Search Networks, Part 2: Traditional Media
  A media revolution is underway. How the search network platforms might help it along. Sep 16, 2005
• The Media Revolution, Powered by Search Networks, Part 1: Google
  Would you buy ad types other than search from Google? Chances are, you already do. Part one of a series. Sep 9, 2005
• Beaten at Your Own Name: Buying Your Brand
  Some critical issues to consider when questioning if you should buy your own brand in PPC search. Sep 2, 2005
• Brands, Trademarks, and the Brand Marketer's Dilemma
  Trademarks as keywords: recent news has put them back in the limelight. Aug 26, 2005
• And Then There Were Three: Google Ad Display Increases
  More ads on Google's SERP and other changes have significant ramifications for advertisers. Changes you can expect, and how to deal with them. Aug 19, 2005
• The New World of Search
  We're at a turning point in search, and it centers on convergence. Aug 12, 2005
• PPC Bid Inflation: Rational and Irrational Competition
  Telling the brilliant marketers from the lunatics -- and dealing with both. Aug 5, 2005
• PPC Contextual Ad Tuning: Avoid Creative Burnout
  Creative burnout hasn't been an issue in search advertising. But it will be.... Jul 29, 2005
• AdWords Changes to Affect Google Advertisers
  Get out your mouse! A fresh look is in order for your campaigns, creative, keywords, and match types. Jul 22, 2005
• Search Personalization and PPC Search Marketing
  To compete, search engines must identify what different searchers want in a SERP. Having all the data in the index isn't enough. Jul 15, 2005
• Paid Search Ads and Site-Side Brand Metrics
  With every search ad click, a searcher is exposed to at least one page on your site. Make it an extension of the ad -- and the brand. Jul 8, 2005
• Search Engine Sales vs. Search Engine Marketing
  You might consider yourself a search marketer when really you only focus on sales. What's the difference? Read on. Jul 1, 2005
• Is Pay-Per-View Next for the Search Heavyweights?
  Micropayments for content -- about to take off? Jun 24, 2005
• Use PPC to Capture the Search Curve Tail
  Are you focusing the right level of energy on the search curve tail? Jun 17, 2005
• Paid Placement SEM Is Dead. Long Live Paid Placement
  Are unpredictable positions still 'paid placement'? Jun 10, 2005
• Brand Engagement Via Search Marketing
  What metric is right for search once a campaign extends beyond the obvious brand keywords? Jun 3, 2005
• Test or Die
  The direct marketing credo is as true in search engine marketing as it is in more traditional channels. How to get started in SEM testing. May 27, 2005
• Create New Pages for PPC Search Landing Pages
  Ten reasons not to use existing site pages for PPC search. May 20, 2005
• When to Spend More on PPC
  What to take into account when you consider increasing a search budget. May 13, 2005
• Banners and Search Merge in Contextual Markets
  Banners are making a comeback, but not the way you might expect. May 6, 2005
• Five Best Practices for PPC Search
  Media and Marketing 101 never went out of style. In search, traditional best practices simply manifest themselves differently. Apr 29, 2005
• Building and Managing an SEM Campaign, Portfolio Style
  How to run a portfolio-style campaign and meet objectives -- without damaging your business. Apr 22, 2005
• Paid Search's Disclosure Issues
  The best regulation is Darwinism combined with user experience. Apr 15, 2005
• Accelerated Keyword and Engine Testing, Part 2
  How to methodically go beyond 'no-brainer' campaign keywords. Apr 8, 2005
• Accelerated Keyword and Engine Testing, Part 1
  How to methodically go beyond 'no-brainer' campaign keywords. Apr 1, 2005
• Crumbling Cookies Threaten SEM and Online Advertising
  How to get proactive -- before the cookie crumbles. Mar 25, 2005
• MSN's adCenter: More Control and Better Results
  MSN gives marketers more control. That means more relevant ads and better ROI. Mar 18, 2005
• Affiliates: Google Partners, or Parasites?
  The lines between friends and foes are very fuzzy these days in the search ecosystem. Mar 11, 2005
• Will Click Prices Continue to Rise?
  There's a lot of anxiety about PPC prices. Six factors to help you predict the rise of PPC prices in your industry. Mar 4, 2005
• Research Supports Aggressive SEM and SEO
  Two eye-opening studies indicate where marketers should direct search dollars and search metrics. Feb 25, 2005
• Click Fraud: What It Is, How to Fight It
  Click fraud hurts everyone, except the cheaters. Make sure the cheaters don't win. Feb 18, 2005
• Don't Launch That New Web Site Yet!
  Launching a site without a specific PPC or SEO plan, and without proper testing, can be disastrous. How to avoid the pitfalls. Feb 11, 2005
• Search Engine APIs: Right for You?
  Ten factors to consider before making a build-versus-buy decision. Feb 4, 2005
• The Hidden Affiliate War
  It's been a few weeks since Google implemented its one-ad-per-domain rule. Is the cure worse than the disease? Jan 28, 2005
• Compare and Contrast: SEM and SEO
  The two search marketing disciplines differ -- and they're set to diverge even more. Jan 21, 2005
• Dealing With Google's New Affiliate-Linking Policy
  How does Google's new affiliate link policy affect you? Jan 14, 2005
• The Agency Opportunity in PPC Search
  Usability and conversion enhancements help paid search campaigns, the user, the marketer, and the agency. What's not to like? Jan 7, 2005
• PPC Search Copywriting Strategies, Part 2
  Copywriting best practices vary by engine and sometimes by industry. Here are some of the most universal PPC copy guidelines. Second of a two-part series. Dec 17, 2004
• PPC Search Copywriting Strategies, Part 1
  Copywriting best practices vary by engine and sometimes by industry. Here are some of the most universal PPC copy guidelines. First of a two-part series. Dec 10, 2004
• Beyond Bid Management: Breaking Through the Search Volume Wall
  Want to get more sales or lead volume from search and still meet profit objectives? These strategies can break though the wall, delivering more volume and higher profits. Dec 3, 2004
• Google Professional Vs. Overture Ambassador
  The big engines now both have programs for search professionals. Which should you join? Nov 19, 2004
• Microsites and SEM: A Proof of Concept
  Consider microsites as a paid search campaign component. Nov 12, 2004
• Daily Budget Caps Versus Active Management
  PPC budget caps aren't the best way to keep spending at the right level. Here's why. Nov 5, 2004
• How Paid SEM Helps Organic Search Optimization
  Paid search data: a learning lab for organic search optimization efforts. Oct 29, 2004
• Local Search and Yellow Pages: Not Just for Mom-and-Pops
  Even national marketers can benefit from searchers seeking local solutions. How to get started in local search. Oct 22, 2004
• Connect With Customer Segments in Search
  Varying customer segments search. They want your attention. Speak their language, and they'll open their wallets. Oct 15, 2004
• Advanced Match Bidding on Overture
  Bidding and management changes at Overture. It's simpler, but is it better? Oct 8, 2004
• How to Budget SEM Into a Media Plan
  Planning a media budget for your firm or clients? This column's for you. Oct 1, 2004
• Controlling SEM Gremlins
  SEM gremlins can seriously disrupt your business. Here's how to keep them at bay. Sep 24, 2004
• SEM Budget Multipliers, Part 2
  Tactics to get more impact and better results out of your search campaign -- with the same budget. Part two of a two-part series. Sep 17, 2004
• SEM Budget Multipliers, Part 1
  Tactics to get more impact and better results out of your search campaign -- with the same budget. Part 1 of a two-part series. Sep 10, 2004
• SEM Marketing Leverage
  Justify (and increase) your SEM budget. Sep 3, 2004
• Driving SEM Campaigns Using the Rearview Mirror
  Rearview-mirror marketing: Web analytics provides 20/20 hindsight. That's not good enough for SEM campaign management. Aug 27, 2004
• Search's Space Race
  Marketers are in the race for search space. To win, be the best prepared. Aug 20, 2004
• Boost Volume and Lower SEM Costs
  Wish your best keywords could deliver more ROI? Aug 13, 2004
• Benchmarking and Baselines in SEM
  The value of external and internal benchmarking. Aug 6, 2004
• Buying Brand Keywords: A Case Study
  Branded keywords outperform others at every level. Jul 30, 2004
• Yes, Virginia, There Is SEM Brand Lift, Part 2
  The IAB's brand-lift study revealed some stunning results. Here's how brand marketers can leverage the information. Part two of a series. Jul 23, 2004
• Yes, Virginia, There Is SEM Brand Lift, Part 1
  The IAB's brand-lift study produces some stunning results. Part one of a two-part series. Jul 16, 2004
• Local and Regional Search: A Primer
  Is local search just for local businesses? How do local search providers differ? An overview. Jul 9, 2004
• The Bricks-and-Mortar Edge in SEM
  Traditional businesses have the SEM advantage over pure-play Internet businesses. Jul 2, 2004
• SEM Power Tool: The Mighty HTTP Referrer
  Data you probably already have can be a powerful boost to search campaigns. Jun 25, 2004
• Portfolio PPC Campaign Management, Part 2
  Strategies for managing your PPC campaign portfolio-style. Jun 18, 2004
• Portfolio PPC Campaign Management Part 1
  Introduction to a technique that can lower PPC campaign risks and maximize opportunities. Jun 11, 2004
• When to Kill a Keyword Listing
  When do you drop a keyword listing out of high-volume, premium positions? When do you remove it from a campaign altogether? Strategies and tactics. Jun 4, 2004
• Stock and Search Markets: The Similarities
  Think stock market: Play SEM right and make a mint. Play it wrong and lose your shirt. May 28, 2004
• Get Your Banners Ready: Google Goes Graphic
  Fourteen pointers for a successful AdSense banner ad campaign. May 21, 2004
• Google's IPO and SEM: Predictions
  Six ways a post-IPO Google might affect search and SEM and shake the foundations of the industry. Get ready. May 14, 2004
• AdSense Makes Much More Sense
  AdSense gets it together with improved targeting and better pricing. May 7, 2004
• SEM, Sales Assistance, and Proactive Communications, Part 3: Online Chat in Action
  Can online chat lift conversion? A number of marketers say it can, plus work as real-time analytics. Last in a series. Apr 30, 2004
• SEM, Sales Assistance, and Proactive Communications, Part 2: Online Chat
  Linking online chat to the search process. Part two of a three-part series. Apr 23, 2004
• SEM, Sales Assistance, and Proactive Communications, Part 1: Search Meets the Phone
  The salesperson's role in the online purchase process. Part one of a three-part series. Apr 16, 2004
• Campaign Optimization Under Google's Smart Pricing
  A tactical guide for opting in to AdSense's Smart Pricing. Apr 9, 2004
• SEM Power Politics: PACs, Nonprofits, and 527s
  Smart non-commercial entities are taking advantage of negligible keyword competition. Apr 2, 2004
• B2B SEM: Sorting Ambiguous Traffic
  When B2B keywords overlap into consumer searches, marketers still pay for that consumer traffic. There are ways to turn that to your advantage. Mar 26, 2004
• Yahoo's New Paid Inclusion
  Get out your wallets -- inclusion is a privilege, not a right. Mar 19, 2004
• B2B Search: Playing the Odds
  You can stick to a search campaign budget, be it hundreds, or hundreds of thousands, of dollars. Mar 12, 2004
• Keywords Revisited, Part 3: Paid Research Tools
  Go beyond keyword research into competitive intelligence. Mar 5, 2004
• Keywords Revisited, Part 2: Free Research Tools
  Tools to help build and expand your keyword list. Feb 27, 2004
• Keyword Research Revisited, Part 1: Log Files
  How to use log file data to optimize paid and organic search. Feb 20, 2004
• XML Paid Inclusion: Marketing Winner, Search Spam Killer
  It's about to become big -- very big. Three reasons to learn now about XML feeds for your search campaign. Feb 13, 2004
• A Golden Opportunity: Politics and SEM
  How (and why) political candidates should leverage search. Feb 6, 2004
• Separating Search and Contextual Inventory
  Overture now allows marketers to bid for contextual and search inventory separately. How should you cope with yet another major search engine change? Jan 30, 2004
• SEM Best Practices for Ad Agencies
  How ad agencies can best serve clients with SEM. Jan 23, 2004
• Maximizing SEM Revenue in the New Year, Part 2
  Allocate a search budget for maximum ROI -- a how-to guide. Jan 16, 2004
• Maximizing SEM Revenue in the New Year, Part 1
  How to allocate your budget for maximum ROI. Jan 9, 2004
• The Super Bowl of Search: Super Keywords
  Is the SEM equivalent of buying traffic in bulk a sound strategy? Jan 2, 2004
• SEM Post-Holiday Wrap-Up
  This holiday season was driven by SEM. Kevin reviews some telling data. Dec 26, 2003
• Watching SEM Dials and Gauges
  The metrics, online and off-, you must consider for your SEM campaign. Dec 19, 2003
• Tracking for Decisions in SEM
  Don't get stumped by missing data or overwhelmed by too much. Dec 12, 2003
• Trademarks and SEM
  Issues trademark holders may have with search engines and how to resolve them. Dec 5, 2003
• SEM Arbitrage: Golden or Cooked Goose?
  Is affiliate arbitrage right for you? Nov 21, 2003
• Self-Funding Search Engine Marketing
  The basics of search campaigns that pay for themselves. Nov 14, 2003
• The SEM Shakeout: Are You Ready?
  Competition's heating up. Prices are rising. Search is a zero-sum game. Nov 7, 2003
• Google's Regional Targeting Power
  Strategies and tactics you can employ to leverage the additional power of regional targeting. Oct 31, 2003
• Feeding Frenzy, Part 1
  If you sell products online and don't use search portal feeds, you're missing opportunities. Oct 24, 2003
• Think Negative
  When the objective is not to display your ad, the negative match is your friend. How to select and deploy negative terms for Google and Overture campaigns, and XML paid inclusion. Oct 17, 2003
• New Google and LookSmart Tools: A User's Guide
  The Whats, Whys, Hows and Benefits of new features and enhancements. Oct 10, 2003
• Searching For Holiday Profits, Part 3: Landing Page Optimization
  Don't ignore what happens after the click! Oct 3, 2003
• Searching For Holiday Profits, Part 2: Seasonal Keywords, Listing Expansion
  Making a listing, checking it twice.... Sep 26, 2003
• Searching For Holiday Profits, Part 1
  Prep for holiday season searchers. A multi-part how-to series. Sep 19, 2003
• Making Sense of AdSense... Et Al.
  A keyword ad primer for publishers and marketers. How do Google, Sprinks, and Overture stack up? Sep 12, 2003
• Search Marketing Organizations: A Road Map
  Unscrambling the abbreviations of the groups supporting SEM. What role does each nonprofit play? Sep 5, 2003
• The New Overture Best Practices, Part 2
  The search player gives advertisers new matches and features. How should you respond to the new options? Part two of a two-part series. Aug 29, 2003
• The New Overture Best Practices, Part 1
  The search player gives advertisers new matches and features. How should you respond to the new options? Part one of a two-part series. Aug 22, 2003
• Actions Speak Louder in SEM
  Tracking and analytics in SEM: the options and the vendors. Aug 15, 2003
• Overture: A Conflict of Interest?
  Does Overture (or Yahoo!) have any business being in tracking and analytics? Aug 8, 2003
• Best Search Practices for E-Tail
  Top catalogs and retail sites share search strategies. Aug 1, 2003
• Averages Can Kill Your SEM Campaign
  Don't settle for an average search campaign. Drill deeper. Jul 25, 2003
• Effectiveness Study Confirms SEM Power
  How do searchers behave? New research reveals promising results for major brand marketers. Jul 18, 2003
• The SEM Content Conundrum
  If you use Overture or Google, the content-based floodgates will soon be open. Do you want that traffic? Jul 11, 2003
• Branding Metrics for Search Engine Marketing?
  Can brand marketers apply metrics to SEM? Meet BEI. Jul 4, 2003
• Is SEM Becoming Unaffordable?
  Can you afford not to optimize? Jun 27, 2003
• The Power of Copy
  Words, copy, message -- all are critical to the success of any search campaign (paid or not). Jun 20, 2003
• SEM Reach and Frequency
  Planning and budgeting a search engine brand campaign. Jun 13, 2003
• Inclusion Confusion, Continued
  What's XML paid inclusion and how can you harness it for optimal ROI? Jun 6, 2003
• Paid Inclusion Confusion
  Stumped by XML paid inclusion? Here's a primer to what's involved and why you should care. May 30, 2003
• B2B Search Best Practices
  Long lead times and complex products are just two of the challenges faced by B2B search marketers. How to overcome these and more. May 23, 2003
• Is Your Search Marketing Budget Working Hard Enough?
  Make your budget dollars go further with site and listing optimization. May 16, 2003
• Set a Search Marketing Budget
  How to set a flexible budget for any type of search campaign. May 9, 2003
• Search Research Comes of Age
  Previously unknowable metrics such as 'share of search' can be yours at last. May 2, 2003
• Google AdWords: Best Practices
  AdWords is the future -- learn how to use it. Tips for getting started and getting better campaign results. Apr 25, 2003
• How to Improve Results and Up Your Budget
  What would you do with the savings if you could cut your marketing budget in half? Apr 18, 2003
• Ready for Its Future?
  Yahoo! Re-Search: Step-by-step prep for Yahoo!'s retooled search engine. Apr 11, 2003
• Search and the Buying Cycle
  Whether a search is aimed at casting a wide net, researching a product, or finding a retailer, you can optimize your campaign accordingly. Apr 4, 2003
• Beyond ROI, Pursuing Profit
  The new convergence -- marketing, business, accounting, technology, and economics -- meet to optimize profit. Mar 28, 2003
• SEM: Outsource or In-House?
  Wondering when to ask for help? A five-point checklist helps you decide which way to turn. Mar 21, 2003
• CRM Meets Search
  Some listing are more valuable than others because some customers are more valuable than others. CRM, meet SEM. Mar 14, 2003
• Context Is King, or Is It?
  Contextual inventory is here -- make sure you know if it's working for you. Mar 7, 2003
• The Acquisition Price Is Right
  How much should you pay to attract a customer? Take a look at the data and find out. Feb 19, 2003
• The Lunchtime Effect
  Taking advantage of daily traffic and conversion patterns can pay off for your SEM. Feb 5, 2003
• Beyond Price/Position: The SEM Strategy Loop
  Price/position strategies aren't enough. Kevin tells you how to loop results data back into improving your SEM strategy -- and overall marketing efforts, too. Jan 22, 2003
• SEM Power Tips
  Boost performance, results, and ROI with this list of proven ways to turbocharge your search engine marketing. Jan 8, 2003
• Branding Metrics for Search Engine Marketing?
  Can brand marketers apply metrics to SEM? Meet BEI. Dec 11, 2002
• Make Sense of the Metrics Morass
  Find out what goals and metrics are appropriate for your campaign. Nov 27, 2002
• Beating Big Brands at Search Engine Marketing
  Think big brands hold all the cards in the search engine marketing game? Kevin shows you some tricks the little guys have up their sleeves. Nov 13, 2002
• Landing Page Magic and My Two Cents
  Better landing pages equal more flexible and profitable marketing efforts. Oct 30, 2002
• Broader Is Better in Google and Overture
  Can you pay dramatically less for more effective campaigns? If you know how to go broad, the answer's often yes. Oct 16, 2002
• Media Buyer's Guide to Search Advertising
  A six-point plan for marketers who view search as 'media.' Oct 2, 2002
• The Overlooked Killer App: Paid Inclusion
  Don't leave it up to the spiders! Paid inclusion ensures your site will appear in search results. Kevin reviews the four types of paid inclusion programs -- and which is right for you. Sep 18, 2002
• Google and Overture: CPM in Disguise?
  Your bill may say CPC, but is it really? Sep 4, 2002
• What Search Engine Strategy?
  To be successful within any advertising medium, marketers have to understand the dynamics of the medium and apply the best viable strategy. Jun 8, 2001

Back to Kevin Lee

• Senior PPC Manager
  Austin, United States
• Internet Marketing Manager
  Northwestern Mutual Milwaukee, United States
• 906597
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• 912435
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• Account Executive- Platform Sales
  ContextWeb New York, United States

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