New industries invent new languages to describe what they do – that’s an inevitable process – but the web marketing industry is increasingly becoming littered with dinosaur expressions which serve only to mislead. Many agencies still persist in describing what they do as ‘submission’ when anyone who works with crawler search engines is well aware that that process died literally years ago. ‘Submission’ suggests the idea that time has to be spent communicating in some way with a search engine in order to make it possible for a site to appear in the listings. In reality, only obtaining inclusion in directories could really be described as a ‘submission’.

The fees agencies charge their clients for ‘submission’ are certainly necessary to cover the costs of making web sites perform in search engine listings – but it doesn’t involve a real submission process – so it serves only to confuse the client who really just wants to understand what’s going on – hence our avoidance of the term. Now the ‘Search engine strategies’ conference in New York has raised the prospect that the phrase ‘search engine optimisation’ is already an extinct dinosaur that needs replacing with fresh more meaningful language.

It will take years for this term to disappear – but it only really serves to support those who like to use language and three letter acronyms (SEO, SEM, RSS, CSS and so on) to create a false veil of obscurity over the important work we actually do. Today it is common for industry insiders to talk about ‘SEO’ for search engine optimisation meaning work to achieve a presence in the organic or natural listings of search engines or ‘SEM’ for search engine marketing – in other words the advertising end of the business.

At Web Certain, we see ourselves as a web marketing agency with emphasis on the word marketing. In fact, we are now quite clearly a web marketing communications agency – a traditional agency idea you might say – but invented for the new disciplines required of the web.

‘Search engine optimisation’ as a term is becoming as taut as an over-extended elastic band, which at some point is going to whip back and hit us in the face. To prove the point, you could try putting a group of so-called ‘SEOs’ into a room and ask them what their greatest strengths are. Whilst you’ll find they probably have wide experience across the piece, in terms of core strengths you’ll have programmers, designers, wordsmiths, link creation and exchange specialists, and online public relations experts – but they’re all ‘SEOs’ who have one aspect of their work in common; the search engine organic or natural results are central in some way to what they do.

Like other agencies, Web Certain is rapidly growing into an online marketing and advertising agency – and as we do we find that what we used to see as one task is now taken on by diverse professionals who have specialist know-how in their own particular field. In parallel, I think the industry is already imperceptibly splintering into new layers of speciality and whilst ‘search engine optimisation’ will probably live for decades to come – it’s time to recognise new disciplines.

So – let’s junk ‘SEO’ and turn to statistical and media analysts, compatibility engineers, search term researchers, content and conversion specialists, bid managers, online PR experts, affiliate scheme managers, linguists – and bring those all under the umbrella concept of ‘search marketing’. And before you say, “You’ve missed a few,” – let’s just examine what is embraced by each specialist:

Statistical and media analysts

You can manage what you can measure so they say – in which case managing online must be easier than falling off a log. Or is it? The statistical measurement of what’s going on web-wise gives the impression of being utterly measurable. So why then are there so many discrepancies between different sets of figures and the meanings attributed to them – and why can’t the publishers and advertisers agree on common standards. The irony of the moment is that the advertising industry is far happier with estimated figures used by print publishers – than it is with detailed statistics from search.

Statistics are at the heart of everything search and we increasingly need specialists not only to build tools for us to measure – but also to help us interpret them. The new web analytics association is particularly valuable in this regard. I believe there is as much scope for specialists who advise companies on the installation or use of appropriate statistical tools – as there is a need for programmers to provide the tools.

It makes sense that these statisticians also help clients to choose from a baffling array of pay per click services – a job equivalent to the media buying department in a traditional advertising agency in that they help clients to make appropriate decisions – but they have a different more statistical training and what they don’t have to do in my scheme is buy clicks, as that would be handled by the bid management team.

One crucial difference between statistical and media analysts in search is that they’re analysing both industry panel and ISP information from organisations such as comScore, Nielsen-netratings and Hitwise, but what they’re also analysing is the direct impact on client’s businesses via their web sites. I envisage them having a deep knowledge of client’s businesses and a contribution to make in terms of marketing campaign and business performance consultancy. What is certainly true is that they’re very hands-on since they have a detailed knowledge of web analytics tools and statistical troubleshooting.

As for the comment that there is a ‘baffling array of pay per click services’, before you think I’m losing my marbles as the complexity isn’t there yet, you’re right – but look at the new services coming from MSN and the number of new pay per click providers launching in vertical markets in the US. This trend will no doubt continue and rather than the competition coming from new Google, Yahoo or MSN pay per click competitors - my prediction is that in 2006 we’ll see more volume ‘clicks’ coming from newer organisations sometimes termed ‘second tier’ – another phrase not in wide use outside the search marketing industry which will rapidly become outdated.

Compatibility engineers

I guess around a quarter of old ‘search engine optimisers’ fall into this category – and the people who do this work are, I think, undervalued and certainly misunderstood. Their job is to ensure that both old and new web sites achieve high levels of compatibility with the search engines and their spiders in particular. They must also monitor their clients’ web sites and ring alarm bells the moment a web site strays from a safe and compatible path. Specifically they will look at web site architecture; developing and managing the databases that run most large web sites; dealing with re-directs and domain name issues; reducing the amount of code required to keep each page loading quickly; and examining such issues as the management of duplicate content.

But they must not be let loose on content for the simple reason that content now has to respond to new increasing pressures including converting both organic and pay per click visitors into customers and usability issues. Previously, it was not unusual for a web site to be twisted and tortured in appearance – just to stay in the organic search engine rankings – but now with the growth in pay per click and the increasing desire of corporate marketers to see good brand representation online – a more mature approach is necessary. ‘Content may be king’ – but in fact the customer’s need is rapidly and rightly becoming the prime focus.

This means that in addition to performing well with search engine organic or natural listings, web site content now must also support the brand, talk to the customer and work the whole process towards a satisfactory conclusion which might be lead generation – but it may also be more related to brand awareness and perception.

Content and conversion experts

So here’s where around a half of current ‘SEOs’ should live. Historically, they have been addressing such issues as creating metatags, analysing keyword densities and adapting or modifying existing content as well as creating and generating new. Several significant current trends are driving this role in another direction:

· Pressure to support the brand message.
· Converting visitors into buyers.
· Creating pages that work for pay per click as effectively as organic or natural listings’ visitors.
· Site usability.

Let’s face facts. Search marketing has been a side issue for marketers – and in fact for many still remains so. But many companies are now discovering that their budget is increasingly dedicated to online because of its success in driving their business forwards. ‘Search’ then moves centre stage and the rules change. Different people with different experiences become involved and new demands need to be met.

The content of a web site can’t be left to a so-named ‘SEO’ who is focused solely on search engine rankings nor can clients rely on studying search engine rank positions alone – they need to look much more at web site performance both in terms of organic listings generated visitors and those from pay per click. The key point about content is that it cannot be treated as the bait which attracts the visitors – it has to be viewed much more as the heart of a business’s brand message to its potential and existing customers – and this makes it a cross-over activity – in other words one which must serve both organic and pay per click needs.

Bid managers

Strategic bid management is becoming increasingly important – this is now the new mode of buying media you might say. One observation, which I find ironic, is that search engine interfaces, which enable customers to manage pay per click campaigns, have always implicitly targeted the client-users rather than agencies and endeavour to present the function as simple. Alongside that, the pressure to enhance the performance of the system has required the addition of extra functions with the end result that pay per click management has become increasingly complex and less available to direct users.

New bid management tools are being developed and launched from all quarters of the industry – but this trend will have the impact of making it much easier for new pay per click engines to launch. They do not need to build in complex strategies and features because this is increasingly the field of the bid management tool, they simply need to enable an API direct computer link to their system and can rely on the features being in place in the tools. They will soon not even need to create anything other than very basic web sites to promote their services – reducing the barrier to entry. Look at the ‘dayparting’ feature for example, meaning the setting of bids for different hours of the day – offered currently by Mirago. Many of the bid management tools already offer this.

The best launch strategy, therefore, is for new pay per click service entrants to talk to bid management tools companies only rather than to try and liaise directly with the wider market as their service would inevitably attract budgets – at least for testing – with the result that this channel to market gets them faster to where the big money is actually spent.

So, if it’s becoming easier to enter the ‘pay per click services’ market and if bid management tools are central to the growth and development of the sector, then so are bid managers who need to really specialise in managing and achieving results in pay per click. One key difference between traditional media buying and pay per click is that when you buy a print advertisement, you need do nothing more than wait for the results once you’ve provided your advertisement copy. Not so for the bid management world where you can never let go and your bid manager is actually part of the end result.

Online PR experts

Online PR is a vastly diverging sector with a need for experts who know what they’re doing and whilst some traditional public relations people may migrate to this much more technological role – it is already the case that there are experts in this field who are working at the sharper edge of web marketing development. A PR campaign online is very different tactically to one offline – even though the basic premises remain the same. Online PR experts need to cover everything from press releases and articles, to running blogs, managing RSS and news feeds, running viral campaigns and talking to journalists AND bloggers who may have no journalistic training whatever.

But wait there’s more – links. In this scheme for web marketing there is no room for link building experts who might appear a rather obvious omission. But if you go to any ‘advanced link building’ conference session, do the most knowledgeable people in the industry such as Mike Grehan, Eric Ward or Greg Boser of WebGuerilla talk about building huge numbers of links and massive link farms? What they always talk about is ‘quality’ and about generating interest for links from creating useful software tools, using RSS or including white papers on your web site.

The search engines use terms such as ‘good neighbourhoods’ or that links are a ‘vote’ for a particular web site. What we’re talking about here is ‘reputation’ – and I well remember the debates within the Chartered Institute of Public relations about the definition of ‘public relations’, one popular version of which was that it should be ‘managing reputation’. I am increasingly trying to point clients in the direction of building their reputations online – rather than getting stressed at the number of links which Google says point to your site!

Affiliate scheme managers

Another route to market which can build more quickly than others is affiliate schemes, these work well on the web largely because of the ability for a small niche site to do well in a specific area – and then to monetize or earn revenue from that success. But like all others, this needs someone to look after it. There are commercial organisations out there who offer this – such as Commission Junction or Trade Doubler – but there are also strong arguments for building your own scheme.

Linguists

A Web Certain speciality, of course, UK and US organisations don’t’ seem to be picking up the opportunity in other languages the way that many continental European organisations are with the exceptions of a relatively small number of global players. The opportunities are out there – and the competition is always less when you’re no longer working in English. Equally, specialist trained linguists are required – linguists who understand search engines – as well as translation.

Why does any of this matter?

It matters because defining things more precisely can open up the market to further expansion and growth – in the following ways:

- If clients understand who does what, why and what the value is – the industry can move forward and continue to grow.
- If ‘SEO’s redefine themselves as specialists in what they are, then more inter-trading within the industry WILL take place to everyone’s advantage.
- New definitions means that more valuable and precise training can be developed which again improves professionalism.

Most importantly of all, this is a rapidly growing and successful industry, but to stay that way it needs to grow the skills and professionalism of the people within the industry - not updating the way we talk about this work we all do may at some point stall or damage the industry’s reputation – and we can’t have that!