SEO and the rest of your marketing efforts

A new report from iProspect, conducted by JupiterResearch,  says that 45% of search engine marketers do not integrate their search marketing efforts with offline channels.

In addition, it uncovers a big disconnect between search engine marketer strategy and search engine user behavior…The study finds that just over half of search engine marketers (55%) intentionally integrate their efforts with at least one offline marketing channel.

Other key findings: The two integration techniques most frequently employed by search marketers are prominently including the company Web address (84%), and the company name (66%), in offline marketing initiatives.

Only 26% of marketers utilize the same keywords in offline campaigns as are used in search marketing campaigns in their integration efforts.

24% of companies do not participate in offline marketing at all.

Can you hear me grinding my teeth on this one.

It’s articles like this that bother me as a marketing professional. I have been saying for years that it is not about Search Engine Optimization but Web Optimization that must happen which includes getting your PR efforts and branding materials to all be utilizing the same language, content, tone and keywords.

It irks me more to know that small business owners everywhere get sucked in by some so-called SEO expert that this will solve their marketing woes when in reality what they get in sales goes right back out in word$.

If you are working with an SEO “professional,” challenge them on this. Question how they plan to cross-train your SEO with your direct mail piece planned next month. If they give you a deer-in-headlights look or it’s silent on the phone, cut your losses and find a true marketer that gets it the first time.

See full article here.

Done ranting.