Welcome to the Digital Search Academy

Digital training and Search Marketing Strategy workshops for your team

The resources on these pages support content, strategy and marketing teams using search engine marketing to connect with customers. Whether it’s the Digital Search Marketing Academy programmes or SEO strategy development, ask your Academy Manager or Project Manager if you need more information.

Welcome to Digital Search Academy

Digital Search Marketing AcademyGetting your products found online can be like asking your customers to find the proverbial needle in the haystack. Search engines are key to your business and our one day orientation gives you all the basics you need to get started in effective search engine advertising and marketing. You'll get to grips with the mechanics of search, pay-per-click advertising and the basics of search engine optimization. It's your fast track to being able to make informed decisions about when, where, and how, to harness the power of search engine advertising. It concentrates on the essential knowledge you need, gives you a framework for the future, and delivers practical tips your company can use straight away.

Learn more: Download Digital Search Academy prospectus

Welcome to Digital Training Academy

Welcome to your Digital Training Academy: a great way to boost your knowledge and skills, helping you and your team get the most from digital marketing, publishing and communications.

All of us here at Digital hope you'll enjoy your Digital Training Academy, but we also hope you'll instantly be able to achieve more in your firm.

Find out how Digital Training Academy works

The Search Academy classroom

Big_classroom_3 Here is the place you can discuss issues with your tutor and other Academy participants

Is there something you did not understand on the Academy? Is there a new point you would like to make? Are there any new issues that you have discovered now you are applying your knowledge? Use this space to make your comments and to ask your questions.

Try to include the title of the Academy Lesson that your question relates to (if there is one). The classroom is open for one month following your Academy and materials will stay here as a reference point for you for a further year.

Digital's 10 steps to successful search engine advertising

Digital's 10 steps to successful search engine advertising A few years ago search marketers started approaching us, frustrated by the fact that their campaigns were not working. Whether they were in search agencies or within client companies, they were doing some great work themselves, but it simply wasn't translating into business results. We dug deeper and started to audit search marketing projects to look at the elements and the breaking points. And that's how we built our 10 Steps to Successful Search Marketing.

Continue reading "Digital's 10 steps to successful search engine advertising" »

The seven steps for getting started in search

Download the summary of Danny's keynote at the Internet World annual conference in London. This session - in partnership with the IDM - explored seven simple steps for getting started in search. Get search right and it can transform your business, that's why it accounts for more than 40% of all online advertising in many countries. Search engine advertising and search engine marketing will become major tools for your brand; it's time to get started.

Download: 7 steps for getting started in search

Search Engine Marketing Best Practice

Best practice: Nofollow tag in SEO

A big shakeup to site indexing practices was announced by Google in June 09, Matt Cutts, head of Google's Web Spam team at Google explained that the role of the tag had changed in the eyes of the search giant and the ‘nofollow’ attribute for links is nolonger being recognized. Since 2005 it had evolved as a way to fight blogspam to a power SEO tool – but not any more.

More on SearchEngineWatch

Search engine marketing Case Studies

Case study: Drakefield Insurance Services | Agency: Google AdWords | Sector: Financial services | Format: Search

Drakefield Insurance ServicesWhen 80% of your business is carried out online, it helps to have a strong internet presence. Now eight years old, Drakefield Insurance Services Limited operates a stable of travel insurance websites for the UK, including 1stoptravelinsurance.co.uk and gotravelinsurance.co.uk. They’ve always advertised online, but since signing up for AdWords in 2002 they’ve found its combination of highly-targeted advertising and ease of use a winning formula for attracting customers.

“It made a difference from the beginning,” says Michael Barry, Finance Director. They did explore other online advertising programmes, but Google’s rise to prominence helped their cause. “Everybody was hearing about Google,” adds Christian Young, CEO, “and we were looking for channels of distribution. We took a decision to make a long term commitment to Google AdWords and it is certainly working for us.”

Download the case study: Drakefield Insurance Services

Case study: Unilever Magnum | Agency: Google AdWords | Sector: FMCG | Format: Search

Unilever MagnumUnilever is one of the world’s leading consumer goods companies, with annual sales in the UK of over £2bn. In 2005, Unilever was one of the UK’s biggest advertisers. Amongst its portfolio of food brands is Magnum, launched in 1990 and now the UK’s number one handheld ice cream brand, worth over £80million*.

Unilever has an integrated marketing strategy across all of its top brands, including both online and offline media. However, Magnum was the first Unilever brand to run a search marketing campaign. As Kate Driver (Magnum Account Manager at media agency Mindshare) explains, “Unilever used Google AdWords for the first time for the launch of their new range Magnum 5 Senses in 2005. It was used in conjunction with other online and offline media.”

Download the case study: Unilever Magnum

Case study: Halifax | Agency: Google AdWords | Sector: Financial services | Format: Search

Google HalifaxEstablished in 1853, HBOS is one of the top banks in the UK. It has succeeded and grown over the years by responding to the ever-changing financial needs of its customers, who number 22 million today. With assets of more than £400 billion, the Bank offers everything from mortgages and credit cards to car insurance and loans of all kinds, both in branch and online. In 2002, Halifax.co.uk was voted Website of the Year by Find.co.uk.

Download the case study: Halifax

Case study: dabs.com | Agency: Google AdWords | Sector: Retail | Format: Search

Google AdWords dabs.comSince 1990, dabs.com plc has sold technology products throughout the UK. Originally, the Bolton-based company was an offline retailer, but today is one of the country’s leading online technology stores. Dabs sells nearly 20,000 products from such major manufacturers as Sony, Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba and Microsoft to 1.5 million registered customers. In addition to its UK business, the retailer has recently opened a dedicated site for French buyers; it also offers discounted shipping rates to the Republic of Ireland. Dabs typically processes well in excess of 5,000 customer orders every day from the million unique visitors that visit dabs.com each month.

Download the case study: dabs.com

Case study: AOL | Agency: Google AdWords | Sector: Online media | Format: Search

AOL Google AdWordsWith more than 2.4 million UK members, AOL is the leading online interactive service provider to the UK. The company offers a range of services including dialup, broadband and voice, as well as more than 20 channels of online content ranging from Entertainment and News to Parenting, Shopping and Money. AOL (UK) Limited is part of AOL Europe, a business unit of America Online Inc., the world's leading interactive services company, with more than 28 million members worldwide. AOL UK’s digital marketing partner is the Isobar Communications agency Diffiniti, a leading provider of integrated digital marketing services.

Download the case study: AOL

Case study: Select-a-room.com | Agency: Google AdWords | Sector: Travel | Format: Search

Select-a-room.comSelect-a-room.com provides a range of travel services for the public from its offices in the UK and throughout the world. With a particular focus on Central and Eastern Europe, it has been a pioneer in the growth of tourism to the former Soviet Union following 70 years of severe travel restrictions. It turned to AdWords as it looked to expand its reach online in an effective and targeted way.

Select-a-Room.com began thinking about its own online presence in the midto late-1990s, and later heard about AdWords through word of mouth. When the company was looking for additional distribution channels, it found AdWords was “a good way of getting the message out there”, according to Chairman Steve Penney. “We’ve looked at lots of other online pay-per-click models, and to be honest we’ve not really liked any of them,” says Penney. “What AdWords gives is real control, right down to the geographical location that we’re advertising in. We’ve been able to target particular market sectors, in particular countries, for particular destinations.”

Download the case study: Select-a-room.com

Case study: Rackspace | Agency: Google AdWords | Sector: Technology | Format: Search

Rackspace Google AdWordsAs Europe’s most successful managed hosting company and with online technology at the heart of its business, Rackspace has always believed in the power of the internet to market its services successfully. The team launched a Google AdWords campaign 5 years ago with the clear objectives of quality leads and sales conversions in mind. Google has delivered with impressive returns.

Download the case study: Rackspace

Case study: Janssen-Cilag psychiatry24x7.com | Agency: Google AdWords | Sector: Pharmaceutical | Format: Search

Janssen-Cilag psychiatry24x7.comJanssen-Cilag is a major research-based organisation that develops and markets prescription medicines to doctors. It is part of the Johnson and Johnson group of companies which makes over $50.5 billion in sales and, through its operating companies, is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care products and services for the consumer, pharmaceutical, and medical devices and diagnostic markets. Janssen has become a leader in its use of the internet versus many of its competitors in the pharmaceutical industry. It has built strong web assets that target both patients directly with disease awareness information and doctors with treatment specific information.

Janssen launched the psychiatry24x7.com site to educate patients and doctors about key psychiatric conditions such schizophrenia, dementia, depression and ADHD.

Download the case study: Janssen-Cilag psychiatry24x7.com

Case study: Hoovers | Agency: Google AdWords | Sector: Retail | Format: Search

Hoovers Google AdSenseFor the past few years, Google AdWords has accounted for the vast majority of Hoover’s Online’s marketing activity in the UK. Launched in the early 1990s, Hoover’s Online is a leading business information service which provides up-tothe- minute company, industry and market intelligence.

Hoover’s Online aims to provide easy access to the most comprehensive business information available. However, one of its greatest challenges is communicating exactly what it is that it can offer. To convey the extent of information available and how easy the system is to use, Hoover’s UK worked closely with Google to set up an AdWords campaign that would act as direct link between the user’s search query and the solution that Hoover’s offers.

As Elizabeth Prowse, SEO Specialist at Hoover’s UK, explains, “In an online business community, an AdWords account is a real necessity to maintain a strong position, both by brand equity, and through effective lead generation.”

Download the case study: Hoovers

Case study: Estée Lauder | Agency: Google AdWords | Sector: Pharmaceutical | Format: Search

Estée Lauder Google AdWordsLaunched in 1946, the Estée Lauder collection of skincare, makeup and fragrance exemplifies the best that art and science can achieve. The Estée Lauder brand name is recognised globally, in over 100 countries. Founded in 1946, the company has gained a worldwide reputation for elegant, luxurious products. Products come with a promise to uphold the finest standards of excellence through extensive research and stringent product testing and Estée Lauder thrives on innovation and technological advances in order to create the best products and consumer experience. It was this sentiment that saw the company embrace ecommerce.

Download the case study: Estée Lauder

Case study: Capital One | Agency: Google AdWords | Sector: Finacial services | Format: Search

Capital One Google AdWordsIn just over 10 years, Capital One has grown its UK business from a small start up to one of the country’s leading financial services companies, with 5 million customers and more than 2500 employees. With no physical presence on the high street, Capital One has had to rely heavily on marketing to raise awareness and grow its business. Being fast to react to consumer and technology trends – and using AdWords as a key part of this strategy – has been crucial to their success.

Download the case study: Capital One

Case study: Lighting Direct | Agency: Google AdWords | Sector: Retail | Format: Search

Lighting Direct Google AdWordsFounded in 1991, Lighting Direct is regarded as the number one online lighting company in the UK. With over 6000 products on the company’s website, Lighting Direct has established itself as a one-stop-shop for everything from the grandest chandeliers to novelty Christmas lights. The company also prides itself on providing value-for-money and helpful information that caters to both indoor and outdoor lighting.

The challenges facing Lighting Direct have been in constant flux as the company transformed from an Internet new-comer to an online leader in its field. As late as 2002, the company had just three staff, of which only one was full-time. The man at the helm was Gary Berg, “I put together a little website with about 200 products on it. Then we started getting a bit of interest and I started looking for ways of how I could let people know I was there...we really just wanted to drive traffic to our site. I found AdWords was the best way of doing that.”

Download the case study: Lighting Direct

Case study: PurelyGadgets | Agency: Google AdWords | Sector: Retail | Format: Search

PurelyGadgets Google AdWordsPurelyGadgets is one of the UK’s leading online retailers of electronic goods. Established in 2004 to capitalise on a rapidly expanding internet market, PurelyGadgets found their niche through using an in-house team of expert buyers to source the best value products from around the world. A combination of competitive pricing, fast delivery, and reliable pre and after sales facilities have proven popular with customers. The final strand however was growing their online presence – and it was to Google they turned to achieve this.

Download the case study: PurelyGadgets

Case study: BritishThermals.com | Agency: Google AdWords | Sector: Retail | Format: Search

BritishThermals.comBased in Leicester, BritishThermals.com has been running under the tagline ‘British Thermals for British Weather’ since they began manufacturing their line of thermal underwear in 1982. Boasting the incongruous accolade of official thermals supplier to The House of Lords, Eastenders and the British Film Industry, this family business has thrived online. While the textile industry in general has seen a sharp decline throughout the region, British Thermals are achieving unlikely success through targeting a niche online market: those seeking genuine British-made underwear. Head of Ecommerce Rishi Thobhani says, “Leicester used to be full of factories, they’d run 24 hours a day. They’re all converted to apartments now. We are not only surviving, we are actually succeeding at a time when other people are struggling. And it’s down to online sales, the strength of our website and the support of Google AdWords.”

Download the case study: BritishThermals.com

Case study: Wolters Kluwer UK | Agency: Google AdWords | Sector: Publishing | Format: Search

Wolters Kluwer UKWolters Kluwer UK, a leading information services and publishing company, enlisted Google’s help to deliver an online marketing campaign that would raise awareness of products under two of its key brands in the UK, CCH and Croner. The company has long been aware that many of its target business audience were going online to find information related to their profession. As a supplier of the products and services these professionals were looking for, Wolters Kluwer UK knew it had to reach this group at the time they were actively looking for help if it was to really drive traffic to its brand websites and get them working harder as sales distribution channels.

AdWords became the perfect marketing solution to help achieve the key objective of generating leads and online sales. In fact, Google’s campaigns for CCH and Croner met this objective so well that within just a few months, Wolters Kluwer UK was convinced that the Google network was the only place to carry out search marketing.

Download the case study: Wolters Kluwer UK

Case study: Carling Live | Agency: Various | Sector: FMCG | Format: Sponsorship, search, integrated marketing, strategic marketing models, web design

Carling LiveIn the crowded drinks sector Carling wanted to find a strategic way to achieve cut-through. They developed an award-winning strategy of sponsorship that were amplified on the web through sophisticated search engine marketing that gave the campaign a permanent place online. Carling realised that just as brands compete for a share of sales, they also compete for audience attention online so an alternative to simple advertising was needed.

Download the case study: Carling Live

Case study: Fish4jobs | Agency: Greenlight | Sector: Recruitment | Format: Search

Fish4 case studyThe UK’s largest classified jobs website, fish4jobs understood effective search marketing was key to realising their full potential. That’s why the recruitment site chose Greenlight to research, formulate and implement a strategy capable of clearing a vital pathway between fish4jobs and its customers in the period from January 2007 to March 2008.

When we started work on the campaign, fish4jobs held more than 40,000 live adverts and attracted in excess of 3.3 million unique users each month. In order to retain this strong market position and advance it further, the company recognised the importance of maintaining visibility in the fiercely competitive online recruitment industry. In Greenlight fish4jobs saw a clear opportunity to extend its reach even further – and deliver a larger audience to its advertisers.

Download the case study | www.fish4.co.uk/jobs

Case study: Autobytel | Agency: Greenlight | Sector: Automotive | Format: Search

Autobytel case studyAutobytel.co.uk is a leading internet car retailer that combines extensive motor industry expertise and cutting-edge technology, to offer a convenient online car buying process. By working with Greenlight's in house ad feed tool, Adapt, Autobytel.co.uk has seen their Pay Per Click (PPC) campaigns become more meaningful and relevant to search activity, which has driven better qualified traffic to the site and resulted in an explosion of enquiries and sales.

Having found that traditional bid management and manual campaign creation were not producing a steady flow of relevant enquiries, Autobytel.co.uk wanted to overhaul their approach to PPC in order to improve the quality and quantity of enquiries and reduce the cost per lead.

Download the case study | www.autobytel.co.uk

Case study: Fly Monarch | Agency: Greenlight | Sector: Recruitment | Format: Search

Fly Monarch case studyWhen Monarch Airlines approached Greenlight in 2004, their organic search presence was limited, leaving their competitors to capture the lion’s share of search traffic for low-cost air travel. Today Monarch Airlines occupies positions one to three in Google’s organic results for all of their main flight destinations and they are consistently ranked in the top 3 spots for highly sought after travel search terms including ‘Cheap Flights.’

Tasked with increasing Monarch Airlines’ share of organic traffic, Greenlight devised a full scale search engine optimisation campaign to target 500+ keywords, auditing more than 800 web pages and targeting some fiercely competitive search terms.

Since teaming up with Greenlight, the volume of qualified traffic to flymonarch.com has grown exponentially, reaching a current rate of 200,000 unique visits every month. The success of this campaign is evident in the 143,000 flight bookings it has generated and the 360:1 ROI it has delivered. With consistently prominent rankings across the major search engines Monarch Airlines is now the most visible airline in organic search results for the UK.

Download the case study | http://flights.monarch.co.uk/

Case study: Handbag | Agency: Greenlight | Sector: Media | Format: Search

Handbag.com case studyAs a leading women’s lifestyle portal, handbag.com reaches over 1.5 million readers every month, delivering fresh editorial content on fashion, beauty, celebrity gossip, and much more. The brand has gone from strength to strength since it was set up in 1999 and continues to lead the market. handbag is an expanding online business with ambitious growth plans and had worked with Greenlight for over a year to develop a clear and focused paid search strategy aimed at increasing page impressions and reaching new audiences cost effectively.

A series of highly targeted PPC campaigns combined with strategic consultancy on key editorial and online issues, led to an astounding 410% rise in the number of page impressions. Cost per click on all keywords has dropped by 42% on average and the ongoing fine tuning of the campaigns means that the cost per click is now far lower than targeted.

Download the case study | www.handbag.com

Case study: HMV | Agency: Greenlight | Sector: Retail | Format: Search

HMV case studyGreenlight managed to almost double HMV’s market share in 6 months. This rapid growth outstripped current market trends for online music sales and is directly attributable to the dedicated PPC campaign Greenlight rolled out.

Following Greenlight's Pay Per Click campaign, HMV saw their market share for the Online Shopping and Classifieds Music Industry increase to an all time high of 13.76 per cent. Not only was this the first time in two years that they had exceeded 10 per cent, it was also their highest since online trading began. The challenge that HMV faced was how to capitalise on each and every search for DVD’s, CD’s and Games etc. with a vast and ever changing inventory of some 120,000 products. Their solution was to use Adapt, our custom built technology, to manage a campaign of timely, up to the minute PPC ads which update automatically to reflect current prices, promotions and availability.

Download the case study | www.hmv.com

Case study: Audible.co.uk | Agency: Greenlight | Sector: Retail | Format: Search

Audiable.co.uk case studyAfter realising that its paid search results had plateaued, online audiobook retailer Audible.co.uk, appointed Greenlight to revive disappointing sales figures through a dynamic paid search strategy. Greenlight’s Pay Per Click (PPC) campaigns successfully targeted the niche search volume that Audible’s market offered and maximised return. Greenlight’s approach proved far more efficient than the existing strategy and resulted in extremely impressive levels of return for Audible.

The expertly planned and closely managed campaigns increased search volume by 344%. In the space of 6 months the average number of impressions shot up by an incredible 1,462%; while a look at year on year conversions showed a 78% increase and cost per acquisition targets were beaten by 60%.

These outstanding results combined with Greenlight’s premium client services make this PPC project a shining example of how paid search should be executed and just how effective it can be for niche products and services.

Download the case study | www.audible.co.uk

Case study: Radisson Edwardian | Agency: Greenlight | Sector: Travel | Format: Search

Radisson Edwardian HotelsA solid application of smart search marketing principles deep in the long tail of search engine queries. The Radisson campaign succeeded in delivering multimillion pound returns at massive scale. Their processes used extensive and deep optimisation techniques to deliver outstanding ROI - showing just how powerful search engine marketing can be.

Download the case study | www.radissonedwardian.com

Search engine marketing exercises for best pactice in search engine marketing

Search engine marketing training | Writing for Google | For downloading

writing for GoogleGetting your brand discovered in search engines demands paying constant attention to best practice. Writing for the web demands translating the language consumers use into language that fits into the key elements of the visible page content on your site. By using headlines you can tell Google and other search engines what is most Important and help boost your rankings in natural search results for the terms that matter.

This file is locked | Request a copy from your Digital consultant

Search engine marketing training: Seven simple steps to starting search marketing

b_search_academy_2.jpgIf you’re new to search engine marketing, then its breadth and scale might feel daunting. Get
search right and it can transform your business, that’s why it accounts for more than 40% of all
online advertising in many countries. Devised by Danny Meadows-Klue to help companies
new to search get it right, these simple steps get you heading in the right direction. Search
engine advertising and search engine marketing will become major tools for your brand; it’s
time to get started.

Download lesson handouts

Search engine marketing training: Google guidelines on duplicated editorial content

One of the common practices in developing content for search engines is the building of similar pages, each optimised around a different key word or key phrase. Here you can read extracts of the Google editorial guidelines for content (May 2009).

Continue reading "Search engine marketing training: Google guidelines on duplicated editorial content" »

Search engine marketing training: The brand effect of search

Digital academy lessonWhile search engines may not carry the same impact as the graphical advertising formats, there is still an effect for branding. The research into this is still sketchy, but early work by Google and TNS has clarified that it certainly is present. In studies in France they confirmed that the brand effect can be as high as a 21% uplift in unaided brand awareness. Like all forms of advertising marketers should expect to see these numbers vary over time and between campaigns, but it’s the reason why many brands buy pay per click search advertising even if they’re already enjoying a good ranking in the natural search listings.

Search engine marketing training: Bidding and the Quality Score

Digital academy lessonWhen Google led the way on changing the way that search engine bidding worked, they changed the culture in search marketing. The concept of bidding on a term helped those advertisers prepare to spend the most on a click rise to the top of the listings. The application of auction theory to advertising was an incredible invention, but Google kept innovating. When they introduced the Quality Score process they kept the same basic principle but introduced two key variables. The rate of previous clicks and the quality of the landing page (in terms of the language linked to the keywords the searcher had just typed). This achieves a brilliant step change in the effectiveness from the consumer’s perspective because it means that the position in the paid-for listings space is not just about how much an advertiser spends, but also about the quality of the experience for the customer. And that’s how an online media business (which is what Google is) achieves credibility among its primary customers – all of us.

Search engine marketing training: How does Google AdSense work?

Search engine marketing training: SEO in practice Here you can see AdSense running on one of our web pages. In your training we can go behind the scenes and look at how the AdSense account works for the publisher and how the AdWords account works for the brand. In our training sessions we can explore the bidding processes and understand what marketers need to do to optimise the returns they get. Remember it’s not about being number 1, but about getting the best return on your investment.

http://www.ultimateburgerguide.com/

Search engine marketing training: SEO in practice - The Ultimate Burger Guide

Search engine marketing training: SEO in practice Eating out in London? The restaurant reviews on this website start off by being undiscovered in Google. Watch what happens as they are found and how the language then becomes discoverable. And if you’re searching for the best beef burgers and veggie burgers then the reviews will help you find somewhere too.

Ultimate Burger Guide – Searching for the best beef burgers and veggie burgers

Search engine marketing training: Googling into the future

Search engine marketing training: Googling into the futureThis thought provoking short film about the development of Google and the web challenges us to think about how these technologies and the sector is evolving. Click, play, watch and reflect.

Watch the video

Continue reading "Search engine marketing training: Googling into the future" »

Search engine marketing training: How can I stay high up in SEO?

Create news to boost SEO rankings

Get more value from SEO by harnessing news events in your sector with regular updated content. Use H1 and H2 tags as a way to let Google and the engines know that the content is important, and as with regular copy write material with keyphrase density and frequency in mind. If your brand is linked to a sporting event then harness the latest news and language of the event to get relevant

Search engine marketing training: Your Digital talking points? A few quick facts about the market

Digital academy lessonWhatever your involvement is in internet marketing, it’s useful to have a few great facts at your fingertips, so here are a few we put together based on the UK online media industry. Read through them and share them with colleagues. If you are taking part in a Digital Training Academy then we might have a few more for you as well. Read through them and think about additional cool facts that reflect the growth of internet media or marketing in your sector.

Read further...

Search engine marketing training: Getting to grips with Google PageRank

Getting to grips with Google PageRankGoogle’s co-founder Larry Page gave his name to the ranking tool that describes the importance of a website in terms of its link equity. The complex algorithms behind PageRank are part of the secret of Google’s success, and by understanding the model, search engine optimisation teams can build stronger link equity and social media optimisation strategies.

Continue reading "Search engine marketing training: Getting to grips with Google PageRank" »

Digital toolkits for best practice in search engine marketing

Digital Toolkit | Search ranking tracker | For downloading

This ‘Digital Toolkit’ provides a framework that can be managed internally without search marketing specialists, turning complex data into meaningful management insights

  • Keywords and keyphrases are critical element in both SEO and PPC campaigns
  • Traffic is proportional to rankings
  • Demands understanding the competitive position

Digital Toolkit | Search marketing tracker | For downloading

This ‘Digital Toolkit’ provides a framework that can be managed internally without search marketing specialists, turning complex data into meaningful management insights

  • Traffic is proportional to search marketingeffectiveness
  • There are many factors influencing searchmarketing position and rankings
  • Tracking your position is the start of any searchmarketing strategy

Search engine marketing strategy

The future for search?

b_search_academy_2.jpg The competition between the search engines will fuel product development and ensure that the range of options continues to grow,and that the trading model continues to evolve. Role of local search and geo-targeting will unlock a new wave of advertisers and listings, but the fusion with maps and aerial photographs will create a deeper connection between the online and offline worlds. Mapping functionality is just one example of a 'mashup' and new mashup formats will help deliver even more value.

Continue reading "The future for search?" »

Improve search results snippets with a meta description makeover

Social Media OptimisationThe quality of your snippet — the short text preview we display for each web result — can have a direct impact on the chances of your site being clicked (i.e. the amount of traffic Google sends your way). We use a number of strategies for selecting snippets, and you can control one of them by writing an informative meta description for each URL.

<meta name="Description" content="informative description here" />

Read more on Google Webmaster Central

Social Media Optimisation

Social Media OptimisationLots of people say that you should not pretend to be someone else, that there is a danger of being caught out, some have already. The concern is that it seems that few know what to do and how to commercialise social media apart from the big players, MySpace, YouTube etc. So naturally, in its early days of lack of knowledge and misunderstandings there have been screw ups ­ these are just people pioneering, finding their way...

In essence this is where video optimisation fits. Create content using the media that the market wants i.e. Fits with YouTube, MySpace et al, and the surprise is that you can make video clear, fun, interesting and you should not worry about breaking the bank, it does not need to be that expensive it just needs to be well thought out, ethical and honest. You can start with audio, step into podcasting, the people profiting from that the most are Apple, but they have online training videos that you can watch for free ­ it is not that hard, or you can ask your agency to do it, this is where Weboptimiser steps in.

Social Media Optimisation

Social Media OptimisationThe rapid rise in user generated content (UGC) triggered by the platforms like blogger and YouTube, or the social networks like MySpace or Linked-In, has started to have a real effect on how SEO works. The challenge is the exploding number of links as these new publishing formats trigger a step-change in the connectedness of pages. This is much more like the original read: write web envisaged by Tim Berners-Lee, and the democratisation of access to publishing tools means that just about anyone can now easily write their own content and produce professional web pages without knowing a thing about HTML or the technology side of content management systems.

Continue reading "Social Media Optimisation" »

Auctions and media: search is just the start

b_search_academy_2.jpg The trading models for online advertising have always been progressive. A transparency in the data, and a keenness to relate advertiser success to media space quickly created the Cost Per Click trading model in the late nineties, and then the Cost Per Action model. Since then sharing the risk has become a regular part of the media buying discussion, and the role of auctioning clicks has become embedded in the trading of search engine advertising.

Continue reading "Auctions and media: search is just the start" »

Search Engine Rap Battle

Digital Insight Report: The digital rollercoaster - landmarks in digital development

The digital rollercoaster - landmarks in digital development Internet communications have become a routine part of the daily lives of most people in the technically advanced countries of Asia, Western Europe and North America. As part of this, online marketing has already become a mainstream part of the media mix. These facts and landmarks we collated for participants on the Digital Training Academies are a summary of the internet and marketing development Academy lectures and are intended to present a few highlights of the immense changes created through this industry.

Download: Landmarks in digital development

Digital Insight Report: The search juggernaut continues

The search juggernaut continues Our market update: search engine advertising
Digital Insight Report - August 2006

The revolution in direct marketing continues as more firms realise the power of search. Search engines account for half the online advertising industry in some countries and they're changing the nature of customer acquisition marketing forever. Now Central and Eastern Europe are heading towards their tipping points in the growth of search, and with the engines continuing to deliver waves of new products and tools, it's clear that the growth will not slow.

Participants in the Academy will receive copies of recent Digital Insight Reports from our group

Search engine marketing training

The seven steps for getting started in search

Internetworld

Download the summary of Danny's keynote at the Internet World annual conference in London. This session - in partnership with the IDM - explored seven simple steps for getting started in search. Get search right and it can transform your business, that's why it accounts for more than 40% of all online advertising in many countries. Search engine advertising and search engine marketing will become major tools for your brand; it's time to get started.

Digital Search Marketing Academy @ IAB Polska (Advanced)

Iab_nThe Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our strategic partner IAB Polska.

Materials: Materials are restricted to participants | Bookings: To apply for a place email our events team. | Digital Search Academy at IAB Polska.

Digital Search Marketing Academy @ IAB Polska, Warsaw (Orientation)

Iab_n The Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our strategic partner IAB Polska.

Materials: Materials are restricted to participants | Bookings: To apply for a place email our events team. | Digital Search Academy at IAB Polska.

9 October 2007: The Search Academy @ IAB UK (Orientation/Getting started)

The Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our partner search firms. Book your place now, either direct through the Digital team, or with our partner.
If you are not sure and think it's for you but you need to know more, or you can't make this date but want to be trained soon – then contact Viv Cole or Sharon Lim, your Search Academy Managers for more information and provisional dates.

Email: TheSearchAcademy@digitalstrategyconsulting.com

10 July: The Search Academy @ IAB UK (Orientation/Getting started)

The Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our partner search firms. Book your place now, either direct through the Digital team, or with our partner.
If you are not sure and think it's for you but you need to know more, or you can't make this date but want to be trained soon – then contact Viv Cole or Sharon Lim, your Search Academy Managers for more information and provisional dates.

Email: TheSearchAcademy@digitalstrategyconsulting.com

July 2007: The Search Academy @Yahoo! (Orientation/Getting started)

Yahoo The Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our partner search firms. Book your place now, either direct through the Digital team, or with our partner.
If you are not sure and think it's for you but you need to know more, or you can't make this date but want to be trained soon – then contact Viv Cole or Sharon Lim, your Search Academy Managers for more information and provisional dates. Email: TheSearchAcademy@digitalstrategyconsulting.com

25 June 2007: The Search Academy (Orientation/Getting started)

The Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our partner search firms. Book your place now, either direct through the Digital team, or with our partner. If you are not sure and think it's for you but you need to know more, or you can't make this date but want to be trained soon – then contact Viv Cole or Sharon Lim, your Search Academy Managers for more information and provisional dates. Email: TheSearchAcademy@digitalstrategyconsulting.com

21 June 2007: The Search Academy @ IAB Poland (Advanced/Expert)

The Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our partner search firms. Book your place now, either direct through the Digital team, or with our partner.

If you are not sure and think it's for you but you need to know more, or you can't make this date but want to be trained soon – then contact Viv Cole or Sharon Lim, your Search Academy Managers for more information and provisional dates.

Email: TheSearchAcademy@digitalstrategyconsulting.com

4 June 2007: The Search Academy (Orientation/Getting started)

The Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our partner search firms. Book your place now, either direct through the Digital team, or with our partner. If you are not sure and think it's for you but you need to know more, or you can't make this date but want to be trained soon – then contact Viv Cole or Sharon Lim, your Search Academy Managers for more information and provisional dates. Email: TheSearchAcademy@digitalstrategyconsulting.com

June 2007: The Search Academy @Yahoo! (Orientation/Getting started)

Yahoo The Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our partner search firms. Book your place now, either direct through the Digital team, or with our partner.
If you are not sure and think it's for you but you need to know more, or you can't make this date but want to be trained soon – then contact Viv Cole or Sharon Lim, your Search Academy Managers for more information and provisional dates. Email: TheSearchAcademy@digitalstrategyconsulting.com

2 May 2007: The Search Academy @ Internet World

internet%20world%20100.jpg The Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our partner search firms. Book your place now, either direct through the Digital team, or with our partner. If you are not sure and think it's for you but you need to know more, or you can't make this date but want to be trained soon – then contact Viv Cole or Sharon Lim, your Search Academy Managers for more information and provisional dates. Email: TheSearchAcademy@digitalstrategyconsulting.com

June 2007: The Search Academy @ IAB Croatia (Orientation/Getting started)

IabThe Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our partner search firms. Book your place now, either direct through the Digital team, or with our partner.
If you are not sure and think it's for you but you need to know more, or you can't make this date but want to be trained soon – then contact Viv Cole or Sharon Lim, your Search Academy Managers for more information and provisional dates. Email: TheSearchAcademy@digitalstrategyconsulting.com

3 April 2007: The Search Academy @ IAB UK (Orientation/Getting started)

The Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our partner search firms. Book your place now, either direct through the Digital team, or with our partner.
If you are not sure and think it's for you but you need to know more, or you can't make this date but want to be trained soon – then contact Viv Cole or Sharon Lim, your Search Academy Managers for more information and provisional dates.

Email: TheSearchAcademy@digitalstrategyconsulting.com

March 2007: The Search Academy @ IAB UK (Orientation/Getting started)

Iab_uk The Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our partner search firms. Book your place now, either direct through the Digital team, or with our partner.
If you are not sure and think it's for you but you need to know more, or you can't make this date but want to be trained soon – then contact Viv Cole or Sharon Lim, your Search Academy Managers for more information and provisional dates. Email: TheSearchAcademy@digitalstrategyconsulting.com

February 2007: The Search Academy @Weboptimiser (Orientation/Getting started)

Weboptimiser The Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our partner search firms. Book your place now, either direct through the Digital team, or with our partner.
If you are not sure and think it's for you but you need to know more, or you can't make this date but want to be trained soon – then contact Viv Cole or Sharon Lim, your Search Academy Managers for more information and provisional dates. Email: TheSearchAcademy@digitalstrategyconsulting.com

January 2007: The Digital Search Academy @ The Search Works (Orientation/Getting started)

Search_works_2 The Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our partner search firms. Book your place now, either direct through the Digital team, or with our partner.
If you are not sure and think it's for you but you need to know more, or you can't make this date but want to be trained soon – then contact Viv Cole or Sharon Lim, your Search Academy Managers for more information and provisional dates. Email: TheSearchAcademy@digitalstrategyconsulting.com

December 2006: The Search Academy @ Weboptimiser (Orientation/Getting started)

Weboptimiser The Search Academy is the fast way to boost your search knowledge. The Digital Training Academy created this programme of orientation and advanced Academies that now run with our partner search firms. Book your place now, either direct through the Digital team, or with our partner.
If you are not sure and think it's for you but you need to know more, or you can't make this date but want to be trained soon – then contact Viv Cole or Sharon Lim, your Search Academy Managers for more information and provisional dates. Email: TheSearchAcademy@digitalstrategyconsulting.com

November 2006: The Search Academy @ The Search Works (Orientation/Getting started)

Search_works Book now with our partner: Digital Search Academy @The Search Works

If you think it's for you but you need to know more or you can't make this date but want to be trained soon – contact Viv Cole or Sharon Lim, your Search Academy Managers for more information and provisional dates. Email: TheSearchAcademy@digitalstrategyconsulting.com

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