If you are a retailer, you'll have no problem identifying qualified search marketing opportunities for incremental spending.  But for advertisers in most other categories, the economics and scale for search marketing in the holiday period are not necessarily improved.  For some categories like travel, for example, the fourth quarter is a seasonally weak time period.  If your search campaign is fully scaled, what are the next most efficient opportunities you can explore?  How do you extend your campaign beyond search?  Here's what we're recommending:

1.    Contextual targeting.  If this seems obvious to you, good.  You are taking advantage of a search extension tactic that drives returns near or equal to that of search.  A fully scaled contextual targeting campaign through Google can add 10%-15% incremental volume to your overall campaign results; that's like adding another engine to your search buy. 

2.   Remarketing.  Remarketing is a display media tactic, but one that often drives returns equal to or greater than search marketing.  (Yes, there is a display media tactic that can actually outperform search).  While scale can be limited, remarketing is a highly effective way to target the 98% of customers who interact with your Web site but do not convert.  You can buy remarketing impressions through most ad networks, through major portals like the Microsoft Network, and through agency trading desks like Cadreon, Varick Media Management and our own ATOM Systems. 

3.   Intent Targeting.  There is no better indicator of consumer intent than the active entering of a keyword query.  Several companies, including a niche targeting player, AlmondNet, allow advertisers to tap into query data and retarget searchers with display ads outside of the search environment.  As with search itself, scale can be limited with search retargeting, but quality is assured.  Beyond search retargeting, data marketplaces like BlueKai and Exelate allow advertisers to target customers who are "in-market" for specific products and services.  Though slightly less qualified than search intent data, in-market data is an effective way to build demand and in many cases proves ROI-positive on its own. 

4.   Site-Side Optimization.  This would be my first recommendation for spending incremental funds were it not for the fact that I know most advertisers will not take my advice.  Optimizing your Web site is a multi-step process often requiring the coordination of several different departments.  But optimizing your web site for conversion path throughput is one of the most effective investments a marketer can make. And it makes all other marketing investments more valuable by increasing the likelihood that visors turn into customers.  Some companies provide full service usability analyses to help streamline the transaction process.  Others like Amadesa provider an easy to implement technology-based solution for conversion funnel optimization.  Both options could be implemented and analyzed by year-end, setting up success into 2010.

The four tactics described above are relevant year-round, so if you can't get to them in the next few months, they represent opportunities for 2010 planning.  Individually or in combination, they can help extend your search program and get more out of your current investment. 

This commentary is insightful. I recommend it to others.