• by Lynn Russo Whylly , December 29, 2006

Optimizing search-engine marketing (SEM) programs is a never-ending process. Within seconds of making an adjustment to a pay-per-click, organic, or paid search program, its effectiveness could change. Keeping up takes constant manual input. With most agencies managing tens of thousands of keywords, achieving 100 percent optimization is impossible.

Now, however, there’s an automated tool that can help — Campaign Tracker 2.55, from SEMphonic. It aggregates information on SEM programs across Google, Yahoo, MSN, AOL, and Ask, highlighting a brand’s strengths and weaknesses so marketers understand how effective their campaigns are, independently and against their competition.

“For instance, we might look at words that have a high impression rate but low click-through, or high click-through but low conversion,” says Gary Angel, president and CTO. “And each case tells us something that we might want to focus on to improve the program.”

In automating responsibilities, Campaign Tracker accomplishes in hours what usually takes SEO managers days, and it also allows them to analyze and improve many more keywords and programs than they would ordinarily be able to in their daily schedule. Clients include Mediasmith, Red Door Interactive, and Sage Island.