• by Rob Garner , December 17, 2008

Building on a column I wrote late last year ("2007 Column Recap"), I thought I'd give it another spin for 2008, and offer some fresh perspective on a number of columns I wrote over the last year.  Happy holidays to all.

22 Considerations for Improving Natural Search Performance .  A laundry list of considerations for enterprise natural search optimization.  If you have limited search experience, get with an experienced agency/consultant/in-house expert to build a logical roadmap.  Otherwise, you may end up wasting your time and money, and fail to take advantage of the full opportunity in the natural search channel.

Google Bombing and SEM is Evolving into 'Search Engine Activism.'  By checking out the motives and tactics of online activists, the value of search is expanded beyond direct response and branding.   This column includes a list of some of the earliest search activism campaigns, and a basic definition of the concept.
 Perspectives Of The Search Engine Activist . Ethan Zuckerman and Chris Bowers both indulged me on their perspectives of activism in the search engines.  While many of the tactics may be similar to search marketing, their definition of a "conversion" is changing your mind, and/or capturing your attention.

Deconstructing Search Engine Bias .  Any discussion of search "bias" is somewhat linked to that of "SEM tactics" (natural and paid).  My discussion starts with legal professor Eric Goldman's paper on the topic of search engine bias, and based on his one PageRank example, I expand it out to include other optimization methods that are well-known to marketers, but can also be handy for the average searcher to think more critically about their results.       

Google Trends: The 2008 Democratic Texas/Ohio Primary Post-Analysis .  Google search popularity is often touted as a "political oracle" in that it can mirror election outcomes.  In this nonscientific analysis, I proved that search popularity does not necessarily equal a corresponding election outcome. 

Thoughts On Search Engine Strategies NYC 2008 .  My thoughts coming out of the March New York City Search Engine Strategies Conference, including insights on Jason Calacanis' keynote speech, the Orion Universal panel, and also thoughts on the net neutrality panel.  Key players in the search conference industry also provided thoughtful comments.

ComScore's Google Universal Research Findings .  This column reviews a significant piece of research presented by James Lamberti of comScore, which basically proved that Universal search results have made a significant impact on the Google SERP.  This means that in a very short period of time, new players have found their way to page one via mixed digital assets, and many other longstanding textual search contenders were displaced.  The impact to search strategy should not be underestimated.

How Americans Are Searching For Election 2008 Information .  In this column I went over the findings of an iCrossing research report on how Americans were searching for election-related information.  Even before the total meltdown began, the economy weighed heaviest on everyone's minds.

Can You Sphare A Sphinn ?  This column laid out Sphinn's top stories on a given day, compared with my own wish list of what more objective social search news headlines might look like.   

The Semantics of 'SEM Strategy.'  If the industry wants to have a conversation about search marketing, then we need to be using words from the same dictionary.  My thoughts about the term "SEM," and also the ascendency of search strategy in the overall marketing food chain.

A Framework For Enterprise Search Engine Marketing Strategy .  If you are not sure about the true definition of enterprise search engine marketing, then you may find this article very useful.   

.Anythinggoes? The Impact of New ICANN Vanity Top-Level Domains.  A new kind of Wild West is upon us in the domain world, and it will have an impact on search. 

More on The Search and Brand Impact of Vanity Generic Top Level Domains .  As evidenced by the search performance of existing top-level domains, we are entering a new era where TLD managers will need to be more cognizant of search optimization in order to ensure the hygiene of the entire extension. 

Pew: How Search Engines Are Used On A Typical Day.  Overview of a survey released by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.  Confirms again that search is a primary touch point in the online experience, and daily users tend to be more "socially upscale."

Thoughts On Demographic Search Engines .   A few thoughts on IAC's demographic search engine concept, which at first seemed like a joke (Ask.com's wonderful new integrated search experience is now turning strictly into a search engine for women?).  It doesn't any more.   

Keyword Analysis of The McCain And Obama Acceptance Speeches .  After reviewing a Wordle tag cloud in the New York Times that seemed to be lacking a few key concepts, I decided to run the speeches through an old-fashioned keyword frequency tool.  The results offer interesting insights into the subconscious overtones of the candidates' messages. 

Despite What Google Says, Flash, Dupe Content and URLs Are Still Major SEO Issues .  I said it in the column, and I'll say it again: If you or your search marketer/agency/consultant believes that what Google says about these three issues is wholly true, then your natural search program is in deep trouble.

Using Keyword Analysis and Social Media to Inform Creative and Engage Your Audience .  MasterCard utilized social media and keyword research to inform its 10^th anniversary "priceless" print and TV campaign earlier this spring.  Overall, this case study reveals a very unique and viable way for big brands to embrace social media.

Google Hot Trends on USA Election Day, 2008.  What was on everyone's mind?  Free doughnuts, coffee, chicken sandwiches, Chuck Norris, big brands, and oh yes, the candidates. 

Thoughts on Google's SEO Starter Guide, Voice Search, and YouTube Sponsored Ads .  Google acknowledges search engine optimization as a practice; Google Voice search for the iPhone is released, showing us their first voice search interface; and YouTube-sponsored video ads may very well be the bridge for video ads to start showing up in the paid results.  Video ads for Adwords will be as significant a development to paid search as Universal search was to natural search strategy -- it's going to change the way we think about the paid search channel, from many different angles.

Why Search Marketing Will Continue to Hold Its Own in a Recession .  Search marketing has more going for it in a tough economy than any other advertising channel.  Here are seven reasons why. 

Again, happy holidays.