Search technology companies have finally begun to teach marketers how to quantify return on investments (ROI). Seth Besmertnik, chief executive officer at Conductor, which helps companies find the ROI for SEO campaigns, stepped away from a gathering of about 150 Fortune 500 brands in New York celebrating the launch of Searchlight to talk about what he calls "the first SEO operating system for the enterprise."

Marketers often report the same conversion multiple times. While many continue to chitchat about the importance of attribution, few actually implement cross-channel analysis. SearchIgnite, which released a white paper Tuesday detailing how a five-step process helped one company increase return on investments (ROIs) by 54%, attributes the delay to a lack of education and technologies to support advanced strategies.

I'm hearing the word "traditional" more often to explain Internet marketing techniques and metrics that determine search engine market share. Strangely enough, I'm hearing the word "traditional" more often to explain Internet marketing techniques and metrics that determine search engine market share. The analyst firm comScore relies on a method based on "traditional" methodologies to measure search market share, tweaking it occasionally since it began publishing reports in 2003. But apparently changes by search engines prompted the company to take another look at its reporting methods.

Analytics continue to become an important part of Twitter's services. The company has acquired the cloud-hosted Web analytics application Trendly from Smallthought Systems. While the platform gives Twitter a way to dig deeper into traffic data, apparently Promoted Tweet advertisers like Virgin America give a thumbs-up to the acquisition, too.

Google could capitalize on a marketing opportunity Bing decided not to take when it launched images and interactive messages on the homepage of it search engine. With Bing, we saw Microsoft roll out colorful images for the search homepage. Last week Google followed, but on Thursday the Mountain View, Calif., company asked us to choose our own. Here's a deal I'm willing to make: I'll upload a widget of my favorite clothing designer, retail store or product or service manufacturer to use as an image on my google.com homepage if you're willing to give me information and coupons on weekly …

Acquisio has integrated Google Analytics into the Acquisio Search ad management platform. The company's director of sales calls the integration the "first of its kind," as my eyes roll up and I wish for just $1 every time an ad or search exec has told me that. But Eric Lacourciere has a point when it comes to efficiencies that integration can bring. Here's why.

There are problems with automation as the online ad industry matures. Don't expect to set it and go. Software glitches happen. Still, automation continues top of mind for ad and marketing industry professionals who realize they can achieve higher return on investments through conversions, not only for search campaigns, but display ads and more.

Consumer Watchdog, the nonprofit, nonpartisan consumer group, plans to send a report to U.S. and European antitrust regulators suggesting Google's "Universal Search" feature, rather than helping to expand horizons, limits consumer choice.

Throw traditional out the window and stop thinking like a creative in a print publication waiting for someone to turn the page. Only those who believe everything you know about online advertising continues to become outdated shortly after it hits the Web will succeed. Ad and search execs who have met with the Hearst media team say they "don't get search," and that they have "very junior people" trying to manage search and display. Although shocking, it's not uncommon for a publisher the size of Hearst to try and play catch-up by acquiring a company strong in search market and …

Settling down to relax on a nice sun-drenched beach in Southern California, Catalina Island or Maui might call for a good book. I know you entrepreneurial types. The kind of personality that wants to relax, but doesn't feel comfortable, so you go on vacation with your laptop and hide the business books way at the bottom of the suitcase in hopes your significant other won't find them.