The new expanded search, or "Search Within the Site" (SWTS) feature on Google seems like a great service for users, as it allows them to refine results on their own before they reach their chosen Web site. For example, a search for "laptops" with the expanded search option for IT supplier CDW should eliminate the need to root around CDW.com for the laptop section. But as Alan Rimm-Kaufman illustrates, the SWTS results actually serve users ads alongside the expanded listings--ads that aren't quite relevant to their original query. Rimm-Kaufman uses screenshots and the aforementioned CDW example, noting that …

IMedix is a service that blends a robust health search engine with a social network. For example, a user searching for "diabetes" will find a sidebar alongside the standard results, featuring members that are interested in the subject and willing to talk about it. "This takes advantage of some big psychological strengths in the health field--namely the need to "not be alone" when dealing with health issues," says Rand Fishkin. "I'd imagine that iMedix's community is held together by stronger bonds than most, and that, potentially, gives them a powerful edge." In his interview with iMedix cofounder, CMO …

During his SES NYC keynote speech, Gordon McLeod, president of the Wall Street Journal Digital Network,acknowledged that the media company had gotten off to a slow start in terms of search marketing. So last year, it launched a huge organic search initiative--starting with best practices like adding dynamic site maps, tweaking the entire URL structuring system and using proper redirects--and supplemented that with some PPC campaigns. Knocking down parts of the subscription wall also helped drive traffic, as did the syndication of previously hidden content to sites like Yahoo Finance, MSN Money and even Facebook. As …

Google has made it easier for business owners to get their video clips included in local search or mapping results -- by allowing them to upload video to the Local Business Center (LBC). "The LBC is a sort of low hanging fruit for local advertisers to get into Google's index and update or improve Google's basic listing data (add hours of operation, specialties, service area, etc.)," says Mike Boland. "This has lots of SEO benefits, particularly in light of the new Google Local 10 pack, which is a clear sign Google is favoring local results in its universal …

Before you launch your next search marketing campaign, you need to know who your competition is, and get a grip on which SEO and SEM strategies they're using -- "before they analyze you first," says Wendy Suto. It all starts with a review of their site designs and layouts. Do any of your competitors have Java- or Flash-heavy Web sites? What about the navigation scheme; does it pull you through the purchase funnel--and does there seem to be an overall branded theme? In terms of content volume, how many pages do they have (on average) compared to you? …

Abe Mezrich invites you to take a page from the strategies of political candidates when it comes to crafting a paid search campaign. It helps to think of your target audience as your constituents--and understand that they are people who want to help you, learn about you, and are ... well, people, plain and simple. In terms of helping you, your constituents are the ones who want to donate or volunteer to help your cause, so they'll most likely be searching for you by name. With paid search, this means buying your own brand name and all its …

This quick recap of SEMPO's latest "State of the Market" survey focuses on one key finding: despite a challenging economy, search marketing spending continues to trend upward. And search's share of spend is increasing at the expense of other tactics like print, direct mail and even Web site development. SEM spending in North America topped $12 billion in 2007, up from about $9.4 billion the prior year. The survey is forecasting spending to top $25 billion in just three years--up significantly from last year's predictions for 2011. Not surprisingly, paid search took the lion's share of …

Marketers use search because it's quantifiable, so the presentation of campaign results--be they in the form of analytics data, leads generated or actual sales--is key to client perception of the medium's ROI. Paul Jahn notes that the process of presenting search results to large (Fortune 500) companies is very different than presentations to smaller clients. He offers some insight into how to deliver a results demo that's both effective and palatable. Think both quantitative and qualitative when it comes to presentation format--so use Excel for the numbers, but also include a Word document or slideshow deck to flesh …