• by Jonathan Kendall , February 1, 2006

Is it too late for a New Year's themed column? Nah, if I'm still writing "2005" on my checks, it's all fair game.

Every year it seems that people focus on making these radical predictions about where search will go in the upcoming 12 months: what hot new technologies will emerge, what will slowly fade away, and what's going to totally change the way we look at online information. Sure, these things are nice to think about, but they really don't offer much tactical leverage. The new year will unfold as it will regardless, and rather than try and peer into my crystal ball, I'd rather make a few "Search Year Resolutions" to prepare myself for the upcoming year.

With this in mind, my first resolution is to not make ANY predictions for 2006. Past experience has shown me this is nothing but an exercise in futility. Believe me, as someone who picked "You Got Served" to win last year's Best Picture Oscar, I know how embarrassing that can be. Instead, I plan to focus on refining my SEM approach and process, taking a long, hard look at the previous year. I will identify successes and determine the best ways to duplicate those victories while going above and beyond. Additionally, I will relive the areas where search fell short (as painful as they may be) and formulate steps that will prevent these instances from reoccurring.

A second resolution of mine is a bit more specific: to better utilize second- and third-tier search engines. In a Google/Yahoo-dominant society, it's easy to forget about those low-cost high-conversion engines that can be great allies. I plan to test-drive a few of the smaller engines, trying both vertical sites and a few general engines, and see what seems to get the best and most-qualified traffic. Often times, surprises await. For example, a client in a niche industry has lukewarm luck with specific vertical engines, but the company's AskJeeves campaign regularly clocks in at a 200+ percent ROI. By identifying and focusing on the right niche engines, a moderately successful campaign can become one that exceeds client expectations.

As search engine marketers, we should also ALL resolve to evangelize search more often. No one can convey the value of search better than those of us working with it every day. It isn't necessary to wait for monthly or quarterly reports to share successes with clients. When I get a small win early, I often bring it to a client's attention. Search gets lost in the shuffle far too often, so we have to keep it fresh in peoples' minds.

My final resolution is to once again attend SES and similar seminars this year--but more importantly, maximize the knowledge I bring back home. It's easy to get wrapped up in the trade-show insanity, but there's a wealth of opportunity often overlooked at these events. This year, I vow to come home and be more productive with what I bring back. Sifting through business cards on the flight home is a good way to get started, as is setting up a meeting to share newly-acquired knowledge with co-workers. By educating people at the office, not only will you feel like the smartest person in the company, but someone else might actually think so as well!

So now that 2006 is here, we're all presented with a fresh slate. By reflecting on the past year, strategizing and organizing tactics for the upcoming 12 months, we set ourselves up for greater success moving forward. Predictions are all well and good, but they should never take the place of good planning.