Search engine optimization is often compared to rocket science. Of course the advantage of rocket science is that there are always constants, SEO does not have that luxury.

Search engine optimization involves trying to please the search engines, while attempting to read the mind of the potential customer.

The first part of the above statement is not going to be solved anytime soon, but the later is.

With pay-per-click reporting advertisers are able to know what the customer is typing in search engines. By reviewing periodic reporting, they are able to tell which keywords bring in the most clicks and most importantly which keywords bring in the most revenue. Thus, advertisers can uses pay-per-click to discover valuable keywords to target for organic search rankings.

Since [bicycles for sale] is the exact phrase that brings in the most conversions, that phrase can be used for other marketing campaigns and search engine optimization efforts. It is irrelevant that [bicycles] brings in more visitors, because those visitors are not quality visitors (or buyers.)

Instead of creating search engine optimization initiatives to tackle hundreds of keywords, the top converted pay-per-click keywords are targets. Site content, link building, and various other search engine optimization techniques can push these elite keywords. Advertisers do not have to waste time trying to get rankings on keywords that do not convert. The numbers are provided; it does not matter where the competition is ranked. By following the pay-per-click keyword statistics advertisers are able to get instant customer analytics to use for search engine optimization efforts

With pay-per-click, there is very little guess work in marketing. However, the trouble arises when traditional advertisers do not understand or believe in the power of pay-per-click marketing. Many companies still see it as separate advertising model and fail to tie the relationship back to traditional off-line campaigns. By analyzing pay-per-click reports advertisers can pull dramatic customer analytics. With that knowledge all marketing campaigns can benefit, thus eliminating traditional guess work from traditional advertising.

Google and now Yahoo, with the new Sponsored Search, allow advertisers to run multiple ads for the same keyword. With various messages reaching potential customers, advertisers are able to see which ads attract the most visitors and more importantly which ads attract higher revenue.

Ad rotation gives the advertiser great insight into the mind of the customer. For instance, do customers click more on ads that offer “Free Shipping” or “Free Item with Purchase?” Another example, do discount mentions convert better than guarantees?

To get accurate measurements on ads, it is important not to let the search engines optimize the rotation of the advertiser’s ads. By default, search engines will serve the better performing ads more often. However, the problem is search engines measure “better performing” as ads with higher click-through rates (CTRs) and quality scores. Although, that may work for some advertisers, the real test of an ad is what happens after the user clicks on the ads.

It is important to monitor conversion over clicks. In the example above, Variation C generated the least clicks. However, it also brought in the most conversions.

By delivering all ads evenly within a given time, advertisers should be able to define which ads generated a higher conversion. With knowledge from strong ad testing, off-line campaigns can be tailored to meet those discoveries. Thus, pay-per-click becomes a testing ground for all marketing campaigns.

Microsites are individual websites which are designed to be a branch or supplement to a primary website. These sites are typical used to emphasize a particular segment of the major brand.

The Microsite, at least the original definition, is dead. Creating multiple, smaller websites for segments of the same brand only confused the customer and extended the purchasing process.

An advantage of microsite was search engine dominance. By creating multiple sites, a brand was able to dominate natural search rankings. No matter where the customer clicked, it was still the same company.

There is no doubt, because of personal experience, that this worked. There was a time, when I had 5 sites in the top 10 of Google’s search engine results pages (SERP) with major keywords at the same time. These microsites were basically stand-alone landing pages that eventually filtered back to the primary site.

However, that strategy no longer works. The search engines have become too sophisticated. Even if it does still work for a few companies… so what?

As I found out, there was nothing gained from these microsites. They actually created an extra, more confusing, step in the purchase funnel process. These microsites did get a lot of visitors, but it actually took visitors away from my primary site. I was competing with myself and confusing the customer at the same time.

That was a microsite as we knew it. Now, if an online marketer wants to create more consumer content that should be done off the primary domain. A separate domain is not necessary and can actually be harmful.

That is not to say there is not a need for external websites. However, the site has to be different. It has to engage the customer. It can not be an extension of the primary site. Yes, the Microsite is dead, but the Social Site is alive and well.

The Social Site takes the common characteristics of a social networking site and mingles them in with the company brand. Social Sites do not need to aim at a large audience. In fact, a small, excited audience will ignite much quicker.

Social Sites should strive to do any and all of the 5 E’s below.

The 5 E’s of a Social Site

1. Engage product conversation (the good and the bad)
2. Educate consumers
3. Experience – Allow consumers to get a sense of the product through free samples, related games, video, audio, etc.
4. Entertain – Create a memorable experience
5. Encourage referrals – Allow visitors an easy way to spread the word easily

The NFL season kicks off today with a big sigh of relief from the Ellis household. It is a family event for us. As a long-time sports fan, my wife is just excited as me.

As I prepare myself for the game, I thought of a few football clichés that relate to pay-per-click marketing.

It’s an offensive shootout – Don’t get caught in a bidding war shootout with your competitors. Concede the number 1 spot to them. Let them pay for the traffic and you enjoy the better return on ad spend (ROAS). Stay in the middle of the road with broad terms.

It’s a whole new ballgame – Search Marketing is a whole new ballgame. It’s not as simple as bidding for placement. It is just as important to have quality ads and quality landing pages. Stay away from bid management software.

That was a textbook play – It works for football, but there is no “valid” textbook for pay-per-click marketing. Make your own rules. Decide what works for you. Remember conversion matters, not clicks. Pay for customers.

“You play to win the Game” – I have nothing for this, I just wanted to include this great quote from Herm Edwards.

Ah, Football. Serenity Now!