DMA to Launch Certification Program in Search Engine Marketing, Program to be Inaugurated at DMA06 in San Francisco

September 25, 2006 — The Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org) today announced the imminent launch of its Certification Program in Search Engine Marketing. The program will be inaugurated at DMA06, DMA’s Annual Conference and Exhibition, which will be held October 14-19 in San Francisco.

Driven by DMA’s Search Engine Marketing Council (SEMC), with cooperation from the major search engines Yahoo!, MSN, and Google, the program has been developed in response to the nearly daily changes in this dynamic marketplace that profoundly affects the tactics and knowledge used by today’s search marketers.

“Search engine marketing is the fastest growing direct marketing channel, with 40 percent annual growth and over $5.7 billion in search advertising spending in 2005,” said John A. Greco, Jr., president & CEO, DMA. “There’s a growing need in the search community for training that is both credible and that enhances performance of DMA members practicing search engine methods as part of their multichannel marketing strategies.”

DMA’s Search Engine Marketing Certification (www.dmasearchcertification.org) represents the competency and training of the marketers that DMA member companies and agencies employ, as well as provides a training path for their more junior marketing staff.

Marketers seeking DMA certification will be required to apply to the program and gain acceptance, successfully complete coursework, pass an exam, and complete ongoing recertification.

DMA’s certification program is the first program developed by a major marketing association designed to train and certify the level of competency of in-house and agency marketers. Members of the DMA involved with program development include marketers, media properties, and search engines.

The program will include two levels of certification:

· Level 1: Designed for individuals able to work under the direction of an advanced search engine marketer. These individuals would know and be able to employ current best practices in organic or paid search marketing.

· Level 2: Designed for individuals who are capable of devising, creating, and managing effective search engine marketing programs within agencies or as lead members of in-house marketing teams. At this level, individuals can seek advanced certification in organic or paid search.

Attendees at DMA06 (www.dma06.org) will be able to jumpstart their certification program. These attendees will become members of the first class of applicants for the DMA certification program.

Applicants participating in the new program in San Francisco will:

· Fulfill application requirement for certification Level 1 training.

· Complete four modules of the basic course.

· Learn the fundamentals of the search industry and what search marketers do.

· Learn about the certification program, its requirements, costs, and benefits.

For additional information on DMA’s new Certification Program in Search Engine Marketing, please visit www.dmasearchcertification.com.

To register or for additional information about DMA06 in San Francisco this October 14-19, please call 800.293.7279 or visit www.dma06.org.

About DMA’s SEMC

DMA’s Search Engine Marketing Council (SEMC) promotes ethical industry guidelines through creation, education and adherence to Best Practices. Council members’ constituencies include marketers, media properties, and search engines. Through active education, the SEMC helps organizations understand search engine marketing’s value and effectiveness and to discover strategies for integrating search into their overall marketing plan. For additional information about SEMC, please visit ) (www.the-dma.org/councils/searchenginecouncil.

About DMA06

DMA06, the largest gathering of direct marketing professionals, is DMA’s annual conference and exhibition. DMA06 will present more than 100 educational sessions and its exhibit hall will feature more than 500 exhibiting companies. For more information on DMA06 and to register, please visit www.dma06.org.

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