Revving It Up with Search Engine Marketing at DMA07

October 12, 2007 — Search engine marketing (SEM) is hot. In fact, it’s one of direct marketing’s most powerful tools today. So it’s no wonder that SEM will be front and center this year at DMA07, direct marketing’s premier event, which will take place from October 13–18 at McCormick Place West in Chicago.

Expertise in SEM will be readily available to DMA07 attendees. This year, there are even more offerings than ever, including exciting educational sessions such as “Surfing the Search Marketing Wave: What's Hot, What to Watch, and What's So Over,” and “Free Clicks and Top Search Positions: Advanced SEO Copywriting Strategies,” as well as Web site critiques and valuable networking opportunities.

“Participants are sure to strike gold with our SEM offerings at DMA07, and enjoy a fun, fast-paced session experience to boot,” said Paul McDonnough, DMA group show director. “Marketers should not miss this opportunity. We’ll have leading experts to evaluate audience members’ sites and outline specific solutions for better search engine positions, so they can start to feel that search engine love!”

These DMA07 features come hot on the heels of the DMA Search Engine Marketing Council’s (SEMC) recent initiative to pep up its roster of programming, meetings, and events. And to help kick off the DMA07 festivities, SEMC will be teaming up with the Email Experience Council (EEC) for the “Search Engine Marketing and Email Experience Councils Joint Networking Reception” on Saturday, October 13.

“Direct marketers are clamoring for search engine marketing expertise,” said Heather Lloyd-Martin, CEO SuccessWorks and SEMC chair. “That's why we’re offering so many great educational opportunities at DMA07. The SuccessWorks Search Marketing Experience Labs will give attendees specific advice about their site — so it’s like getting thousands of dollars in free consulting. Plus, all search sessions during DMA07 will cover the hottest search engine marketing tips, techniques and trends. It’s a great lineup for anyone interested in search — from folks needing a foundation refresher, to experts looking for the next big thing.”

DMA07 programs in SEM include:

DMA Search Engine Marketing Primer

Led by Amanda Watlington, owner, Searching for Profit. What to do about spam? Wonder why spiders have different food than all the other arachnids? Sounds like a search engine marketing primer is in order. This Pre-Conference Intensive peels away the mystique of search engine rankings, how to combat spam, and more.

Free Clicks and Top Search Positions: Advanced SEO Copywriting Strategies

Led by Heather Lloyd-Martin, CEO, SuccessWorks and SEMC Chair, this Tuesday, October 16, session in the “Creative Strategies and Execution” track is buzzworthy. Direct marketers will learn how to rev up their copy and improve their search engine rankings without sacrificing that all-important conversion flow.

Surfing the Search Marketing Wave: What's Hot, What to Watch and What's So Over

On Tuesday, October 16, Lloyd-Martin will guide delegates on an exploration of how 2007's biggest search marketing events affect their company's bottom line during the “Strategic Multichannel Integration” track. Participants will discover how keeping an eye on headlines can shape search marketing strategy and how they can seize opportunities while still weathering SEM trends.

Web Usability Experience

At 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on October 15, and at 9 a.m. on October 17, SEM “physicians” will give direct marketers the cure for bad online customer experiences. Led by Aaron Kahlow, managing partner of BusinessOnLine, this hands-on lab experience will have 35 lucky marketing professionals walking away with the exact prescriptions they need to enhance Web site usability, email campaigns, and general consumer satisfaction.

Search Engine Marketing Experience

Held at 11 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. on October 16, conferees have two chances to get thousands of dollars’ worth of SEM consulting — for free! These one-on-one critiques evaluate attendees’ sites and provide solutions for better search engine positions.

Search Engine Marketing and Email Experience Councils Joint Networking Reception

Proving that SEMC can practice what it preaches in multichannel strategy, the council is teaming with DMA’s new Email Experience Council for a night of networking on Saturday, October 13, from 5 to 6 p.m. The event costs $65.

About the Search Engine Marketing Council

The mission of The DMA Search Engine Marketing Council (SEMC) is to be the primary search marketing resource for the direct marketing community. SEMC promotes ethical guidelines through creation, education, and adherence to best practices. SEMC constituencies include marketers, media properties, and search engines. Through active education, SEMC helps organizations to understand search engine marketing’s value and effectiveness, and to discover strategies for integrating search into their overall marketing plan.

Members actively participate in best practices case work, research studies and direct marketing community outreach, educational events, and virtual and in-person seminars. Members proudly demonstrate their commitment to DMA standards and council best practices.

For information about SEMC, its mission, and its events, visit http://www.the-dma.org/councils or contact Lisa Merizio Smith at lmerizio@the-dma.org or 212.790.1567.

About DMA07 Conference & Exhibition

DMA07, the largest gathering of direct marketing professionals, is DMA’s annual conference and exhibition. DMA07 will feature more than 150 educational sessions, plus roundtables, case studies, white papers and research reports. DMA07’s exhibit hall will feature more than 500 exhibiting companies. For more information, or to register for the six-day multichannel marketing event of the year, please visit www.dma07.org or call 1.800.293.7279 or 330.425.9330.

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