Search Engine Marketing Is Competitive, Says Expert

by Stephen Logan on 9th April 2010

One expert believes that search engine marketing is a far more competitive market than other digital advertising industries.

Jake Hird, senior research analyst at Econsultancy, said that if companies concentrate on email or social media, they have a target audience established for them.

However, with SEO services "it’s the same sort of principle but it’s open to anyone", he stated.

Mr Hird compared the industry to trying to catch fish in the sea, while "most other traditional channels are like fishing in a pond".

He suggested that businesses use keyword bids and influencing to combat this problem at a time when search engine marketing is growing year on year.

Mr Hird’s comments come after the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organisation revealed that measuring return on investment is the biggest challenge many professionals working within the industry are faced with this year.

Furthermore, 97 per cent of companies are allocating money to the sector over print marketing campaigns.