A special report from the Search Engine Strategies 2003 Conference, August 18-21, San Jose, CA.
At the gala inaugural meeting of the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization, the group’s board outlined the organization’s mission and extended a welcome to all search marketing industry professionals.
The organization, usually referred to by its acronym SEMPO, is a registered, non-profit group aiming to increase awareness and promote the value of search engine marketing worldwide. SEMPO represents the common interests of more than 300 search engine marketing professionals and provides them with a credible voice in the marketplace.
Barbara Coll, SEMPO President, and Noel McMichael, SEMPO Vice President, walked the 425 person throng through SEMPO’s board member introductions, initial corporate sponsors, SEMPO circle members, and highlighted SEMPO’s goals.
A special thanks and acknowledgment went out to the first SEMPO Corporate Sponsors – Overture Services, Inc., a provider commercial search services now part of Yahoo, and GO TOAST, a provider of pay-per-click search engine optimization and online marketing management tools. Dave Carlson, CEO, GO TOAST said, “The search industry needs a leadership forum and GO TOAST believes SEMPO can provide that leadership.”
SEMPO leaders announced several membership levels spanning from an independent “Executive” to a Corporate “SEMPO Circle” level. Annual memberships start at $199.00. Tom Rielly, Vice President of Acronym Media, SEMPO’s first Corporate SEMPO Circle member said, “We joined SEMPO to help encourage our nascent industry to become more professional, to contribute to the establishment of best practices, and to help potential customers choose reputable agencies with proven capabilities. Besides, who could resist Barbara Coll?”
Coll says, “SEMPO exists to fill the gaps in awareness and understanding of SEM, including educating marketing managers worldwide about what SEM is and how properly implemented SEM programs can provide some of the highest returns on investment possible in the marketing world today.”
SEMPO’s web site (http://www.sempo.org) already offers case studies, a glossary of terms and links to resources as a first step in its educational mission. These tools are free to the public, but members will soon have access to a number “members-only SEMPO research materials” as well as discounts on paid research materials, selected tools, subscriptions and dues.
Troy D. Perkins is Editor-In-Chief, |PPCA| Pay Per Click Analyst, the review of the top pay per click advertising marketing services.
Search Headlines
NOTE: Article links often change. In case of a bad link, use the publication’s search facility, which most have, and search for the headline.