aimClear Search Marketing Blog

In our search marketing agency, the toughest standard operating procedure protocol we’ve defined and implemented is the “Goals & Scope Document” we attach to each client’s contract.We’ve found it critical to empower each aimClear employee to self-determine, within reason, if an incoming job request is included in a given client’s scope, will be done as a favor, or needs a new job ticket. We’ve fostered an environment where our people seek executive collaboration to make these calls only when necessary. Without defining such procedures, owning a search marketing agency can be a an unpaid scope creep money pit.Read the rest of this entry »

Most small SEMs give their clients’ credit card and billing information to search engines which can actually cause palpable accounting hurdles as an agency scales. This common practice also raises interesting questions as to who “owns” the account when a client leaves someday.

Though seldom discussed, failing to engage clients in preemptive dialog has the potential to cause accounting, intellectual property ownership, and even legal nightmares. If not proactively addressed and contractually codified, the account-ownership issue can come back to bite you.Read the rest of this entry »

We’ve received gratifying feedback in public and private to recent articles discussing the associated challenges of scaling search marketing from solo practice to agency. No doubt each day in our wonderful office presents fascinating, if not daunting, crossroads which have the potential to make or break the business. We’re having so much fun.

We’ve made some mistakes and done other things pretty well right. The fact that Rand Fishkin has been willing to unselfishly share what he’s learned about SEM agency structures certainly helped us shape our business model. Andy Beal has offered extremely practical information. In retrospect, Danny Sullivan & Chris Sherman’s SEM business track @ Search Engine Strategies 2006 mattered a lot.

Technology investments, hiring decisions, analytics philosophy, PPC management, accounting, training, marketing, transparency, social media strategies, networking, community relations, and many other issues require attention, vision and a cast-iron stomach. Read the rest of this entry »

There are two common reasons for a practicing SEM to get OUT of search immediately:  1) You’re a semi-effective Web 1.0 “provider” who is not studying, and have no stomach left for screaming corners where one of the the only givens is unpredictability. Stay in search and you’ll hurt your company or clients. 2) It’s time to cash out of your agency or business while search is relatively easy to understand.Read the rest of this entry »

Over the last 10 months the number of PPC accounts aimClear handles has multiplied by more than 20X, which has been seismic to say the least. At the same time the ever-evolving PPC landscape continually undergoes its own “global warming crises,” as heated paradigm shifts pile upon chilling conceptual overhauls at the advertising platform level.

Any search marketing agency handling small, let alone voluminous, PPC accounts knows the serious challenges. Reporting, billing, conducting multivariate ad message/landing page testing, conversion tracking, making analytics actionable, communicating with the client, and dealing with monthly cash flow makes any PPC intense- if not daunting.

Obstacles the small SEM shop encounters, when scaling to big PPC management operations at the portfolio level, can make for stormy afternoons.Read the rest of this entry »

I’m pleased and excited to introduce and welcome the newest member of our team, Kat Soland. Having come to us from Green Bay Wisconsin, she’ll office in Minneapolis and serve as aimClear’s representative to select regional and national advertising agency and corporate clients.

Kat brings a wealth of traditional media sales expertise to the table to meld with aimClear’s organic, paid, and social media marketing track record. Read the rest of this entry »

<Rant> I’ve wanted to write this post for years. A couple of times a month one of our clients or partners forwards us a laughable cold call sales pitch they’ve received from some bulk email scamming SEO-weasel who’s grubbing for business from the unaware. Though most serious search marketing agency-types provide an honest day’s work, as in any industry, a percentage of unscrupulous snake oil throwback-types give SEO a bad name.Read the rest of this entry »

For years there has been frustrated chatter among PPC media buyers regarding draconian big brand franchise PPC trademark rules. After experimenting all over the world for 2 years, Marriott is now taking assertive steps to standardize and solidify global policies. Whether SEMs like the new US rules or not, Marriott’s taking an industry leading role in organizing an approval process for hotel franchisee trademark usage.Read the rest of this entry »

When it comes to search, there are SO many channels requiring an SEM shop’s expertise. While targeting channels with optimized content is far from a “one size fits all deal,” it’s essential for any SEM team to have all necessary arrows in quiver. Here are some talking points we use to raise the level of discussion internally and with our clients. Share this post with your search marketing team and challenge the entire process to excellence. Read the rest of this entry »

Companies seriously reliant on Internet marketing often reach a daunting crossroad, whether to grow a more substantial in-house SEM team or bolster internal marketing efforts by outsourcing. As a rule it’s difficult for small and mid-size companies to commit sufficient resources to keep up with voluminous daily research required to keep current. However as in all outsourcing vs. in-house-building decisions, there can be advantages to traversing the corporate learning curve towards nurturing indigenous capabilities.

Here are 6 surefire signs that it’s time to consider outsourcing your Internet marketing to a professional search marketing firm (actual examples):

1 Last month the pay per click expense ballooned from $3,300 to $6,100 while sales remained flat compared to the same month last year. The solution was to implement daily budgets in AdWords which resulted in ads not running after 7:30PM each night. The top 3 ads in Panama, including yours, all have headlines reading “Literal Keyword, Free Shipping.”

1.5 The only in-house keyword research tools are those available in AdWords and Panama. The PPC account manager doubles as the one-man IT department, never uses negative keywords, and doesn’t track the difference between exact, phrase, and broad match. He really doesn’t understand what content match or site targeted display ads are.Read the rest of this entry »