In a report released February of 2009, Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) predicts that expenditures on Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is predicted to almost double by 2013 to over $26 billion in North America alone. This is based on the $13.5 billion spent on SEM in 2008.
This report, conducted by Radar Research, attributes this to:
• Increased use of SEM within small and mid-sized businesses.
• SEM's ability to reach target markets.
• Continued increase in consumers using search utilities.
• An increased focus on accountability and ROI by advertisers.
Paid placement was the top area in which companies spent most of their 2008 SEM budgets, however most of the companies that participated in the report expected to only moderately increase their spending on paid placement in 2009. Organic SEO, which attempts to achieve top placement in search engines through keyword rich text and quality links, came in second.
The report also showed that close to 30% of the companies surveyed are diverted spending from print magazines towards SEM. TV, newspapers, and direct mail advertising are also areas that companies are spending less on in favor of SEM.
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