Online Marketing Advice From SES Chicago 2010

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By Lee Odden
Expert Author
Article Date: 2009-12-11

Here we are near the end of 2009 and at the last Search Engine Strategies conference of the year. While many conferences are down in attendance, SES Chicago actually beat last year's numbers by about 100, according to Matt McGowan, VP, Publisher & Head of US at Incisive Media, the company that owns SES.

There are many ways to get value from attending a conference but one that is especially important, and often overlooked, is the ability to connect with industry thought leaders and ask important questions.

While roaming the sessions, exhibit hall and networking events at SES Chicago, I did just that and decided to use my trusty iPhone 3GS to capture some insights on what marketers should be focusing on or considering in 2010.

Clearly, iPhone videos should be taken in bright light and close quarters, but these didn't turn out too bad and they include great tips ranging from online reputation management to measuring social media ROI to the importance of testing what's new but mastering the basics:

First up is Muhammad Saleem, a social media maven that works with the Chicago Tribune. He's successfully built a tremendous social media profile as a "power user" on many difference services. Muhammad and I talked about what social media marketers should focus on for 2o10:

The rate at which social media and search intersect is mind boggling with the deals struck between Google and Twitter, Bing and Twitter, Bing and Facebook, Google and MySpace, etc. I talked with digital marketing guru Aaron Goldman of Connectual about his take on the future of search and social:

Another dimension that marketers need to focus on is the rapidly changing nature of digital content distribution channels and how to optimize for them. Best selling author, keynote speaker and conversion expert Bryan Eisenberg and I talked about these challenges and how to manage chasing "shiny objects" vs testing what's new and the importance of mastering the basics.

The social web makes a lot of information about individuals and companies transparent, whether we like it or not. Online Reputation Management is increasingly important as service providers find new ways to help consumers discover, consume and share information online. The author of "the book on ORM - Radically Transparent" and founder of the social media monitoring service Trackur, Andy Beal and I talked in his Penthouse suite at the Hilton (actually it was Matt McGowan's) on the importance and challenges of ORM in an increasingly social web.

The sheer volume of information about how to best market online is staggering. Staying current is key and without a foundation of knowledge to build upon, new insights can be fragmented and strategies incomplete. Aaron Kahlow, fouder of Online Marketing Connect and the Online Marketing Institute talks about the importance of training and mastering the basics of internet marketing.

For more internet marketing interviews from SES Chicago and many other events, be sure to check out TopRank's Online Marketing Blog video channel on YouTube.

What tips or questions do you have about online marketing for the coming year? What digital marketing tactics and strategies will you be focusing on?

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About the Author:
Lee Odden is CEO of TopRank Online Marketing, a digital marketing and public relations firm in Minnesota that specializes in search, social and online PR consulting and training for companies worldwide. Odden has been cited for his internet marketing expertise over the past 10 years by the Economist, Forbes and U.S. News and contributed a chapter to the book, "Online Marketing Heroes" published by Wiley. For the past 5 years he has also been the editor of TopRank's Online Marketing Blog, a Technorati 100 favorite blog and one of the top marketing blogs according to Advertising Age.