WAKEFIELD, Mass., Feb. 8, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) announced today that its sixth annual industry-wide survey to assess the economy's effect on year-to-year online marketing spending and investigate new trends is open for participation. The results of SEMPO's State-of-the-Market Survey provide insight into budgetary changes and industry trends with advertisers and agencies. In addition to the organic search optimization and paid search areas, this year's survey addresses social media as a component of search engine marketing (SEM).
The survey is open to all SEM managers and professionals working in an agency or in-house corporate position. Participants do not need to be SEMPO members. Log on to http://bit.ly/SEMPO-search to participate. As an incentive for participating in the survey, a free copy of the final report -- a $249 value -- will be sent to all survey respondents.
"One of SEMPO's major contributions to the search marketing arena is the publication of the results of our State-of-the-Market Survey. Now that we are in our sixth year with the survey, we have a proven track record for compiling empirical research that seriously impacts those working in the search marketing industry," said Marc Engelsman, member of SEMPO's research committee and Vice President of Client Programs and Services for Digital Brand Expressions. "We're very appreciative of marketers taking the time -- just about 10 minutes -- to participate in the survey because the more people who participate, the bigger the impact the survey will have."
SEMPO's survey research partner for this year's survey is Econsultancy, an award-winning online publisher of reports covering best practice, user experience benchmarking, market data, supplier selection, template files, trends and innovation. They publish a wide range of reports aimed at internet professionals who want practical advice on all aspects of e-business.
Rebecca Lieb, U.S. Vice President at Econsultancy, said, "We are thrilled to be working with SEMPO on this piece of research, which has established itself globally as a must-read both for search marketing advertisers and digital agencies. We've worked closely with SEMPO to make sure the survey reflects changes in the industry, so that it is as relevant and up-to-date as possible."
The State-of-the-Market Survey is open for participation through Monday, February 22, 2010. Preliminary results will be available in early March with a full report expected in late March.
About the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO)
SEMPO is a global non-profit organization serving the search engine marketing industry and marketing professionals engaged in it. Its purpose is to provide a foundation for industry growth through building stronger relationships, fostering awareness, providing education, promoting the industry, generating research and creating a better understanding of search and its role in marketing. Representing thousands in 40 countries, SEMPO has more than 800 members. It represents the common interests of companies and consultants worldwide and provides them with a voice in the marketplace. SEMPO's education and outreach initiatives are funded in part by Yahoo!, Google, SMX, Search Engine Strategies, DoubleClick, Baidu, and MediaPost. For more information or to join the organization, visit http://www.SEMPO.org.
The Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2228
About Econsultancy
Econsultancy is a community where the world's digital marketing and ecommerce professionals meet to sharpen their strategy, source suppliers, get quick answers, compare notes, help each other out and discover how to do everything better online. Founded in 1999, Econsultancy has grown to become the leading source of independent advice and insight on digital marketing and ecommerce. Their reports, events, online resources and training programs help over 80,000 members make better decisions, build business cases, find the best suppliers, look smart in meetings and accelerate their careers. For more information, visit http://econsultancy.com.