Microsoft-Yahoo: What's gonna happen to search in 2008

With the coming together of Microsoft and Yahoo, some of the smaller
search players are up against some serious competition. It's not like
they weren't in the first place...but the big question is...what's
going to happen to companies dependent on search?

Firstly; your
life is not going to change. But here are 5 trends that I personally
see that will change your company's search strategies.

Search Engines will now be MORE than Search Engines

Google
started this trend long ago. It's clear the focus of their sales
efforts are with organizations that will use them across media
(inclusive of TV, radio, print, online display, and search).

Here's
a secret to the Microsoft-Yahoo bid that everyone's overlooking. Yahoo
is following close behind Google as they expand their "open" network
and begin to leverage their content assets to drive additional sales
outside of search listings. I'm not ready to predict that the focus on
all things outside search will kill the golden egg -- but I'm also not
ready to predict it won't.

Search Integration will start picking up

The
momentum exists and, as 2008 goals are executed upon, it will become
increasingly clear to marketers that search marketing should be
integrated with all marketing initiatives. It not only should, but
needs to be, integrated with online display (at a minimum) and
elsewhere to help drive a cohesive digital strategy.

The data
proving the positive correlations is very strong. I recently looked at
data which showed that more than half of the consumers who generated a
specific campaign's acquisitions were exposed to both search and
display ads.

Natural Search is a total must have

I
find it amazing how many Web sites are built with no regard for natural
search rankings. I think 2008 is finally the year when marketers wake
up and refuse a Web development strategy that doesn't consider (from
the beginning of the process) how the site will perform within natural
search. Design firms that haven't yet begun to hire (or partner with)
natural search experts will do so in order to retain their clients.

Indie Search Shops Become "Digital Agencies" or are Bought

Have
you noticed that most of the independent search firms define their turf
as search and much more (media, Web development, etc.)? I expect we'll
see a good bit of mergers and acquisitions activity in 2008 as it
relates to the search marketing space.

Graphical Search Ads Reappear

Microsoft's
bid for Yahoo confirms the inevitable transition to graphical search
ads. Are you ready? Remember the good old days when search advertising
equaled buying keyword-targeted banners for $40 CPM? No, we won't
revisit 1999, I wouldn't bet on it...but we'll see the engines test
graphical ads as part of the search listings.

Read more on this topic at: www.seo20.blogspot.com