Charles Armstrong

The sound of crickets was all you could hear for the last few months as I devoted a significant amount of my time and attention solely to client work. However, it’s a new year and among my many resolutions is to get back on point and start posting many of my hard-earned internet marketing insights gleaned from 2008, including a good mix of current innovative tactics.

These are exciting times, as there is little doubt the state of the global economy has significantly changed the way searchers are engaging the online channel. Now, more than ever, people are utilizing the online channel to research and compare before making a purchasing decision. The cost per click continues to rise for paid search budgets while conversion figures wane. Right now, many corporations are reassessing and adjusting marketing budgets. GM recently decided that 2m for a Super Bowl ad this year was no longer a wise use of marketing spend. The smart companies are allocating dollars to the channels and campaigns that provide the best ROI and lowest CPA. I have not yet come across a business model where the online channel did not consistently provide the greatest return on investment and the lowest cost per new customer acquisition. The online landscape for marketers continues to get increasingly competitive by the day.

As a side note, I was very pleased to find one of my clients recognized as an industry leader and identified as best in practice for organic search performance in Conductor’s Natural Search Trends for Fortune 500 Companies study. These are exciting times indeed… Stay tuned!