Northwestern University Professor (Emeritus-in-Service) in Integrated Marketing Communications, Don E. Schultz provided some interesting perspectives on the disconnect between search marketers and traditional marketing professionals in a keynote at the end of Monday's Search Engine Strategies presentations.

Dr. Schultz explained that traditional marketers have been trained in the four P's (Product, Price, Promotion, & Place). Their marketing strategies focus on creating a story that's sold to the public through "Spray & Pray" advertising. The metrics of this type of advertising are based on media distribution: how many people see the ads, and what can you learn from that?

Search, on the other hand, focuses on marketing consumption rather than distribution. Advertising relies on prospective customers turning themselves in. Those consumers are looking for knowledge and to build trust with a company, product, or service. Rather than the four P's, they use consumer driven advertising focuses on SIVA: Solutions, Information, Value, and Access.

Dr. Schultz explained that search ties to response driven marketing rather than pushing marketing messages. The challenge is that no formally trained marketers are taught how to run (or measure) response driven marketing campaigns.

Online Branding

A company's brand continues to be the most important asset a company has, according to Dr. Schultz. He explained that every aspect of a company can be easily recreated except for the trust and reputation a brand builds over time.

However, how a brand is measured by consumers is changing. Rather than being controlled by companies through continuous advertising on a handful of channels, consumers are interacting directly with brands online today. Because of this, companies need to protect and build their online brands by focusing on new branding touch points.

What do consumers expect? Speed, Accuracy, and Availability.

Consumers have taken the time to come to you. Now they expect to be served. Will their experiences with your company reinforce your branding, over deliver, or leave them feeling disappointed?