56 replies to this topic

[Jill]

Here's a good article by Kevin Lee, outlining the different search engine marketing organizations that have been formed recently:

Search Marketing Organizations: A Road Map

Jill

[webmama]

I'm very excited that Kevin explained all about SEMPO in the Clickz article. If you are an SEO or SEM company you should at least visit www.sempo.org to learn more about the organization and what it plans for the SEM industry. It is an organization just for us.

PS - I am the President of SEMPO and a little bias about it for sure.

[Bernard]

In addition to SEMPO, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Association for Interactive Marketing (AIM) are great interactive marking organizations. Both have committees devoted to search, on which I serve. Together, these three organizations will help mold the industry and will affect the future of organic search engine optimization (SEO) and paid SEM.

How will SEMPO help mold the industry? That appears to contradict it's mission statement:

SEMPO has no plans to become a standards organization...

[robwatts]

Hi Barbara

I think Bernard asks a legitimate question. I also have some nagging misgivings around the SEMPO idea as it stands and was wondering whether you or another SEMPO member would mind responding to a few points I'd like to raise.

I appreciate that it may seem that the focus of my post may well focus on potential negative outcomes, but I'm sure the balance will be redressed by the many potential positve outcomes that others may share.


My understanding is that SEMPO will accept anyone who will pay the SEMPO fees. This leads me to form the opinion that SEMPO doesn't have the better interests of the industry at its heart. The argument goes that if it did, it would vet companies prior to accepting their money. By accepting peoples money without question you are effectively enabling them to say "We are members of SEMPO." whether you like it or not, this gives any Tom Dick or Harry with the means to stump up the dosh, a veneer of respectability, to the uninformed at least.

How would you handle a situation whereby a company complained to you directly about the actions of one of your SEMPO members? Would you simply point them to the disclaimer on the homepage and say "Well, sorry and all that, but as the disclaimer says..."

The very name SEMPO implies that it has some kind of professional authority. If the P in SEMPO simply stands for professional, in the sense of people-who-get-paid-to-do-a-job-for-money then IMO it means very little. If it means professional, as in for people who take a pride in what they do, behaving ethically with a sense of social responsibility to all of the partners involved, then that is a different story.

SEMPO has said that it won't engage in any standards debate.

By educating the market, we grow the number of companies that slice off a piece of the marketing budget pie for SEM. And if SEMPO succeeds in its mission, the SEM industry will grow, providing lots demand for SEMPO members and for the search industry's services and products.

How can SEMPO move the industry forward or educate the marketplace if it is not prepared to adopt a position on standards?

Why should a professional organisation have a problem with its members agreeing to behave in a socially responsible way?

Why can't it say that there are minimum requirements that it expects members to adhere to?

Why can't it say that it will apply sanctions to companies who abuse their positions or customers?

What is so wrong with coming out and saying we will not tolerate this that or the other?

SEMPO is a non-profit professional association working to increase awareness and promote the value of Search Engine Marketing worldwide

What value does SEM have to the company burned by a SEMPO member who gets them banned or delisted, or simply mucks things up for them in general?

What value is created for an industry, whereby an individual or company is left with a feeling of isolation and financial loss?

In England if I have a problem with the services of a Doctor I go to the General Medical Council and lodge a complaint. If I have an issue with a Lawyer I complain to the Law Society. There are lots of other examples but I won't bore you with the minutae. In all cases these professional bodies have authority to deal with the complaint and have the power and teeth to bring things to a satisfactory conclusion. Dr's and Lawyers are proud to say that they are governed by the GMC or that they are members of the Law Society - why? - because they know that it not only affords them an added air of respectability, but it also tells the consumer that these people are accountable and that, in the event of a problem they do have a degree of redress, to a trusted and respected authority that takes great steps to ensure that it has the trust and respect of the general public at large to act in a responsible way to their concerns, be they individual or collective.

Doesn't SEMPO owe it to the public and the consumer to take a more developed stance to the industry it would like to promote? To the uninformed small business looking to increase its lot, I am left with the impression that SEMPO offers very little in terms of protection or confidence building measures.

I can't help but feel that in some ways it sends a clear signal to those who may be looking for a quick buck that money spent with SEMPO is money well spent, simply due to the fact that it makes it easier for them to close any deal.

Whilst Im not saying that any of the current SEMPO membership is of dubious nature, in fact I see some well known and respected names have decided to join, which is a postive thing. Perhaps I'm wrong even, perhaps there are big plans behind the scenes to introduce policies that will take the industry down a postive track, presenting a unique reference point for people seeking SEM services and advice. If there are, then great! please tell us about them.

SEMPO is currently in its honeymoon phase, people are prepared to give it a chance and see where it goes.

I personally would not like to see SEMPO fail, I think it has a great potential and opportunity to build something of great value and use. I don't think my points raised are unreasonable and am certain that many people will have similar concerns. I could of course be ignorant of a great many things about SEMPO , so if my perceptions are wrong then I'd be very grateful if you would clarify things.

Best regards

Rob

Edited by robwatts, 08 September 2003 - 02:43 PM.

[Jill]

Great questions, Rob. I hope Barbara will take the time to address your points.

I do remember in San Jose that Barbara said any SEM/SEO company could join, and not only that, but any company that hires an SEO/SEM, or that has an in-house SEO/SEM.

Jill

[webmama]

Rob - I appreciate the time that you took to raise the questions that you have about SEMPO. Over the last few years many organizations of attempted to create a policing body for the SEM industry. None of those organizations have been successful in establishing a large presence and force for our industry. One of the primary reasons is that they can't get by the 'standards' issues.

At this stage in the growth of SEM, where we are just learning to walk and haven't even started running, setting standards or even best practices down in writing would handcuff the professionals like you and me to mature and grow the industry. And who really should decide what is 'allowed' or 'not allowed' in the industry - is that not the media vendors and search engines themselves?

So what is the best approach to take to gather the SEM industry together? The approach the founding members of SEMPO took was to 'lead by example'. While anyone can join the organization the main goal is NOT to promote the members or their services but to promote the value of Search Engine Marketing programs to marketing professionals that don't know much about SEM. The end goal is to get more money from the marketing budget ear marked for SEM. We will not be talking tactics but strategies and integration of SEM with the total marketing strategy of a company.

SEMPO will do this through educational materials, online and offline seminars, a terms glossary, and primary research. All the material will be available for members to use to help sell the 'value' of SEM and increase the awareness. SEMPO, to restate it, is not in the business of promoting the members per say. Companies and individuals who join are joining for the greater good of the industry not for themselves personally. With this mandate we do not expect all in the industry to join us.

Hope that addresses some of the questions you raised and that you will consider joining us in our quest for more recognition and a bigger piece of the pie!

Barbara Coll
President, co-founder and Chairman of the Board of SEMPO

[Bernard]

While anyone can join the organization the main goal is NOT to promote the members or their services but to promote the value of Search Engine Marketing programs to marketing professionals that don't know much about SEM.

SEMPO's current membership fee structure is based upon promotional opportunities on SEMPO's site. It is reasonable to assume that SEMPO might be the first point of contact among the non-savvy marketing professionals that it is targeting. They will not have the background or resources to make an informed decision in evaluating SEMPO's membership for potential use.

SEMPO is offering a marketing and legitimizing opportunity for operations that may not reflect well on the SEO/SEM industry. This may well undermine SEMPO's message in the long run.

[projectphp]

Oh, oh, oh, I have a question, over here in the back

Why isn't there a link to http://www.google.co...ters/index.html or http://www.google.co...asters/seo.html? Surely those are pretty relevant links!! In so far as promoting SEM/SEO is relevant, surely having some link to the Search Engines themselves is equally important, particularly the areas where they themsleves specifically mention SEO.

Even if SEMPO do not want to have any standards or adherence, surely having links to various Search Engine guidlines and pages is useful in the context of SEO/SEM links?

It seems weird that an organisation with search engine in its name doesn't have one link to any SE page!

[Jill]

Maybe they never thought of it, PHP! Now that you've brought it up, perhaps Chris can add those to the SEMPO site. Definitely good resources to go with the other ones they already have.

Jill

[projectphp]

Maybe they never thought of it, PHP!

That's what I figured!! Been quite impressed by the speed at which some people's sugestions have been implemented, particularly the quasi-disclaimer at the bottom of the page.

Nice one

[robwatts]

Hi Barbara

Thank you for your response.

I'm all for anything that has a positive effect on promoting our industry.

I won't repeat what I've already said, as that would be just boring.

I still maintain that under the existing set up SEMPO has the propensity to cause confusion and concern, especially if it chooses not to adopt a position on acceptable business practice within the industry.

I don't think that member articles and glossaries are sufficient to cover all the educational bases. I think that companies shouldn't have a problem signing up to a broad set of principles. If they do, then perhaps you should question the value of their patronage.

Some people seem to take this tough why-should-we-be-preached-to-by-search-engines-stance, but really, what is so wrong with much of what is requested by the Search Engines already? Is it so wrong for them to say, "Hey, this is our technology, if you want to be included then please adhere to A B and C" I think not, others seem to take exception, preferring to gain a competetive edge through operating outside of their remits. I think this is unprofessional.

Anyhow, good luck with it, I'll certainly be keeping an eye on things.

Best regards

Rob

[projectphp]

OK, one last question: under what circumstances, short of insolvency, would cause SEMPO to either reject, deny or banish a member? Even if SEMPO does not have Standards vis-a-vie best pratices, surely this issue becomes relevant.

I sincerely hope this never happens, but on the off chance that a member does something clearly indefensible, what would be the SEMPO response? I have read and reread a lot of pages, and there don't really seem to be any requirements on members whatsoever. Surely there must be some vetting of members, particularly any that may commit a crime.

[Scottie]

That is a concern I have about SEMPO- if you are a member, you are in effect sharing their reputation.

One of the key benefits of joining any trade organization is that (in most industries) that bestows a certain credibility on your company- most consumers do expect that a trade organization has some sort of screening process or standards.

To join a trade organization with absolutely no standards except for payment of the membership fees means you can be tying your reputation to that of any e-mail spamming, submit-to-5000-search-engines-today company. SEMPO membership could be a liability when dealing with clients who have been burned badly by other members.

It's interesting to me that we keep hearing that the search engines should set the standards. At the SES Legal Issues session, a representative from Overture in the audience mentioned he would like to see SEMPO take some leadership on legal issues and help create the standards!

[torakai]

Hi

Just wondered what everyone thinks of these guys and are they members of SEMPO?

http://www.engine-spam.com

What would happen if you were a member of sempo and these guys report you ?

My own opininon is that it should be the search engines that penalise people.........we'll just have to suck it and see if any of us get banned by them to see what would happen.

s