Search — The Indispensable Local and Global Highway
Eric Hsu, Senior Manager, Yahoo! Search Marketing, SEA

Eric’s keynote gave emphasis to the merging of online and offline marketing strategies in the overall push for brand and product visibility.

According to him, the growth of the internet is likely to continue at double digit pace, due to high penetration on a global scale. Penetration of world population is likely to expand to almost 1.8 billion in the next 4 years. Subsequently, the growth of time spent online is increasing also. Yahoo!’s average daily page views were 3.8 billion in March.

With traditional media, i.e. magazine, newspaper, radio and cable, time spent vs ad spend is huge, and while search and the internet behavior is shooting up, “our job as advertisers is to put our clients’ products in the path of search behavior” (David Verklin, CEO, Carat Americas).

62% of search engine users don’t look past the 1st page of results. (Take note, of course, that this is Yahoo! data.)

41% of respondents switch query and/or search engine after 1st page. (I’m not sure if I got this one right.)

Yahoo! is the only game in town offering both search and display advertising. Based on their research, advertisers increase their share of online sales by 244% and offline sales by 89% when the used search and display at the same time.

The effectiveness of the advertising in driving lifts in sales isn’t limited to online purchase, But OFFLINE as well. i.e. 9% increase through Display only, 42% Search only, 89% Search + Display.

Display increases trademark searches. On average, exposure to a display ad increases trademark searches by 26%.

In traditional media, 72% won’t remember URLS. URL is NOT a call-to-action. People would most likely search for the product online, ergo, marketers should make sure their brand/products are searchable.

There is a need for integration between online and offline media.

Case Study #1: The KFC Display + Search Approach. KFC advertised a coupon display, and took advantage of paid search too, dominating the first page of search.

• Day2 - KFC site crashed due to huge coupon downloading.
• Day3 - Chicken fillet burger out of stock. (Yuuum, I’m suddenly hungry!)
• Day5 - KFC considered a next coupon campaign by finding the high ROI immediately.
• Search volume of the term “KFC” boosted 35 times vs normal.
• In 3 weeks, over 150,000 coupons were printed out.
• Daily redemption index was more than 200%, online coupon redemption comparing with physical coupon.
• KFC sales: 20 times vs Yahoo! ad spending.

Case Study #2: Kellogg’s Special K Promotion. Kellogg’s offline advertising included TV spots, print ads (in magazines like Shape and People), and Cereal Boxes, which all highlight a Yahoo! call to action: “Search Special K at Yahoo! Today.” Subsequently, they tried to dominate both organic and paid search too. The result, increased sales and online brand presence.

In conclusion, online and offline marketing is connected. Integration is a must to reach consumers more effectively from offline and online.

And then he gave a special deal for SEMCON attendees. And no, I’m not giving out the promo code. :)

I may have gotten the best buy ever with my Nikon D40 (priced at P24,000 when I got them August last year), but of course I knew that investing on a digital SLR also means investing in good lenses and accessories eventually. Level-up. I still consider myself a beginner at these things, and I’m really glad to find websites such as Kenrockwell, which, as you may have noticed, I’ve been generously linking to because I’ve always thought his materials are really helpful. Anyway. Here are my latest Nikon toys. :)

Nikon 55-200mm VR

Last May, I’ve finally got myself that Nikon 55-200mm VR lens I’ve been so wanting to have. I would’ve opted to buy the 18-200mm (who wouldn’t?) but it costs almost as much as my D40, heh, so yeah, the choice was pretty easy for me to make. :P

Two things I love about this lens:

(1) Depth of Field. It allows focus on an object, making everything else blurred (at least the farther from the focal point, the more blurred).

and (2) Being able to take *real* candid moments ala sniper shots, as well as shoot profiles without having to point the camera to people’s faces.

I have a few more test shots here and there. No post-processing done on all photos, I’m sure it will look even lovelier with some adjustments. :)

Right now, it’s my brother who’s having more fun with it than me. I just don’t have time anymore for this. :( Maybe soon, I’ll have time. No wait, I’ll make sure I’ll have time soon. (That’s better.) :)

Thinking of getting yourself a 55-800mm? Steve’s selling his because he just got himself teh 18-200mm. *dies of envy* Go see if it’s still available! Go go go! :)

Nikon SB 600

Also, I got myself this little baby. I was originally planning on getting an SB400, and I really didn’t plan on getting one so soon — especially since I don’t have a need for it at the moment anyway. But Ninong Dave was in Hong Kong recently, and you can really get cheaper gadgets and accessories there if you know where to look. So yep, there goes my gullible self.

I haven’t tested this one out though. (I know right, I’ve had it for about a month already!) I’ll get back here with a post once I’ve trial-tested it. Meanwhile, Kenrockwell also has an in-depth review of the SB600. Go check it awt. :)

Two more items off the list, yay. But I’m broke already, so I’m gona have to ceasefire on my expenses, like now. *dies* :P

Almost exactly a year ago, I was thinking of getting a point and shoot digital camera. But after deciding to get a digital SLR instead, a Nikon D40 to be exact, I didn’t think there’s a need for me to buy another digital cam. At least not soon. Eventually, of course, I realized that carrying around a DSLR on a normal day is not practical, and for someone who loves to stash away memories in her pocket, I needed something small enough to fit my purse.

Hence, when I found an opportunity to get a new Sony Cybershot T70 at Greenhills (the same night I got the Sony Ericcson z610i), I was helpless. I had to bite. And I’m soo glad I did. *swoon*. So far, I’m loving the shots I took, they’re actually pretty good — considering how biased I’ve been about Digital SLRs that I’ve unconsciously underestimated what point-and-shoot cameras are capable of. Boo me.

The best part about this purchase is, I get to carry my T70 around everywhere, unlike my D40 (what with all the lens and flash and accessories I have to carry around with it too.)

So yep, that’s another item off my wishlist. I’m broke, but yay. Who cares. :P

Features/technical specs of the Sony Cybershot T70 after the jump.

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I guess it was fate that brought me to Greenhills last night. After months of looking everywhere for this hot pink Ericsson model — not too mention giving up on the search on and off — I finally found (probably) the only place in Manila that had the last stock of this pink Sony Ericsson z610i. :)

I don’t care about the specs. I’m fully aware that there are gazillions of new (and better) phones in the market right now. More so, I’m aware that there’s an upgrade of this model, the Sony Ericcson z750i which comes in purple and silver. But sorry, no pink (at least none yet), ergo, I settled with the old version.

And I’m lovin’ it! I love that it’s clamshell, and I love that it’s pink. I’m still trying to adjust to the interface and all. I’ve been a Nokia user my entire life, and now, I’m in possession of a Sony Ericsson z610i (for my Globe number), and a Samsung E250 (Sun line).

By the way, it’s not the only item I (impulsively) splurged on that night. But let’s save that one for another post shall we. :)

Let me get this in writing (In tagalog: itaga nyo sa bato. LOL. Whatever!). After all my Christmas shopping is over, I shall treat myself to some gadget spree. And I shall splurge with all my might, and with all the extra moolah I’ve got left (if there’d be anything left). Heh. Any of the following will make me really really happy. :)

(1) Nikon Accessories for Konks, my Nikon D40

Nikon 55-200mm VR Lens. (costs around $200 if bought from Amazon). I’d love to have the 18-200mm VR lens ‘coz I hear the 55-200mm VR does not support manual focus, but the latter costs more than double the price of the former, boo. I’d love a 10.5mm fish-eye lens too, but I’m not ready for a $500++ worth of lens just yet. Someday, someday. (Or, I can always borrow Ninong Dave’s. Haha.)

AND/OR

Nikon SB-400 Speedlight Mount Flash. :) ($100+) Because I’m loving the use of flash lately, especially with the recent events I’ve gone to which involved a lot of dancing and once-in-a-lifetime kodak moments. I can’t afford to have blurred shots in moments like that.

(2) A posh mp3 player.

I’d love a pink Zune ($150-180), a pink iPod Nano ($180) — second generation, I don’t like the new version, OR a pink i.Beat from Trekstor ($100+). Preference in that order.

(3) Pink Sony Ericsson z610i.

As far as buying a mobile phone is concerned, I don’t have any other choice but the pink Sony Ericsson z610i ($180). I’m not having problems with Bugi (my Nokia 6630) whatsoever, but after more than a year of faithful service to me, I think I’m ready to give her extra help. I’m planning to have another line, just for the heck of it.

(4) Andy Warhol Wristwatch.

Any of the following Andy Warhol watches ($150) will do. *drool* :) The last time someone bought me a watch was my highschool graduation — my parents got me a Swatch, which I wore until sometime before I graduated from college. Since then, I can’t remember ever wearing one. This ain’t a necessity, I know, as I’ve gotten used to checking time on my mobile phone anyway. But I figured, since I’m getting old, this could be a show of my resolution to value time more. And since I’m at it anyway, why not make it posh? :)

(5) Any desktop computer.

..that my brothers and my mom can use back home. Nothing fancy. Just something they can store pics and surf the net with. I actually don’t know what to get yet and where. I stopped looking at desktop computers since I got my Mac. Any suggestions? :)

I guess that’s it. Meanwhile, I’m still not done with my Christmas shopping, I still have a few people in my list. So I guess no shopping spree for me JUST YET. Good luck, Riz. :)

Merry Christmas everyone! :)