Verizon Information Services, publisher of Internet shopping directory Superpages.com, has joined the fledging Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPRO), based in Palo Alto, CA. Verizon joins Google Inc. and other charter sponsors seeking to develop Internet search engines as a marketing medium. “We believe Verizon and SEMPRO together can play a critical role in promoting the value of paid search, as a must have tool for advertisers and consumers,” said Darrin Rayner, vice president of e-commerce sales and online marketing for Superpages.com, in a statement. SEMPRO plans to conduct primary research on marketing methodology for search engines and to develop educational materials. SEMPRO will host informational and member meetings, in San Jose, CA, in August, at the Search Engine Strategies 2004 Conference and Expo. Members of this new trade group are seeking to promote advertiser sponsored Internet searches, as a less intrusive means for marketing products and services online, what some advocates describe as “just-in-time ” marketing. With Internet search engines, a marketer can buy space in results listings generated by specific keywords, which in turn display targeted advertising for related products and services. Paid placement in search results listings and paid inclusion in online directories are among the most common techniques for search engine marketing, according to SEMPRO.
