Wakefield, MA, December 17, 2007 – SEMPO Institute, the online distance learning program launched a year ago by the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization, http://www.sempo.org/, reported today that more than 350 search marketing professionals and entry level businesspeople have enrolled in its courses during its first year of operation.

“Our strong enrollment numbers, after just launching a year ago, speak to the
growing need for best practices education in search engine marketing and search
advertising,” says Jeffrey Pruitt, president of SEMPO, and executive vice
president, corporate partnerships, iCrossing. “We believe search marketers and
related professionals are choosing our courses because the peer-reviewed content
is excellent and up-to-date, and the distance learning aspect gives them the
flexibility of self-paced learning.”

During 2008, SEMPO Institute, http://www.sempoinstitute.com/, will continue to offer its Fundamentals of Search Marketing, Advanced SEO and Advanced Search Advertising courses. The courses are regularly updated and students have follow-up access to the courses after graduation.

Enrollment during November reached peak levels as a broad spectrum of agency, in-house and etailer marketers registered for courses. “These professionals know they are going into the New Year with the competitive advantage of high-end SEM knowledge,” says Terry Plank, dean of SEMPO Institute. “As they complete their courses they can immediately put this knowledge into practice to better serve clients and achieve greater success.”

Range Online Media, a Fort Worth, Texas-based agency, recently had a large number of staff members register for all three SEMPO Institute courses, illustrating the value of standardized industry training, even for advanced search marketers. These enrollees were a combination of hands-on SEM professionals as well as those in sales and client service functions who utilize SEM and SEO practices for their job functions. “SEMPO Institute training offers a comprehensive overview on the fundamental principles of search marketing,” says Mark Skidmore, a Range Online Media account manager who is currently enrolled in the curriculum.

Zeta Interactive, a New York based interactive agency, played a dual role with the Institute, participating in peer review as well as having employees take the Advanced SEO class. “As I was reviewing the Advanced SEO class, I knew how effective it would be in educating our own employees,” says Steve Curtin, Corporate Vice President. “I also saw the value in the certification process, seeing that SEO certification by a well-respected, independent organization such as SEMPO further demonstrates to our clients our commitment to being the best.”

Those in etailing are also finding great value in SEMPO Institute courses. Vintage Tub and Bath is using the Fundamentals class to teach its interns best practices in SEM. “We have a very hands-on approach to our intern program. We need to get interns up to speed very quickly,” says Mike Deckman, Internet Marketing Manager, Vintage Tub and Bath. “The

Fundamentals of Search Marketing class was a phenomenal way to lay down a broad solid foundation that we could build upon. The course really expedited the usefulness of our interns. It’s an excellent program that I would certainly recommend to any employer.”

As SEMPO Institute begins to serve the Class of 2008. it is responding to new demographic trends – the Millennials who are the future of SEM. “Employees in their twenties demand as much training as possible. They want to accelerate their career growth and will move to the next company far quicker than the generations before them,” says Jeffrey Pruitt. “They will bolt if they do not find the opportunities for training and growth. This group of employees have no problem working for as many as four companies in one year.” SEMPO Institute classes give fast-paced Millennials the knowledge they are seeking and provides a foundation for solid career growth.

SEMPO (Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization) http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/ctr?d=97923&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.SEMPO.org, announced today it is launching its fourth annual industrywide survey to assess year-to-year changes in SEM spending and resource allocation.

The survey is open to all search engine marketing professionals working in an agency, or in-house. Participants do not need to be SEMPO members. Log on to http://www6.intellisurvey.com/run/sempo2007 to take the survey. As an incentive, SEMPO is partnering with Incisive Media, owners of the Search Engine Strategies (SES) conferences, to randomly select one participant who will receive an SES conference pass, valued at more than $1,000.

“This last year we in the search engine marketing profession have seen tremendous changes, with the major search engines making significant strategic company acquisitions, the exponential growth of social networking and their increasing influence in search and stepped up innovation in online advertising networks,” says Jeffrey Pruitt, SEMPO president and Executive Vice President, Corporate Partnerships, iCrossing. “SEMPO’s survey is the perfect opportunity to learn how these shifts in the market affect the role of the search engine marketer, whether agency or in-house,” and what changes are ahead in the coming year.”

Radar Research, a Los Angeles-based research and consulting firm which conducted the 2005 and 2006 surveys, is continuing as SEMPO’s survey research partner. SEMPO and Radar Research are conducting the survey through early January, 2008. Preliminary results will be available in February, 2008 with a full report expected in late Q1 2008.

“As the pre-eminent search marketing professional organization, SEMPO is committed to taking a leadership role in empirical research,” says Gord Hotchkiss, SEMPO chairperson and CEO, Enquiro Search Solutions. “Our annual survey and our new survey to collect salary data on in-house personnel are just two examples of how we provide unique, actionable market data to our growing professional community.”

2006 Survey Recap

SEMPO’s 2006 survey revealed that SEM spending had risen sharply, to $9.4 billion, a 63% year-to-year increase. The survey included data on paid placement, paid inclusion and organic search as well as spending on SEM technology platforms. The survey also found organic SEO to be the most popular form of SEM, with paid placement a very close second. However, in dollars, paid placement accounted for 85.9 percent of total spending, or $8.1 billion.