Search engine marketing accounts for an increasingly large share of the online ad spend—but the number of professionals with expertise in the discipline hasn’t kept pace with its rapid growth. In recognition of that fact, the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization, commonly known as SEMPO, is launching a series of online classes spanning topics ranging from search fundamentals to advanced search advertising.
“We’re at a critical juncture in the global economy,” says SEMPO president Dana Todd. “Search marketing is becoming an essential part of business operations now and that means job creation is at an all-time high. We need many more people to fill search engine marketing jobs, within both corporations and agencies.”
And it's not just consumer spending that is pushing online ad spending to new levels and increasing the need for trained managers to oversee that spending. A recent JupiterResearch report showed that 78% of small businesses now use the Internet regularly, spending more than $43 billion in online purchases in 2005. “Business-to-business transactions are also contributing mightily to the Internet growth, opening up another avenue for marketing jobs,” adds Todd.
The SEMPO Institute has launched online with a foundation course, “Fundamentals of Search Marketing," geared toward providing a high-level understanding of search marketing basics. In March, it will offer online courses in advanced search advertising and advanced search engine optimization.
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