Jennifer Laycock, Search Engine Guide Editor gave several tips for search marketers at the SEW Live in Columbus, Ohio.

She said two key search-marketing strategies were link bait and viral marketing. Link bait works because people are looking for content and need things to blog about. Viral marketing has the content to build a buzz.

It's important to create brand evangelists, which gives people a reason to talk about your product. When coming up with an idea you should ask your self four questions.

1. What sparks passion in my customers?

2. What has not been done before?

3. How will your idea benefit your users?

4. Will your audience risk their own reputation for it?

When trying to get your message out she said that ideas spread because they are important to the spreader not the originator. Good social media ideas work through relationships.

You can plant seeds for you idea by using blog engines to find topically approved blogs. She pointed to Technorati as being a good source that provides data on blog rankings to help you judge the quality of the blog.

Using humor to run a marketing campaign can be good because it has universal appeal, spreads quickly and leaves a positive association. The risk though is that it can be tough to sell humor to the executive crowd, it has the potential to offend and does not always fit your brand.

In closing she hit on three points to remember. Well planned campaigns can score big. Invest in your community and it's all about creativity.

Link Bait Viral Marketing SEW Live