Press Release

SES Chicago Keynote Bill Tancer Discusses How Observed Search Behavior Gives Marketers the Edge

Observed Behavior vs. Survey Data Gives More Realistic Picture of Consumers' Search Conduct on Web

Chicago, IL - December 10, 2008 - Bill Tancer, General Manager, Global Research at Hitwise and keynote at SES Chicago (https://searchenginesstrategies.com/chicago), made the case to marketers yesterday that by researching what people search for on the Web, significant competitive advantage can be obtained. The SES event, covering all things SEO and digital marketing, takes place at the Chicago Hilton through Thursday, December 11.

Tancer, author of the book Click: What Millions of People are Doing Online and Why it Matters, shed new light on the mindset and curiosities of the average Web surfer, sharing insights from the Hitwise database of online intelligence to reveal the naked truth about how searchers use the Web, navigate to sites, and search for information. He introduced the concept of utilizing observed behavior versus survey data to understand realistically how Internet users interact with a marketer's Web site.

"What you'll see in observed behavior is much different than what you'd get from a survey," said Tancer. "Cognitive dissonance... is this theory that people want to appear in the best possible light, so they'll answer questions so as to appear in that best possible light. When asked questions about what they do with adult entertainment or about gambling, they'll often answer falsely, yet if you look at observed behavior, you can really see the delta between what they say they do and what they actually do."

Tancer also reminded attendees that offline conditions, such as politics, the economy, or events in pop culture, can and do influence online search behaviors. For example, the retro term layaway has resurfaced over the last few months as consumers struggle to find ways of navigating holiday purchases amongst difficult economic conditions.

"Outside stimulants show up in changed internet behavior," Tancer advised. "If you're not factoring that in you're going to miss the boat."

Finally, Tancer offered three lessons learned from observing search behavior:

1. Understand how people are searching for your brand and keep consistent measurement techniques in place to see how seasons, time, and a variety of other factors influence how you're being found online.
2. Look at discussions happening on social networks to understand what consumers are candidly saying about your brand and products.
3. Take the current economy into consideration, and face the fact that consumers' online behavior is changing because of it.

To hear a replay of Bill Tancer's keynote, visit WebmasterRadio.fm: http://www.webmasterradio.fm/Conferences/Search-Engine-Strategies/Bill-Tancer-SES-Chicago-2008-Keynote.htm.

For more information about SES Chicago 2008 or for information on the other conferences in the series, visit https://searchenginesstrategies.com.

More press releases can be found on the SES Blog.

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About SES
Incisive Media's Search Engine Strategies is a leading global conference and training series focused on search engine optimization and search engine marketing. Other Incisive resources for interactive marketers include the ClickZ network for digital marketing news, information, commentary, advice, opinion and research and Search Engine Watch which provides news and information about search, analysis of the search engine industry and tools for improving search marketing effectiveness.

Incisive Media is a leading global provider of specialized business news and information, in print, in person and online. The company's principal markets include financial services, legal services, commercial real estate, marketing services and risk management. Incisive Media's market-leading brands include Accountancy Age, Computing, Investment Week, Legal Week, LegalTech, Post, Real Estate Forum, Risk, Search Engine Strategies and The American Lawyer. For more information, visit www.incisivemedia.com.

Editorial Contacts
Ann Shannon
PAN Communications
978-474-1900
ses@pancomm.com

Matt McGowan
Incisive Media
212-457-7794
matthew.mcgowan@incisivemedia.com