CHICAGO – Over 2,000 marketers scouting out sure-fire ways to boost their companies’ online presence are gathering to kick off this year’s Search Engine Strategies (SES) Chicago 2008 Conference & Expo . In its tenth year, SES Chicago (http://www.searchenginestrategies.com/chicago) gives attendees an unmatched combination of high-profile speakers, four-star rated sessions, and specialized educational tracks. The digital marketing conference takes place at the Chicago Hilton and runs December 8-11, 2008.

This year’s conference hones in on current issues facing marketers—from social media to search privacy to click fraud. Marketers will learn from noted search industry experts and gain practical knowledge for issues such as mobile search, web analytics, and global search.

SES Chicago highlights include:

* Keynote addresses by Professor Lawrence Lessig, an expert on law and technology, Omniture president and CEO Josh James, and Hitwise general manager of Global Research Bill Tancer.
* Introductory courses on Search Marketing, SEO Tools, Link Building Basics, and Search Advertising
* Intermediate sessions—including Universal and Blended Search, Igniting Viral Campaigns, Site Clinic, and Social Media Optimization
* Advanced sessions focused on issues ranging from Advanced B2B to Duplicate Content and Multiple Site Issues to Black Hat, White Hat & the Best Kept Secrets to Search

Organized and hosted by search authority Kevin Ryan, SES Chicago arms attendees with the latest knowledge in the search industry. The world’s most comprehensive gathering of search engine marketing and optimization-related providers, partners and affiliates, SES Chicago offers more than 60 sessions for everyone from newbies to the savviest marketers.

“Each year, marketers return and rave about how they’ve applied knowledge at our sessions to drive site traffic and vastly enhance conversion rates,” said Ryan, Chair of the SES Advisory Board. “We’re exceptionally proud of our 98 percent satisfaction rate year after year, based on the immense wealth of knowledge sharing at this unique event.”

For more information on SES Chicago and other shows in the series, see http://www.SearchEngineStrategies.com/chicago.

About Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC — A Division of Incisive Media PLC

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.

CHICAGO – Search Engine Strategies (http://www.SearchEngineStrategies.com) educates tens of thousands of delegates each year. With more than 60 sessions designed for every skill level, SES Chicago 2008 provides the ultimate atmosphere for those seeking opportunities to grow their knowledge of SEO/SEM, network, further their career development and strengthen their business’s visibility online. The SES event takes place at the Chicago Hilton, December 8-12, 2008.

For those professionals new to search engine marketing, SES provides a lineup of introductory sessions that aim to cover the most basic tactics, answer questions, and provide insight on must-have SEO skills. New in this year’s agenda is the First Timer’s Guide to SES and SEM. This session will walk attendees through the “SES experience,” including the logistics, networking opportunities and special event details, thoroughly preparing participants for a whirlwind week. Additionally, this session will present a sneak peek to the Introduction to Search Engine Marketing session that will be held on Tuesday.

Additional sessions geared toward newbies include:

* Landing Page Testing & Tuning: This session looks at ways to test and tweak landing pages to convert visitors into buyers. The session is designed for those who are already familiar with how paid placement works.
* Link Building Basics: Discover how search engines rely on link analysis as an important component for rank web pages, and how building quality links appropriately will increase traffic to your site.
* SEO Tools: This session will outline the tools to help search marketers accomplish tasks including indexing, competitive analysis, site ranking, diagnosing and remedying problems, page level information, site level information, on-page optimization and much more.
* Social Media Optimization: Community-built web sites, Facebook, YouTube, Microsoft Tagspace, Wikipedia and new sites allowing content to be shared through “tagging” can be a great way to tap into links and search-driven traffic. Hear how-to’s and tips from search marketers who have discovered what works today and what to avoid.
* Search Advertising 101: Every major search engine offers a paid placement program. Learn what’s available in this session that is especially geared toward beginners, with details on programs from major providers and advice on how to succeed.
* Search Advertising Tools: In order to get a leg up on the competition, successful search engine marketers need to be armed with the latest tools of the trade. This session will explore a range of popular search engine advertising tools – both free basic tools and advanced paid offerings – along with some important features to be aware of.
* Site Clinic and Contextual Ads & Ad Sense Clinic: These interactive sessions take volunteers from the audience and examine their web sites live to provide general feedback about improving them to do better from Google AdSense and other contextual ad placements, and to gain more traffic from search engines.
* Ad Copy Continuity Clinic: Ad copy and landing page content must be in alignment with each other to ensure a smooth and profitable visitor experience. This clinic will examine actual ads and landing pages offered up by volunteers from the audience.

Organized and hosted by search authority Kevin Ryan, SES Chicago delivers real-time actionable information you need to grow your business. SES beginners will quickly learn how to maximize the search engine marketing and search engine optimization opportunities to ensure they are well-versed of the latest search developments and solutions in this area.

To register for the conference and pay the early bird rate of $1,795 by November 21, visit www.searchenginestrategies.com/chicago/registration-details.html. SES Chicago Expo-only passes are free in advance.

For more information on SES Chicago and other shows in the series, see http://searchenginestrategies.com/chicago.

About SES

Search Engine Strategies (SES) is the leading global conference series focused on search engine optimization and search engine marketing (SEM). SES, ClickZ, Search Engine Watch, and their associated conference series ClickZ Events are part of the Interactive group of Incisive Media.

About Incisive Media

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 commercial real estate, financial services, legal services, marketing services and risk management. Incisive Media’s market-leading brands include Accountancy Age, Computing, Investment Week, Legal Week, Post, Real Estate Forum and The American Lawyer, in addition to ClickZ, Search Engine Watch and their associated conference series. For more information, visit www.incisivemedia.com.

CHICAGO – Search Engine Strategies (http://www.SearchEngineStrategies.com) returns to Chicago this year with an exciting line up of popular sessions and new content at SES Chicago 2008. The SES event, taking place at the Chicago Hilton, December 8th – 12th, draws not only a large Chicago and Midwestern crowd, but also delegates from across the country and the world, as 30 countries were represented last year.

Opening the show with the first of three keynotes will be Lawrence Lessig, who is Professor of Law at Stanford Law School and founder of the school’s Center for Internet and Society. Lessig focuses on the intersection of law, internet and technology, particularly as it relates to copyright.

Second in the keynote lineup will be CEO and co-founder of Omniture, Josh James. Josh is passionate about helping organizations worldwide leverage the internet and the on-demand services business model to increase revenues and customer loyalty and maintain a competitive edge. Under Josh’s leadership, Omniture has evolved from a groundbreaking idea into one of the fastest-growing publicly traded software companies with more than 4,700 customers across 75 countries and over 1,100 employees.

The SES conference’s third keynote will be Bill Tancer, General Manager, Global Research with Hitwise. In his role, Bill provides cutting-edge research and insight into online consumer behavior and the application of online competitive intelligence. Bill’s analysis of the online landscape has been quoted extensively in the press and he authors a weekly online column for TIME, “The Science of Search.” He was also named Television Week’s “12 to Watch” for 2008 and is currently on the advisory board for the PEW Internet and American Life Project.

SES newbies and alumni alike will quickly learn how to maximize the search engine marketing and search engine optimization opportunities to ensure they are well-versed of the latest search developments and solutions in this area. Organized and hosted by world-renowned search authority Kevin Ryan, SES Chicago delivers real-time actionable information you need to grow your business. Additionally, Search Engine Strategies Chicago grants access to the Midwest’s most comprehensive gathering of search engine marketing and optimization-related providers, partners and affiliates.

“Our intent in bringing Professor Lessig, Mr. James and Mr. Tancer here is to rejuvenate the industry’s thinking,” said Kevin Ryan, Chairman of the SES Advisory Board. “The search industry continues to grow by leaps and bounds, and in a time of economic uncertainty, we must continue to take chances. But, in doing so, our audience needs to hear from these individuals to truly value search’s place amongst other internet disciplines.”

To register for the conference and pay the early bird rate of $1,795 by November 21, visit www.searchenginestrategies.com/chicago/registration-details.html. SES Chicago Expo-only passes are free in advance.

For more information on SES Chicago and other shows in the series, see http://searchenginestrategies.com/chicago.

bout Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC — A Division of Incisive Media PLC

Incisive Media PLC is a specialist business information provider, based in the UK with offices in North America, Hong Kong, India and Mainland China. The company’s activities are currently built around ten core industry sectors – mortgages; marketing services; financial technology; retail investment; capital markets; risk management; insurance; legal services; private equity and photography. Information is provided via a wide range of channels–in print, in person and online. Funds advised by Apax Partners, a leading global private equity group, recently completed the successful de-listing of Incisive Media from the London Stock Exchange alongside the existing management.

Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC is the marketing services division of the company and incorporates leading websites Search Engine Watch, the ClickZ Network and their associated events series including Search Engine Strategies. These properties were acquired in 2005.

CHICAGO – Search Engine Strategies, the Midwest’s only search marketing conference and expo, celebrates its 10th year in the Windy City later this fall. Returning to Chicago on December 8-11, 2008, at the Chicago Hilton, SES Chicago (http://www.searchenginestrategies.com/chicago) will feature an intriguing lineup of sessions and new content. A “recession special” of $600 off is in place for all who register by September 26, 2008.

This year’s event will explore hot topics such as search around the world, search advertising, universal and blended search, viral campaigns, social media optimization, plus geo-targeting and the best kept secrets in search. Led by the industry’s most notable visionaries, SES Chicago draws thousands of marketers each year, and boasts a 98 percent satisfaction rate from attendees.

Organized and hosted by search authority Kevin Ryan, SES Chicago offers up-to-the-minute, practical information that marketers can use immediately to grow their businesses through search. Seasoned practitioners and search newcomers alike will benefit from more than 60 engaging sessions geared toward attendees of all learning levels – beginners, intermediate-level marketers, and advanced professionals. The research, expertise and tactics presented by top search experts and the search engines themselves will arm attendees with actionable information they can apply to their business immediately upon leaving.

As the industry evolves exponentially, SES Chicago aims to capture the most current educational needs of attendees by incorporating fresh and exclusive content. Multiple keynotes and Orion panels add to the learning opportunity by providing attendees with insights from industry luminaries, often from outside the search realm, who bestow a well-rounded vision of search’s role in today’s marketing spectrum.

SES Chicago is followed by a full-day of search engine training sessions. These thorough workshops take place in a small classroom setting, giving attendees the opportunity to work closely with instructors, who provide the practices, applications, and hands-on exposure needed to become – and remain – a top performer in the field. In the end, attendees will not only walk away with the knowledge and skills needed to be a successful search engine marketer, but will also enhance their professional know-how by keeping their marketing acumen sharp and in tune with the latest developments in search engine marketing and optimization.

“Whether you’re looking to get organic traffic, explore the best free and paid placements, calculate the ROI of your search efforts, or be the first to hear about what’s coming next in the ever-changing world of search, SES Chicago is the place to be,” said Kevin Ryan, Vice President of Global Content for Search Engine Strategies, an Incisive Media property. “This year’s conference will be no exception, with an impressive array of renowned speakers and a stimulating educational environment.”

For more information on SES Chicago and other shows in the series, see http://searchenginestrategies.com/chicago.

About Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC — A Division of Incisive Media PLC

Incisive Media PLC is a specialist business information provider, based in the UK with offices in North America, Hong Kong, India and Mainland China. The company’s activities are currently built around ten core industry sectors – mortgages; marketing services; financial technology; retail investment; capital markets; risk management; insurance; legal services; private equity and photography. Information is provided via a wide range of channels–in print, in person and online. Funds advised by Apax Partners, a leading global private equity group, recently completed the successful de-listing of Incisive Media from the London Stock Exchange alongside the existing management.

Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC is the marketing services division of the company and incorporates leading websites Search Engine Watch, the ClickZ Network and their associated events series including Search Engine Strategies. These properties were acquired in 2005.

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Recognizing innovation in the search industry, the first annual Search Engine Strategies (SES) Awards were announced this week at Search Engine Strategies (SES) San Jose http://www.searchenginestrategies.com/sanjose). The SES conference, which wrapped up today at the San Jose Convention Center, is an international event series for online marketers, digital agencies, webmasters and corporate decision makers.

The SES Awards, presented at keynote and Orion panel sessions throughout the four-day event, celebrate the event’s 10-year anniversary and were created to inspire innovation and encourage new ideas. Judged by a panel of industry experts and the SES editorial staff, the SES Awards honor outstanding search marketers.

The 2008 SES Awards winners are:

Best Search Engine Ad Platform: LookSmart AdCenter

Search Engine with Most Relevant Search Results: Yahoo!

Most Innovative New Search Engine: YellowBot (Young & Associates)

Technology Platform Search Marketers Can’t Live Without: Enquisite (Maven Communications)

Best SEM Technology Platform for SMBs: LocalLaunch; Marchex

Most Innovative Use of Search Engine Optimization: NikeStore (Range Online Media)

Most Innovative Paid Search Campaign: SearchAdNetwork; Building Blocks for LEGO’s Paid Search Media (iCrossing)

Best Social Media Marketing Campaign: Beaches of South Walton (USDM.net)

Best Business-to-Business Search Marketing Campaign: Microsoft Small Business Center (iProspect)

Best Multi-National Search Marketing Campaign: iCrossing Integrates Global Search Campaign for LEGO

Best Use of Local Search: US Small Business Administration-Business Gateway Initiative

Best Integration of Search with Other Media: The Tudors/Showtime (Outrider)

Most Effective Use of Web Analytics: Four Seasons Hotels and Resort (Acronym Media)

Best Web Analytics Platform: Omniture

Most Advertiser-Friendly Search Engine: Matchpoint.com

Editor’s Choice: Matt Cutts, Software Engineer Guru, Google

Led by search authority Kevin Ryan, Vice President, Global Content Director, Search Engine Strategies and SearchEngineWatch.com, SES San Jose is the preeminent source of practical knowledge for search marketers.

“Innovation is the name of the game in this industry as it continues to evolve,” said Ryan. “By recognizing those who are developing extremely effective and creative work, we know we’re inspiring others to drive this industry toward excellence.”

Since 1999, SES has guided search marketers of all skill levels through the fast changing and complex world of search — the single fastest growing marketing sector. The conference provides attendees with more than 80 sessions designed for every skill level.

For additional information about the San Jose event and other conferences in the series, visit www.SearchEngineStrategies.com.

About Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC — A Division of Incisive Media PLC

Incisive Media PLC is a specialist business information provider, based in the UK with offices in North America, Hong Kong, India and Mainland China. The company’s activities are currently built around ten core industry sectors – mortgages; marketing services; financial technology; retail investment; capital markets; risk management; insurance; legal services; private equity and photography. Information is provided via a wide range of channels–in print, in person and online. Funds advised by Apax Partners, a leading global private equity group, recently completed the successful de-listing of Incisive Media from the London Stock Exchange alongside the existing management.

Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC is the marketing services division of the company and incorporates leading websites Search Engine Watch, the ClickZ Network and their associated events series including Search Engine Strategies. These properties were acquired in 2005.