On October 6th, the Bell Harbor Conference Center in Seattle will host the the firstInternational Search Summit in North America – but what is special about this event and why should people attend?
Michael Bonfils, CEO of WebCertain US and the host of the Seattle Summit sums it up when he says, “Most conferences only speak about English and US related issues – there is a need to talk about the other 75% of the entire search market”. And with more and more companies deciding they have reached a plateau in their home markets and branching into international markets, this other 75% is becoming increasingly relevant and important.
The US and Canada often sees new changes and developments in the online world before many other countries – for example the Yahoo! and Microsoft Search Alliance – so it is essential that marketers understand what is happening in each target market – and develops search and social media campaigns that are appropriate for that market.
In one session at the International Search Summit, Kelly Thomas Nojaim from Microsoft will be talking about the global plans for the alliance and what it will mean for international search. As Michael says, “Kelly’s discussion is going to be very insightful. As Google holds the majority of international market share, I would like to know what it’s going to take to change that”.
One market in which the alliance is unlikely to have much impact is Russia, where local search engine Yandex has the majority of the market share. The Head of Advertising Technology for Yandex, Eugene Lomize, is traveling to Seattle from Moscow to share with delegates how the search engine maintains its strong position in the Russian market and what marketers need to do to appeal to Russian users and run successful campaigns in the country.
Japan is another potentially lucrative market, with a population that is very internet savvy and search trends of its own. Koichiro Fukasawa, a Japanese search specialist and founder of Wasabi Communications, will be delving into the Japanese market and looking at key trends and developments which should shape any search and social campaigns targeting this market.
International marketers are now facing even tougher challenges, as the growth of social media continues at a phenomenal rate. In the past year, Twitter and Facebook have increased their users in every global region and its clear that they are not just a fad, but here to stay. At the Summit, John Yunker and Anne Kennedy will focus on Twitter and Facebook, looking at how marketers can use them to develop effective global strategies and boost international engagement.
Sometimes figuring out where a website is going wrong, or where is the best place to start is the biggest battle and the Global Site Clinic at the International Search Summit gives delegates the chance to put their websites in front of the panel and get some guidance and advice on the spot.
The International Search Summit exists because international search is a discipline of its own. While there are of course techniques, rules and technologies that apply to all markets, there is a whole new set of challenges, strategies and tools that come into play when targeting multiple markets in multiple languages. The International Search Summit Seattle will attempt to address at least some of them, and send delegates home with a ton of knowledge, data points and insights to help drive their global campaigns.
If you’re involved in international search and social media, you don’t want to miss this event.
Tickets for the Summit are still available – view the full agenda and book your place now.
Gemma Houghton
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