Mastercard, a global brand synonymous with delivering priceless experiences, set out to engage travelers during the summer holiday period. Their objectives were clear: drive top-of-mind awareness ahead of holiday planning, boost consideration for Mastercard’s travel experiences, and deepen the brand’s lifestyle appeal.

Mastercard launched a two-phase campaign across key locales in the Middle East, that turned Amazon into a destination for travel inspiration. In Phase One, a summer-long custom landing page on Amazon.ae showcased culinary and travel offers, supported by a full-funnel campaign that included Amazon DSP and a Homepage Hero Takeover that drove high visibility whenever shoppers landed on Amazon.ae. Phase Two kicked off with an interactive, gamified product selector on Mastercard’s custom landing page, recommending Parisian culinary experiences. Though Mastercard doesn’t sell physical products on Amazon, the team innovated by adapting Amazon’s native product selector to link potential travelers directly to Mastercard’s website.

This seamless journey, from discovery on Amazon to purchase on Mastercard’s website, allowed new and returning users to explore and book experiences. Click here to discover the full campaign results.

When OSN+, a streaming service in the MENA region, set out to launch the second season of HBO’s House of the Dragon (HOTD), it wanted something that went above and beyond a typical media plan. Before the series premiered, OSN+ and Amazon Ads orchestrated a series of teasers designed to stoke anticipation. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, over 350,000 specially designed Amazon delivery boxes were produced, with the aim of transforming routine deliveries into delightful doorstep moments. Each box bore striking imagery from HOTD and included a QR code that drove customers to the OSN+ Brand Store on Amazon.sa.

Wondering what the custom Amazon boxes looked like? Click here to find out.

Moreover, OSN+ transformed Amazon.sa into an immersive House of the Dragon battlefield, where visitors chose between Team Black and Team Green through an interactive Brand Store experience allowing fans to explore exclusive trailers and character histories through a tailored experience that revealed the secrets and rivalries of their chosen house. This dual-path content journey helped visitors delve deeper into each house’s story, further increasing engagement on the page while creating a natural journey to the OSN+ website, where viewers could subscribe to watch the new season of HOTD.

During the launch day, the campaign utilized the homepage takeover, draping the website in black or green, piquing curiosity among Amazon shoppers who might not have been die-hard fans of the show, and tapped into Twitch, with a hero headline on the service’s homepage and a First Impression Takeover, where viewers would see an OSN+ pop-up during their first Twitch broadcast of the day. Click here to learn more about the impact and results the campaign drove.

Dentsu announced the launch of a new research study measuring attention in Arabic digital advertising for the first time. Conducted in partnership with Lumen Research, Dentsu will measure consumers’ attention spans across various leading platforms to establish the value of attention as a media effectiveness metric, including how best to measure it, value it, and apply it in practice for Arabic audiences.  

Expanding Dentsu’s Attention Economy research into Arabic for the first time, the media agency network will work with research partner Lumen to apply eye tracking methodology to measure the attention paid to and eye tracking patterns of Arabic ads. The study will observe viewability, eye-tracked attention, and communications outcomes for brands. The intention is to move beyond standard metrics such as impressions, to capture the human experience of media, and to establish the value of attention as a media effectiveness metric.

“Dentsu has been pioneering attention research via our Attention Economy studies for more than five years, codifying, longer than anyone else, the value of engagement in video and display channels in English. Now, we’re thrilled to unlock new insights on attention in Arabic—a meaningful first for the industry,” said Ramzy Abouchacra, CEO, Carat MENA – the media agency within the Dentsu network. “The data will enable us to uniquely serve our clients across multiple verticals by proving the value of their Arabic language video and display ads based on real engagement measures that drive growth.”

The research will cover five media partner platforms and will feature five clients across key verticals including Auto, FMCG, Finance, and E-Commerce. Post research, digital media plans can be optimized to Effective Attention through a custom algorithm built by Lumen that will be exclusive to Dentsu media brands and codified into the network’s Merkury Planning software. This will allow clients to gain insight beyond conventional viewability metrics and enhance plans across platforms, formats, and contexts.

Alex Jena, Head of Strategy and Product, Dentsu MENA, added, “This study will serve as a game-changer in the battle for attention that media practitioners around the world and here in the region are trying to crack. We will be able to determine the optimal channel and format mix by vertical and get a real understanding on how impactful attention can be on brand consideration. To ensure this is all actionable and lives beyond a report, the formula will be baked into our Planning and Optimisation tool suite for any Dentsu client to use. Exciting times ahead!”

Mike Follett, CEO at Lumen Research, said, “Dentsu has been a leading partner of Lumen Research and together we’ve chartered new territory in understanding attention and building new norms and metrics in the space. We’re excited and intrigued to be building new data on Arabic attention and to assess how it compares and contrasts to English and other languages while offering advertisers in the Middle East a local dataset to identify specific media opportunities.”

The study will be the latest to be released by Dentsu’s Attention Economy, which launched in 2018. 

Chef Izu Ani's culinary journey began in the world’s leading kitchens, where he honed his skills and garnered international acclaim for his distinctive approach to gastronomy. His culinary empire, renowned for its emphasis on quality ingredients and memorable dining experiences, has solidified his status as a regional culinary icon.

The announcement of the partnership between Audi Middle East and Chef Izu Ani marks a new chapter in the region's culinary and automotive landscape. It promises exciting collaborations, innovative experiences, and a celebration of progress and creativity.

"We are thrilled to welcome Chef Izu Ani back to the Audi family as our official regional brand ambassador," said Rene Koneberg, Managing Director of Audi Middle East. "Chef Izu's innovative culinary vision and overall commitment to progress perfectly align with Audi's ethos of pushing boundaries and inspiring others. This partnership represents a fusion of passion, creativity, and a shared dedication to excellence."

Most often visited by the Royal Family, Chef Izu operates over 10 restaurants across the UAE, and his ability to craft gastronomic masterpieces has led him to become an influential personality in the Middle East's culinary space. He also possesses a passion for adrenaline-fueled activities, including driving his Audi RS Q8 and pushing the limits on his road bike.

"The collaboration between Audi and Chef Izu is a natural fit," said Elmir Arnautovic, Marketing and Communications Director at Audi Middle East. "Chef Izu's regional footprint and storytelling prowess make him an ideal partner to connect with Audi's progressive target audience. This partnership is not just about culinary excellence; it's a celebration of progress, inspiration, and the limitless possibilities that emerge when passion meets innovation."

"When passion and progress collide, at the intersection of inspiration and passionate creativity, magic happens, stated Chef Izu Ani. "Audi and Chef Izu is more than a partnership; it's a shared journey of innovation, storytelling, and a commitment to excellence. Having admired Audi for many years and is a proud owner of the Audi R8 performance, amongst others, I am honored to join forces with Audi to inspire audiences across the Middle East. I look forward to creating unforgettable experiences together.”

Commenting on the partnership, Jamie Atherton, Managing Director at Yazle, said, "We are thrilled to partner with Invenda, a leader in the programmatic DOOH space. This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to empower advertisers with cutting-edge tools and access to the prime advertising landscape. Together with Invenda, we are poised to deliver outstanding results for our clients and elevate the DOOH advertising space in the region."

Francesca Meloni, DOOH advertising director at Invenda said, "Invenda is excited to embark on this partnership with Yazle. By combining our programmatic technology expertise with Yazle's creative prowess, we are confident in our ability to revolutionize the DOOH advertising experience for brands operating in the UAE and KSA.

By joining forces with Invenda, Yazle gains access to a network of premium programmatic DOOH screens strategically located in high-traffic areas across the UAE and KSA.

The Yazle-Invenda partnership will help brands connect with their audiences in the dynamic markets of the UAE and KSA.

Mahmoud's previous experience ranges from Microsoft, Huawei, and Publicis to Dentsu, and ConnectAds. In another role as the Head of Client Partnerships and Data at Petal Ads across the MEA region, he established the organization's go-to-market strategy and built the partnership team and the brand's equity through innovative events, educational programs, workshops, and cross-collaboration. Additionally, as the Data Management Lead at Choueiri Group, he contributed to enhanced data product collection and classification for media teams across industries.

Evgenii Pavlov, General Manager at Yandex Ads MEA said, “We are thrilled to welcome Mohamed to the Yandex Ads team. His extensive international experience and proven track record in the MEA region make him a valuable addition as we continue expanding globally. Mohamed's leadership and strategic vision align perfectly with our commitment to delivering cutting-edge advertising solutions. We look forward to leveraging his expertise to strengthen our client partnerships and data initiatives, driving innovation in the ever-evolving digital advertising landscape.“

Reflecting on his appointment and expressing his enthusiasm, Mahmoud said, "I am honored to join Yandex Ads, a company renowned for setting global standards in digital advertising excellence. I am excited to apply my expertise in data-driven strategies to fuel innovation as we embark on our international expansion journey."

Connect Ads has been a leader in the region’s digital media industry since 2001 and is a subsidiary of Aleph Group, a leading global enabler of digital advertising, connecting thousands of advertisers in 130+ emerging markets with the world’s leading digital platforms.

As part of the cooperation, Connect Ads by Aleph will help clients in the region tap into the opportunities of rewarded video advertising in mobile games, in which DT is one of the largest global players. In addition to a wide variety of ad formats, advertisers will be able to harness DT’s advanced solutions to increase engagement, attention, and results-driving their brand even further. Unique capabilities like DT’s Dynamic End Card with which you can create solutions for immersive, mobile-first experiences with full-screen interactive executions to give users a chance to explore what brands are offering more after they watch the ad until completion and interactive in-video experience which offers powerful graphic technologies and interactive video ad experiences to your audiences by giving an opportunity to them to interact with the ad itself while watching it is highly accepted by mobile gamers and are considered to be non-intrusive and even enhance the gaming experience.

When the biggest names in the digital industry decide to access the region, they always choose Connect Ads. Connect Ads has kick-started and developed the digital advertising business for global tech giants such as Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, Spotify, LinkedIn, Shazam, TikTok, Speakol, Huawei Ads, Criteo, and many more. Today, Connect Ads by Aleph is the partner of choice for more than 24+ digital media, AdTech, and big data giants.
​​“Our vision and strategy are always to bring value to our region for the users as well as advertisers and brands. We are glad to have won the trust of yet another world-class platform. Digital Turbine is simply a great platform, its technology accelerates mobile growth and consumer engagement. Digital Turbine supercharges awareness, acquisition, and monetization — connecting brands to more consumers, in more ways, across more devices,” said Mohamed El-Mehairy, Group CEO, of Connect Ads by Aleph.

Advertising activities supplied by Connect Ads are fully measurable in terms of effectiveness. Digital Turbine’s advertising platform is integrated with all the leading measurement partners, including Moat, DV, and IAS. In addition, DT is a leader in attention results, having cooperated with Lumen, Amplified Intelligence, Nielsen, and Kantar on a number of studies that show DT’s ads grab attention, outperforming its peers by over 10X (on average).

Capture your targeted audiences’ attention with DT Creatives

DT’s video ads do not only grab users' attention – they also hold it for the longest time. In a study with attention measurement leader Amplified Intelligence, DT ads outperformed its peers by over 10X (on average) in terms of attention. On average, viewers actively pay attention to DT ads for a combined 22 seconds, compared to just 1.6 seconds for mobile web video ads and 2.5 seconds for social video ads. And while grabbing and holding user attention can already boost a brand's ability to get to users and resonate with them, DT's ad experience also makes use of a feature that gives its ads an attention boost with the use of the dynamic end-card format. These findings demonstrate DT's success in capturing user attention and engaging audiences, maximizing the use of full-screen video and audio. DT’s award-winning Creative Lab can create from scratch or optimize existing creative to leverage the power of sight, sound, and motion on mobile devices. For DT what matters the most is serving a video ad experience as it was produced to be experienced.

The deal with the users: watch ads for extra lives and in-game content

The company takes great care of the quality of campaigns. That is why it is constantly expanding anti-fraud systems. In addition, the publishers joining the platform are subjected to rigorous selection. This meets the needs of advertisers in the field of brand safety. Digital Turbine also has advanced capabilities for data analysis. Having direct integration through the SDK with applications allows for conducting behavioral research of players. This enables precise targeting of real users. As a result, the message is always adapted to the age of the recipients and contextually placed in a brand-safe environment.

“Digital Turbine has a lot of experience, a broad range of proprietary and creative solutions as well as a highly qualified team of experts. For more than half a decade, we have been creating great campaigns thanks to the creative mobile solutions we have provided with the trust of the brands and agencies in the MENA region. After the change in our organizational structure in the MENA region, we used this transition period to solidify the new strategies we wanted to create for our clients and partners. Having completed the transition period, Digital Turbine will continue to provide all the business partnerships it has provided to all business partners for years, together with Connect Ads by Aleph, the most powerful name in the region. So as part of the cooperation, we will support Connect Ads in developing effective strategies to reach users of mobile games. We will also help in creating graphic materials and choosing places to broadcast, as well as campaign optimization & reporting as well as adding value to brands and mobile devices by joining forces with Connect Ads. ” stated Aslı Bilge, Digital Turbine’s Director of Partnerships and Sales Operations EMEA & LATAM.

Mehairy also added, "The targeting options are also exciting: With the in-app videos it is possible to target groups such as gamers, techies, young mothers, students, sports enthusiasts, car enthusiasts, household owners, or mobile phone online shoppers. Regardless of the segmentation of users into sub-target groups, Connect Ads, and Digital Turbine offers additional targeting options: such as geo-targeting, device and operating system targeting, weather targeting, day/night targeting, and re-targeting. The option to use a so-called ‘Dynamic End Card’ after the video, significantly increases the interaction rate of the user already in "gaming mode".

Companies around the world are increasingly recognizing the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and responsible advertising. CSR refers to a company's commitment to act ethically, contribute to economic development, and improve the quality of life of its stakeholders. Responsible advertising involves creating and promoting truthful, socially responsible messages that respect cultural and religious values.

Although the implementation of these practices varies across the globe, the Middle East presents unique opportunities and challenges for companies. While the region has experienced significant economic growth and social progress, it also faces like the rest of the world some critical environmental issues, such as climate change. The regional leaders are very conscious of these threats and start to participate in the global efforts to reduce the carbon impact, by switching from an all-oil energy power to other more sustainable sources of energy like nuclear and solar plants. To demonstrate its commitment to addressing climate change, Egypt hosted COP 27 in Sharm-El-Sheikh in November 2022, and COP 28 is scheduled to take place in the UAE in December 2023.

In image above: Yves-Michel Gabay, Managing Director MEA at Gamned

It’s probably the best moment for regional advertisers to start thinking about implementing measures to reduce the carbon impact of their digital advertising campaigns too. 

So, let's dive into the 6 key points to reduce the environmental footprint of digital advertising.

1. Defining the right KPIs according to your objective

To ensure the success of your digital marketing campaign in the Middle East, it's important to define KPIs that align with your business goals, whether it's increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, or generating sales. It's recommended to use an analytics tool that provides a cross-channel view of your campaign performance. For performance-focused campaigns, it's important to verify your tool's attribution model and ensure it aligns with your brand's strategy. In the Middle East, it's also crucial to consider the cultural nuances and preferences of your target audience when selecting channels and measuring success. Regularly conduct contribution studies, such as Marketing Mix Modelling, which analyze the correlation between budget and sales, and A/B tests between exposed and non-exposed groups to reevaluate the actual effectiveness of each channel.

2. Optimizing digital ad formats for maximum effectiveness and efficiency

In digital advertising, it's important to choose formats that maximize effectiveness while limiting impressions and file size. Advertisers should avoid basing purchases solely on low CPMs or performance metrics to prevent irrelevant impressions and wasted budgets. Creatives and ad formats should be regularly tested and optimized to ensure they resonate with the target audience and achieve desired results. Heavy ad formats, like carousels, should be questioned for relevance, and video duration should be shorter than TV, with 6 or 15-second videos being most effective. Advertisers should challenge their partners on file compression capabilities and ensure compliance with maximum weight specifications. The VAST4.2 standard can eliminate the risk of non-delivery, provide dedicated space for ad verifiers, offer various video quality levels, and generate unique identifiers for each creative, resulting in cost savings. Advertisers should work with partners to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of video ad campaigns. In the Middle East, cultural and linguistic preferences, local regulations, varying internet speeds, and connectivity should be considered in ad creatives and delivery.

3. Preventing ad fraud and ensuring media quality

To protect against ad fraud, use pre-bid anti-fraud tools in your DSP and optimize post-bid. Prioritize media quality by selecting SSPs with an audit policy for their publishers and creating inclusion/exclusion lists for websites. Avoid websites with artificial traffic, high ad clutter, or low editorial quality/fake news. Choose the most direct path to inventory by using SPO functionality in your DSP and understanding the inventory quality and transparency of resellers, costs, deal opportunities, and traffic shaping offered by SSPs. Manage private programmatic deals by reviewing them regularly, removing inactive or unused deals, and informing publishers about trackers, pixels, and measurement tools used. Control the win rates of deals that display impressions to identify bugs early on. Finally, avoid displaying the same creatives multiple times on one page by setting frequency and recency parameters or using available DSP options.

4. Choosing your target audience

To prevent fraud, use anti-fraud tools pre-bid in DSPs and optimize post-bid. Choose SSPs with an audit policy on the quality of their publishers and create inclusion/exclusion lists for websites. Manage private programmatic deals by regularly reviewing them and removing inactive or unused deals. Control the win rate of deals to detect bugs early on. Choose to target data segments that have the best coverage for the audience and use data from a single provider for each segment. Evaluate the past advertising performance of different segments to assess their quality. Establish a healthy retargeting strategy by demanding transparency from partners and evaluating its incremental effectiveness with A/B testing. Control ad repetition with cross-strategy caping and analyze performance based on the position in the conversion funnel and average repetition. Exclude existing customers to recruit new ones and use low-carbon targeting methods by prioritizing fixed connections over mobile and adapting terminal and connection targeting based on consumer usage and format compatibility.

5. Choosing responsible and sustainable ad tech tools

To choose responsible tools from an environmental, social, and societal perspective, such as ad servers, hosts, publishers, data providers, DSPs, SSPs, and header bidding, verify your future partner's CSR policy. Has the provider conducted a Carbon Footprint assessment? Does the provider focus only on compensation, or does it make real efforts to reduce its emissions? Does it offer advice for more sober use of its tools? In terms of performance tracking, define a cross-channel measurement tool with the advertiser before the campaign, where possible, and measure only useful KPIs based on the set objectives. Avoid multiplying DSPs and partners for media purchases for the same audience or inventory, especially in retargeting strategies. Use a single tool and parameter setting as much as possible for each function to avoid server resource multiplication and conflicts between tools for fraud, brand safety, or visibility control by advertisers, agencies, ad tech, and publishers.

6. Data cleaning and archiving after a campaign

It is important to clean and archive data after a campaign. Archiving past campaigns helps to reduce their storage weight while keeping the data accessible. At the end of the insertion order, delete the creations with specific dates and events. Keep generic creations as "active" for 45 days if they will be reused for a future campaign. Regularly audit the tags present on the advertiser's website, including partner agencies, retargeters, and ad verification. Remove any unused tags. On the trading side, ensure that there are no more calls on the tags.

At Gamned!, we feel responsible for reducing the industry's carbon footprint and we are taking this challenge very seriously, for both our company and our clients. Concrete actions are taken to raise awareness among stakeholders, combining CSR and media expertise to contribute to missions of public interest. The carbon footprint of websites and campaigns is assessed, with affirmative actions taken through sponsorship and automation, connecting with impactful players in the market. Tools are utilized to measure environmental and social impact, with reports indicating up to 86% environmental impact, 70% social impact, and 55% sobriety. With a growing number of businesses measuring emissions, data collection, carbon impact measurement, and reporting are prioritized. Aligning brand image and values with good causes, videos are sponsored, concepts are explained, engagement is demonstrated, and user contributions are illustrated.

Finally, our Gamned! H.Q. has also contributed to the drafting of a White Paper published by the IAB (France Chapter). It is a practical guide to reducing the environmental footprint of digital advertising, providing valuable insights and recommendations based on our research and expertise. Our organization's perspectives have been incorporated into this comprehensive document, which serves as a valuable resource for promoting sustainable and responsible business practices. We are actively implementing the recommendations outlined in the White Paper across all our offices around the world, reaffirming our commitment to making a positive impact on our community, environment, and society.

Stay tuned as Gamned! will bring very soon turnkey solutions to the Middle Eastern market. This means that we will be able to assist all regional clients in measuring and reducing their carbon footprint by implementing solutions recommended by Gamned.

Google Ads helps businesses reach billions of potential customers while they’re searching for information, products, and services online across Google’s products and network.

“We are pleased with our partnership with Connect Ads in Morocco and Iraq where there is massive potential to grow the digital ads ecosystem.  This partnership will help us bring more comprehensive services and ad support to local advertisers across the different Google tools and solutions," said, Anthony Nakache, Managing Director of Google MENA.

“We are proud of this partnership with Google. It is a testament to what we have been building for over 22 years now at Connect Ads. We are also very excited about launching Mediam Group in MENA, Aleph’s Google-dedicated representation arm. We are committed to this partnership, dedicating on-the-ground teams of experienced professionals that are well-versed in Google Ads to successfully scale the business in Morocco and Iraq. Our mission will always be to grow our partners and better serve our clients, advertisers, and brands,” further explained Mohamed Megahed, Managing Director of Connect Ads by Aleph.

Connect Ads has announced the launch of Mediam Group by Aleph in MENA. Mediam Group is Aleph’s Google-dedicated representation arm focused on supporting agencies and advertisers with dedicated and experienced local teams to optimize their Google Ads accounts across Google Ads Products.

“Working with Google is a privilege and a huge responsibility for us. We are gearing all our experience and our capacities towards a strong and successful launch and to scaling the business onwards”, concluded Mohamed El Mehairy, CEO of Connect Ads by Aleph. 

The half-day conference hosted over 30 experts as speakers who actively delved into a constructive dialogue to discuss the headwinds women today across all industries are actively battling with. Emma Burdett, CEO and Founder of WILD which is a platform aimed at supporting women to become influential leaders, kickstarted the day with a keynote address that set the tone for the room. “The feminine flow allows us to attract our desires, be more trusting and faithful in what the universe has to offer.” WILD focuses on enabling women to channel that feminine energy, bringing them together to find their purpose, break through limitations and fear through life coaching to become more aware of investing in their personal growth and development,” she said.

Burdett’s session was followed by panel discussions, workshops, and various therapeutic activities that delved the audience into a holistic experience. Professionals from the likes of Microsoft, Kearney ME, LinkedIn, TikTok, SAP, Google, Chainsense and more shared their experiences and success stories while offering practical advice on navigating the challenges that women face in climbing the corporate ladder. They explored strategies to break down barriers, overcome biases, and create pathways for women to ascend to leadership positions.

A session tailored to explaining the importance of mentorship among young and established working women featured experts from various fields of work including, technology, film direction, automobile as well as PR and marketing. Sharing their personal journeys while highlighting the importance of supportive networks and mentorship programs in fostering career development and empowering women to reach their full potential – Nancy Paton, Director, Screenwriter, and Producer; Anastaysia Golovatenko, Director of Sherpa Communications; Marie Claire Maalouf, Executive Creative Director; Suzzanne Guzzo, Marketing Officer at GM across Africa and the Middle East took to the stage.

“Women need to embrace sisterhood and have each other's backs. Once we start embracing that, I think we will see such a big burst because people will get more confident and not feel like they’re being judged for everything. I started noticing that there is this bro culture for men, men really support each other. They create cliques and build powerful connections, and they can move up the ladder a lot faster, because of this brotherhood. This is something women haven’t pushed for. For the longest time I think this didn't even exist among women,” said Paton while sharing her story with the audience.

As a part of an effort to keep the audience engaged with the ongoing discussions, various different debate formats such as Long Table and Word Café were adapted to the discussions. “An objective we were determined to fulfill was to have each and every person among the audience engrossed. A Long Table and World Café format of discussion put the listener at the heart. Our session on “Understanding the Gen-Z women’s ‘Worth It’ equation” featuring self-made entrepreneurs in the marketing and PR landscape opened the floor to the young audience in the room – presenting them the chance to put their perspectives forth. The World Café session hosted by UN Women, Unstereotype Alliance, and the Advertising Business Group divided the room into small groups to delve into exploring the “Invisible barriers to workplace gender equality from a woman’s perspective.” Both turned out to become the most enjoyed among our attendees,” said Sahar Rafique, Managing Director of the event’s organizing company, NordStella.

Communicate aims to position itself as a platform empowering communities across industries. Following an overwhelming response from the publishing platform’s last quarter for 2023, which was centered to empower and speak the language of the ‘Youth,’ this quarter surpassed expectations while targeting the ‘Women in the workplace community.’ A special print edition featuring Communicate’s Top 10 Women To Watch along with a special coverage of this conference.

Despite this trend, SEO is often misunderstood, undervalued, and takes a backseat to other marketing channels like paid search and social media due to their immediate visibility and engagement capabilities. However, research by the industry blog Search Engine Land reveals that 31% of consumers begin their product research using a search engine, while only 2% start on social media. This stark contrast emphasizes the importance of SEO in capturing the attention of potential customers and its potential to outperform paid channels in terms of long-term effectiveness.

So why does SEO not command the same level of respect as other marketing channels? Well, for one, SEO exists within a world of ever-changing algorithms that determine the rankings of web pages within search engine results pages (SERP). Google continually updates its algorithm to provide users with more relevant and user-friendly search results and to ensure that its SERPs are not filled with overly optimized sites with little to no value to the end user. Realizing ongoing returns requires constant adaptation to align marketing strategies with these algorithmic shifts, which in turn demands long-term investments.

The intangible nature of SEO also makes it challenging to quantify its true value. A survey conducted by HubSpot reveals that 29% of marketers struggle to demonstrate the ROI of their SEO efforts. Unlike paid advertising, where each dollar spent can be directly attributed to clicks or conversions, SEO is more nuanced and long-term. Results may not manifest

immediately but build gradually, laying a strong foundation for sustained success. Sadly, this delayed gratification often obscures the benefits of SEO, especially for marketers with a short-term outlook or pressure to meet short-term targets.

The undervaluation of SEO can also be attributed to a lack of awareness about its true potential and worth. Research by BrightEdge, a leading SEO platform, shows that SEO leads have a 14.6% close rate, whereas outbound leads like direct mail or print advertising only have a 1.7% close rate. These findings clearly demonstrate the tangible benefits of SEO in driving qualified traffic, leads, and conversions.

Many marketers also fail to recognize that SEO extends beyond mere rankings and should be encompassed within an overall approach to digital marketing. Delivering an effective strategy to gain visibility, however, requires integrating development and technical optimization with content creation and user experience enhancement, which can be costly and impractical for many marketers with smaller budgets or short-term targets.

The power of SEO often lies in its ability to align businesses with their target audience. Through in-depth keyword research, marketing professionals gain valuable insights into what potential customers are searching for in search engines. This, in turn, enables businesses to create content and optimize their websites accordingly. According to a study by Search Engine Watch, long-tail keywords, which are more specific and targeted, account for 70% of all search traffic. Achieving visibility for these long-tail keywords often requires significant investments in development and content creation, pushing marketers toward shorter-term investments in channels such as paid search or social media.

The cost-effectiveness of SEO, however, deserves special attention. While paid campaigns can quickly deplete marketing budgets, SEO offers a sustainable and economical approach to driving traffic and visibility. This is because organic visibility is not dependent on an advertising budget. Organic search results are also more likely to drive traffic than paid search results, as demonstrated by research conducted by Forrester Consulting, which reveals that organic search results are 8.5 times more likely to be clicked on than paid advertisements.

The undervaluation of SEO as the cornerstone of digital marketing is, therefore, a prevalent yet misguided perspective. Its pivotal role in driving traffic, securing top search engine

rankings, and establishing long-term visibility cannot be overstated. Marketers should recognize the value of SEO and invest accordingly with a longer-term outlook for their marketing strate