This year has really gone by quickly.

To me it seems like Search-Engine Strategies – New York was just a few weeks ago. SES New York is always the first major search conference of the year for me (it always takes places in the beginning of the year – Now….I’m just finishing up my travel plans for SES – Chicago, which is the last search conference of the season for SES.

I will be attending and speaking at SES Chicago (December 8-12, 2008).

The first panel that I’ll be speaking on is “Ads in a Quality Score World.”

Here’s the description from the SES Web site:

“More and more, ranking well in paid search listings is less about how much you pay and more about the “quality” of your ad campaign. But what goes into making up your quality score? In this panel, we’ll take a closer look at quality factors and give tips on increasing the perceived relevancy of your campaigns.”

Here are the speakers:

Moderator:
Jonathan Mendez, Founder & CEO, RAMP Digital

Speakers:
Andrew Goodman, Principal, Page Zero Media
Kristopher Jones, President & CEO, Pepperjam
Ron Jones, Search Engine Watch Expert & President/CEO, Symetri Internet Marketing
Mary Berk, Senior Product Manager, Microsoft

I’m especially excited about this panel because I feel that Pepperjam has been one of the pioneers in addressing and optimizing Quality Score. In fact, I dedicated an entire chapter to “Quality Score Optimization” in my best-selling book.

This panel is scheduled for Wednesday, December 10, 2008 from 2:15pm-3:30pm

The other panel I’m speaking on is titled “Affiliate 2.0: New Distribution Value Using Search & More.”

Here’s the description:

“As SEM evolves, marketers find themselves competing head-on with affiliates who are challenged to diversify tactics and distribution. Lead generators and retailers are investing less in affiliates and more in search. What does this mean for both of performance marketing’s top contenders? How can marketers balance both channels given their desire for incremental leads/sales and less cannibalization of search campaigns? Learn how to cut through the hostile rhetoric on both sides and work profitably across both channels concurrently. Join a panel of experts as they break silence on taboo issues and work through the finer points. You’ll walk away with fresh, new perspective and the ability to collaborate profitably.”

Here are the speakers:

Moderator:
Jeff Molander, CEO, Molander & Associates Inc.

Speakers:
Jeff Ferguson, Director of Online Marketing, Napster
Amanda Evans, VP, Search Strategy, WebMama.com, Inc.
Kristopher Jones, President & CEO, Pepperjam
Lee Gientke, Director, Business Development, OrangeSoda, Inc.

This is the same panel (with a different name) that I’ve been speaking on for years at SES. However, the speakers have changed and we have a new moderator, which should make for a lively debate and discussion.

This panel take place on Thursday, December 11, 2008 from 10:15am-11:15am.

Special thanks to Kevin Lee from DidIt who quoted me on ClickZ in an article titled “SES Chicago: Speakers Speak Out.” CLICK HERE to read that article.

I hope to see you in Chicago!

I will be attending with my Chief Strategy Officer (a fellow SES speaker) Ken Mohn, Jr. We’d love to buy you a drink if we see you in the Hilton watering hole.

If you haven’t secured a ticket to SES Chicago you can do so HERE.

This entry was posted on Monday, November 24th, 2008 at 9:55 am and is filed under Quality Score, SES Chicago 2009, affiliate marketing, search-engine marketing, seo. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.