As 2010 is right around the corner, we thought it would be useful to provide our top 10 resources for Search Engine Marketing. In no particular order, this list’s goal is to provide our readers with sources that will help you develop strategies and tactics for your go-to-market planning. I’ve also listed a couple of excerpts from each to give a brief summary of the post’s main takeaways.

1. Fast.Foward. YouTube Channel (Google’s Think 2010 Series)

• Gives insight into how marketers must keep pace with constantly changing and increasingly complex consumer behavior
• Strategically prioritized experimentation and testing can unlock hidden opportunities and is key to being flexible in this environment

2. Google’s Agency Land

• Customized curriculum relating to Google offerings that meet a PPC team’s needs by vertical, strategy, expertise level, timing

3. 10 Things You Should Know about the Google Ad Quality Score

• Google does not keep track of your landing page history
• Restructuring accounts does not impact historical your Quality Score
• Quality Score is not impacted when your ads are paused or shown infrequently due to budgeting

4. The Mortal Sins of Chart Design

• Making data connectable through clear charts is key to communicating actionable insights from data to business owners
• A better designed picture is worth a thousand words

5. Reaping the Ads You Sow

• Different media cater to the different needs of marketers just as they drive different behaviors in consumers
• Making these channels work together can ensure maximum share of voice at every step of the purchase funnel

6. FiveThirtyEight: Politics Done Right – FAQ

• Insights on Statistical Modeling and Forecasting on a broader level
• Gives insight on different methodologies for forecasting on a macro and micro level
• Provides useful tools for general statistical applications for geo-targeted studies

7. Bid for Profitability, not Pride

• Top positions on AdWords doesn’t necessarily mean higher ROI
• Ads should be compelling enough that they are relevant to users who would convert

8. Yahoo! Buzz Index

• The Yahoo! Buzz Index measures the pulse of the consumer by analyzing search activity on the Yahoo! Network
• By examining the quantity of and relationships between searches the Buzz Index provides unique insights into consumers’ engagement with brands, products, public figures and other commonly searched items.
• It is a powerful application that can be used for:
  • Identifying trends over time
  • Conducting competitive analysis
  • Understanding relationship among brands & products
  • Revealing audience demographics, geographics and interests
  • Tracking campaign performance

9. ClickZ Search Experts Advice and Opinions Forum

• Experts Search Marketing Advice and opinions, latest trends

10. Efficient Frontiers Blog

• Blog to keep track of different ways to optimize your campaigns
• Industry trends
• Portfolio Theory

Have any to share? Please comment below, and we might extend this Top 10 into a Top 20.

Related posts:

1. e-storm Selects Kenshoo as Search Engine Marketing Partner
2. A More …Perfect Union? – An Open letter to Microsoft and Yahoo! (or “The Search Marketer’s 12 Days of Christmas in July”)
3. Top 10 Resources – Social Media Strategy & Marketing