The industry’s largest nonprofit organization just released its 2006 survey on search engine marketing.

Turns out SEM is only getting hotter.

Spending on search engine marketing increased 62 percent from 2005, topping $5.75 billion worldwide, according to the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization, or SEMPO.

From 2004 to 2005, spending increased 44 percent, the survey noted. It’s only expected to skyrocket as more and more companies realize the necessity of SEM, with global spending doubling by 2011.

The numbers speak volumes: Search Engine Marketing appears poised for an even larger role in the realm of e-commerce. 

“These spending figures show that 2006 was a watershed year for the SEM industry. We have moved from the first wave of adoption of search-based marketing to the myriad of small- and medium-sized businesses, many of them startups, using SEM as a fundamental part of their business,” said Kevin Lee, a member of the board of directors of SEMPO and chairman of its Research Committee. ”In fact, many of these small- and medium-sized companies have been founded on an e-business model, and that is a huge implication for our general economy going forward.” 

More companies are starting to see the fruits of their labor when it comes to SEO/SEM. Many are getting more return on their investments than they thought possible. 

Online advertisers are able to target searchers to a T with precision. Tracking capabilities highlight what works, what fails and what direction industries at large are heading.

A solid presence online is no longer a luxury. It’s a necessity in today’s ever-evolving marketplace. About 1.1 billion people, 16 percent of the Earth’s population, rely on the Internet for commerce, community and information.

Each is a potential customer — assuming they can find you.

That’s where lifeBLUE can help.