World’s Largest Focus Group

Sara Holoubek is chief strategy officer at New York search-engine marketing firm icrossing. She discussed search’s impact on how DMers serve customers offline.

DIRECT: Do you see a trend in the relationship of search and the integration of the offline and online space?

SARA HOLOUBEK: Yes. We look at natural search words and paid search words on behalf of our clients. Then we map how a keyword is related to an action online and off.

DIRECT: What offline action would be prompted by an online search?

HOLOUBEK: For example, Restoration Hardware sells leather ottomans. When we examined the keyword