“…Brands now have a need to consider every online touch-point and how they can influence purchase decisions beyond the virtual front door of their corporate website”
Quote from the “The Search and Social Media Report” from the IAB and Microsoft Advertising
In a social media obsessed industry the cold hard fact remains that search engines are still the most influential gatekeepers of links (that you can directly influence!) between your brand and consumers.
The brilliance of search engine marketing is that behind every search query is a person that fits into a well defined segment based on their motivation to search at that time.
As a refresher it’s good to think about the concept of the “intent” behind a search query.
I recently told a friend of mine who is a journalist that I was doing 
We are increasingly aware of how customers are looking to get the best price for the best product, but how can us online marketers ensure that we reach these potential purchasers and get under the skin of what really motivates their buying habits?