The Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization's ongoing annual search market survey has found that high-level executives have begun paying more attention to search-engine marketing.

A key preliminary finding from SEMPO's research: 90 percent of respondents in senior management claim they are either moderately or heavily involved in their company's SEM programs, compared with just 50 percent last year, ClickZ reports. The survey, still underway, is being conducted by Radar Research and will conclude at year's end.

Other early findings: 59 percent of corporate advertisers are reporting direct sales as their primary objective for SEM, while brand awareness follows at 53 percent, followed by lead generation at 48 percent.

"Online spending is reaching record levels. Smart senior management is seeing that search engine marketing is no longer a minority player. It is an essential part of being a successful online business," explains Kevin Lee, executive chairman of Did-It and a member of SEMPO's board of directors.