Search engine marketers perform, on average, five job functions in addition to search engine marketing, according to research conducted by Jupiter Research and sponsored by iProspect (via MediaPost). The "iProspect Search Engine Marketer Job Function Study" suggests that companies are not yet serious about investing human resources to manage search engine marketing, which is sign of "the relative lack of maturity of the search engine marketing channel," according to iProspect.

Website design is the most frequently cited non-SEM function also performed by search marketers (58 percent), followed by email advertising (57 percent). Moreover, 26 percent of search marketers say they also perform IT functions.

Search engine marketers are also involved in offline media that can drive traffic to websites or can be effectively integrated with search, include print advertising (28 percent), direct mail (22 percent), radio (9 percent), TV (7 percent), and outdoor advertising (4 percent).

The study results may well be reflecting the reality of a limited pool of experienced search engine marketers, according to Robert Murray, president of iProspect, who added, however: "I just don't know how an organization can expect someone to become proficient at search marketing if they only practice it part time."