Search engine marketing is sponsoring one great Metamorphosis is the online realm. And by this time, you should have known the essence of SEM communities.

But if you still don't here's Todd Mintz, Director & Founding Member of SEMpdx to recap the significance of SEM communities. Todd writes:

The purpose of my writing this article is to attempt to show others the value of what we've accomplished and hopefully encourage like-minded SEM's in other communities to form their own local organizations.

* Exchange of ideas. SES Seattle 2006 was the first time I ever had an in-person conversation with another SEO (and I had been doing SEO since 2000). An SEO who doesn't go to conferences has not likely met many (if any) fellow professionals. It's really nice to hang out with people with whom you can openly share your work experiences and who understand what the heck you are talking about.

* Business Referrals. Not everybody is an expert in all facets of SEM. Many SEMpdx members have more clients than bandwidth. It´s nice to be able to refer out potential clients to trusted sources.

* Competitors Can Be Friends. All the original SEMpdx board members were with difference agencies at the time our organization was formed (though two of us are now corporate). Competing with each other for business is a little less onerous when you have strong relationships with your competition (and when they can also be a referral source for you).

* Educating Our Community. Each board member knows that once our Portland Business Community sees the value of search engine marketing, they will be more likely to invest in the search process. To further this aim, SEMpdx hosts a series of monthly events along with our annual day-long Searchfest where business people interested in learning more about search can learn from the best minds in our industry.

* Recruiting New Search Professionals. Our members who run multi-person agencies have to turn business away because they can not find enough qualified people to hire. There is an extraordinary lack of search personnel. We are using our organization as a magnet to attract potential employees (and any Portland people who are looking for search careers really should start hanging out with us).

* Giving Back To Our Community. Each year, we designate a local non-profit to get a percentage of our revenues, plus we collectively offer our professional services gratis to that charity.

* Increased Individual Visibility. Because our organization has become highly visible, each Board Member has become much more visible in the Portland business community, as well as in the global search community.

So, it's great first step to organize and attend a local SEO meetup...however, the benefits of forming a full-fledged local organization can personally and professionally profitable for all involved.