I JUST WANT TO LEARN!!!

If you're eager to learn search marketing, I would highly recommend one of the big conferences. Search Engine Strategies has been the leader, but they're now under new leadership and I'm one of many people who are skeptical about some of the changes they're making. Their next conference is in Chicago in December and I'll be watching for reports from attendees. It's the first one that the new people are running. I've been speaker for SES since Summer 2006, but will not be speaking in Chicago.

Danny Sullivan and Chris Sherman are now producing a new conference series called Search Marketing Expo. The next big show in the U.S. is SMX West in Santa Clara in February. I've attended their SMX Advanced conference and was a speaker at their SMX Social Media show, and both were excellent.

More info:

Search Engine Strategies

Search Marketing Expo

Hope this helps.

how about pubcon? or is this more for the heavy weight seo people?

Good deal! Thanks so much. I was actually looking at SES because I know some folks going.

I think I'm going to go to SMX this year...

I found the panels at the ses shows to be pretty much a sales presentation...not a real in-depth "here is some education" session.

I thought about starting a training program in NC...as I have met with a few people and helped them get started doing paid search.

I know I should just learn it on my own. I have been doing that for several weeks, but I was just thinking being around some others who are in the same boat as I am might be beneficial. I realize the importance of these Web sites as excellent learning tools, but sometimes they can be a little intimidating for a novice. Coffee....bleh...

There are a few places that can teach SEM, but depending on the type of person you are,  I think you are better off learning on your own. 

For SEO there are sites like Gooruze, seomoz, searchenginewatch, and many other forums and blogs to help you.  For Paid search the help features in the interface, learning centers like http://www.google.com/adwords/learningcenter/ and again sites and blogs are great.

Everyone has their own little optimization techniques.  Some work better with certain sites, some do not.

Grab some coffee, assign yourself time everyday to read up on SEM, learn analytics inside and out, and Test, test, test.

I agree. Little by little you can pick up on the latest happenings. read as much as you can...and don't ignore marketing in general...it is all needed now.

searchenginejournal is a good site (they added some of my tutorials there)