PORTLAND, Ore. -- While other industries are scrambling to figure out how to stay afloat in the economic crisis, one area is thriving and Portland is at the center of the new marketing technology.

Search Engine Marketing hasn't been around for very long, but that hasn't stopped Portland from using it to thrive.

On Tuesday, industry giants like Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! gathered at the Oregon Zoo for SearchFest 09 to offer insight and help keep the industry growing.

SEMpdx is the only SEM organization in the Pacific Northwest and they're proud to say that employment in the industry has increased by 22 percent since June 2007. That's a rare feat considering the current economic climate.

For those unfamiliar with SEM, a man who attended the conference was able to sum up one aspect of the industry fairly easily.

"It's all about taking old technologies like the yellow pages and turned them into something new," said Charlie Stanley who attended the conference.

The conference hit on everything from paid search marketing to social media marketing for Web sites like Facebook and Twitter.

SEMpdx officials said their $10 billion industry is expected to grow to $18.6 billion by 2011. With that growth brings the possibility for more jobs in the Portland area.

New Industry May Mean New Portland Jobs