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July 27, 2007

Can the Search Marketing Industry Grow Up Fast Enough?

The search marketing industry is immature, both in the sense that nearly all the players are under 10 years old, and in the way partnerships are created and maintained. That's the argument presented by Did-It chairman Kevin Lee in his ClickZ column today, "SEM Immaturity Threatens Industry Future."

The fault lies on both the client and SEM/agency sides, Lee says. Clients should leave their "serial dater" mentality behind, and own up to a history of poor agency choices, unreasonable expectations, unwillingness to pay an equitable price, a "dating mentality," and an unwillingness to communicate.

SEMs should be sure they're providing competitive service levels, especially by addressing their labor shortages and dedicating the appropriate resources to clients. Making time to foster the relationship is just as important as planning and implementing an SEM strategy for the client.

Do you agree with Lee's argument? Share your thoughts in the SEW Forums.

Posted by Kevin Newcomb on July 27, 2007 8:00 AM