I just came across this article written by Dave Pasternack on DMNEWS.com:
Why do big agencies even bother with search?
You can and should read the whole article, but here are his main points (and my take on each):
1. Search isn’t a huge cash cow (because so many people are just doing it wrong).
2. Search is labor intensive (when you aren’t using the right tools and following an efficient process).
3. Search isn’t creative (when all your doing it trying to spend your clients money as part of a cost plus model).
4. Google and the other SE’s offer no agency discount (because they don’t have too. I wouldn’t either).
5. Ad agencies can’t afford great technology (today, but as with all technology items, prices are always dropping).
Tags: ad agencies and search, adlucent search marketing, dave pasternack, direct marketing news, dmnews.com, paid search, search engine marketing
Adomatica 
February 2, 2008 at 2:01 pm |
I think he’s completely off on this one. There isn’t money in search? Tell that to the folks in our office who, while not a million dollar tactic, are able to drive traffic to clients’ web sites based on organic and paid search. I’d argue that if they’re relying on banners ads to draw traffic that they’re pissing away their client’s budget. High cost, low return. Sure, there’s money in banner ads, but any marketing director worth a damn knows they’re not cost effective and aren’t trusted, hence the low clickthrough rate.That being said, who ever said that big agencies care about relevancy?