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JupiterResearch’s Constellation of Search Marketing Agencies

JupiterResearch evaluated 15 SEM agencies. Nine are search-specific firms, and six also offer other online marketing services, as follows:

• Search-specific agencies. These agencies generate at least 90 percent of their revenues from SEM services.
• Multiple- or full-service agencies. These agencies offer services beyond SEM, including banner advertising, Web site building, affiliate marketing, analytics, ad serving, and e-mail marketing.

JupiterResearch evaluated the agencies on the following:

• Market suitability. This rating considers factors such as technology, employees, and breadth of offerings.
• Overall business value. This rating considers clients’ satisfaction, client services, and the quality of a firm’s strategies.
• Agency size. This rating considers the size of an agency’s client and employee base as well as its paid listings or organic optimization revenues, as appropriate.

Client feedback plays a major role in assessing overall business value; it is also taken into account in determining market suitability.

Select Paid Listing Agencies Based on Market Suitability and Business Value

 

JupiterResearch’s constellation of SEM agencies that manage paid listings evaluates 15 firms on overall business value, market suitability, and size of practice. (See methodology section for more information.) This constellation should serve as a guide, but it is most valuable when applied to an organization’s specific paid listings requirements. JupiterResearch’s analysts can assist companies in mapping individual needs to this tool, while providing specific details about all vendors evaluated.

Paid listing agencies’ ownership of technology, both bidding and tracking, is crucial to the agency’s ability to adapt itself to clients’ campaigns. As increasing numbers of agencies acquire or develop internal tools to manage campaign bidding, competitive agencies must aim to differentiate their offerings in two ways:

• Offering deep tracking of clients’ campaigns. Agencies that can offer effective tracking and reporting mechanisms will create an opportunity to demonstrate return on investment and outsourcing value to clients.
• Strengthening the employee base. Developing knowledgeable client-facing teams focusing on proactive management and responsiveness will become increasingly crucial for creating confidence and loyalty among clients.

Select SEO Agencies Based on Market Suitability and Business Value

 

JupiterResearch’s constellation of agencies that manage organic optimization evaluates 13 firms on overall business value, market suitability, and size of practice. (See methodology section for more information.) This constellation should serve as a guide, but it is most valuable when applied to an organization’s specific organic optimization requirements. JupiterResearch’s analysts can assist companies in mapping individual needs to this tool, while providing specific details about all vendors evaluated.

Search agencies that offer SEO services differentiate themselves from other agencies by highlighting their ability to track and analyze data as well as effectively work with clients, making recommendations and ensuring implementation. SEO agencies are also building long-term relationships around their SEO services, serving first to track and evaluate clients’ SEO tactics and then to create an ongoing relationship of maintenance and optimization. Adopting a long-term approach to SEO campaigns benefits search marketers, especially marketers initiating search campaigns and those needing an agency to help connect IT and marketing teams.

 

IMPAQT

IMPAQT is one of the smaller but most impressive search marketing agencies in the constellation. The BidWise tool—combined with the data-intensive ExstoNet system— easily incorporates dynamism in clients’ campaigns. The extensively designed reporting system receives impressive ratings from clients. Clients are also pleased with the service from IMPAQT’s campaign management teams, increasing overall favorability for the agency. The agency’s ability to analyze campaigns for new clients and effectively integrate data serves it well, but the agency must focus on expanding the range of clients with which it works to become relatively more attractive to a wide audience of marketers. IMPAQT, with its scalable technology, is well poised to handle large clients, while its high-quality customer service should attract companies that are new to the search game and require some hand-holding.