Hi Michael,
I am the guy that started the stink on Threadwatch regarding Ad Agencies and Search Engine Optimization Agencies.
The reason I started the stink was more to point out that the Ad Agencies should realize that SEO is a very effective method where they could realize an increased ROI for their client as well as extreme branding (what else would a consumer feel when they come up for every relevent term).
The point being that SEO if used correctly is a huge boat that the Agencies Missed. Most of the best SEO firms are up thousands of percentage points from just last year. However the majority of Ad Agencies are not up by such a wide percentage.
It points out that there is a problem out there. A serious disconnect between what is happening on the ground, and what is happening when these companies sign up agencies of record.
I agree that there should be a blend of multiple avenues, but ignoring perhaps the avenue that could generate the highest ROI of all marketing methods is nothing short of criminal.
