• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, February 6, 2007

In an effort to better serve clients' search needs, MindShare Interactive has brought on Jason McQueen as a full-time strategic consultant.

"We've had long experience with interactive, but Jason brings a focus on search and its relationship to online marketing," said Dan Solomon, CEO of MindShare Interactive.

Whether or not the agency will create a search division has yet to be decided, said Solomon. He did say, however, that he is looking for more people who, like McQueen, "understand the cross relationships between search, social networking, and online marketing."

Joining the MindShare team in Austin, Texas, McQueen specializes in search engine marketing, paid search, email strategy and interactive media management. He most recently served as interactive media services manager at the Austin-based ad agency NFusion Group, where his clients included Toshiba and SBC/Nortel. McQueen also served as a senior media manager at 360i.

The move comes as some other online agencies are increasingly melding search and display efforts. iCrossing, for instance, although known as a search engine marketing firm, is trying to position itself as a full-service digital agency. In addition to hiring Agency.com vet Don Scales last year to serve as president and chief operating officer, the shop recently hired three ad executives with close ties to Madison Avenue.