• Search Engine Land, Tuesday, January 20, 2009 2:16 PM

The process of hiring a SEM firm is more akin to hiring a law firm or an accounting firm than an ad or service agency, according to George Michie. Search marketing has become more about "algorithms and execution of well understood principles," and less about the basics, he writes.

Michie provides guidance on the types of questions you need to ask before signing the contract. For instance: How much money does your tenth largest client spend per month? While size isn't everything, this helps you get a sense of where your account will fit in among the firm's biggest clients. Remember the reference call, too. It's not about finding those two happy clients, but rather discovering if they're happy for the correct reasons, he writes.

Read the whole story at Search Engine Land »