E-consultancy have just released their updated Search Engine Marketing – A Buyer’s Guide (2005)

It's got all the usual suspects from this side of the pond.

What is interesting, is that the companies I might personally have viewed as serious competitors have done the same as us, in being confidently assured that the approach they have currently is correct and are sticking with the same formula in their market positioning. This is the easy way to spot those that are mature, and at the top of their game and those that aren't, or don't get it.

My favourite quote is the company that "doesn't optimise", "but does make your site visible to search engines" You'd have to ask if they are not improving things perhaps they are making them worse?

Interestingly bar a few anomilies mostly due to Pay Per Click spend or those that wont let on, there seems to be absolutely no correlation between the number of employees, the supposed 'brand' quality or size of clients and the impact this has on turnover; which clearly indicates alot of people are working for free or are serverely unprofitable.

Download the buyers guide vie e-consultancy Search Engine Marketing – A Buyer’s Guide (2005)