Recently, there has been alot of talk about Google’s PageRank update and paid links.  Loren Baker at Search Engine Journal’s article, Google Page Rank Update and Link Selling, talks about how some directories and web sites were losing one or even more units of PageRank in a recent Google update and that Danny Sullivan in his post at Search Engine Land, talks about the Stanford University Newspaper and how it’s prior PR of 9 was suddenly dropped to 7, likely due to Google’s recent update to account for sites that are selling links.  Apparently,  the Stanford Daily was selling links on their site for $350/month!  A pretty good deal for a .edu domain and PR9!  Danny pinged Google and confirmed this update for paid links was true.

It just seems like its getting harder and harder to obtain good quality links for our clients. I am recently running a link acquisition program for US Patriot Store, a retailer of law enforcement and military gear and clothing.  At times, I spend half or all day and have a handful of links to show for it, or even worse, simply some database entries indicating potential link partners.  It is slow going at best.  Sounds like link acquisition is only to get harder and require more methodical yet creative approaches.

How goes it for you?

I recently read a good article by Sara Holoubek at DM News entitled “The buy vs. build argument for SEM” where she talks about whether an advertiser should develop the inhouse SEM capabilities or outsource to a search marketing agency.  She debunks some of the current, as she says, “misconceptions” about building an inhouse SEM competency, in which she states that inhouse competency can be achieved, that “once-proprietary only” agency technology is no longer the case (e.g. bid management tools, analytics freebee tools) and that even an inhouse agency can keep up on the ever changing technology.

I guess my only comments on this are the following:

•  Some of the decision will rest on the company’s culture - there are some firms that just don’t have the intent to get involved with the technology nor will they bill willing to invest financial resources to build that competency
• Some firms may start out with an agency relationship and then leverage that experience and knowledge in migrating to their own inhouse agency
• I, like Sara, still think there will always be a need for SEM agencies, like Out of Bounds, in the same way that there are advertising agencies, direct marketing firms or even lube and oil change outlets.  The services industry is here to stay in my opinion.  I could learn to change my own oil and filter and invest in that equipment but does it make sense for my business?

What do you think?