Following on from my discussion about Google AdWords advertising, the inevitable follow up from one or two readers was "Can you recommend a company which can do our AdWords advertising then?"
The answer is (in the UK at least), no. If you'd like a recommendation for a search engine optimisation consultancy, or someone to write online content, I know some great people. I know a great web design company. But someone to manage AdWords (sometimes known as Search Engine Marketing agencies)? I work on recommendations, and nobody's ever told me they're using such an agency in the UK and would recommend them. Which is odd. However, if you are a client and you would like to say a good word about an agency you're using, please let me know. Don't get in touch if you are an agency, please, because I don't have the spare cash to try you out.
Let's suppose you can track down some decent-sounding people though. What do you ask them in their pitch? Well, the good news is that someone's already done the job – and how. In The SEM RFP: Questions You Must Ask on Search Engine Land, there's a list which would put off all but the most determined suitor for your business. I suggest you pick out the most appealing questions, but it's certainly a great resource. And I'd love to know how you get on.
What do you think?