So, we're the #1 search agency according to the NMA ... my view

Image by noodlepie via Flickr

The NMA (New Media Age) have been running a Marketing Service Guide for a number of years. Last year I blogged about it. I noted how using turnover was kinda a weird metric to rank agencies on but also noted how pleased I was to see the likes of Site Visibility being included.

Two things seemed to have happened (rather embarrassingly).

Firstly; NMA moved away from turnover, citing many reasons I agree with. Media spend proves nothing (please note that RFP writers).

Secondly; we seemed to have won it!

Clearly I'm pleased that bigmouthmedia UK won. The NMA is one of the very best sources of search engine and search agency news in the UK. I respect their editorial team a lot (even though they are too prone to asking insightful questions!)

Here's a link to a NMA article about our win. You'll need a log in but I'm sure all my readers know all about First Click Free.

The new model is based on "income". The NMA argues that this suggests/implies/hints at talent. Clients are smart and only want to pay for skill/performance/added-value.

I agree its a better model than turnover but the search geek in me wishes there were even better metrics - but its too much to ask the NMA to interview all our search staff, all our competitors' search staff, quiz our strategists, integrate our affiliate and display teams on their understanding of search and then compile a league table from that!

This year I'm pleased to see Leapfrogg and Jellyfish making it into the top 20. Way to go guys!

This is just bigmouthmedia UK we're looking at too. These figures don't include big US, German, French, Italian, Scandinavian or even new Spanish clients. I think anyone would be extremely ambitious if they attempted to produce an European list.

What's the win worth? I don't think anyone out here in blog land will care (or notice). However (hopefully) it means more journalists and senior decision makers at bluechips will notice. If there was to be a big pitch in the next two months that we weren't going to be invited to... perhaps now we'll be invited to chip in. That can only be a good thing!

It probably also means we won't be featured in any Haymarket magazines this month. That's a bad thing! :)

Congratulations to everyone who made the list this year and thanks to everyone who put time into compiling the numbers. Let's now move on quickly to 2010!