Search Marketing Drama: SMA-NA & SEMPO

Posted by Lee Odden on Jan 9th, 2005 in Online Marketing |

Recently Threadwatch announced the forming of SMA-NA as an alternative to SEMPO. Recent posts on Threadwatch and SEOBook provide some lively commentary regarding an exchange between Ian McAnerin and Barbara Coll.

I joined SEMPO as an individual member shortly after it was formed thinking it would force me to become more involved with the industry. I had spent the first few years entirely focused on growing our business. I can’t say whether there has been any direct benefit to our firm but I cannot say there has not either. There appear to be a good number of people in SEMPO doing their best to further the search marketing industry. I have no doubt there are a few others who are in it purely for personal gain. But that’s expected to some degree, isn’t it? It’s not right but it happens.

There are questions that come to mind with all of this: Is it possible for two industry organizations to co-exist? Will the formation of SMA-NA cause a division within the search marketing industry? Will the objective of furthering the credibility of search marketing somehow be compromised with two industry organizations at odds? Can’t we all just get along
I don’t have enough information to say who’s right or wrong in the SMA-NA SEMPO drama. As more facts are revealed perhaps SEO professionals can make informed decisions about how they want their industry represented.