In the past few months I have noticed a large influx of SEO companies contacting our agency — The Brainchild Group — to provide SEO services. It has come to the point where I need to write an article and vent.

Have you ever noticed a shortened link posted on Twitter, Facebook or other sites and thought to yourself: Where the heck does this link go? If so, join millions of people throughout the world. Link shortening is an excellent way to (as the name suggests) shorten links, though there are a few inherent flaws with the system.

I am standing here on my soapbox and propose a different form of gift giving for this holiday season: Not only should your business give outward, but give inward. Provide your marketing department with a crash course on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) they’re informed, knowledgeable, and can enter 2011 with a noggin full of SEO goodness.

I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but Google — the creator of almost everything cool — has changed the search engine tide with their spiffy new search engine enhancement coined Google Instant. The robust technology inherits tarot card reading characteristics intended to quickly deliver relevant search results in only a few keystrokes. Cool? You better believe it.

Today, a friend of mine that owns a creative agency in NYC came to me with an interesting advertising dilemma: He recently built a website for an e-commerce company and the client is now asking to boost website traffic. The client specifically requested Social Media and when my friend suggested a blend of Social Media and SEO, the client snapped back with “We are not looking for SEO, only to get people to our website.” This is wrong on so many levels.

An integral aspect of online marketing success involves solidifying a target market and sticking to such. Medical practices need to understand their patients (and potential patients) to form a reactive marketing strategy. In essence, respond to searches by one’s target market by ranking high in search engines for select keywords, thus gaining exposure and ultimately bringing in new patients.

Hotels and hospitality industry folks listen up: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is your absolute best marketing tool and failure to engage in SEO efforts will cost you dearly. Shall I elaborate? I believe so.

If you’re like me, and most people, you yearn for the best. This can be the best quality food, the best computer, the best cooking equipment, or whatever your heart desires. And, when it comes to internet marketing — namely Search Engine Optimization (SEO) — finding a top SEO agency to deliver the best results can be a daunting task.

This article is for all of you internet marketers out there — Social Media gurus, SEO pros and SEM wizards. It’s a call to action: Get off your bum and fully populate your profiles on social websites. I know you’re busy working on the spaceship, your dog unplugged the computer, Chuck Norris kicked down your door or some other convoluted shenanigans, but it’s no excuse.

Today I have decided to rant about something that has been bugging me for quite sometime — SEO companies/consultants that have drifted to the dark side.