While a recent JupiterResearch study found the majority of search marketing, approximately two-thirds, is done in-house, the researchers also found demand for agency involvement is increasing. It's this involvement the search media players want to encourage.

"So many of these mainstream online agencies -- typical online agencies -- just haven't really gotten into search yet," said Nate Elliott, an analyst with JupiterResearch. "The little SEM shops have had a free hand, and some of them have gotten pretty big off of that."

More recently, search engines say they have begun seeing more interest from interactive and traditional agencies.