Page Rank vs Page and Domain Authority - who wins?

[SoundinTheory]

A client has found another SEO agency promising various things to do with link building. Most of these promises are based upon links from sites with allegedly high page ranks. So my questions:

1. Page rank seems to be fading out am I safe to stay with PA and DA metrics instead?

2. I don't agree with link building tactics and feel that it should more a networking activity to provide USEFUL links to users... am I being too white hat and missing opporunities?

3. The other company have promised long list of links including 100 SEO friendly web directory listings, 200 PR 8 back links from Pinterest (which i thought was no follow) & 10 long lasting and high quality mini web sites (with three pages/posts, video and pictures). Am I right that this all sounds a little spammy or is this really what I should be doing for me clients?

[GPainter]

1. Page rank seems to be fading out am I safe to stay with PA and DA metrics instead?

You should be for now but look across multiple metrics as leaning on one too much can give you false ideas. Worse case you can always use your Serp pos. but PA & DA are always a safe bet.

2. I don't agree with link building tactics and feel that it should more a networking activity to provide USEFUL links to users... am I being too white hat and missing opporunities?

Sounds great to me and good for a long term SEO tactic you may miss out short term but in long term which is always nicer your safe. If it benefits the user I recommend it!

3. The other company have promised long list of links including 100 SEO friendly web directory listings, - can any one say Penguin 2.1?

200 PR 8 back links from Pinterest (which i thought was no follow) Pintrest links are follow & 10 long lasting and high quality mini web sites (with three pages/posts, video and pictures). Am I right that this all sounds a little spammy or is this really what I should be doing for me clients?

It is a little spammy but unfortunately it can work but it would work short term and only be a quick fix. I wouldn't recommend this as a service

Your tactics sound fine to me keep it white hat and keep on the ball whilst spamming micro sites and directories seem great Google is always trying to stamp this kind of manipulation out and rather then fight Google why not go with it? create some content users want to naturally share and talk about etc.

It's a longer benefit for everyone to have great content on your site that makes people want to go to your site rather than cheat them onto your site where at the end of the day may just result in a bounce.

Of course your welcome to look into it more and that's all opinion but content is king for most SEO practices

Thanks & good luck.