Some of the team here went along to Google Geek night yesterday. We always have an excellent time - thank you to Google for extending the invitation.

Obviously most of the night was about Search Engine Marketing, with the feature presentation relating SEM to offline in-store sales. Some good insights and AU specific stats were shared which was great.

Google setup a booth for Google Analytics, Adwords, Ad Planner (good for estimating audience share for online advertising), Google Mobile (Android) and using banner advertising on Google’s content network.

We really enjoyed the buildig tour as well, thanks heaps!

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Published: Ad News 25th Feb 2009

SYDNEY: BankWest has appointed search specialist agency First Rate to its search engine marketing (SEM) account following a competitive pitch with incumbent Starcom MediaVest.

The win follows BankWest’s agency reshuffle in January, which saw it hand strategic planning duties to Host’s start-up media unit Bring and media buying to Ikon, which dislodged Starcom, also the media incumbent (click here for story).

BankWest chief marketing officer David Morgan said First Rate’s appointment formalised the bank’s search arrangements following Starcom doing some “ad hoc” SEM work.

First Rate’s commission would not impact on work being done for the bank by digital agency Longtail, which it appointed in October last year, Morgan said.

First Rate is a member of the Sydney-based Q Ltd Group of companies. It provides strategies for SEM, SEO, email marketing and performance-based online advertising and tracking services.

Mark Halstead, Q Ltd head of sales & marketing, said the group has been experiencing “significant year-on-year growth in search”.

“More clients realise how important search is to overall strategy and there’s been a lot of activity from bigger clients needing SEM work.

“Everyone wants to feature on the home page of Google. Search is also extremely measurable, you can see where you rank.”

Figures released by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) show search is the fasted growing sector in online advertising, comprising 48.5% of the total pie in the December quarter 2008, an increase of 2% from the previous year.

Search and direct marketing totalled $807 million in 2008, up 30% on the previous year.

“I don’t think there’s anybody in banking who doesn’t think search is important,” Morgan said.

“All the financial services companies are using search more heavily than you’d anticipate and we’re one of them.”

Story by: Matt Porter

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After a competitive pitch, Sydney-based online marketing agency First Rate has won the search engine marketing (SEM) account of Bankwest.

Aleksandra Ljubinkovic, Head of eCommerce at Bankwest, said “First Rate impressed us with their unique and comprehensive SEM strategy and proposed tactics. The end to end focus and the leading edge methodology was the clear winner in the end. Bankwest is looking forward to rolling out our new SEM program in 2009 to bring our unique products and services to Australian consumers, and continue our aggressive marketing.”

Tom Skotidas, Sales and Marketing Director of First Rate, said “First Rate is proud to be working with Bankwest, a leader in the Australian banking industry. We look forward to using our SEM skillset to play a key role in growing their market share in the Australian market.”

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Well, the Australian office keeps growing! This month we welcome Raphael Pantelis on board as Senior Account Manager, looking after our growing number of Australian clients. Raphael joins us from PermissionCorp.

October also saw our MD and Founder, Jon Ostler, presenting at Search Engine Room, follow the link for some insights into the benefits and issues around link building.

 
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First Rate continues to lead the way in search marketing, with its latest accreditation by Google. With 18 Google Professionals, Google Qualified Company status and now GAAC, First Rate are the ideal partners to develop and deliver all your online search marketing needs.

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First Rate’s Australian office continues to grow. Two new consultants joined us in September, bringing our team up to a total of 11. Brad Forster joined us from Online Marketing company Burjolas.com and Sonny Truyen from web company ROI.com.au.

The consulting team, headed by Consulting Director Samuel Stadler and Team Leader Amanda Callaghan, now totals 8, one of the largest specialist online consulting teams in Australia.

Staff are also earmarked to join in the next couple of months as the company continues to grow from its successful acquisition of major Australian brands. More in the next newsletter.

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Released on: October 24, 2007, 7:24 pm
Press Release Author: Tom Skotidas

Industry: Advertising

Press Release Summary: Yahoo! Search Marketing and online marketing agency First Rate have gone into partnership to distribute Yahoo!’s sponsored search listings across First Rate’s online advertising network.

Press Release Body: Yahoo! does ad deal with First Rate

Yahoo! Search Marketing and online marketing agency First Rate have gone into partnership to distribute Yahoo!’s sponsored search listings across First Rate’s online advertising network.

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First Rate is one part of a group that is aiming to provide clients with a solution for all their new media requirements. Having made two acquisitions in May, the group now consists of: Continue Reading »

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JON Ostler, founder and managing director of internet marketing firm First Rate, has gone from spying on people from the sky at the Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre at Britain’s Ministry of Defence to helping advertisers locate them on the internet. The computer engineer and self-confessed former “spook”, resigned from the British defence forces in 1998 and moved to New Zealand, where he started a web design firm. Continue Reading »

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