Client Corner: Kinase Ltd

03 July 2013

In issue 2 of iNsight, we spoke to Richard Brooks, Director of London based search engine marketing company Kinase Ltd.

Search engine marketing is a mystery to most of us – what does it actually mean, and how does it help a business?

Essentially, we manage activity on search engines such as Google on behalf of our clients. It’s all about connecting users to products and services that they want. Based on what keywords a user is searching for – anything from power tools to Pembrokeshire camp sites – we ensure that we display compelling advertisements for our clients selling those items. We also determine how valuable each keyword is, as this is what determines how high up the ad appears on the listing. The higher the ad on the page, the likelier the user is to click through.

Most people now use search engines for researching offline purchases as well as buying online so it’s a huge and ever growing sales channel, and due to the wealth of data available, a very cost effective one because you can target your audience so accurately. If done well, search engine marketing is an incredibly powerful promotional tool.

Kinase is an unusual name – where did it come from?

Ah, that came from my biochemistry days! Kinases are a class of enzyme that regulate complex cellular processes which is also how we approach our client accounts.

You set the business up in 2010 and are now in your 3rd year of trading – what tips or lessons have you learnt along the way?

I think the main message I would pass on is that if you do a great job, word will spread – that’s certainly worked well for us to date.

What are your plans for the future of the business?

We hope to expand the client portfolio, increase the team and become even more sophisticated at what we do – it’s an ever changing art as new search tools are developed and user behaviour evolves. So we need to ensure we are at the forefront of new technologies and capitalising on fresh opportunities for our clients to give them an advantage over their competitors.

You have some rather impressive clients in your portfolio, from Harvey Nichols to Agent Provocateur. Who is the most fun to work with?

We love all our clients 😉 What makes our role so interesting is that we work across a wide range of sectors, from fashion to construction, but it’s amazing how much is transferable between diverse businesses – we’re always learning!

And finally, when you are not marketing top UK brands, what do you do to unwind?

I’d have to say holidays and fine wine would be top of my list – although we’ve just bought two guinea pigs so now we suddenly have little “dependants” who may hamper future last minute travel plans!

To find out more about the business, visit www.kinasesearch.co.uk