iProspect Earns a Top 3 Spot in Both SEO and Paid Search in Leading Analyst Firm's Search Engine Marketing Agency Constellation Report; SEM Firm Lauded for its Sophisticated Technology and Rigorous Employee Training

Business Wire, August 15, 2006

WATERTOWN, Mass. -- iProspect www.iprospect.com, the Original Search Engine Marketing Firm, today announced it has been named one of the top three companies in both the natural search engine optimization and paid search marketplaces in the just-published JupiterResearch "Search Engine Marketing Agency Constellation" report.

iProspect appears as one of the top firms on the report's two trademark "Constellation" graphs (that can be found at www.iprospect.com/media/constellationgraphs06.htm.) Jupiter published the report in response to the burgeoning growth of the search engine marketing sector, and marketers' difficulty in determining which SEM vendors are the true leaders in each practice area. The report evaluates 15 companies on market suitability, overall business value, and company size, and is designed to provide guidance to marketers on vendor selection.

"It is quite a distinction," said Robert Murray, President, iProspect, "to be recognized in Jupiter's Constellation as a vendor considered a leader in both the paid search advertising and organic search optimization categories."

"Our team has always focused on just one differentiating value proposition: results," said Fredrick Marckini, CEO and Founder, iProspect. "It is heartening that Jupiter's report recognized the hard work that everyone in our firm put in to be recognized in both categories."

"iProspect is considered by Microsoft as one of the most prominent players in the search marketing industry," said James Colborn, Group Marketing Manager, Microsoft adCenter. "They possess a depth of knowledge and expertise in both paid and natural search."

Search engine optimization and pay per click advertising are complex services. Both are part art, part science, and marketers require significant experience and in-depth expertise in each to achieve optimal results. But this complexity also necessitates strategic management and integration of the two disciplines to capitalize upon their inherent synergies and generate final results that are greater than the sum of the two parts if they were managed separately. As a recognized leader in both markets, iProspect is uniquely qualified to manage the integration of both paid www.iprospect.com/services/pay-per-click-management-service.htm and natural search www.iprospect.com/services/search-engine-optimization-service.htm campaigns.

Ron Belanger, Senior Director, Channel Strategy and Development, Yahoo! Search Marketing, commented that, "iProspect has long maintained a leadership position in the marketplace, and clearly their standing in this report only further underscores their expertise in both disciplines."

iProspect's leadership in the marketplace has been built, in part, upon their development of proprietary technology, both for their SEO and paid search advertising practices. This fact is reinforced by the Constellation report, which states that "(iProspect) The search-only firm has developed robust technology that is data-intensive and feeds well into critical decisions about search campaigns." It went on to say that "iProspect has a solid base of clients that vary in both size and sector, making it a strong partner for marketers in different industries that wish to combine their SEO and SEM (Paid Search) outsourcing."

Founded in 1996, iProspect works with some of the most successful brands and many of the most demanding search marketers in the industry. As such, decisions on client initiatives are made on concrete data and search engine marketing results derived from their proprietary tools.

"iProspect has invested in technology from the beginning of this industry," said Sarah Fay, President, Isobar U.S., the network of leading digital marketing companies of which iProspect is a member. "They have developed an impressive tool set that enables them to make better informed decisions on behalf of their clients. This is a key factor that allows them to deliver strategic advantage."

While technology certainly plays a key role in successful search initiatives, the human element of search marketing is paramount, but is all too often overlooked. Fortunately, the Constellation report recognized the importance of this element and noted iProspect's efforts in this area. "The agency (iProspect) also has one of the most rigorous employee-training systems among the agencies in the constellation; this focus on training will help ensure clients continue to receive high-level service as the organization grows."

At 10 years old and with over 110 employees, iProspect has developed an intensive hiring and resident training programs for its search marketing professionals who manage the strategy and implementation of client campaigns.

"iProspect is committed to our employees and our clients," said Fredrick Marckini, CEO and Founder, iProspect. "We value both. As a result, we invest in training programs that enhance our employees' performance and allow us to continue to produce the outstanding results our clients have come to expect."

"Superior technology without the human expertise to manage it is simply a waste of that technology," said Robert Murray, President, iProspect. "We are delighted that Jupiter recognizes the importance of the human element in search engine optimization and search engine marketing, and we are honored that our best practices have been acknowledged as delivering superior value."