Internet firm looks to launch 4,000 websites

Oct 22 2009 By Andrew Mernin, The Journal

THE chance meeting of two North Easterners in Bermuda has led to the success of an internet firm which aims to roll out 4,000 new websites over the next four years.

Gary Herron – originally from Whitley Bay – met Morpeth-born Graham Easton on the island while they both worked for HSBC, following its takeover of the Bank of Bermuda.

The pair have since returned to their native North East and are now heading up a company which aims to launch thousands of new websites, creating new jobs in the process.

The former bankers have rebranded Mr Easton’s original business VRE Global to Internet Search Marketing and moved into new headquarters in Berwick. Mr Easton set up the firm as a cottage industry in 2007 and in May this year appointed his former HSBC colleague as managing director to help oversee its ambitious plans.

The company has seen its workforce double to 20 since Mr Herron’s appointment and recently received £160,000 in financial backing through One North East and the European Regional Development fund.

The firm creates geographically-targeted niche websites featuring various sectors such as Newcastle hotels or Northumberland wedding services, develops their search engine optimisation (SEO) status and then charges up to 21 clients to feature on each site.

To date it has launched around 1,000 sites and expects to develop 4,000 of the 7,000 domain names it owns into active websites by 2013.

The company’s portfolio of domain names includes 480 bed and breakfast sites around the UK, 160 hotel-related domains and 188 golf course sites, including golfcourse.co.uk which is expected to be a major project for the company in the coming year.

Meanwhile, the business expects its workforce to more than double to 45 in the next three years as it looks to tap into the growing demand among businesses to promote themselves on websites which rank highly in Google’s listings.

Mr Herron – a former commercial director at HSBC – said: "There was a gap in the market for highly optimised geographically targeted websites that could provide a good platform for customers to secure an online presence to advertise their business.

"The new offices at Berwick Ramparts allow us to expand more efficiently with the telecoms and internet facilities a company like ours requires.

"With hard work from all members of the team we have pulled through and grown stronger than ever. We are extremely well placed for future growth in the economy."