28th April 2008 5:25 pm

The Search Agency (TSA), a leading search engine marketing (SEM) and search engine optimisation (SEO) firm, announced today that it has received a strategic investment from JMI Equity.

JMI, a private equity firm focused on investments in growing software and business services companies, will work closely with TSA management to support its strong growth in providing search marketing services to clients worldwide. Peter Arrowsmith, a General Partner at JMI, has joined TSA’s Board of Directors. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

TSA provides SEM and SEO to online advertisers through a suite of paid search and organic search tools, including its AdMax platform. The company’s unique approach to online marketing is based on combining proprietary technology with a robust service offering, and has resulted in annual growth rates exceeding 100% and market leading client retention rates. TSA plans to use the investment from JMI to expand its sales and marketing efforts, and to support the continued research and development of the company’s proprietary technology.

“We welcome the opportunity to partner with JMI,” said David Hughes, Chief Executive Officer of TSA. “In our focus to accelerate TSA’s growth and gain market share, we were seeking an investment firm who is highly knowledgeable in the online marketing space. The fact that JMI has proven experience in our industry resonated with us. They clearly understand our strategic plan and we are excited about the significant value they can provide both strategically and financially to our organization.”

“The Search Agency’s ability to offer first rate service supported and enhanced by technology is unique in the marketplace today,” said Mr. Arrowsmith of JMI. “We look forward to working with David and his team to build on the company’s success, help enhance its competitive position and continue to generate profitable growth over the long term.”

RBC Capital Markets was the exclusive placement agent to TSA and Stubbs, Alderton & Markiles, LLC provided legal counsel to TSA on the transaction. JMI was advised by Goodwin Procter, LLP.

The Search Agency is a profitable, privately held corporation that employs search industry experts to guide its clients through the complicated world of search engine marketing (SEM) and search engine optimisation (SEO) and in turn convert quality traffic for those client’s into revenue through conversion path optimisation (CPO).

This personal approach combined with the company’s innovative and proprietary technology enables its clients to maximize ROI on search spend The Search Agency proudly maintains over an 85% retention rate among their clients. TSA has twenty-five engineers on staff and a total of 75 employees between two offices in Rhode Island and Santa Monica.

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