19 February 2021 - Bath, UK: SHIFT Active Media, the award-winning international cycling marketing agency, has taken significant steps to developing its Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) capabilities over the past year, including the recent new hire of a dedicated SEO Manager — Phillip Burns. He joins SHIFT’s 40-strong team to support their growing portfolio of SEO work, previously he was Senior SEO Specialist at Oban International.

Tom King, Head of Media at SHIFT Active Media said: “To acquire new customers it’s essential that SEO is part of the marketing plan. SEO is critical for helping brands increase the volume and quality of website traffic, and a well thought-out strategy can help brands reach cyclists at every stage of the purchase journey. Google is the go-to source of information on the best kit, bikes and maintenance.”

The agency’s proprietary customer research, gathered from survey data from cycling audiences, across multiple territories and categories, identifies that between 45-50% of all cycling purchases start with search. Therefore building visibility for content, brands and products is vital to any brand that wants to win in today’s rapidly evolving cycling marketplace.

Tom continues “As a marketing agency dedicated to cycling, at SHIFT we have an unrivalled ability to tune into the mindset of what cyclists are searching for and how. This provides us with the insight and toolkit we need to optimise our client’s websites to succeed in search engines. We offer SEO not just as a standalone service but to inform and support best practice in other areas of SHIFT too, from PR to Media Planning & Buying ”

Tom and his team are working with some of the most well-known brands in the industry to achieve their SEO goals including Rapha and Brompton.

Wayne Brown, Managing Director at SHIFT Active Media said: “With the recent surge in cycling ecommerce, content discoverability has never been more important to a successful digital marketing strategy. It’s an integral discipline that touches all areas of SHIFT's offering, and it's a growing, increasingly vital service for our clients. So we're delighted to welcome Phillip and his SEO expertise to the team.”