14 September 2009 | Author: D. Warburton Search Copywriter

BBC pays Google to improve search ranking

The BBC is paying Google to improve its search ranking ahead of competitors, by targeting certain key words and phrases to ensure that the BBC is the first news source for information on topics such as the Mercury Music Prize winner.

The Mail on Sunday reports that the BBC is financing its Google search rankings with part of its £100 million of marketing funds. The Corporation emphasised the advantages of high search engine ranking, stating: "Promoting content like the Mercury Prize online is an effective way to inform the licence fee payers who will want to watch it or read about it.

"The BBC has an annual budget for marketing and value for money is at the heart of how decisions are made about spending it."

By paying to achieve top search results, the BBC is capitalising on its success, causing further consternation among other media organisation who have long been wary of the Corporation's impressive online presence.

With its guaranteed revenue of £3.5 billion each year from TV license fees, the BBC occupies a prime position against commercial rivals who are struggling to find a fair price for their own online content. It remains to be seen how licence payers will feel about their fees being spent on improving the BBC's Google ranking.

The BBC's previous dealings with Google have led to BBC content being hosted on YouTube, while users have speculated that the requirement of a Google Mail account for certain online BBC services indicates further agreements between the organisations.

Update: It seems likely that the origin of this story lumped AdWords and organic rankings together into 'search'. You can read further coverage here This is Money and PCPro . Which do you think would be the biggest controversy? Google helping the BBC outside the AdWords remit or the BBC using public money to pay Google at all?