Hayling Island firm take the lead on new Google initiative

Hayling Island based web specialists, OKO Digital, have been chosen by Google to be the first UK partners on a new initiative being run by the international search giant. The new Google AdSense Certified Partners Programme was only publicly launched at the end of October. Globally there were just 13 partner companies before OKO Digital were approved for inclusion in November.

‘We were stunned at becoming the UK’s first partners. We knew we had the expertise, but it isn’t the sort of opportunity that comes up very often when you are based on Hayling Island,’ said Mat Bennett, Managing Director of OKO Digital.

The new concept helps website owners benefit from being part of Google’s online advertising network. That network covers millions of websites and apps globally - including The Hayling Islander’s own haylingtoday.co.uk. The partners programme provides support for mid-sized publishers to grow their involvement.

‘We’ve worked with Google on related areas for over 10 years now allowing us to build a unique set of skills around some of their technologies. We were put forward for the programme after a good match between us and Google was spotted.'

So far seven of the team, all based at 58a Station Road, Hayling Island, have successfully passed qualifying exams for the programme. Mat added: ‘We hope to be putting more people forward for the training soon - both the existing team and hopefully more as the team expands.’