Venture capital helps local pay-per-click company expand internationally

Clicks2Customers was formed in 2003 on the back of the massive growth in Internet traffic and an increasing dependence on search engines to navigate through a vast number of websites and web pages.

In 2007, with C2Cs' combination of proprietary campaign and bid management software, HBD saw potential in the business and decided to get involved. HBD offers capital and invests in businesses thereby offering a broad range of experience and resources as well as an understanding of the challenges entrepreneurs face. The flipside with venture capital deals can be that the investing company usually demands a sizable amount of the equity and a say in the strategic direction of the organisation.

In the case of C2C, the refinement of their e-commerce business model coupled with growth in the pay-per-click and search engine optimisation industry, presented an opportunity for good growth. C2C continued its international rollout and grew its client base by more than 40% over 18 months. It has also taken care to focus on its core business of Paid Search, rather than offer a plethora of services.

Although Clicks2Customers focuses on the larger international markets, it believes that South African companies are catching up with their global counterparts. Local clients include Kalahari.net, Easyinfo.co.za and Protea hotels.

CEO, Steven Sollinger, plans on capitalising on this growth sector and has recently opened an Australian operation.