# SEO helps charity get noticed by C4’s Secret Millionaire

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/11/28/seo-helps-charity-get-noticed-c4039s-secret-millionaire/
- Published: 2011-11-28T09:59:51+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Leeds-based homelessness charity Simon on the Streets has received a donation of
£35,000 from Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire, and it attributes this success to having
its website’s search engine optimisation (SEO) overhauled.

A chance meeting with Ian Harris, CEO of search marketing company [Search Laboratory Ltd](http://www.searchlaboratory.com)
led to the charity receiving free SEO recommendations. After the charity implemented
them in December 2010/January 2011, its site rose rapidly up the search engine rankings
for its targeted phrases to page one.

Within a few months, the charity was contacted by a researcher from [Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire](http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-secret-millionaire)
TV series, although at that stage the charity was not made aware of the programme’s
title or focus. In due course it was invited to take part in an episode with former
Chief Executive of ITV plc and former Chairman of music giant EMI, Charles Allen.
The charity is convinced that without its improved search engine rankings the researcher
would not have come across it.

## Advertisement

Indeed, the episode aired last night shows Charles Allan typing in ‘homelessness
charity Leeds’ into Google. This was the phrase that Search Laboratory had helped
the charity optimise its site for. Apparently this was the search phrase used by
the original Channel 4 researcher.

Allen spent some time with the charity helping out with the outreach service it 
provides, and even spent a night sleeping rough on the streets of Leeds to experience
the plight of the homeless.

On last night’s show he donated £35,000 to Simon on the Streets, which has enabled
the charity to open a further outreach service in Bradford.

Clive Sandle, Director at Simon on the Streets, said: “We can’t believe what great
impact this has had so quickly. We are truly grateful for the work Search Laboratory
put into our website; I never thought that we would achieve such wonderful results.
A huge thanks goes to Charles and the Channel 4 team. This money will really change
lives.”

The team at Search Laboratory have also continued their support with Simon on the
Streets. As well as donating money to the charity and providing them with ongoing
SEO support, some of the team also slept rough in September for the charity’s annual
sponsored sleep out.

Simon the Streets told UK Fundraising that the [SEO service work](https://www.whitehat-seo.co.uk/seo-services)
has also resulted in a lot more interest and activity on the site, “not only from
C4 but also other volunteers and sponsors”.

You can [watch the Charles Allen episode of Secret Millionaire on 4OD](http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-secret-millionaire/4od#3259704).

www.simononthestreets.co.uk

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