News : Major US Contract: Market United Are Top of Class

11-7-2007

A company on the edge of Silicon Valley turning to Australia for Web development expertise? In yet another coup for one of Australia’s leading digital agencies, Market United has been appointed to develop a new Web 2.0 community site for San Francisco-based GreatSchools.net.

Launched in 1998 by a not-for-profit organisation of the same name, GreatSchools is extremely successful, with more than 44 million Americans visiting the site every year. Recently voted “Best Family and Parenting Site” in the prestigious 2007 People’s Voice Webby Awards, GreatSchools.net is the leading K-12 education site in the U.S.

After considering a number of other partners in the US, the GreatSchools Product Management team ultimately selected Market United for its Web 2.0 applications development experience. The team was particularly impressed with the VibEngine™, a set of Web 2.0 applications developed by Market United which supports ranked advice communities such as www.minti.com and the recently launched www.refurber.com.

“We're delighted to be working with Market United to develop exciting new Web 2.0 community features that will launch in the coming months,” said GreatSchools founder and CEO Bill Jackson. “Our community will be built around the unique needs and interests of our audience – parents who are passionate about helping their children succeed in the classroom, advocating for school improvement and ultimately shaping American education.”

“Being appointed by an internationally acclaimed internet presence with substantial online assets is a clear statement of faith in our technical capability, and represents a ground-breaking piece of new business for us,” said Market United Managing Director Marc Loveridge.