“Windows Azure is a highly agile solution that scales easily with changes in demand for monitoring of key words and phrases, which can range from thousands to millions of words.” Martyn Jobber, Chief Executive Officer, Hydra Newly launched internet marketing technology provider Hydra adopted a cloud-based solution to track and analyse the language used about its customers’ products on the web. The company launched its One platform using the Windows Azure cloud operating system, Microsoft SQL Azure, and Microsoft Silverlight browser plug-in. Because of the scalability of Windows Azure, Hydra is delivering results to customers in 20 minutes that would have taken up to three weeks by traditional methods. Business Needs Hydra, a provider of software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology, was established in 2011 in the U.K. With offices in London and New York, the company is a standalone business from the founders of Greenlight, a leading independent search and social marketing firm. Hydra wanted to develop a new platform to help internet marketers monitor, report, and participate in the conversations that customers are having about their brands online—whether on social networks or through references to them on search engines. To validate this proposition, Hydra carried out a survey of more than 300 U.K.-based digital marketers. A third of respondents said less than 50 per cent of their needs are met by their current tools. More than 50 per cent of those replying said they were uncertain about what words or expressions being used in the market were worth spending time and money on further research. Martyn Jobber, Chief Executive Officer, Hydra, says: “Most companies that are active in natural search, paid search, and social media could be more efficient in aggregating data about their products. This would lead to an increase in return on their digital spend. However, collating large data sets to inform strategy can be complex and time consuming using traditional means.” The One platform aggregates large data sets and suggests ways businesses can connect with customers in whatever language and through whichever channel they wish to use. Jobber says: “The One platform from Hydra defines this concept as ‘phrase marketing,’ and delivers insights on which digital marketers can take action to target prospective customers more effectively.” In addition to phrase marketing, the One platform contains analysis tools that give its customers insight into competitor strategies. Its recommendation feature for key words ensures digital marketers gain intelligence about the best keyword-to- channel combinations to define actions for each of those channels. Solution Hydra wanted a hosted cloud-based solution for the One platform that would scale quickly to meet customers’ changing requirements for analysing large data sets. Jobber says: “Our solution will require Customer: Hydra Website: www.onehydra.com Customer Size: 35 Country or Region: United Kingdom Industry: Professional services—IT services Customer Profile Established in the United Kingdom (U.K.) in 2011, Hydra is a provider of software- as-a-service tools for internet marketing. Software and Services Windows Azure platform − Windows Azure − Microsoft SQL Azure Technologies − Microsoft Silverlight For more information about other Microsoft customer successes, please visit: www.microsoft.com/casestudies Windows Azure Customer Solution Case Study Web Advertising Optimisation Firm Uses Cloud Solution for Phrase Marketing Analysis