I JUST got word from Snapworx CEO Arthur Policarpio about his partnership with Marathon Publishing, publisher of Baby Magazine. Snapworx and Marathon Publishing launched last Dec. 1, 2008 the website Baby Central (http://www.babycentral.com.ph).

The community site is primarily comprised of parents who are in the early stages of child rearing. They interact through the forums, upload and share baby photos as well as expert content from pediatricians, among others.

The site has more than 4,000 registered members, to date. Art hopes that the membership base will increase to 25,000 by mid-year, and close to three million page views per month.

More than just forums and blogs, the site also has an online supplier directory offering products and services related to babies. Art shared that a baby mall is in the process where parents will be able shop.

I think this is an interesting example of how a traditional publication can take advantage of the Internet and promote its brand. As I don’t have babies, I am not very familiar with Baby Magazine. But now that I’ve heard about it, I’ve become interested and read from time to time about concerns of new parents.

Despite the lack of buzz, using search engine optimization allowed the site to grow. Its original visitors also spread the word about the site and contributed to its escalating growth.

I hope that more publications will learn from the Baby Central experience.

The end of Busby SEO Test. On Monday, we will finally know who will win the Busby SEO Test competition.

It has been a roller coaster ride with the entry I am involved in at Busby SEO Test. The site rank changes around two to three times a day and no one can feel confident on who will eventually stand out as a winner in the end.

Nevertheless, as I shared last month, joining SEO competitions like this helps a lot in validating the things you know, as well as your skills. Since Google has further improved its ranking algorithm, it now allows you to observe its behavior, reaction to your marketing efforts and learn from it.