Anvil Media

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Admiral: The Visitor Relationship Management (VRM) Company offers a marketing automation platform for online media and news publishers. 80% of the most well-known publishers in the world are using Admiral VRM to build a consent-based value exchange that is personal to each visitor.

Examples include improving revenue recovery via adblock allow-listing, offering content subscriptions, site registrations, email and social signups, app downloads, and offering visitors consent management options. In short, Admiral helps publishers grow relationships and revenue, and it does all of this with the application of a single small tag on customer websites (key to this engagement). My role is Director of Marketing, including all inbound channels and digital strategy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Anvil Media?

We hired Anvil to complete a very unique project to manage testing of the impact of our software tag on customer page speed and Core Web Vitals, and then write up a white paper on the findings and best practices. We were looking for a company that had a deep expertise in SEO and website performance, but who also had proficient writing resources and could translate technical impact into a customer-facing white paper.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We contacted multiple vendors with expertise in website testing, SEO, or Google's Core Web Vitals. I had known Anvil as a respected thought leader for SEO, and I knew they had content development resources, but tying that together with an actual technical test across multiple customer sites was a unique solution.

There was not anything out of the box that solved what we were trying to solve, but Anvil's President and team quickly grasped the need for the report we sought, and had good ideas on how to proceed.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

As usually, the first stage of the project was Discovery. Anvil listened, and probed with questions, to understand our challenge, customers, offering, and the nature of the final output we wanted to have. The final goal was to have a white paper we could hand to customers, showing the detailed results, and methodology, of adding our software tag to major media publisher websites, and recording whether there was any significant impact to core web vitals.

Anvil first tested the steps to implement and track our tag/product on a site which they already had full access to. They compiled the results, identified some best practices for running such a test, and discussed with our team. In the next phase we identified 15 ad-supported media sites with our platform tag on them, and worked with our platform team and Anvil to meticulously turn on combinations of 5 of our modules.

Our modules engage visitors to do things such as detect adblockers, offer allow-list options to adblock users, manage a metered paywall, manage all aspects to content subscription offering, consent management modules to comply with GDPR and CCPA, modules to manage registration walls, email signups, and social media follower growth. The number of total testing scenarios across sites and modules was 312!

Examples of the sites involved: chicagotribune.com, gamerevolution.com, investingchannel.com and dailycaller.com. Anvil monitored and recorded the core web vitals scores for all properties over a period of weeks, compiled the results, and walked through them with our team. The next phase was Anvil writing a whitepaper explaining the methodology and results.

Admiral reviewed the first draft, and requested an extra section be added to give publishers some best practice tips for complying with Google's core web vitals initiative. Admiral also provided insight on the aesthetics and layout, but the data was just as recorded through phase 1 and 2.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Primarily 2, though the President was always accessible and involved where prudent. The two primary resources from Anvil were an Account Executive, and an SEO and web technical specialist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We consider the project a solid success along several fronts:

1. the technical testing approach was clear, accurate and produced in a manner which gave us confidence in the process.
2. The actual results of the test turned out very positive, (though we expected as much from our own internal testing). Admiral was not a driver of poor Core Web Vitals performance, and where there was impact, the forensic examination was able to identify key non-Admiral factors.
3. The whitepaper write up was well done, and the team was responsive to edits and layout concerns. The final deliverable was a pdf, branded by Anvil, and including methodology, results, implications, and background on Anvil's expertise.
   
   Finally, the most important assessment, is that when our customers have had questions about the impact to Core Web Vitals, we have given them the whitepaper to discuss with their CTO and technical specialists, and in every case have delivered positive feedback on the report. This has helped underscore the transparency and integrity of the Admiral brand with large enterprise customers.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was solid; we never had any complaints or issues with communication. We set up a partnership Slack channel for Anvil to work closely with our team.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The flexibility to address a customer challenge, vision to understand the impact of the challenge on an entire industry, and crisp execution on the deliverables. Their understanding of SEO ,of page UX and page speed, was very helpful.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

We are currently discussing additional projects that we can do with Anvil, and encourage others to engage them for digital strategy and web related projects.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of a video production company called Bridge City Media, which creates corporate video content for ad campaigns, expansion of digital presence, and storytelling.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Anvil Media?

We worked with Anvil Media briefly for consultation services on a digital strategy for SEO and Paid search for our company to bring in more client leads.

What were your goals for this project?

We were hoping to bring in more client leads for our higher budget packages through digital ads and SEO.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met the founder through an entrepreneur group, which he was a speaker on as a panel discussion about digital marketing trends.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They outlined a few hours for me to come into the office and were able to provide me one on one time with different team members to gather insight on web strategies for lead generation.

What was the team composition?

We were able to reach a trade deal for composition in the exchange of a short company culture video.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We applied these strategies to our business within the week and were quickly able to pull in more leads, one of which has become our largest client contract that we've ever had.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow between our teams was very casual and seamless. Everyone was very approachable and accessible.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I find the company's dedication to in depth data-driven strategies very impressive. But more importantly, that they take the time to communicate their work in layman's terms, so that I was able to walk away feeling like I truly understood actionable next steps for action.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I'm very satisfied with my experience.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

C'EST WHAT, LLC is a future-focused innovation strategy consulting firm. We help large organizations develop strategies and concepts to capitalize on innovation waves 3­-5 years into the future.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Anvil Media?

We were introducing a podcast and needed professional expertise for our launch, specifically for SEO.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to gain visibility, increase the credibility of our brand, and establish new client relationships.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I did an online search for reputable local firms offering the services we needed. After interviewing several candidates, I chose Anvil Media based on my conversation with Kent (President, Anvil Media).

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They did SEO, social media management, digital strategy, paid media, and content management. They offered specific methods of linking our podcast to the relevant search engines and other media sources.

What was the team composition?

We worked with teammates who focused on digital strategy, social media management, and SEO.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Their team was highly efficient and effective. We gained a valuable new client through our podcast because our content reached listeners who weren’t previously within our reach. We are now entering a new and more ambitious phase to extend the impact even further.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They have delivered as promised and their workflow was very smooth.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their knowledge of relevant strategies proved crucial.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, we’re very satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

[We are] a health IT [information technology] company located in Oregon. The company has been around for more than a decade. We originally began building secure applications within EMRs [electronic medical records] to help provider organizations and physicians work more efficiently and collaboratively. 

We then acquired the intellectual property rights for a software product that enabled us to move into the population health management space. Our platform has become one of the most recognized enterprise applications in the market, enabling providers to identify and close the highest priority care gaps. 

What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m the VP of marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Anvil Media?

Most of our marketing activity used to be organized around supporting our channel partners. With market growth and an expanded mission, it required our marketing model to shift. That meant we had to evaluate where the target market was [and would be] and then determine the most efficient way to engage participants.  

We wanted to continue to build out our digital marketing campaigns. We needed to invest more in search engine marketing and search engine optimization, among other things.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

They do much of our digital marketing paid and organic search work. They audited where we were across all forms of digital media and helped us put together a plan that involved optimizing our Web presence. We worked on some retargeting with them. We looked at social media marketing and the promotional tactics that we could pursue.

What was your process for selecting Anvil Media with which to work?

We wanted to work with a local agency. Portland has a number of good agencies so we wanted to confine the search to the local market. Anvil was an organization that I had been familiar with for some time. I knew Kent [Lewis, CEO of Anvil Media] and I knew his firm. I had colleagues who worked with him in the past. We looked at a couple of other agencies but came back to Anvil because they really know the industry and its trends.

Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative in dollar terms or a personnel work-hour figure?

It was from $50,000 to $250,000

When was the work completed?

It’s ongoing work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

We've seen our brand authority continue to rise. We've seen our placement in organic search continue to rise. We feel better informed about paid search. Our website has performed very well also. We are also pleased to find that we can use retargeting as another way to leverage our marketing dollars.

Are you satisfied with their performance?

Yes. We are satisfied. We have not been disappointed at all.

Is there anything unique or special about Anvil Media that really makes them stand out compared to other online marketing companies?

They are very good at what they do. They have a good understanding of the game. They have been very good advisers. I think they make an effort to understand our business so they can go out there and help us look at what some of our competitors are doing online. They listen intently and provide a personal touch. That demonstrates to me that they’re invested.

What advice would you give to future clients of theirs?

You need partners to fill gaps where you don’t have expertise. Make sure that you understand where the gaps are and the most critical ones to plug. I would think this is a big area that most companies need help in. I think Anvil Media would be a fantastic partner.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

Nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

The company makes chocolate candies. We sell online, through grocery stores, and we have five cafes in the Portland, Ore., area. 

What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m the director of Internet sales. I’m responsible for all online marketing efforts: digital marketing, social, and online sales.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Anvil Media?

We’re known locally but not nationally. We needed people who know who we are to make a purchase during key holidays, and then we wanted to build business with people who’ve never heard of us previously.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

They manage our paid search efforts. Their work also includes banner ads and pay-per-click management.

What was your process for selecting Anvil Media with which to work?

I worked with them through prior companies, so I was familiar with their services. We also did put them through an RFP [request for proposal] process. We prefer to work with someone local, if possible, but that doesn’t mean we won’t go out of the area if there’s a better vendor elsewhere.

Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative in dollar terms or a personnel work-hour figure?

It was from $50,000 to $200,000

When was the work completed?

It’s ongoing work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

We’ve seen a huge improvement during the past 18 months in our ROI [return on investment] for paid search efforts. Our conversion rate nearly doubled year to year. 

Are you satisfied with their performance?

We’re very satisfied. 

Is there anything unique or special about Anvil Media that really makes them stand out compared to other online marketing companies?

I’ve noticed two things about them. They have a lot of sharing of knowledge. They’ve been able to attract good talent and have hired really good people.

What advice would you give to future clients of theirs?

If you’re looking for someone who specializes in digital marketing who’s got a lot of experience and done it for a long time, Anvil Media is about as good as you’re going to get.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

We went through a rough patch where there was some turnover within the agency, and we felt some affects. I think during the past 18 months they’ve stabilized and are moving forward. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

I work for a destination marketing organization. We represent the city of Portland, Ore. This is a nonprofit organization funded primarily by hotel tourism taxes.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m the director of online strategy. I’m responsible for websites, social media, email marketing, and digital advertising.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Anvil Media?

We wanted to attract more tourism, which is pleasure visitors, pleasure travel, and conventions to the city of Portland.  

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

They run our Google PPC accounts so all our Google AdWords are managed by them. They also help us on search engine optimization for our website. We have monthly reviews of our Google analytics with them and receive recommendations from them on how we can improve our organic search results. 

What was your process for selecting Anvil Media with which to work?

That predates my tenure here so I couldn’t tell you. I think Anvil has been working with us for at least 10 years, and I’ve only been here for three.

Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative in dollar terms or a personnel work-hour figure?

At the upper end of $10,000 to $50,000.

When was the work completed?

It’s ongoing work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

Since I started here, we have seen growth every month in organic traffic. 

Are you satisfied with their performance?

We are very satisfied. They do an excellent job of the analysis of our results. They know a lot of the background of Google analytics and can explain some of the trends to us and give us insight on that that we wouldn’t have otherwise. They come up with strong recommendations on how we can alter our content strategy to maximize our organic search traffic. They’ve done a good job in placing and managing Google ads for us and managing budgets and meeting our expectations.

Is there anything unique or special about Anvil Media that really makes them stand out compared to other online marketing companies?

Their customer service is fantastic. They are extremely responsive, extremely knowledgeable. If I have a question about something that’s outside the scope of what they’re currently doing with us at the time, it doesn’t matter. They get back with me very quickly. They’ve proactively discovered a fault with our website that some developer had made. They noticed it, diagnosed it, and let us know how to fix it.

What advice would you give to future clients of theirs?

In terms of search engine optimization and pay per click, I would recommend them unhesitatingly.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

This isn’t so much on them but I feel like we could do a better job of coordinating with them for the copy on Google Ads just to make sure that what they’re saying in the ads really coheres with what we’re saying in other aspects of our marketing. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a manufacturer of electronic components.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m the marketing communications manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Anvil Media?

The first goal is ongoing account management specific to our search engine marketing. They manage a Google pay-per-click program for us. We also do periodic SEO [search engine optimization] campaigns and get some consulting from them on that.

They monitor and make sure that our bidding strategy is up to date, and we’re maximizing our investment. They have a pulse on the industry and relevant trends and help us stay current. We want to drive awareness for our company and products within the search engines. The next and ultimate goal would be to get a customer to submit a request for a quotation, and then our salespeople follow up on that. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

They manage pay-per-click and SEO. We have a team that manages our website. On the organic side, they are making recommendations for things that we can do to improve our visibility within the search engines.

What was your process for selecting Anvil Media with which to work?

We were specifically looking for PPC [pay-per-click] management. We knew we’d prefer to go with someone that was local that we could meet in person. We brought them in for a meet and greet and liked the original team that came in and their ideas.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

[It was] $10,000 to $50,000.

When was the work completed?

It’s ongoing work with no plans to terminate the engagement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

We don’t have formal metrics to share but are happy.

Are you satisfied with their performance?

We have been really happy with them through the years. The company has changed, but they’ve always done a good job making sure we have a solid, responsive, account manager who we can contact at any time. They also do a great job at staying current on industry trends. They’re continually making recommendations and improvements on how we’re advertising and bidding and where we’re appearing.

Is there anything unique about Anvil Media that really makes them stand out, compared to other online marketing companies?

They’re team oriented and enthusiastic. I know that they spend a lot of time on teamwork and personal development, but also the company as a whole. That makes them special.

What advice would you give to future clients of theirs? 

I would say that they are a company that is excellent at search engine marketing. That is their bread and butter, but they also have a wide variety of experience in marketing activities in general. They have a good pulse on how those other activities feed into SCM [supply chain management] activities. We really like the relationship. The president of the company is very involved. Their leadership team is great. We really like that they’re based in Portland. We have a weekly call and then at least once a quarter we’ll have an in-person meeting and more if needed. They’re really open to being available.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

Through the years, we’ve experienced some turnover with them in our account managers. That’s always a little bumpy. They’ve done a good job at managing the transition, but that would be the only criticism.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Alibi Ale Works

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Brewery and brew pub group

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Anvil Media to accomplish?

• Help us rebuild a modern, responsive website with great SEO

SOLUTION

How did you find Anvil Media?

Referral

Why did you select Anvil Media over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Anvil Media were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Website Analytics & Keyword Research Audit 
• SEO Audit & Plan

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Increase offsite links 
• Increase site speed 
• Optimize keywords and meta tags on website

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They were always on time and very responsive to questions.

What was your primary form of communication with Anvil Media?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Great project management. They worked with a few people in my company, as well as two contractors I wanted to use, and made sure everything was well coordinated and on track toward to end goal.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Anvil Media could have done differently?

no

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Executive Director of the local Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Anvil Media?

They developed our Tourism website but now we have contracted with them for maintenance of that website as well as social media management.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I was not involved in their initial selection.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We meet once a week and go over the social media and event calendar to make sure the postings are consistent with our digital marketing strategy. In addition, we have on-going email and phone dialogue about updates to those events and postings. Occasionally, there is a high priority posting that was missed that's becomes a "rush" update.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I interface with one person primarily, the Vice President, but I know there are several people behind the scenes that do alot of the work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We have had some great event-focused land pages. We got our highest amount of Instagram followers ever with a recent event posting.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Outstanding. Our input for changes is very dynamic and Anvil is very responsive.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their sincerity was heartfelt, and they cared about their customers, not just their products.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

The Facebook problem is an issue but I know they are working on it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder and CEO of Mental Health Match, an online marketplace for therapists and counselors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Anvil Media, and what were your goals?

We needed to develop an organic traffic strategy, increase efficiency of paid digital ads, and fill some capacity gaps after losing a staff member.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Anvil's reputation is unparalleled, and multiple colleagues suggested them.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and marking tools used.

They overhauled our paid Facebook, Google, and Bing ads, tested other social media ads, and developed a strategy to improve organic search rankings. They also helped us design and implement new landing pages.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked with 4-6 of their team, including an account manager, SEO specialist, paid ads specialist, and a web designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Their SEO strategy really paid off, and our organic traffic has increased over 200% since we implemented it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They were great to work with. Their team was very responsive and talented.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They really know their field, and unlike other firms we've worked with, understand how to tailor their deliverables to the goals and capacity of the company.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Not at all!