Gorilla Marketing

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the director of a bespoke timber joinery manufacturing company. Operating between Liverpool and London - we specialise in the manufacture and restoration of sash windows.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Gorilla Marketing, and what were your goals?

We hired Gorilla Marketing to substantially improve our visibility in the Google Search results in several key towns and locations within our service area for product-related searches.

SOLUTION

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

We looked for the top-ranking SEO agency in Manchester – a good indication to us if an SEO agency is worth their salt is to see if they appear for their own keywords, and Gorilla were at the top. We also interviewed 2 other agencies (3 in total), and we felt that Gorilla’s strategy was not only the most bespoke and sophisticated but also the most reasonably priced considering how much work was involved in the package.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and campaigns.

We needed a complete overhaul of our website after our previous Web Development agency left us with several half-built or broken pages, so Gorilla – rather than struggling to optimise our old broken website, Gorilla offered to build us a free website as part of the campaign, meaning it was optimised during the build and also much more attractive to potential customers (our website conversion rate also saw a big jump which was an unexpected bonus). We saw an immediate increase in website traffic following this initial phase.

Then their copywriters created volumes of new text and copy for our website which contained our main money-maker keywords, which helped us appear in new major territories like Birmingham & Stoke as well as improving our existing rankings. They then moved on to getting coverage for our business on other websites, which included links back to our domain, via a mixture of digital PR campaigns, creative content marketing, and business citations.

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

We had 4 team members working on our SEO campaign, including 2 senior SEO’s, a Web Developer and an Account Manager who project managed our campaign and sent over our monthly report and commentary to explain our site performance and the delivery of our campaign each month.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After the first 4 months of our campaign, our search impressions increased 900%, website traffic from organic search 200%, and had around 20 product-focused keywords at the top of the search results in our target areas and territories.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

At the beginning of our campaign the work required was outlined very clearly, meaning our monthly report and deliverables were simple to understand as they were simply working through the pre-established plan and showed their progress and impact each month. We received quick and clear communication throughout each month of the campaign.

Our agreed SEO campaign with Gorilla Marketing ran for 6 months, during which time we saw a huge increase in leads and customers, and we were keen to re-engage for another 6 month SEO campaign as well as Social Media Management services to keep the momentum going.

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

Gorilla went above and beyond for us. They even offered assistance with issues not directly linked to our campaign – they helped us through some huge issues we were having with our old agency, who were being extremely difficult about the transfer of ownership of our VoIP phone number, email accounts, live chat, etc. Gorilla communicated and dealt with them directly at no extra cost.

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

Initially, we needed a bit of help understanding some of the tasks included in our report that their team had delivered, but now each monthly report also comes with a bespoke video presentation and commentary that totally resolves any confusion we had previously!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m Head of Physiotherapy of a national physiotherapy brand with a chain of 15 clinics across the UK. We specialise in a range of physical therapy treatments and market our services locally in surrounding areas around our many clinics

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Gorilla Marketing, and what were your goals?

We hired Gorilla Marketing specifically to help us improve our visibility in search engines for service-related keywords in the local areas we operate in.

We also required some clean-up of conflicting online listings, such as directory listings and Google My Business profiles for old physiotherapy brands we have since acquired. While we had good visibility for ‘branded’ searches in local areas, we had little to no visibility for non-branded ‘service’ related searches (such as “chiropody [location]”, and so on).

Our goals originally were to improve our local visibility for a range of physical therapy keywords, however as the Covid pandemic initiated lockdown, our goals quickly shifted to creating and marketing an online booking and consultation system, which Gorilla Marketing seamlessly and reactively helped with without a single hiccup.

SOLUTION

How did you select Gorilla Marketing and what were the deciding factors?

Our head office is in the Manchester area, so naturally we searched for ‘SEO Manchester’ or something similar, and Gorilla were the only local agency listed in the map pack section as well as the top of organic results, which to us would have been an ideal scenario for each of our clinics.

We still interviewed a number of agencies, but Gorilla Marketing delivered a detailed, bespoke plan that showcased their technical knowledge and ethical practices (we were very conscious of avoiding any ‘black hat’ SEO companies).

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and campaigns.

First, Gorilla Marketing did a comprehensive check and clean-up of all associated online assets such as directory listings, websites and Google My Business profiles of physiotherapy brands and clinics we have acquired over the years. This included updating directory listings, redirecting websites and rebranding the GMB listings.

They then moved onto technical website improvements, speeding up our website and improving our ‘Google Lighthouse’ Performance score. Gorilla Marketing also produced some truly inventive and engaging blog content that we were able to share out on our social media profiles, as well as use to attract new traffic to the website.

When the Covid-19 lockdown took place, we had to quickly change strategy, and launch an online consultation booking platform.

The team at Gorilla were able to create and activate the system for us quickly and seamlessly, and made what seemed to be a sizeable, time-sensitive task an absolute breeze. Having worked with other web development and marketing companies in the past, I can tell you this was a breath of fresh air!

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

We were appointed an experienced SEO Manager who steered the majority of our campaign and delivered our detailed monthly reports. We also had regular contact from the owners, and CJ, a talented content executive who was appointed to us to produce most of our onsite content and blogs.

We enjoyed having a dedicated content executive as we felt this allowed them to familiarise with our brand and preferred tone of voice, which really shone through in the content they produced.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were only working with Gorilla Marketing for 2 months by the time Covid struck and our campaign was paused – however in that short time we saw measurable increases not only to our organic traffic, but also a much ‘cleaner’ result when users made searches relating to our brand or any clinics we had acquired.

We have since re-launched our campaign with Gorilla Marketing, and our YoY and MoM organic traffic continues to improve along with our search visibility for relevant keywords.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

We had regular and open communicate with each relevant member of the team. We have an in-house web developer who looks after much of our IT infrastructure and website management, and the Gorilla team were more than happy to liaise with him directly to bring changes about quickly.

At the beginning of our campaign, we received a 6-month strategy that made complete sense and aligned with our goals for our brand. Then, each month we receive an activity update, showcasing the work done each month, and the work planned for the following month.

We’ve found this to be easy to manage from an internal perspective, and shows a good level of transparency and accountability on the part of the agency.

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

Gorilla had a very clear idea of what needed to be done to clean up our search results, as well as a well-rounded idea for our content strategy straight out the gate.

Some of the other agencies we interviewed seemed a little amateurish, or gave the impression that they were trying to blind us with smoke and mirrors, or buzzwords. Gorilla Marketing were able to articulate the work required in layman’s terms, and had sound reasoning for everything they recommended.

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

As we’re half-way through the campaign and having received such a good service and results so far, I can’t think of an aspect of their service that I’d like them to do differently.

Again, Gorilla went above and beyond to offer us additional support during covid, and made sure we had the support and output we needed to navigate the pandemic and lockdown as best we could.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Managing Director of an established garden furnishing supplier who advertise and ship our range of outdoor materials nationwide.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Gorilla Marketing, and what were your goals?

We use Gorilla Marketing for their SEO After almost three years of stagnant SEO performance, we needed to see a quick turnaround in performance of our priority keywords and product ranges.

Previously we’d never placed higher than position 18 or so – relying heavily on PPC to get traffic, but often dropped onto page 3 and beyond despite our old agency’s best efforts. We also needed relatively quick visibility for a new product range we were launching, and couldn’t afford to roll the dice on our previous agency being able to deliver results on a shorter timescale.

SOLUTION

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

After making the decision to find a new agency, we looked for the top-ranking agencies in the Manchester area, of which Gorilla Marketing were positioned in both the Google Map and organic results (giving them the best search engine visibility for the keyword “SEO Manchester”, and therefore in my eyes making them the most qualified prospective agency).

We collected proposals from a number of agencies, but Gorilla clearly stood out from the rest with a detailed proposal and strategy that showed they’d taken the time to understand our brand and goals.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and campaigns.

Gorilla completely revised our SEO strategy and were very clear about exactly what we needed to do to boost our search visibility.

They provided a combination of several services which made up our SEO campaign, including an early ‘technical’ phase which sped up our website and improved our search listings by adding schema mark-up, a full revision of our on-page copy and product descriptions and in later stages a PR phase which helped us secure coverage in a number of industry publications.

They have also helped us create a number of new product and category pages over the past 6 months, which would likely fall under ‘web development’ services, but they were happy to allocate some of our SEO time to these tasks, which was massively helpful in a time of need for us.

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

We had direct contact with David, who was a senior SEO Manager and he led the direction of our campaign, as well as contact with our SEO content writer, CJ, who produced a wealth of new copy and content for our website and new pages. We also had regular contact and check-ins from both Dan & Kyle who own the agency.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As of last month, our organic traffic was up over 360% year-on-year, and new visitors saw a growth of over +425% year-on-year. We have secured several page 1 rankings for our most valuable keywords, many of which have already reached the top of the first page.

We have also been able to showcase and sell our new product ranges without have to recruit any additional web developers as the Gorilla team were happy to assist in onsite development as part of their monthly SEO service fee.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Gorilla planned in advance 6 months of SEO activity for us, explaining what each month would hold and where certain tasks would fall within the next 6 months.

Each month we received clear communication on the work due for the month ahead, and then confirmation of the work completed at the end of the month along with a concise report which was modified to our preferences (I like to see top-level starts clearly).

Our account manager Dave added some great extras to our site in the form of schema mark-up, which really helped boost our visibility in the search results and noticeably improved our click- through rate.

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

Without a doubt it was the clarity and focus of the SEO strategy that Gorilla put together for us. Our previous agency’s strategy was very confusing, and began to border on the line of feeling like ‘smoke and mirrors’ with no real tangible material or results coming after almost three years of service.

With Gorilla, they were very clear about what was wrong with our site, and then got to work putting it right straight away. They worked through the required tasks and labour each month, and delivered substantial growth to our online visibility by the end of their first 6 months.

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

After having a negative experience with a previous agency, I can only say it was very refreshing and relieving to work with Gorilla Marketing.

They explained complicated principles and tasks in a way that myself and our sales team could understand, and strived to ensure we were up to date on every aspect of our campaign

I knew at all times that they were ‘getting on with it’, and didn’t require constant chasing or checking from myself to ensure they were working on the site (as was the case with our previous agency).

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

In my role as Marketing Executive for a legal services provider specialising in highly competitive services, I work closely with the agencies we instruct from strategic planning to implementation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Gorilla Marketing?

New lead acquisition is key to our business and our websites have a key role to play in consistent lead generation. We began working with Gorilla Marketing in 2017 and have completed numerous website builds and SEO projects together in the past 3 years.

Most recently, Gorilla Marketing have designed and built a new website for a niche area of our business, along with their ongoing SEO services.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to refresh the look of the website in line with branding updates in addition to increasing lead generation and improving conversion on the site. The new website needed to support our ongoing SEO and PPC strategies.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After researching and interviewing agencies in the Greater Manchester area back in 2017, we began working with Gorilla Marketing. In the past 3 years, they have completed all of our website design, build and SEO projects across multiple brands.

Describe the project in detail.

We presented Gorilla with a design concept to build the site around. The brief was understood immediately, and we were able to move forward with a very early draft, making just minor alterations.

Gorilla managed the project from start to finish, liaising with me at key stages throughout. The project included major structural changes and updates to key conversion elements of the site in addition to a completely new design.

The key aim of the project was to increase search engine ranking and lead generation as a result.

What was the team composition?

I work directly with the Directors at Gorilla Marketing who are supported by a strong team specialising in individual areas. Kyle goes above and beyond to assist us, with ongoing technical support with prompt action at all hours of the day.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In the short time since the project was completed, we have seen a dramatic increase in website visits from organic searches. Our rankings have improved notably, and we are now in the top 3 positions for all of our main keywords and position 1 for a number of those.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We have a very easy working relationship with Gorilla Marketing. We work in a highly competitive and highly regulated industry meaning that often changes need to be implemented with very little notice. Gorilla are always able to fulfill our requests in a timely manner.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

In addition to the results, we appreciate the easy and honest working relationship we have. The team is extremely invested in the success of our brands and are willing to take on often huge undertakings to help us achieve our goals.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We communicate on sometimes a daily basis, so any minor issues are dealt with quickly and fairly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of an established marketing and business development consultancy firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Gorilla Marketing?

I have worked with Gorilla Marketing on a number of client projects after trailing their digital marketing services around 3 years ago. Since they, they have helped many of my clients substantially boost their sales, leads and enquiries through a combination of SEO, PPC and Social Media Marketing services.

What were your goals for this project?

As a marketing consultant, I needed a trusted and capable agency to handle SEO, PPC and Social Media Marketing for my clients as and when they needed them.

I was looking for a reliable agency who could provide all components of a digital marketing campaign, including full technical analysis and support, content creation, keyword research, competitor analysis, link building, digital PR and PPC bid management and optimisation.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Having worked with agencies in the past who haven’t delivered the desired results, I was in search of a specialist SEM agency with a proven track record and a transparent service. After meeting and inspecting a number of northern digital marketing agencies, I was elated to find exactly what I was looking for in the team at Gorilla Marketing.

Describe the project in detail.

I have used Gorilla Marketing on a number of SEO and PPC management projects, I’ll give 3 examples to show how I’ve applied this for clients with different goals.

Firstly, I’ve used PPC services from Gorilla Marketing to substantially improve the performance of a client who was overspending on Google Ads with diminishing returns. By restructuring the entire campaign, removing underperforming or irrelevant keywords and focusing spend on top performing user demographics and devices, the client saw a 42% reduction in their cost per acquisition while maintaining the same number of monthly leads.

We were then able to reinvest that saving into the campaign to greatly increase the number of leads generated via PPC, creating a measurable ROI that we could rely on going forward. I have also used Gorilla Marketing’s services to boost search visibility and rankings for a number for smaller local business I have worked with.

Their bespoke local SEO services have included Google My Business optimisation, citation building and management, onsite content development and PR, and has resulted in huge increases in organic visibility, and ultimately more leads and sales for my ‘local business’ clients.

Furthermore, I have also witnessed incredible results and growth for ‘national’ sized clients – those who were looking to boost traffic and visibility throughout the UK or their country of choice for extremely competitive terms. I have worked alongside Gorilla Marketing on national SEM campaigns for clients in the financial, legal and ecommerce markets, and have seen the level of care, creativity and labour they put in to each and every strategy, all to the benefit of each client’s bottom-line.

What was the team composition?

Gorilla Marketing have a team of specialists, rather than ‘all-rounders’. Depending on the needs of the client, they’re assigned an account manager and have a specialist ‘Head of’ create a bespoke strategy and monthly digital marketing plan tailored for their specific goals.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

For PPC, Gorilla Marketing reduced the client’s cost per acquisition by over 40%, and then advised and managed the scale-up of the now efficient PPC campaign. The improved quality and relevance of traffic also led to a 74% improvement in onsite conversions, delivering even further value to the client.

For local SEO, Gorilla Marketing scaled a client’s organic traffic to 130% year-on-year by researching and targeting a more relevant and high-value range of keywords. This also led to a 300% increase in onsite conversions, additional value to the client (who was extremely happy, I must say!).

Finally, for national SEO, Gorilla worked with a national brand who I consult for, and after 12 months had delivered an over 40% increase in relevant organic traffic (this represents a substantial amount of traffic for this brand, who now receive in excess of 140k organic sessions each month).

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The team at Gorilla have been more than happy to correspond and report to me or directly to the client based on the client’s preferences. Their dedicated account managers are fantastic at relaying information, reports and updates to myself and the clients, and their specialist ‘heads of’ each department deliver detailed bespoke audits, analysis and strategies on a regular basis. Again, having worked with ‘all under one roof’ agencies in the past, I must say working with a specialist agency in this way has been incredibly straightforward.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Gorilla Marketing had an impressive track record of delivering substantial results and growth for clients in very competitive niches. Having had some experience with SEO over the years, I know this is no easy feat, and after discussing their strategies and workflow at-length with them before deciding to move forward I knew they could deliver what I wanted for my clients.

Ultimately, Gorilla Marketing are an incredibly hardworking team. Without revealing the strategies behind their results-driven campaigns, I can happily vouch for the fact that there is an incredible amount of labour, care and attention put into every campaign I have every worked alongside them on.

Are there any areas for improvement?

As an experienced marketing professional, I can honestly say the services my clients and I have received from Gorilla Marketing are second to none. With regular communication, total transparency, commitment to hard work and ultimately a measurable increase in sales and enquiries on each and every website they’ve optimised, their SEM services have delivered time and time again.