Optimum7

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an affinity group with hundreds of thousands of members world wide.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Optimum7, and what were your goals?

We needed a website that was better optimized for search engines and had a more usable interface for our visitors.

SOLUTION

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

We researched several companies and choose Optimum 7 after seeing their past portfolio of clients.

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

Optimum created a new brand mock up as well as a complete website design with database system on the backend so we could easily manage and nurture our leads. They also made the website easily editable for our staff that aren't techies.

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

We worked with several of their staff - content writers, developers, designers, and project managers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were able to increase many of our KPIs right after launch including better click through ratios, higher search engine rankings, better email open rates, and users spend longer on the site.

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

The management was very hands on and would happily pull in anyone else we needed. I liked they stayed on the calls as well so management always knew what was happening.

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

I felt like Optimum 7 really took the time to understand my business which can be confusing to people that aren't familiar with it. This allowed them to provide very effective suggestions and feedback that I never would have thought of myself.

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

Honestly we were 100% happy with Optimum and the website so I wouldn't change anything. They were easy to work with and performed above and beyond our expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Owner of Ayse Beauty. We service Permanent Make-up, Lash Extensions, Cosmetic Tattoo.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Optimum7, and what were your goals?

I needed an agency to develop a small business website on WordPress as well as set up Facebook Business.

SOLUTION

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

I was looking for the best agency in Florida that specializes in WordPress development and design. After long research, I came across Optimum7 and couldn't have made a better choice.

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

Optimum7 delivered a WordPress site with a clean design and built a strong online presence with Google Business and Facebook Business setup. Their work also improved my site’s performance from an SEO standpoint.

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

I worked with about 5 team members including a Project Manager, a Front-end Developer, QA Engineer, and a Marketing Manager. Also, I had a consultation with Duran for SEO and designing Google Business Account.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Optimum7 had a professional team and meticulously carried out the development and design process. They precisely completed the deliverables written in the contract and delivered me an exceptional website.

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

Communication between the Optimum7 team and me was always eloquent and powerful. The team always listened attentively and we closely worked together on my feedback with the help of their guidance during the design process. They use monday.com as a project management tool and it allowed us to have effective communication.

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

With Optimum7, I was able to take my ideas and implement them into the company with little difficulty. The team has been very supportive of all changes that I've made in order for us both to succeed!

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

The one thing I always noticed about Optimum7 is how ambitious they are. It's not a bad thing, necessarily - in fact it can be good if you're looking for someone who will take on any task thrown at them without question or a second thought!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of an e-commerce company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Optimum7?

We engaged them when we bought the e-commerce business. Our team knew we had to hire a team upfront to provide services to us since we didn’t have the internal expertise to do it. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Optimum7 handles all of our digital marketing needs from SEO to PPC ad placements. They’re also doing some development work. We use the BigCommerce platform, but the team has done many special customizations for us to have better automation than what the basic platform provides. We don’t want to switch to another platform because BigCommerce is working well, and Optimum7 already has expertise in BigCommerce. I’ve also experienced switching to another provider before, which didn’t go well.  

In terms of research, the Optimum7 team has assessed the company’s previous owner and past markets, coming up with a new strategy for us. For instance, they’ve helped us do Facebook marketing, which the previous owner didn’t do. They’ve also helped us prioritize SEO as opposed to just PPC — this is part of the main reason we’ve hired them. 

Moreover, Optimum7 has done content development for our marketing efforts. They’ve scheduled quarterly press releases for us; the team has also updated and organized our site’s content. Each month, their resources also publish new content to further optimize our search rankings.

For development, we have a short but intense list of required automation features. For example, we want all of our orders to be transmitted electronically to our primary supplier. We also need live inventory updates on our website, along with real-time price updates. We have around 40,000 items on the website, and all of them need to be updated electronically.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with everybody on their team, including Arthur (Co-Founder) and Duran (CEO). They’ve assigned a marketing manager to the project. Apart from them, we’ve also worked with their development team, including junior- and senior-level developers.  

How did you come to work with Optimum7?

Optimum7’s marketing efforts for another website caught my attention, so I reached out to them when we were buying this business and talked about engaging them. We vetted three companies in total but ultimately decided to hire Optimum7. After our conversation with Arthur and Duran — we had multiple phone calls — I had a feeling that they understood our business better than any of the other teams we vetted. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $170,000 on their marketing services over the last 20 months and between $40,000–$50,000 on their development work. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2020, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We’ve just about doubled the volume of our customers over a two-year period. Around 50% of the traffic that comes to our website is because of our SEO campaign, up from 25% previously. This is directly attributable to Optimum7’s work. Moreover, they’ve helped us get more accurate reports; previously, we had irregular reporting because of how the previous owner set up Google Analytics. 

How did Optimum7 perform from a project management standpoint?

Optimum7 delivers everything they promise. Some of our projects have taken longer than others. We’d have preferred quicker deliveries on a couple of them, but for the most part, they’ve done what they’ve said they’re going to do. 

In terms of communication, we talk at least once per month about our marketing campaigns; we use conference calls. For development, our communications are much more sporadic. We use Monday to collaborate. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Duran’s understanding of how e-commerce businesses should work and function is impressive. Moreover, Optimum7’s experience level covers both medium and larger businesses. Duran and Arthur have pretty much understood what needs to be done from the beginning — they’ve offered solutions to us. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their development team is in a different part of the world. As a result, our communication can sometimes be challenging. This is just a hurdle that we have to clear. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Stay in communication with the people that Optimum7 assigns. If you don’t get answers from them, their senior management team is always willing to step in and help. This is quite refreshing because a lot of other companies don’t let you talk to their senior management after the initial onboarding process. In fact, this is one of the things that kept us aligned with them — we can always talk to their senior management team whenever the need arises. That’s not a constant need, but when you need to have that conversation, they’re available. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Optimum7, and what were your goals?

SEO, Web Design, and Facebook Marketing

SOLUTION

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

We have researched sever internet marketing companies and selected 4 of them to contact for our needs. The deciding factor for Optimum7 is their past business portfolios and referrals. from their current clients.

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

We needed a full renewal of our website. Our previous Internet marketing company messed it up. Optimum7 has started with renewing the web design with the right SEO applications on our website plus our Facebook and google marketing.

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

We have worked with 1 SEO specialist 1 Web design specialist and 2 Facebook and google marketing specialists.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After 1 month of the new implementations to our websites, we have started to see the ranking changes on google and we have started to receive more leads from our new website. In 3 months we have gained more than 50 new keywords on google page 1. Plus %90 more leads from our website compare to our old website.

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

Optimum7 has been very professional throughout and they have been a big help with implementing the changes to the website without any interruptions or issues. They were responsive when I needed them.

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

They foresee the problems before they even occur and take action accordingly. Also, Optimum7 is always there when I need them. They keep their promises.

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

Optimum7 has accomplished all we required for our website.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

OfficeAnything.com provides affordable furniture and seating solutions for businesses of all sizes. We take pride in being a family owned business and building lasting relationships with our clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Optimum7, and what were your goals?

We have been online for nearly 15 years. After trying several marketing companies, we found Optimum7. They've helped us with everything from SEO to branding. They provide a personal touch and results we can count on.

SOLUTION

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

Optimum7 came highly recommended. When we migrated our website from an outdated platform, they handled everything. We have gradually increased our scale of operations with them and they continue to impress.

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

Optimum7 migrated our website, helped us with a full re-design, and so much more. Currently they handle our SEO and branding as well as our shopping feed.

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

We've worked with over 10 professionals from Optimum7 that specialize in SEO, site design, branding, and social media marketing. They are all very knowledgeable.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After migrating our website we used Optimum7 for our SEO and saw major gains in both site traffic and conversions.

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

We use the Monday platform to communicate effectively. We also have monthly calls to check progress and stay on track.

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

When we first started working with Optimum7 the gains were quite impressive. It really helped us take our business to the next level.

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

Over the last year Optimum7 has done a great job. It's hard to criticize any company in that timespan as we've all dealt with challenging times .

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Laundry Sauce, a direct-to-consumer e-commerce brand that sells laundry detergent and related cleaning supplies.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Optimum7?

Our old website was performed poorly in converting. We needed to develop a new Shopify e-commerce site that visually appealed to and converted our prospective customers. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Optimum7 developed our e-commerce website through Shopify. First, we discussed our challenges and expectations for the site. After that, we outlined the scope of work, which included a new Shopify website and integrations with Bold Commerce, Google Analytics, and tools for warehousing and logistics. 

Once everything was set, Optimum7 proceeded with the development. They’ve already finished the website, and they’re currently working on new product pages and site sections. 

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with their CEO, a project manager, and two developers. 

How did you come to work with Optimum7?

We heard about Optimum7 through word of mouth. We were looking for development agencies that had e-commerce experience at the time. We interviewed several firms, and we liked that Optimum7 was very consultative. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $25,000–$30,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2021, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Optimum7 has successfully followed our timeline and scope of work. In fact, they’ve delivered the site 45 days before our deadline, so we can test and prepare for the launch. 

How did Optimum7 perform from a project management standpoint?

Optimum7 has performed very well with project management, and we’re delighted with their overall execution. Their ability to manage tasks internally and communicate outwardly is exceptional. We can’t ask for a better partnership. 

We communicate primarily through email. However, if we need to discuss something about the site, they’ll set up a virtual meeting and send a calendar invite. I can always pick up the phone and call them if I have a question. They’re open and willing to have a discussion whenever someone has an idea that comes into mind.

There has been excellent communication throughout the engagement. Their CEO even checks in with us and makes sure the project is moving along, and their project manager has been helpful the entire time. They’ve always delivered on time or ahead of schedule. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have expertise in e-commerce development — this allows them to become a consultative development shop. Working with them hasn’t been transactional. They’ve come in with an expert perspective and guided along the way. That has saved us money in the long run as we’ve been able to develop with their advice in mind. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ensure you have a detailed scope of work and ask for guidance on e-commerce best practices and technology integration. Additionally, have a website design completed before engaging them for development. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Online Plant Nursery is a mail order nursery in Tennessee.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Optimum7, and what were your goals?

Our website was very slow and we went to Optimim7 for new website development on CORE with WordPress. Our goal was to have a state of the art highly optimized website with a core speed of at least 90 on Google lighthouse. Speed was our main objective.

SOLUTION

How did you select Optimum7 and what were the deciding factors?

Arthur was on top of things and was wonderful to work with at first. Then things got shady. Didn't take credit cards, wanted bank wires only, and then charge me $10k more to have my site live within 30 days. Well, it went live in 30 days but it was nowhere near ready.

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

Arthur wouldn't respond hardly after we paid him 50% upfront. I had to deal with people that spoke very little English and I am from the South, I couldn't understand a couple of them at all.

How many people from theOpyimum7 team worked with you, and what were their positions?

3-4 people, most I couldn't even spell their names.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

they launched my site to get $10k more in 30 days. It had over 1326 errors, it didn't show the hardy zones, the API was messed up, it didn't even pass for mobile speed on Google. A horrid experience. They kept insisting on money and I'd paid them $15k and wanted $15k more without finishing the site speed, errors, or anything. Arthur asked for $2k more to show us how to use the site, just preliminary things like showing me how to use it.

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

in the end it's horrid. They shut my site down completely since I wouldn't release the existing half because the project wasn't completed.

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

Nothing, Lord you'd not believe what some guy named Duran CEO has sent me via emails. And Big Commerce said they was in awe they'd do this and they seen it wasn't completed.

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

just fix these three tiny issues. Site Speed 1326 Errors in Google Search console (301 redirects) and metas API Zone locator that wasn't displaying properly.

Company Responses

The vendor responded on April 13, 2022.

As Tammy stated, she asked Optimum7 for a rush eCommerce site and we were successfully able to launch her site in 30 days. The errors mentioned on the review already existed on the old site and we were not tasked to fix those errors, just to launch the new site on Bigcommerce. However, after this review was done, Optimum7 successfully addressed all issues and finished this project to Tammy's satisfaction.

The site was taken offline due to non-payment for a few days. The client did not make final payment. Tammy was made aware. Once she made the payment on the past due invoice, the site was enabled again. Everything was completed and confirmed with Tammy via email.

Please contact us at 888-643-0464 if you have any questions and concerns and we can address them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the director of the Global Strategic Communications – Creative Track, a program at Florida International University’s School of Communication + Journalism. The program is designed for graduate students to study strategic communications in conjunction with the Miami Ad School.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Optimum7?

We engaged Optimum7 to create and implement digital marketing strategies. These services include content generation, SEO, social media marketing, and workshop development for students.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to grow visibility and brand awareness of the program. We also were looking to increase qualified leads that we can then convert into inquiries, applications, and enrollments—ultimately boosting our revenue.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I read a press release of Duran (Co-CEO, Optimum7) speaking to a colleague’s class about digital marketing. I then brought them in to talk to one of my classes, sparking a dialogue. This relationship turned into a yearly contract for four years. In 2018, our administration decided to open the proposal to other agencies’ bids. No other vendor came close in delivering quality at Optimum7’s value. Plus, they were already familiar with our business.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Optimum7 consults on new digital marketing strategies to replace ineffective strategies. For our content generation efforts, Optimum7 researched keywords and niche terms to target. They then started creating blogs and press releases. 

Optimum7 also reviews our SEO elements on-site and off-site. The team makes sure that our markup and microdata abide by Schema.org so that search engines can more accurately read and represent our web pages in SERPS. Optimizing all titles and descriptions is an ongoing priority, given that there are many indexed pages across our linked sites. We receive a weekly review of traffic and conversion data through Google Analytics and a property performance report through Google Search Console.

The team also conducts competitive backlink research and leads paid social media marketing campaigns. In addition, they’re running email drip marketing campaigns, focusing on strategy and optimization.

What was the team composition?

The day-to-day team comprises an account manager, a copywriter, and occasionally the COO and director of accounts. Other Optimum7 team members will join the projects depending on our needs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We’ve worked with Optimum7 for six years and have seen our leads grow steadily 10–20% year over year. Due to outside circumstances, we stopped our collaboration for one year. It had a definite impact on our business, and we’ve since restarted our partnership. Their digital marketing strategies with our on-the-ground efforts have become a winning combination for the program. We’re thrilled with their output, services, and results.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We handle project management internally. We have a weekly status meeting to discuss strategies for the immediate future and key performance indicators (KPIs) for past efforts. These meetings are crucial to the project’s success and are always very productive. Every three months, I meet with Optimum7’s CEO for an overall status report.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Optimum7 excels at developing strategies to improve our business objectives. They can execute ideas quickly and respond well to feedback on how to make a plan work within our parameters.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Having a copywriter dedicated to our account may prevent the learning curve of understanding our business before creating content for us. However, we’re overall satisfied with Optimum7’s performance. They are very proactive about staying on top of our needs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Arlyn Scales. We design and manufacture industrial-grade weighing scales.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Optimum7?

Our company has been in business for almost 40 years, and we’ve traditionally advertised through various types of print media. Once the internet became a mainstream facet of modern society, we wanted to use it to expand our marketing reach. After hiring several organizations for that purpose, we found that we’d see early improvements in our search rankings, but those positions would deteriorate quickly. We needed another firm to take our SEO efforts to the next level.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

This project goes back many years. The goal was to improve our website and search engine rankings. Optimum7 worked with us for many months without showing any progress. They upgraded our site, but the SEO ranking didn’t improve at all. While we did not know it at the time, our website was being penalized by Google due to some questionable tactics that had been used by our previous web contractor.

Because we were paying Optimum7 primarily for their results, our expenditures at this point were quite modest. Many businesses in Optimum7’s position would’ve stepped away from us as a client due to this lack of success. However, much to their credit, that’s not what they did. They continued to work on the project and tried to understand why it hadn’t been successful up to that point. They continued to make improvements and eventually achieved considerable success. They also earned our loyalty by doing so.

What is the team composition?

Arthur (President and CEO, Optimum7) and Duran (Co-Founder and COO, Optimum7) are my primary points of contact. Their other employees help implement programs.

How did you come to work with Optimum7?

I found them after searching online. We decided to hire them based on their payment structure, noted above. While there were certain fees associated with bringing Optimum7 onboard, we paid them the majority of their fees only when their performance improved to the agreed upon levels. If they weren’t successful, they wouldn’t be paid for the work.

How much have you invested with them?

There were startup costs in the range of $20,000–$30,000. We currently spend $5,000 each month for their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2008, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

I don’t have any metrics at hand, but they eventually achieved the results we wanted. That included getting us ranked at the top of many pages relating to industry-specific keywords.

How did Optimum7 perform from a project management standpoint?

They take some time to get things done. I’d prefer if they completed tasks faster, but I’m not sure that my wishes are reasonable. I’m not dissatisfied with Optimum7’s responsiveness.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Optimum7 has a vested interest in our success, so they’re willing to work hard until they achieve the project’s goals. They’re constantly innovating and changing their techniques.

Are there any areas they could improve?

One of the things they do for us is writing our news releases. Their writers aren’t always up to speed with our products. Their turnover with writers is higher than I’d like to see, but they’ve dealt with that by working with their people until an adequate level of familiarity was reached. The same sentiment holds true for their website development staff. But again, they’ve worked to resolve that issue over time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and president of Specialist ID, an e-commerce business specializing in photo ID badges and accessories.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Optimum7?

We’ve worked with Optimum7 on several projects over the last decade, including custom integrations and, more recently, migrating from Volusion to Shopify.

What were your goals for this project?

Our most recent goal was to import all of our data from Volusion into Shopify without breaking any re-directs.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I have known Optimum7’s COO since college and have been working with him professionally for the past 10 years.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

In addition to migrating our data from Volusion to Shopify, Optimium7 developed a custom cart feature to handle issues such as minimum quantity order increments. They also provided custom coding and custom product designer interfaces.

What was the team composition?

We generally work with a project manager and their team of programmers and copywriters.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Optimum7 has helped guide our business over the last 10 years—starting with SEO services and moving into high-level e-commerce integrations.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Our projects are managed well using online tools. Communication has been quick and efficient.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

It’s rare for an out-of-box element to meet our requirements. Optimum7 always delivers custom solutions.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. I cause most of the delays because I sometimes fail to provide feedback promptly. I appreciate them keeping me on task and requesting action items from me while I am away or not responsive.