OuterBox

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Chief Marketing Officer for a tech startup based in the Silicon Valley. Our product is an app in the interior design and furnishing industry, utilizing technology such as augmented reality, artificial intelligence, etc., and is available on both the web and iOS.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired OuterBox for full-scale SEO. Our goals include growing our organic traffic, building the site professionally and meeting technical SEO needs, boosting conversions, converting signups, improving keyword ranking, etc.

SOLUTION

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

We chose OuterBox because we felt they were the most prepared. They asked a lot of questions to understand business, provide full bucket SEO, were founded in 2004 with plenty of experience, and are a Google partner. They also had the most flexible contract in terms of length, offered to sign an NDA, and gave us a full team to work with.

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

Our roadmap has begun with technical optimizations, low-hanging fruits, and setting the foundation on our website for SEO. This includes landing pages, internal linking, title tags, on-page content, and more. OuterBox has helped us ready our new website for Google, so that future tactics can make an impact.

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

We have worked with 4 total team members. A sales consultant who helped us get onboarded, an account manager, and two SEO specialists.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've begun to see some fluctuation in keywords. We have made big progress in the technical side of our website, finding errors and optimizations that will help us in the long run. It has been only a few months, so there are no measurable outcomes yet, but the firm has provided many optimizations that will contribute significantly to our website conversion rate in the coming months.

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

We have a monthly call but communicate daily through their platform and email. Communication has never been a problem, with same-day responses and answers to all questions. Everything is organized on their platform, and it is easy to view all tasks at once.

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

Knowledge of SEO. Ability to adapt to our unique product and understand business is something key. Responsiveness is greatly appreciated, as I ask many questions and have many back and forth between internal teammates and OuterBox.

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

Not yet, everything has run smoothly in the first 4 months.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and chief executive officer of In Ink Ghostwriting. The team at In Ink Ghostwriting specializes in every step of the book creation process, from drafting, writing, and editing to design, layout, and printing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

My goals were to increase my company's visibility among potential customers and to drive more sales. I hired Outerbox to help me revamp my website and to harness the power of Google Ads.

SOLUTION

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

I wanted a company that was a verified Google partner and where a dedicated team based in the United States would work on my account. I also wanted a company with a proven success record. Outerbox met all those criteria.

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

Our engagement began with a discovery phase where my designated Outerbox team learned about my company, my goals, and the issues I was facing. Then, they developed an SEO and conversion optimization plan that would increase traffic, leads, and conversions for my company.

Outerbox also outlined how they would make these tasks happen, which included creating Google Ads campaigns, implementing a robust SEO strategy, website code updates, and recommend new content to target specific keywords that target my top pages. Throughout the process, my Outerbox team has delivered on these goals and we have adjusted our approach as conditions evolve.

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

I work with a dedicated sales consultant, a project manager, an SEO strategist, a marketing account manager, and a paid media specialist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since implementing our SEO and PPC plan, In Ink has seen tremendous growth in site traffic and visitors. Many visitors tell us that they have found us by searching for specific keywords online.

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

The Outerbox has clearly managed my expectations and met deadlines. We use an internal communications forum called ActiveCollab to communicate and send materials to one another. We have a monthly reporting meeting where the team updates me on ongoing projects, implemented changes, and plans for the upcoming quarter. My team is always planning for the next 12 months, and each month is another step towards meeting my goal of boosting visibility and increasing client conversions.

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

The Outerbox team is professional and fully understands the challenges my company faces. And if I ask a question that doesn't have a readily available response, someone from the team does the research and answers my question. They follow through on their deliverables and seem invested in the success of my company.

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

The ActiveCollab communication function is a little wonky sometimes, but that's a technical issue rather than an area where the Outerbox team needs to improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the head of digital marketing and product for an online custom sign manufacturer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired OuterBox to help drive increased visibility through SEO and PPC efforts. We operate in a very competitive space and we needed a dedicated team of experts to grow quickly and efficiently.

SOLUTION

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

We researched many different companies and talked to existing customers before moving forward with OuterBox.

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

We asked OuterBox to help develop and implement a methodical SEO and PPC strategy to improve the ranking and performance of our website both organically and in paid advertising .

We set up initial calls to review goals and expectations, consulted with them on a quarterly strategy plan, reviewed all necessary documents and site updates before implementation, developed a blog and content plan, and so much more. Each of our plans were supported by regular meetings and deliverable reviews and discussed monthly on a performance review call.

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

We were assigned an account manger, marketing manager, an SEO strategist and a PPC strategist. The team was further supported by others at their firm.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've only been working with OuterBox for a year and since implementing our SEO efforts, we're ranking on the first page for many of our top, most competitive keywords. Our web traffic has grown dramatically and we are generating a bigger return on our direct and organic traffic than ever before.

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

They have been great at keeping us up to speed and communicating via email and our project management tool ActiveCollab. Responses are not only quick but helpful. Monthly update reports are always delivered on time ahead of our standing performance review call.

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

They truly are experts in their fields and the team we work with genuinely cares about our business. They work hard to ensure that our money is well spent on areas that drive good results.

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

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Marketing for a mid-size pharmaceutical company that produces and sales products direct to consumer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Outerbox to build SEO and PPC for a new product launch.

SOLUTION

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

We interviewed three different agencies and chose the one we thought would be the best fit for our company and the project.

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

Their team took the time to understand our brand, our product, and our ROI goals. There were several phases, meeting to outline the correct tone of the brand, competitive analysis, project outlines, and strategy meetings.

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

Two project managers, a writer, an SEO strategist and a PPC strategist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their team took the time to understand our brand, our product, and our ROI goals. They made themselves an extension of our marketing department, which made our jobs easier. After a short time, our product appeared on top of search results, our brand awareness built, and sales increased.

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

All work and communication go through an OuterBox online portal that outlines all projects, what needs to be done and the status.

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

Their approach and knowledge of the SEO and PPC landscape were unlike other agencies we have used in the past.

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

Nothing that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of the company. We are many things but the pertinent thing is that we have an online hardware store with over 7,000 products that we ship from our brick and mortar store.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We opened a new website in November. It was carried over very poorly and our rankings continued to decline so after six months I decided to hire a firm to help.

SOLUTION

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

This vendor had been contacting me through the spring basically asking if I would be interested in their service and that at site like mine had a lot of easy quick wins they could set up and get me moving back in the right direction.

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

Outerbox has done design work on my website that made it look far more professional and "high end." They have done significant research into my company and spent a lot of time talking to me by web video so that they fully understand what my goals are and my products. Overall they have had obvious initial success with the rankings of my store and my impression of their operation after seeing results and spending hours on calls with them is that they are highly competent.

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

I have worked with or spoken to 5 or 6 members of their team through the process. One from sales, one from some sort of strategy planning position, one from design, and a few from the technical SEO area.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have trended up consistently since they started working on my website and it is during the time of year that historically our search traffic is in a downtrend. So I believe they are making a significant impact on my search results from what I've seen over the first four or five months.

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

The give me clear guidelines on what to expect. They have me approve it and make modifications if I have input (which happens often), and then they give me full reporting on what has been done once it's implemented. This makes it very easy for me to see what I am getting and where the work has been done.

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

Overall I think it seems they have a very efficient running operation. As a business owner I know what wasted time and energy costs. They get a lot done quickly with a clear and concise workflow. But they are also professional enough that it does not seem hurried It is efficient and progress naturally moves right along for them and for me. I don't feel like I wasted time on any calls with them.

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

Saying they could do better would be to assume an industry standard that is very high I think. So no.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder/CEO of Flush Packaging. We design and distribute custom packaging for e-commerce businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired OuterBox to help us with our initial SEO growth efforts. Due to our small team size, we knew it was going to be difficult to give SEO the attention it requires and OuterBox played an instrumental role in making sure we were

SOLUTION

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

It was fitting that we found OuterBox through a Google search. They showed up as a top result which helped solidify our confidence in their ability to help us achieve great Google results, as well. They were willing to work with a small but growing company which was a condition we required in order to work with an external team.

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

The team at OuterBox researched our products and helped us develop a strategy for addressing the "low hanging fruit" on our SEO checklist as well as provide us with a macro perspective of what a healthy SEO campaign would look like for us. They helped us establish a baseline for where we currently stood and outlined multiple campaigns around keywords that we were able to track month to month.

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

We worked with a project manager, an analyst, developer, and copywriter. Each had unique perspectives to offer. When we met via video calls, everyone was present to discuss their contribution to the project and debrief our performance for the month.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to rank in top positions (positions 1-3) for many of our highest-value keywords all through the development of content on our website and tailoring of page titles and descriptions.

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

Their project management tools helped track everyone's contribution to a task and made it very clear to see what still needed to be done by who. There was a little bit of a learning curve and at times felt redundant but it did keep our projects organized and on track.

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

I was very impressed at the level of enthusiasm towards the success of our company. It felt like they were a part of our own team who wanted us to succeed. The team was very personable, as well.

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

In our experience, it seems that towards the end of our engagement, their was less pro-activeness and more of a "cruise-control" perspective of our request, although I am positive this was a result of our budget restrictions. At the end of the day, we experience significant growth and put in place many practices that we use in-house today.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the General Manager for a mid size aircraft parts distribution company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We launched a new e-commerce website and hired OuterBox to take over SEO and PPC campaigns from an existing SEO provider who I did not feel was up to the task. We didn't have hard goals, other than to boost traffic & sales. I did have a 3X goal of monthly sales from our new website when compared to our old site within 1 year.

SOLUTION

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

Google Search. The owner, Justin, was prompt in answering questions and getting me in front of his team for a proposal. I felt the proposal was thorough, I enjoyed listening to the team and, if it didn't work, I was out two months as there was only a 60 day commitment.

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

Our engagement began with a thorough review of our company, our mission, and our products. OuterBox provided detailed plans for product page optimization, keyword targeting and PPC plans. I had full control of what was done at all times and they were always willing to tweak or adjust based on my preferences. However, I quickly learned to just trust them to make the changes needed without my approval.

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

1. Onboarding Specialist
2. Product Manager
3. SEO Specialist
4. PPC Specialist

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within 3 months of hiring OuterBox, our website began performing at 3-4X YoY when compared to our old website. Traffic doubled since the launch in early 2022.

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

They've been great at communicating. They use Active Collab to manage the project, which keeps everyone in the loop at all times. We have monthly meetings reviewing the previous month and planning the next. OuterBox keeps it simple.

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

These guys know their stuff. I was expecting a price double what I'm paying them. They're professional and are even able to help/answer questions outside of the project scope. For the cost of one SEO or PPC specialist, I get a whole team. Win win.

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

Nothing as of now.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the VP, Digital Marketing and oversee all of our digital strategy for the firm. From website development, CRM oversight and connection to marketing, our MarTech Stack, and marketing data and analytics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

In B2B marketing, it is not easy finding our customers. We are very niche and we have a finite number of customers. But being present for when those customers are online is critical. Outerbox has helped us with that.

SOLUTION

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

I found Outerbox through an online search for top SEO agencies.

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

SEO for the website - both technical and on page SEO, regular site audits, etc PPC using Google ads driving relevant traffic to our site and tracking/measuring those users to projects

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

2-3. Project Manager, SEO manager, paid search manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have been very happy with Outerbox. They have helped increase the visibility of our company.

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

Outerbox relies on ActivCollab to manage projects.

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

They are results-driven and so far have shown the results.

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

I would like more regular check ins to make sure everything is on task. There have also been challenges with tracking conversions and making sure GA is set up appropriately.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Dragon Bicycles is a direct to consumer bicycle manufacturer that sells high performance and high quality bicycles directly to consumers at a reasonable price.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OuterBox?

We engaged Outerbox to improve our SEO standing and help create a successful PPC campaign to increase traffic, engagement, and conversions

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Outerbox managed our SEO and PPC campaigns

What is the team dynamic?

The dynamic was excellent; Outerbox were wonderful partners who made themselves readily available for our needs, and did their utmost to make us feel as if we were their top priority

How did you come to work with OuterBox?

Outerbox came to us through recommendation from other direct to consumer companies we are familiar with.

How much have you invested with them?

Well over $30,000

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Outerbox ended because we sold out of our bicycles online and have transitioned to selling only locally and in person

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did your relationship with the vendor evolve?

Our relationship with Outerbox evolved into a strong partnership wherein Outerbox felt to me as if they were one of our own employees. Very committed, very involved, and heavily invested in our success.

How did OuterBox address the challenges that arose?

Head on. Outerbox were instrumental in increasing our engagement and driving valuable and worthwhile traffic to our website to increase conversions.

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

Huge impact. Due to their tireless efforts, Outerbox enabled us to sell through our inventory.

How was project management handled?

Fanatically handled despite the challenges the pandemic presented over the past year. Rather than focus on what could not be done, Outerbox constantly worked to create excellent content and never failed to meet a deadline

Is there anything that the vendor did well or that you would consider a strength?

Their understanding of the DTC company. Very few marketing firms have the necessary experience to work with a DTC sporting goods company, and Outerbox nailed it for us.

In what specific areas can they improve?

Nothing, their work and efforts were second to none.

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

Call Outerbox now

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on August 5, 2022. 

CEO, Dragon Bicycles

Manufacturing

1-10 Employees

Seattle, Washington, United States (27034)

$10,000 to $49,999

Aug 2019 - Aug 2022

Project summary:

OuterBox developed a digital marketing strategy for a bike retailer, including SEO, PPC, and social media advertising.

Feedback summary:

OuterBox never outperformed the client's previous partners. The client noticed that there weren't significant increases during their engagement aside from factors outside of their control. Although they helped slightly improve their keywords, the team's service was described as mediocre.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We manufacture and sell road bikes DTC. Our mission is to take the sting out high bike prices while still offering our customers high quality bikes, delivered to their front door.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

PPC and SEO management. As an online only company our business heavily depends on being seen on the internet. We’re a small independent brand with vast cycling experience and limited knowledge of how to develop and manage ppc campaigns and SEO

SOLUTION

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

We selected outerbox because of their experience with other dtc clients, modest (at the time) pricing, and perceived reliability and expertise. All marketing firms promise the world; Outerbox’s promises seemed the most down to earth.

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

SEO focus to refine our website to rank better in search engines namely the google. PPC creation and management of google ads and Facebook ad campaigns.

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

This varied between one and four, typically only one associate.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Deliverables included updates to our website to better rank in searches such as added keywords, H1 tags, blog post design, and creation of ppc ad campaigns. Overall feedback was mediocre. SEO efforts from outerbox were uninspired and nothing special. Ad campaigns increased traffic and visibility of our website, but no more than our previous digital marketing firms. We did see a substantial uptick in sales 2020, but in hindsight and comparing with 2019, 2021, and 2022, the uptick was caused by the sudden massive increase in demand for bicycles due to the pandemic.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Effective in that outerbox would complete work on time. Ineffective in that ads were unimpressive, in often need of correction due to poor grammar, and overall rather not compelling. Nothing special nor unique came from outerbox.

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

Nothing. They proved to be as vanilla and unoriginal as the myriad other digital marketing firms out there.

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

Better oversight to ensure proper grammar and editing of ppc ads, better handling of timelines due dates and project schedules, and more open lines of communication

Star Ratings

Overall Rating: 1

Quality: 1

Cost: 1

Schedule: 1

Willing to Refer: 1

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a plastics compounding company specializing in engineered polymers. I currently and the digital marketing specialist.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed a refresh and expansion of our website. New pages needed added, site speed, and overall SEO work.

SOLUTION

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

Cost, proximity to our headquarters.

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

OuterBox will continuously monitor our website for new webpages that need added. They then construct questions based on that new page and these are sent to me. I then will forward these on to the respective party for completion. Once this is done, OuterBox will get approval from myself and push the webpage live. They also provide SEO work for us to keep us up to date on any site changes, algorithm changes, Google Analytic work, etc.

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

3 people: Tom, Mariah, and Lexi

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have noticed an increase in site traffic, overall engagement, contact info, lead generation, etc. Great feedback every time we have a quarterly report, OuterBox really knows how to convey the growth of our site.

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

Frequent messages through ActivCollab, email, monthly, and quarterly calls.

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

Their young staff really knows what is needed to stay relevant in today's social structure.

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

Nothing comes to mind.