Razor Rank

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the digital marketing director for Associa and I handle SEO, SEM, online reputation, and social media.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Razor Rank?

We ventured out to get a team on board to take on some of those aspects of my role. They were definitely needed for our PPC campaigns and managing our reputation.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They handle our social media and Facebook Ads in particular. They also did SEO for three of our websites, involving a lot of market and keyword research and citation work. For reputation management and social media, we had a point of contact that handled everything. They kept me in the loop with frequent reporting. For PPC, they also helped with market research, which took a lot off our plate.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact was Jason (President, Razor Rank), but we also worked with Joe (Chief Knowledge Officer, Razor Rank) and Andrew (Chief Business Officer, Razor Rank). I went through them for whatever I needed. There were also points of contact for SEO, reputation management, and PPC as well.

How did you come to work with Razor Rank?

They were a vendor before I was hired, but they were hired because they have the skill-set and knowledge to handle all our digital efforts, coupled with reporting and monthly calls. They can prove their results. Our leadership was very happy with the initial results and so desired to keep them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $50,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since 2016. It’s a permanent relationship because we’ve worked with them for so long. We’re both based in Dallas; we’ve been to each other’s offices.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We really cared about SEO goal completions, and that was driving for submissions. And the same thing with PPC. Every month, Razor Rank managed to increase well over 10-20% in impressions and goal completions. We wanted a 10% increase from the previous year, and they worked very hard to give us that. They care about numbers, but they’re also logical and reasonable. They look at the history of campaigns and strive to improve on those numbers.

How did Razor Rank perform from a project management standpoint?

I don’t recall a time they’ve missed a deadline. We speak over emails primarily, but we also do phone calls. Jason calls instantly. They’re almost like family.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What really works for us is that they treat the customers and the attention to detail they provide. We always know, even if we have an issue with our campaign, that they’ll take care of it. We don’t have to worry about campaigns starting late. We really feel that they’re there for us. They’re just a phone call or an email away.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Initially, I didn’t know much about PPC when I started, and the educational aspect could have been better. I had four different channels to manage so it was a lot on me. They fixed it as soon as I told them, though.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You need to have them explain the value of their recommendations. That’s what I had to learn how to ask them so I could understand better.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Boathouse Sports is a manufacturer of retail and custom elite sporting apparel and outerwear. I oversee our online business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Razor Rank?

Search Engine Optimization and content creation.

What were your goals for this project?

Increase qualified organic traffic to our website through keyword optimization.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Razor Rank provided us with a very in depth look at how we could improve our website and handed over a playbook of how to fix everything. They then told us we could do it ourselves or hire them to do it. I was very impressed with that approach! They shared with us the proprietary reports they build to visually track keyword improvements. These 2 factors were the biggest reasons for selecting them as a vendor. In a space that is overcrowded with snake oil salesmen, they are a welcome breath of fresh air bringing knowledge, experience, and transparency.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

- Provide content driven to boost targeted keywords - Track and report on Keyword Rankings and Site Traffic - Provide an in-depth analysis of site coding to optimize for search engines - Report on and fix site errors

What was the team composition?

We deal primarily with Tyler Rinker and he deals with the rest of the Razor Rank Team to get the job done. On our end, it is one programmer, our Marketing Director and myself.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In our first year organic traffic was up 38%. We saw significant gains in Keyword Ranking overall. Sales were up significantly in 2020 (until Covid-19 hit the U.S.)

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Seamless. They have all the project management tools and processes in place to help your team be as successful as possible.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They had a 12 month plan starting on day one. They completely stuck to the plan while being versatile enough to help us with other initiatives when they would arise. They executed upon every item they said they would, when they said they would do it. Their follow-through is a testament to their excellent process and project management.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are always areas for improvement, but none spring to mind. We have been extremely happy with Razor Rank's performance and would recommend them to any company looking for knowledge, expertise, and most importantly INTEGRITY from a Search Engine Optimization partner.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the SEO supervisor for a large athletic inspired shoe and apparel company. We have locations around the world, as well as a strong eCommerce presence.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Razor Rank?

We initially hired Razor Rank to assist in a site migration, but it evolved into a full SEO agency partnership.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted additional technical SEO expertise for consulting on projects, as well as third party validation for our internal SEO initiatives.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They came highly recommended from our director, who had worked with Razor Rank before.

Describe the project in detail.

We meet with Razor Rank weekly to discuss ongoing SEO initiatives, industry news, and various technical SEO projects assigned to the Razor Rank team. The Razor Rank team works on supplemental SEO projects as an extension of our internal SEO team.

What was the team composition?

The team has changed a bit, but now we work regularly with 3 members of the Razor Rank team, with as needed support from additional members.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have completed many successful projects over the last couple years, including large redirect mapping projects, sitemap creation, and multiple high quality SEO 101 presentations.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our teams maintain a strong line of communication, which has made workflow very effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The amount of attention we've received from our Razor Rank team, as well as the level of detail in their work has been very impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing comes to mind currently. Throughout the relationship, whenever we have any issues, Razor Rank has been great at adjusting to meet our needs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a cosmetics and skincare company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Razor Rank?

We needed help with SEO and search rankings. We wanted an increase in visitors to our page and monthly revenue.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially started out with SEO, and now they also manage Google AdWords as well. They regularly provide analytics for with Google Studio, with keyword research.

What is the team composition?

We have two contacts for SEO, and one for Adwords.

How did you come to work with Razor Rank?

We contacted another company and their monthly fee was too high. They recommended Razor Rank since we’re smaller.

How much have you invested with them?    

We’ve invested approximately $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in November 2017, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When we started with them, our website was making $4,000 per month in sales. Now we’re at $20,000.

How did Razor Rank perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Wrike for project management and email for communication. If we have any questions, they always get back to us and address it. After every call, they do a summary of what we talked about, including action items. Everything is very well documented.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We like that they have reports and ways of tracking things, rather than general overviews.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’ve had about three reps now, but it would’ve been nice if it were just one. Each one has changed direction as well, so it would’ve been nice if they were more consistent from the beginning. The latest one has been better than the other ones, though.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to give them time. They do the work trying to find the right keywords, and they do a pretty good job.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder of Running of the Bulls, Inc., the largest tour operator at the World's Largest Fiesta in Pamplona, Spain

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Razor Rank?

We had been #1 in SEO in our market for years, but other sophisticated competitors displaced us to the point it was seriously impacting our business. We asked RazorRank to help us re-think our approach to SEO to make sure our online presence reflected our market-leading position.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to achieve page one rank, and then number one rank for a group of about 100 keywords.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had known Jason Campbell Manuel for several years, as a capable SEO expert. Having successfully transformed SEO for many leading brands, we knew the team had the skills to deliver on our goals.

Describe the project in detail.

RazorRank takes a very consultative approach. Unlike most agencies that put you through a cookie-cutter SEO process, these guys put their best minds on looking at your problem in-detail and crafting a custom solution. Their processes are disciplined, but the thinking is fresh and unique to the particular situation.

They identified that we were spreading our SEO equity too broadly over several product-specific sites. We didn't have the budget to optimize every one of them, so they encouraged us to pick a winner and focus on it. It was a scary proposition at the time, because we we were doing marginally OK. They walked us through the tough decisions, which we finally took. The strategy paid off and we now rank #1-3 for 94 of the words we targeted.

What was the team composition?

We have a Project Manager who coordinates all the work and facilitates the meeting. All three partners at the firm participate in strategy formation and closely monitor our progress. Content writers, developers, and other specialists join weekly meetings based on the tasks at hand.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It is impossible to overstate the impact of RazorRank on our SEO. Our search visibility went up 3325% over the course of this project. We only ranked page one for 7 of our target keywords at the outset, and now rank page one for 125 of them.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The collaboration works well. They know our team and know who to ask for what. Communication is excellent and really helps us stay on top of what is completed, in-process, and planned.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The exceptional thing about RazorRank is the truly custom strategy work you get. Most SEO agencies try to save money by standardizing their approach and delivering the same answers to every client. RazorRank really thought through our problems and our opportunities, and helped us do something we couldn't have done on our own.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I'm not sure what to say here... our experience has been great, so I can't really say.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Digital Media Specialist for a Production Music Library. We are based in Dallas, TX and produce music and offer licensing to the film, TV, sports and content industries. I am responsible for digital marketing strategy and implementation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Razor Rank?

We were introducing a new website and contracted Razor Rank to review content and keywords and assist in SEO-based content creation. In addition, Razor Rank helped us develop a standalone blog and provide keyword driven content. Finally, the team offers UAT testing as we continue to make technical improvements to the website.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to improve our keyword research, improve ranking for existing ranking search terms, and improve ranking on new pages through the use of relevant key terms. The aim was to expand the number of high ranking pages and increase organic new user traffic.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found Razor Rank through a referral while we researched a handful of prospective consultants. After meeting with the team via video conference and in person, our Sr Directors were highly satisfied with their technical knowledge and initial recommendations for our project.

Describe the project in detail.

After initial project meetings to develop a SOW, we meet bi-weekly with the team to develop strategy and review outcomes. Along with content creation and key term recommendations, the team provide advice on updates to website structure and work alongside our Digital and Development teams to identify solutions and optimize the site. Bi-weekly web traffic reviews provide goal setting and analysis of individual projects.

What was the team composition?

Day-to-day we work directly with a dedicated Analyst and also have contact with an executive consultant on an as needed basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have seen user traffic increase while we have maintained key metrics like a low bounce rate and long avg. session duration from our previous website. In addition, we see more pages ranking on page one, and more relevant pages ranking for certain key terms. In addition, we continue to make technical improvements to our website that allow us to maintain our position as a leader in our industry.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication has been open and consistent. The team is approachable and highly professional in person, in writing, and in their presentation. Our bi-weekly meetings, real-time project tracking and ad-hoc correspondence has ensured effective communication.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their project tracking and coordination between our global teams has been exemplary. Reporting has been robust and informative, and most importantly results have been as desired.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We hold a niche position in a broad industry so some blog content requires more in-house editing that was initially expected. However, the RR team readily seek and take on feedback. We very rarely encounter any issue more than once.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a Managing Partner with a national marketing consultancy, Chief Outsiders.  I specialize in Digital Strategy and Implementation. Over the course of the last ten years, RazorRank has earned my trust in providing SEO, Content and PPC services to my most valued clients, at a reasonable cost. Their expertise and disciplined process drove double digit growth for the majority of my clients

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Razor Rank?

I bring their team onto many of my projects to help specifically with organic search results and other PPC advertisements and marketing methods online.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Most of my client engagements are for about 3–6 months, after which I roll off and Razor Ranks usually stays on the account as a permanent digital agency. 

They help clients develop a viable organic search strategy, including content that allows the client firm to rank on Page 1 of Google search results, thus increasing revenue from Organic Search, which is a free listing.  Their service includes identification of relevant keywords in your category and a detailed execution road map to improve rankings. A content strategy plan. A web/mobile technical review of items that inhibit ranking. Identification of any broken links and assistance in fixing errors. 

How did you come to work with Razor Rank?

I have evaluated a number of different providers, but no other firm had equal knowledge plus a solid process to help companies get the work done. They are easy to work with and helped me keep the internal teams focused.

How much have you invested with them?

My clients' investments are confidential.  However, most of RazorRank's engagements are over a year, because of the incremental revenue and ROI they produce for my clients- which is why I recommend them.

What is the status of this engagement?

I have worked with RazorRank since 2013.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In my first year engagement with Razor Rank, Organic traffic grew by 157%, and we doubled the size of the company, gaining about $30–$40 million in total revenue. We were extremely pleased with the results that they delivered from their work.

They were are extremely easy to work because they set expectations upfront and always do what they say they’re going to do. A lot of companies bring a one-size-fits-all approach to these kinds of services and you have to narrow down what you need from them, but with Razor Rank, you know exactly the problems you need to solve and how to go about it.

How did Razor Rank perform from a project management standpoint?

The efficiency and organization of their process really help to take the guesswork out of organic search. They constantly update your company management on what progress is being made, which goes a long way in creating a trusting relationship.

Everything is on a timeline as well, so you have a custom spreadsheet to guide you as well as a team call every two weeks so that you can measure where you are within the schedule. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their process works and drives incremental revenue with a very high ROI. They demonstrate an incredible amount of expertise in all of their work. The whole team is totally organized and professional.  My experience with Razor Rank is far superior to other companies I have worked with. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there really isn’t anything I wish they did differently. They get the job done, and my clients like working with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Kari Gran is a clean beauty company located in Seattle, WA. I oversee ecommerce and marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Razor Rank?

Razor Rank was hired to develop, implement and tackle our SEO roadmap.

What were your goals for this project?

Improve our search rankings and generate site traffic.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I worked with them at a previous company. Kari Gran is small and did not have an SEO team and hadn't had one for a year or two. I was impressed with the team when I worked with them, I had met the owner who I felt had experience and was extremely invested in his customers and team. I had so many vendors to select when I started at KG, it was an easy decision to go with RazorRank.

Describe the project in detail.

When we started, I talked through the overall goals, budget and restrictions (like a very small team) and they developed an evaluation and project details to fit our company. They immediately got to work and developed these deliverables (with a timeline): Benchmarking & Goal Setting Series of Technical Website Audits Keyword Research & Target Lists Hierarchy Evaluation & Content Strategy Development Backlink Profile Evaluation & Toxic Link Remediation Blog Strategy & Optimization Ongoing SEO Consulting & Content Development Monthly Activity & Performance Reporting Execution & Implementation of Roadmap Priorities

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of our account manager and supporting consulting team which included content writers, technical devs and strategists.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've seen page 1 success with multilpe keywords and are organic traffic consistently improve month over month (we recognize that this is a long haul). Due to the work in our blog, we have seen success with ranking for FAQs in Google. With the technical audit and fixes, we saw our page load improve by 25%.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We have bi-weekly meetings via zoom then communicate via email. The team is extremely accessible and nimble when changes are needed to be made. They also helped streamline tasks for me for completion.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We are a small company and sometimes find that we can get lost in the shuffle with larger agencies or vendors. I’ve never felt this from RazorRank and so appreciative because of it.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Manufacture and design custom retail fixtures and point of purchase display as well as personal protection equipment for retail and food service companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Razor Rank?

Razor Rank was hired to help us revisit our current website as well as take an existing older website and update to new product offerings.

What were your goals for this project?

Get our old website up and in the public domain as quickly as possible while maintaining our brand DNA.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Razor Rank cape highly recommend and in use buy a number of retailers we trust and respect.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They revamped our current website and brought us up to speed on mobile content and security. They also helped us totally rebrand and redesign a secondary PPE website.

What was the team composition?

Team leader and several people coordinating efforts, one main contact for our team made this project easy to manage and keep up with.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have not had enough time to fully see the results however we have seen some traffic already on our new launch.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Through a web based platform, very effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their constant communication and team efforts to ensure we were on track and getting what we needed stood out.

Are there any areas for improvement?

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Universal Production Music US is an affiliate of Universal Music Group providing the highest quality music licensing for all media. Whether it is movies, advertising, or vlog's, any and all projects need music and we produce and manage one of the most extensive catalogues of production music in the world on our site.

My name is Trevor Morley and I am the Marketing Manager responsible for various content creation and digital marketing for UPM US.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Razor Rank?

To improve our site's SERP and SEO as well as PPC strategies to enhance our presence and effectiveness in the market. To garner and capture leads as efficiently as possible, and to ultimately provide our product the best we can to clients.

What were your goals for this project?

PPC build-out and strategy to gain leads and quality customers as well as to enhance our site on the SEO side.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

A trusted reference.

Describe the project in detail.

The project is ongoing. Building out key-word campigns Together RR has built out distinguished SEO strategies with advanced techniques to effectively boost our visibility and in turn - revenue. Including strategies such as backlinking and link building to effectively and sustainably improve our search engine ranking.

RR performs constant analysis of our site's infrastructure from site copy to precise and perfect coding, to repairing and avoiding technical issues that stop us from reaching our SEO goals. RR has helped us build out the best keyword strategy for us through competitor analysis and continuous keyword and adword research.

What was the team composition?

We have a dedicated team for SEO and PPC separately, that communicate together and with us effectively so that all goals and benchmarks align and are met in a timely manner. We call weekly to maintain our schedule with a team of 3-4 PPC state and 3-4 RR staff on the SEO with myself and the Director of Marketing, Andrew Donahue.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have significantly increased our digital presence in the market. Meeting key KPI's across the board. From increased search rankings to increased leads and ROI from digital advertising, the results and the constant upkeep of our plan and goals have been a breath of fresh air.

We particularly look at site structure to constantly improve our vast site traffic as well as keyword adjustments based on conversions and optimal budget spend. To know that there is a dedicated team with constant eyes on our digital presence is very re-assuring.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We conference call every week at the same time and go over performance and our track to meet our goals. RR is fabulous at creating clear and actionable deliverables from there side and an easy to follow checklist for us to execute.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their overall care and responsiveness are far greater than what we have experienced with agencies in the past. Not once have we felt that they are stretched thin with other projects and are always available when we need them which is key for us being a small marketing team with such a large site and aggressive client retention and acquisition goals.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We would like to keep exploring different strategies that we challenge RR to find - and they continue to do so. As most companies are, we have a limited budget that we have found they are comfortable working and delivering in.