Relevance Advisors

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work at IHG, which is one of the major hotel companies in the world. I’m on the field marketing team, so I work with our new hotels as they open. I go through their opening process to help get them set up with all things marketing. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Relevance Advisors?

I hired Relevance specifically for a new Intercontinental Hotel in Houston, Texas. We needed them to manage the hotel’s independent website and run paid media for it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Relevance took over a previous website that was designed by another agency. Their team redesigned the platform, adding new content to improve its overall performance. 

The team created the website’s content, as well as the banner ads, paid search ads, and some paid social ads. They also did SEO for the website and ran our Google Ads account. 

What is the team composition?

Throughout the project, we worked with five people. They have a media manager or two, an SEO manager, a paid media manager, and an account manager. I primarily worked with Ben (President & CEO).

How did you come to work with Relevance Advisors?

I believe they were a recommendation from the agency that built the original website. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $120,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in August 2018, and we worked with them for a year until July 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We saw everything improved. We weren’t able to track specific direct revenue from it, but we did count booking engine entrances or cost per booking, which was our main KPI. 

Relevance also did a good job of staying on top of shifting priorities and budgets. I haven’t got the opportunity to work with them again because our industry is specific to a handful of agencies, but I would totally recommend them and work with them again if the opportunity comes up.

It was a challenging project for everybody, and they really did a good job dealing with multiple stakeholders.  

How did Relevance Advisors perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great. They were not familiar with the hotel industry, so I was really impressed with how quickly they could get on board. 

It was a challenging project because so much got handed off to me, and then I handed it off to them. However, they did a really good job of putting together a thoughtful proposal, getting everything turned around, and performing the right way. They also improved the paid media performance consistently month over month. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to be flexible was impressive. I appreciated that they took the time to learn about hotel websites and booking engines. 

I was also impressed with the website and SEO performance. Once they understood the goal, they were able to improve our paid media performance as well. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was a little bit of confusion in the beginning about some of our requests. However, as long as Ben got involved, everything got cleared up, and they were able to move forward. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear at the beginning about what your goals are. Make sure you’re on the same page and clearly define the project, the goals, and the expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a global nonprofit that inspires, equips, and mobilizes millions of people to take action that changes the world. I’m the senior director of marketing & creative services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Relevance Advisors?

We had a Google Ads grant opportunity that wasn’t being managed or maximized. We had also recently launched a new website. Our SEO was a mess from the transition. We didn’t have the internal resources to perform an audit, so we turned to Relevance Advisors.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We ended up going with Relevance Advisors for the SEO audit and Google Ads grant management. With the audit, they provided us with a thorough report of where our SEO stands, areas for improvement, and an outline for action items.

We had $10,000 a month in the grant for the ads management, and we weren’t managing it at all. We called on them to analyze what was going on with our Google Ads and then develop a strategy to maximize the grant and increase our clicks. They’ve been writing up content and setting up reporting.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with three team members, but I’m primarily interfacing with Benjamin (CEO & President). We’ve worked with a search marketing analyst and paid media manager from their team.

How did you come to work with Relevance Advisors?

We found them from a referral from one of our internal teammates who worked with them in the past. After following her referral, we considered Relevance Advisors and two other companies who answered our RFP.

While all three vendors were similar in price and experience, our team member's high recommendation made Relevance Advisors stand out.

How much have you invested with them?

At this point, we’ve spent around $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our SEO audit is wrapped up, but we still work with them for Google Ads management. Since they’ve taken that over, we’ve been able to maximize our grant funds. We’ve received about $72,000 in ad value compared to the $3,000 we received in 2019. This had led us to over 40,000 impressions and over 5,000 clicks monthly that we didn’t have before.

How did Relevance Advisors perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re great with project management. Their communication is consistent. Their team is reliable, providing clear monthly reports. Most of our communication is through email, but before COVID-19, they could visit us in person.

Benjamin goes above and beyond. One day, there was an emergency when I was out of the office. He made sure to text me to ensure it was taken care of. They’re accessible and quick.

Our internal team is often pulled in many directions, but Relevance Advisors is key to keeping us on track.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their level of expertise allows them to create an effective strategy. We haven’t had any hiccups or red flags. Their suggestions have been spot on. Like I said, their communication is incredible.

Relevance Advisors are invested in our success, proactively ensuring that our goals are possible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I honestly can’t think of anything. We’re pretty happy with everything at this time.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Hashing out the scope of work in the beginning, is key. Make sure everything is clear, so there are no gray areas. We didn’t have problems because we took the time to do that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of communications for a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting ovarian cancer through funding, research, advocacy efforts, and programs that support survivors and their families. We’re the largest organization dedicated to fighting ovarian cancer on all fronts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Relevance Advisors?

At the time, we had a monthly grant from Google that would allow us to manage our rankings. However, we weren’t paying much attention to it in-house. We decided to hire a time to focus on the spending of the grant.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us determine how to market ourselves on Google, finding ideal keywords for us and structuring many different campaigns and ads. Focusing on our resources, they grew and managed traffic through our monthly grant. 

Fairly shortly after their initial work, we started qualifying for a $40,000 monthly grant. That allowed them to expand their research to help us maximize our conversions in new ways.

What is the team composition?

We work with a three-person team, with one main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Relevance Advisors?

The owner has a connection to our cause and contacted us about the work. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since November 2010.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen our conversions rise steadily over the years. Prior to engaging Relevance Advisors, we were spending under 1% of our monthly $10K Google Ad Grants budget. After engaging with them, we quickly qualified for more grant funding.

Since then, we’ve received $3 million in Google Ads value through our engagement. They create and manage our Google Ad campaigns based on close monitoring of performance and subsequent communication with our team. They’ve identified key areas for opportunity on our website, increasing organic and paid traffic. 

How did Relevance Advisors perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re clear, direct, and able to deliver on our timelines. When we engage them, we can count on them making themselves available to us with answers to our questions. They’re also always willing to walk through their processes with us. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re responsive and understanding, which has been helpful. On multiple occasions, they’ve been able to alert us of changes to keep us on top of our advertisements. They’ve been great at keeping our team aligned with Google requirements. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’ve done everything we’ve asked of them and more. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear and direct with them and they will match your direct communication. They’ll be frequent communicators, willing to clarify anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

When I worked with Relevance Advisors, I was a chief client officer for North America at a London advertising agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Relevance Advisors?

I hired Relevance Advisors to work alongside me as a partner to deliver a large-scale digital transformation from a website & SEO perspective for a client in the food service industry.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We were tasked with revamping a website and digital marketing plans for the client. We partnered with Relevance Advisors in a strategic capacity to understand the appropriate metadata for this company, help us optimize their SEO practices, and to ensure we were delivering on the metrics the client wanted to see.

Their team provided development services while consulting our process. They created a corporate website that was focused on branding. Their team assisted us in providing a joint recommendation to the client on how they should proceed with SEO and digital marketing.

What is the team composition?

We worked with four or five people from their team. Ben (President & CEO) was always the lead in terms of strategy. Brian (Senior Search Marketing Analyst) also worked with us consistently.

How did you come to work with Relevance Advisors?

I’d known Ben from business school. We kept in touch throughout the years, and when he started his business, he came to me. Over time, I brought them in several times. Relevance Advisors is built on his values.

How much have you invested with them?

Over time, I would say between $500,000–$1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together on this project from January 2016–August 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The client was quite happy with them. After the launch, which went quite well, they continued with them after that.

Relevance Advisors always delivers on what they say they’re going to do.

How did Relevance Advisors perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re fantastic. They’re organized and deliver on time. Their project planning is also clear. The team is always accessible. They’re a great partner to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate their transparency and honesty. Ben and his team are very buttoned up and direct. When working with them, it’s easy to trust them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they were an equal partner to me. It was always an easy and congenial discussion.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

During the sales process, Ben is a straightforward guy. When he tells you he’s going to deliver, he’s not overemphasizing what needs to be done. He’s forthright and truthful about what he believes his clients need. His strategic mindset adds value.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the president of Toolbox No. 9, a user-experience design and development agency. We create highly engaging websites and applications for our partners.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Relevance Advisors?

Toolbox and Relevance have had a long-term partnership. Relevance has helped our clients gain deeper traction with Paid and Organic search, as well as manage paid media campaigns. Relevance has also assisted in the implementation of complicated analytics projects.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to drive more ROI for our customers by augmenting their enterprise websites to gain more visits from qualified leads.

SOLUTION

How did you select Relevance Advisors?

I have been colleagues with the founder of Relevance for over 12 years and have respected his reputation in our industry.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

SEO Services PPC Management Paid Display Media Campaign Management Google Analytics Implementation

What was the team composition?

Benjamin Rudolph was our primary point of contact, but his extended team has assisted with multiple phases of the project(s).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Relevance is very proactive and very forthcoming with information. All of our campaigns were executed properly.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I was not part of the Project Management team.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their tactical knowledge and expertise in the subject matter we needed to execute these paid media campaigns.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re the Chick-Fil-A College Football Hall of Fame and I’m the CEO. We represent all 775 institutions that play college football across the country at all levels. We are both a hall of fame and a fan experience. We consider ourselves a destination here in Atlanta for fans across the country.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Relevance Advisors?

We hired them to help with our SEO ranking and conversion results. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They began with an initial audit. We had a gap and didn’t have an SEO partner, so the site needed a lot of attention. They did a great job identifying things that could make an immediate impact and tasks that we could focus on as a long-term opportunity. From there, since we enjoyed working with them, we hired them on retainer to help with these efforts. 

Every month, they come with ideas and reporting on how to improve our efforts. For example, with the increased search the market has seen for COVID-19 safe activities, they encouraged us to develop content around that idea. They encouraged us to show that we’re open, following safety protocols, and are a perfect venue to visit during this time. 

What is the team composition?

We work with 3–4 people on their team. Benjamin (President & CEO) rolls up his sleeves whenever he needs to and is very involved in our work, which gives me great comfort and I appreciate it. 

How did you come to work with Relevance Advisors?

I’d been working on the paid search side with a different vendor and expressed I was looking for a new SEO partner, and they recommended Relevance Advisors. I spoke to a few other organizations but I really liked them and their approach, so the rest is history.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $50,000 on their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in October 2018 and we’re continuing to work together. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of their work has been impeccable. From reporting to being proactive, they have been great. Previously, we’d slipped in our rankings but since having their eyes on it, we’ve seen an immediate and continued improvement in many of our metrics. It’s a very competitive landscape here in Atlanta, and they’ve helped us continue to see steady improvement. 

How did Relevance Advisors perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been very proactive as well as responsive. The reporting is very detailed and easy to understand; we can digest it, analyze it, and take action from it. They use Slack to communicate with our day-to-day person. Our team has been pleased the entire time we’ve worked with them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The involvement of Benjamin with clients is very important. Also, their willingness to be flexible during COVID-19 when our business is in a challenging place has been great. They’ve been willing to stand by us and are helping us come out of the other side. Their loyalty during this time ensures they will always have my loyalty going forward.

Other companies would never do the same work but have us pay half the price as they have. We’re extremely appreciative and thankful for that; there’s not much more you can ask for in a partner. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m not in the weeds with them, so from what I’ve seen, we’ve had a successful and positive relationship. There’s always a way to improve, but I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to be informed as a client. You’ll never need to know as much as they do, but being informed will help you understand what they’re doing for you. When you can challenge them and push them, you’ll get more out of the relationship. I’d encourage any agency partner to have as much knowledge as they can going into it. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing communications for a company that provides exceptional head protection systems to those who risk their lives every day, including operators in the military, law enforcement, search and rescue, and adventure communities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Relevance Advisors?

We were looking to increase e-commerce sales through organic search and paid digital marketing efforts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Relevance Advisors helps to improve our organic search performance, but works primarily on our PPC strategy, including social media prospecting and retargeting ads. They work on SEO and Google Ads, creating and disseminating content. We design the creative while the Relevance Advisors team writes copy, which we then approve.

When I first joined the company and brought Relevance Advisors on board, the team did a website audit for us to determine how we were performing from an organic search standpoint. They continue to pull digital analytics for us on a monthly basis.

What is the team composition?

We have four main contacts. We work with Chris (Paid Media Manager), who’s our main PPC and Google Ads contact. We also work with Michael (Director of Digital Marketing), who oversees Chris. Benjamin (President & CEO) checks in on us regularly, and Brian (Senior Search Marketing Analyst) handles SEO and organic search for us.

How did you come to work with Relevance Advisors?

I have a longstanding relationship with them. I used to be on the agency side, where I worked with them as a partner agency on clients together. When I went in-house, I wanted to keep working with them. 

How much have you invested with them? 

By the end of our third year, we will have invested a total of $187,000 with the Relevance Advisors team. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Relevance Advisors provides us with in-depth monthly reports of the performance of all of our digital marketing efforts. We continue to invest with them because it’s been hugely successful. Since I’ve started with my current company, they’ve helped us triple our e-commerce business. That improvement is a testament to their work and our continued investment in the relationship.

How did Relevance Advisors perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform really well. They’re very responsive. Any time I have questions, they’re quick to get back to me. We have a monthly call where we review all of the data we provide, so if I have any questions, I can ask in the moment. If there’s any changes that need to be made to our strategy, those recommendations can be made on those calls. It’s very effective.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their skillset isn’t unique to them, so the thing that sets them apart is trust. Relevance Advisors is a team of great people, and I trust that they have my business’ best interests at the forefront. I trust that the time they spend working on the account is completely transparent. Their integrity is the fundamental reason I’ve enjoyed working with Relevance Advisors for so long.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The organic side has the biggest opportunity for growth. It’s a relatively new initiative and we’re still establishing benchmarks; so I don't think it’s for lack of competency on their part, but rather just the area I would like to see the most growth in in our relationship.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re so great to work with, the main thing is just to make sure you include them as part of your team. If they’re not privy to your goals or your needs, then they’re not going to be as successful as if they are. If given the chance to be successful, Relevant Advisors will certainly rise to the occasion.