Straight North

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

The company is a vehicle tracking service. We sell GPS devices that are installed in company vehicles.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m the president of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Straight North?

They help us manage our pay-per-click and SEO [search engine optimization] campaigns and bring us more leads.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

They help with organic SEO work, pay-per-click advertising and website design. They do copyrighting and make changes on the site for SEO purposes. They do onsite and offsite work.

What was your process for selecting Straight North with which to work?

They had come in and presented to us, we weren’t ready at that time but we reengaged them more than a year later. I really didn’t do any research. They found us through an acquaintance who is a trusted source, so we listened to their presentation and had a melding of minds right away. 

Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative in dollar terms or a personnel work-hour figure?

We spend $8,000 a month with them. 

When was the work completed?

We started in December of 2010, and it’s a monthly service.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

When we first started with them we were getting 300 to 400 leads a year from our SEO. They’ve increased that to 2,300 this year through November.

Are you satisfied with their performance?

Yes. They do a nice job.

Is there anything unique or special about Straight North that really makes them stand out compared to other online marketing companies?

They go beyond the call of duty more often than not. If we have questions about marketing they will meet with us to give us ideas. The more we grow, the more valuable they are to us. There have been issues, but they’ve always reacted in the right way.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

No. I wouldn’t say there’s anything I would have them do differently. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Vice President / President of Rock Solid Stabilization / Rock Solid Materials

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Rock Solid provides sustainable soil stabilization, road reconstruction, and dry bulk logistics solutions for infrastructure projects across the country.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Straight North to accomplish?

• Increase our online visibility to drive quote requests and generate more project leads

SOLUTION

How did you find Straight North?

Referral

Why did you select Straight North over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Straight North were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Deliverables include, content optimization, link acquisition, Google Business Profile optimization, technical SEO audits, growing organic search visibility, increasing traffic, and tracking leads/conversions. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We've seen strong growth in our online visibility, with several key industry search terms reaching the #1 position on Google. Combined with a steady stream of leads from both organic search and digital advertising, the results have made a meaningful impact on our business.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The team is always on time and very responsive to any of our needs.

What was your primary form of communication with Straight North?

Virtual Meeting

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

They do all the heavy lifting.  We meet for a half hour once a month to review the previous month's results and they just keep improving.

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

I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.:
Ecommerce Auto parts

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address?
Increase inorganic flow to my website

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement and team dynamic?
They took on my entire Google ads account

What's the status of this engagement?

I have finished working with them

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did your relationship with your partner evolve?
The management team ensured that I was completely satisfied with my results before ending our contract.

In what ways can they improve?
Having video call updates with people directly working on my account rather than a middleman.

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

Straight North has a focus on ad spend strategies, take your creative into your own hands and make sure it is good.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on August 3, 2026.

Ian Rush

Owner, West Coast Classic Cougar

Automotive

Salem, Oregon

1-10

Apr 2026 - Jul 2026

Less than $10,000

Verified

Project summary

A classic car part retail company hired Straight North to manage their PPC campaigns. The team was responsible for increasing the client's Google Ads efficiency to boost qualified leads.

Feedback summary

Straight North's efforts resulted in a significant drop in conversions and ROAS for the client. The team's account manager lacked expertise and was unhelpful, and they failed to make amends. Straight North refused to refund the fees that the client had paid and did not explain the poor results.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of West Coast Classic Cougar

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Sell new and used car parts for the 1967-1973 Mercury Cougar

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Straight North to accomplish?

• Increase qualified leads to our website

SOLUTION

How did you find Straight North?

Online Search

Why did you select Straight North over others?

Pressuring sales team

How many teammates from Straight North were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Attempted to increase out Google ads efficiency 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Straight North has an incredibly persuasive sales pitch. Even though I initially doubted they were the right fit to improve my Google Ads account, their sales team convinced me that I would be making a mistake to turn them down, so I signed on. Over the next four months, I paid their agency fees and drastically increased my Google ad spend (which was essentially the only real recommendation they made). The results were disastrous: my overall conversions dropped significantly, and my Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) absolutely tanked. To make matters worse, my account manager acted merely as a middleman for the people actually running my campaigns. He couldn't provide any concrete answers during our check-ins and offered zero insight into why my account was bleeding money. Our meetings were entirely unhelpful because his response was always that he needed to "talk to his higher-ups" to get answers. When I voiced my frustration regarding the poor results, they made no substantial effort to make amends. I saw zero proof of any actual industry expertise. They seemed genuinely surprised that their changes caused a drop in conversions, yet they couldn't provide a single intelligent explanation as to why it happened. I requested a refund of their management fees, and they refused. While they obviously cannot get back the pile of money they wasted on Google Ads on my behalf, my offer stands: if they reimburse the agency fees I paid them to disrupt my account, I will remove this review. Ian West Coast Classic Cougar

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

I only spoke with a low down employee who was not able to answer my questions. 

What was your primary form of communication with Straight North?

Virtual Meeting

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

NA

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

Do not sell to accounts who you have nothing to offer to

STAR RATINGS

Overall rating: 0.5 Lack industry expertise

Quality: 0.5

Cost: 0.5

Schedule: 0.5

Willing to refer: 0.5

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Tour Operations Coordinator of Chicago Prime Tours

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Themed bus tour company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Straight North to accomplish?

• Build new company brand
• Create visibility online
• Increase ticket sales

SOLUTION

How did you find Straight North?

Referral

Why did you select Straight North over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Straight North were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Sell tickets for themed tours. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Increased brand awareness by 43 percent from June to July 2026 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

My team communicted directly, and focused on our needs to align within our budget. 

What was your primary form of communication with Straight North?

Virtual Meeting

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

Straight North's personalized service and reporting metrics stand out.

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

N/A 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the president of Bigfoot Homes, a construction company. We provide affordable, sustainable modular housing solutions in California, offering eco-friendly features and handling sales, permits, delivery, and installation to address the state's housing shortage efficiently.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Straight North?

We needed help getting our Google Ads off the ground and running. We had zero advertising going when we started.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Straight North has helped us initiate a Google Ads campaign from scratch. They've set up the ad account and created ad copy. We also have regular check-ins.

What is the team composition?

We work with one teammate from Straight North.

How did you come to work with Straight North?

We found them through an online search. We chose them over other options because they had high ratings, their pricing fit our budget, and they offered good value for the cost.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2025, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The number of inbound leads has been strong.

How did Straight North perform from a project management standpoint?

They deliver on time. We communicate via email and messaging apps.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're hands-on and deliver good results.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO of The Brand Consultancy, a company that provides branding services by combining research, analytics, strategy, and design to deliver actionable insights and measurable growth for clients, focusing on aligning brand strategy to business goals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Straight North?

We needed help with lead generation.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Straight North provided SEO and paid lead generation services. The team delivered reports, landing pages, website optimization suggestions, and blog templates.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 2–5 teammates from Straight North.

How did you come to work with Straight North?

We found them on Clutch and chose them because of their high ratings.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April–December 2025.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received reports from Straight North, but we didn't see any measurable outcomes or leads.

How did Straight North perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated via virtual meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Nothing stood out as impressive or unique.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Straight North's salesperson lied to get our business but delivered nothing. They could have had a more trustworthy salesperson.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Sales & Marketing Manager of Kelair Products, LLC

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a Manufacturing company that has two different lines we own and manufacture for. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Straight North to accomplish?

• SEO optimization
• Website assistance
• Overall Marketing assistance and analytics

SOLUTION

How did you find Straight North?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Straight North over others?

I am not sure I was not apart of that

How many teammates from Straight North were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

On the Kelair side of our business we manage and change/redesign the website and track the analytics associated with that. They write and publish blog posts, manage google pay per click and SEO, and help track calls and website submissions.

On the Woodlawn side of our business which we recently aquired they have been assisting in first making a splash page, and now creating the fully built out website. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We were successfully able to get many of our products on the first page of google. We were able for the first time to track analytics, clicks, calls, submissions, and all things SEO. We were able to put out relavant and helpful information as well as build one for our new company. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Calli was who we have been working with most. She goes above and beyond to hear our needs, and then implament them. She is very honest with us when things are working, when that are not, and how we can pivot/adust for the best results possible. She's creative and business savvy and we really enjoy working with her. 

What was your primary form of communication with Straight North?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I find their communication style really works well with mine. We don't waste time, we tend to just get right down to the numbers and the needs. I find their turn around time and results they offer to be very impressive.

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

Not that I have for them!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive of Royal Family Tours

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We offer VIP TOURS in Disney World Orlando, Universal and Seaworld. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Straight North to accomplish?

• I have a couple of complaints against Straight North

SOLUTION

How did you find Straight North?

Online Search

Why did you select Straight North over others?

Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from Straight North were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Massive Financial Loss Due to Their Mistakes
One of their biggest failures was setting up our landing page and advertising campaigns with a non-working phone number. This meant that countless potential customers called a dead number, and we lost an enormous amount of revenue—especially during our busiest season.

This wasn’t a minor mistake—it directly impacted our sales, customer retention, and overall business growth. Because of their lack of attention to detail, we lost not only immediate revenue but also returning customers who would have continued using our services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Google Ads Blocked Due to Their Incompetence
More recently, Straight North caused another major financial setback when they set up a contact form on our website that contained malware. As a result, Google flagged our site and completely blocked our Google Ads campaigns.

When we contacted Straight North for support, their team ignored our calls, failed to provide any specific details about the malware issue, and refused to take real responsibility.

For reference, when Google detects security issues, they provide detailed reports pinpointing the exact problem areas—but Straight North never shared any of this critical information with us. We had to reach out to WP Engine ourselves and discovered that the malware was embedded in the contact form they had built.

Because of their incompetence and lack of urgency, our Google Ads campaigns were completely shut down, meaning we couldn’t reach new customers, drive traffic, or generate sales for an extended period. This is unacceptable for any business that relies on paid advertising.

Zero Accountability and Terrible Customer Service
Their customer service is non-existent. In over five years of working with them, I have never spoken to their customer service representative. Emails go unanswered, phone calls are ignored, and when I finally got through to someone, I was given excuses instead of solutions.

At one point, I had to call six different people in their company, and not a single one picked up the phone. I reported the same issue multiple times, yet no one provided a real answer or took responsibility.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Final Insult: They terminated the Contract Without Fixing Anything
Instead of correcting their mistakes and restoring our Google Ads account, Straight North ended our contract without solving the problem. They left us with a website flagged by Google, blocked ad campaigns, and significant financial losses.

Warning to Future Clients: DO NOT Work with Straight North
I have documented proof of everything—emails, conversations, and evidence—should we decide to pursue legal action. I strongly urge other businesses to avoid Straight North at all costs.

Their leadership ignores clients, their team is unreliable, and their customer service is among the worst I have ever encountered.

If you value your business, DO NOT trust Straight North with your website, advertising, or digital marketing needs. We will be sharing this review on multiple platforms to ensure others don’t make the same mistake we did.

What was your primary form of communication with Straight North?

Virtual Meeting

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

there is nothing impresive with this company, they are terrible a customer service and delaling with mistakes and emergencies. they do not care about their cusotmers. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder of Elevate Counseling

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Mental Health counseling services

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Straight North to accomplish?

• Revamp the website to amore modern and functional design
• Improve the customer experience
• Improve SEO

SOLUTION

How did you find Straight North?

Online Search

Why did you select Straight North over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Straight North were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Completely redesign my current website into a more modern and attractive design, while improving functionality and SEO

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They delivered a beautiful design that reflects my business's values, along with engaging content that attracts clients to the practice.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The team at Straight North did an excellent job of informing me of their progress and providing a timeline that they successfully met.

What was your primary form of communication with Straight North?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The design team listened to my business's needs and understood some of the challenges of behavioral mental health.

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

NA