ThinkBIGsites.com

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a driving school in the New York City area. We have a couple of driving school locations in the New York suburbs.

What is your position?

I am the vice president of the company. I handled the work with ThinkBIGsites and am responsible for our website and marketing plan.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with ThinkBIGsites.com?

I wanted to drive more revenue to the company. We want parents and student teachers to find us online after searching for relevant schools. We operate in a competitive industry because there are many driving schools and private teachers.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

ThinkBIGsites offers only SEO [search engine optimization] services to our company. Paid search is handled by a different agency.

How did you come to work with ThinkBIGsites.com?

We made a Google search and interviewed three or four firms, ultimately choosing ThinkBIGsites. It was important to us to find a firm that was an expert of their own craft. We only wanted to work with companies that were highly rated on review sites and all over Google's front page.

We didn't want to work with a small agency that couldn't rank their own website. ThinkBIGsites  was well known and accessible, so it was an easy decision.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The annual cost of ThinkBIGsites's services is $10,000 or more. I cannot give a more precise amount, but it's definitely more than $1,000 per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have been working together for a year and a half. We have a monthly arrangement with ThinkBIGsites. We have no immediate plans to leave them and will stay with them as long as we see results.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We are satisfied with ThinkBIGsites's work. We receive monthly reports from them, so we always know what kind of work is being done and what our results are. I don't have any specific metrics at this time, though.

How did ThinkBIGsites.com perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very responsive, and we've always been able to reach the right people when necessary.

What distinguishes ThinkBIGsites.com from other providers?

They are very experienced working with clients of our size. Their knowledge and competence comes out strongly in project management.

Is there anything ThinkBIGsites.com could have improved or done differently?

Their price could always be better, but I can't think of anything in particular that ThinkBIGsites could have done better.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We're a managed IT [information technology] provider offering IT, networking, website administration, digital, hardware and software installations, and so on.

What is your position?

I am the chief development officer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with ThinkBIGsites.com?

We wanted to increase our search engine optimization and web presence in order to attract more clients.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

ThinkBIGsites offers us organic SEO [search engine optimization] services.

How did you come to work with ThinkBIGsites.com?

We searched for SEO companies on Google. ThinkBIGsites came up as one of the top-rated agencies in the United States. We chose them over the top-ranked option because ThinkBIGsites was more mature and they fit our budget.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The monthly cost for ThinkBIGsites's services is around $1,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have been working with ThinkBIGsites for around three months. We have no plans to stop the collaboration.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We've seen some phenomenal results so far. One of the clients for which we've hired ThinkBIGsites had a ranking increase from page six to page one in a matter of three months. We consider this to be a positive result.

How did ThinkBIGsites.com perform from a project management standpoint?

They start the work very quickly and make an impact within 90 days. This wouldn't be possible without strong project management from their leadership.

What distinguishes ThinkBIGsites.com from other providers?

I'm particularly satisfied with their customer service.

Is there anything ThinkBIGsites.com could have improved or done differently?

No. We are completely satisfied with what we are receiving.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a business specializing in designer dogs. We raise purebred poodles combined with other purebreds. The Bernedoodle is our number-one bestselling animal, but we also raise Goldendoodles and English doodles.

What is your position?

I am the owner of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with ThinkBIGsites.com?

We wanted to increase sales and profits through our site, where most of our business is run. We sell high-dollar dogs that can't be sold in the numbers that we produce in a small area. We're located in Tennessee, but we sell our animals to Connecticut, California, Alaska, and so on.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

ThinkBIGsites provides SEO [search engine optimization] services for our business. My son-in-law designed our website and got our online presence started. We do not run a pay-per-click campaign. We used to have paid ads, but it was too expensive. We buy dogs on an ongoing basis as part of building up our breeding stock. I know what looking for a dog can involve. I often visit the same site 10 times, without buying anything. I don't know if this same behavior was true for our site, but we needed to get a good return-on-investment for our advertising. We were paying between $500 and $1,000 per month, without actually making sales. I needed a solution that would place our site at the top on a permanent basis, making us available to people who actually search for breeders instead of simply clicking on an ad. SEO has a cost, but it's still cheaper and certainly more effective than pay per click.

How did you come to work with ThinkBIGsites.com?

We had used another company in the past, but they didn't deliver the results that we wanted. I liked the concept of SEO, so we started shopping around for other agencies. We made web searches, looking to see what companies appeared in the top results, as this would be a direct indicator of their efficiency. I also read reviews on a few different rating portals. I met ThinkBIGsites' principal [Mark Arner] and found him to be very personable. I also liked the fact that, in the beginning, we received a month's services for free. We weren't bound by a contract and could opt-out at any time. We'd been badly burned by our first company. We paid them $5,000 without seeing any sales as a result. ThinkBIGsites plan had a lower risk, so we were fine with taking a shot. We saw immediate results from that, even though they were not overwhelming. Right now, though, we receive seven to 10 contacts each day. 

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The monthly cost of ThinkBIGsites' services is $750.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have been working with ThinkBIGsites for around six months. We haven't decided on having a long-term relationship with ThinkBIGsites yet, but I would not consider stopping the work right now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

I figure out what my expenses are on a yearly basis in order to determine what the profit for each litter will be. In the past, advertising was a huge expense, relative to our business volume. The cost-per-acquisition has gone down significantly. Even though we're now paying $750 per month instead of $500, we're doing five times the business. To me, this was a good result and makes ThinkBIGsites a great value.

It is hard to determine what the actual impact of ThinkBIGsites' work has been, given that we can only sell the number of dogs that we currently have. No matter how good their services are, I cannot go past that number. As such, I wouldn't even want to limit ThinkBIGsites' results to the 400 percent increase in our sales. I've had to put some clients on waiting lists, which is partly because certain breeds get more demands at certain times. Based on the people that call to inquire, I estimate that our sales could even be double, if we were able to meet the demand.

What distinguishes ThinkBIGsites.com from other providers?

I've only used two SEO agencies so far. The first ones talked about their future accomplishments to great lengths, but they didn't deliver. When I confronted them about this, I was told that I'd bought the wrong package. I told them that they should stand behind their work and do something to address the results instead of telling me that it was my fault. ThinkBIGsites gave me exactly what I wanted.

I recently talked to them about adding a new search term for another dog breed. ThinkBIGsites did it without extra charge. Right now, I have zero complaints about them.

Is there anything ThinkBIGsites.com could have improved or done differently?

They could contact me more often, but the phone works both ways. I can call ThinkBIGsites whenever I want.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Our company specializes in breeding bull terriers. I run a small business out of my home in Alabama with the help of close associates and family members. We sell and breed bull terriers to clients around the United States.

What is your position?

I am the owner of the business. We are very small.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with ThinkBIGsites.com?

I needed help maintaining a good ranking on Google. I rely on Google advertising for the majority of my new clients. I'm not a technical person and don't pay a lot of attention to my website, but I know that my website generates calls from potential customers.

My main goal is to keep the phone ringing off the hook so I can sell as many puppies as possible. ThinkBIGsites.com helps me with this effort.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

ThinkBIGsites.com has provided SEO [search engine optimization] services for me.

How did you come to work with ThinkBIGsites.com?

I chose them because ThinkBIGsites.com had a high approval rating online. I read reviews on various industry sites and was pleased by their other client testimonials. I was comforted by the fact that they show up on every relevant web search. I thought that if they rank on Google's first page for their own company, that they were true SEO experts.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

My account is small in terms of most clients that they service. I only spend several hundred dollars per month. I spend less than $10,000 per year, but my investment makes a large impact. I don't track analytics but I know my ROI [return on investment] is strong.

What is the status of this engagement?

I've been working with ThinkBIGsites.com for almost one full year [since 2015]. The work is ongoing, and I have no plans to stop.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

ThinkBIGsites.com has been helpful to me in many ways. I haven't done any meaningful tracking of my metrics, though. I don't pay attention to the Google Analytics reports because I'm not skilled with the technical parts of my website. I can say definitely that my customer phone calls have increased. I am growing my sales because the help of ThinkBIGsites.com. I probably should track results, but I haven't yet.

How did ThinkBIGsites.com perform from a project management standpoint?

They are very friendly and attentive to my account although it's not large for them. I appreciate their communication and professionalism.

What distinguishes ThinkBIGsites.com from other providers?

Thinkbig gets results in terms of leads generated and sales. I've tried other SEO firms that weren't good and didn't deliver any meaningful results. ThinkBIGsites.com is the real deal.

Is there anything ThinkBIGsites.com could have improved or done differently?

I couldn't say anything major. I am happy with the results provided by ThinkBIGsites.com. I only judge them based on qualified leads that call me. They are successful in this regard, so I have no complaints. I would recommend them to other small business customers.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a golf travel company. We set up custom packages for clients of golf courses in the United States and Europe. We help people book vacations easier and save time and money.

What is your position?

I am the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the company. Our website is our primary asset and I am the main employee.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with ThinkBIG?

I wanted to have a better ranking on Google, on the SEO side of things. We generally focus on Google organic search results to get most of our new and most valuable clients. 

My goal is to find the best types of clients that will book several vacations over several years. These clients are worth thousands each to me.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

ThinkBIG manages all the factors that go into getting the best possible ranking on Google. They provide article submissions and SEO improvements. I only engage in organic SEO, with no pay-per-click advertising.

How did you come to work with ThinkBIG?

I did some online research, looking at how different SEO companies were ranked. If I recall correctly, ThinkBIG appeared consistently within the first five positions in many lists, with few fluctuations. I called the companies that ranked in the top positions most often, and was sold by the conversation had with the representative at ThinkBIG. They also have very good pricing, compared to what they offer. ThinkBIG is far more competitive than any other SEO companies which I contacted, and from what I understand, they are able to achieve this by employing a remote staff and not paying for a large location. They pass on the saving to people like me.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The monthly cost for ThinkBIG services is $500. I've made some changes to our package and estimate that the monthly cost will rise to $750 to $1,000 in the future.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together for one year. I have put the work on hold for a month and a half because the quoting system for my company is changing. This had nothing to do with ThinkBIG.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

I haven't hit the first page of Google results yet, but this is more to do with my budget and the competition in my field. We've stayed on page 2 for the bulk of our targeted keywords, which is satisfactory to me.

How did ThinkBIG perform from a project management standpoint?

Whenever I have any concerns or issues, ThinkBIG is by my side helping me out. They're good for SEO issues, but if I happen to ask a question that is outside of that scope and has more to do with what would be best for the website, the ThinkBIG team is more than happy to have a discussion with me.

What distinguishes ThinkBIG from other providers?

I've enjoyed chatting with the CEO of Thinkbig and picking his brain. He understand the overall business environment for online businesses and knows how to grow in many industries.

Is there anything ThinkBIG could have improved or done differently?

I can't name anything that ThinkBIG should improve. I am completely satisfied and even consider their top people my friends. I can even joke and laugh with them while we discuss business and personal matters.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are headquartered in Washington, D.C. We provide lending against securities portfolios for franchises and businesses, acting as a business founding company.

What is your position?

I am the senior advisor and a cofounder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with ThinkBIGsites.com?

We were targeting a number of keywords that we knew were quite popular, but also difficult in terms of obtaining a high Google ranking. I had developed a few sites with a previous company and knew that getting on the first page of results could take a few years. We developed a new site in 2011, and it became very difficult to obtain a good ranking.

We chugged along on our own, trying our best to use LinkedIn and other social platforms without getting a higher ranking on Google. We also bought AdWords, which was very expensive. Eight months ago, we decided to try an SEO [search engine optimization] service, being fully aware of the fly-by-night companies out there.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

ThinkBIGsites provided SEO services for us. We made a selection of five keywords and went to work. Within the first month, we received a report through which we could see some improvement on the words that we were targeting.

ThinkBIGsites employs individuals to actually write articles for us and publish them with our embedded links. They are actually solid, interesting articles on the subject of securities and related topics. They're placed into good-quality sites, which I was surprised to see.

How did you come to work with ThinkBIGsites.com?

We simply wanted to find a firm with good reviews and a good track record. We wanted to find a positive reference as well, so we did our homework and narrowed the selection down to a couple of options. ThinkBIGsites was the one that we chose. Their principal [managing partner Mark Arner] explained the process for us, and we also spoke with a project manager who worked with us on solidifying the best possible keywords for the project.

I can't remember exactly how we found them, but it may have been a top-ranking review site that compared SEO services. I looked at a couple of firms and found one that looked legitimate. Whenever I research a company, I will look at their website, determine for how long they've been in business, read testimonials, certifications from the Better Business Bureau, and so on. From all of the choices, ThinkBIGsites looked like the most solid fit for us.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The monthly cost for their services is $500, so the total cost is about $3,000 to $4,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have been working with ThinkBIGsites for six to seven months. We've to take a pause for the moment, but may go back to them if we see sliding for some of our keywords or if there are new ones that we decide to prop up. ThinkBIGsites is only keeping an eye on the keywords for us and letting us know if anything major is going on.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

One of the biggest keywords targeted was "stock loan." When we started out, our site was on page nine, reaching the fourth page within a month. During the next month, we hit the bottom of page one, so ThinkBIGsites worked very quickly. Other ones moved up as well, but slower.

Out of the five keywords we targeted, our site ended up on page one for three of them and on page two for the other two. There have been a number of three-word searches that we didn't even solicit and for which we're suddenly featured on the first page. "Stock-secured loan" is one example. We're pleasantly surprised to see this, and ThinkBIGsites has done a good job for us.

How did ThinkBIGsites.com perform from a project management standpoint?

We receive reports on the actual work being done, including incoming links and what kind of publications those are featured in.

What distinguishes ThinkBIGsites.com from other providers?

I've had a couple of bad experiences in the past with small SEO firms. When I first started working with ThinkBIGsites, I was skeptical. For the $500 I was paying each month, I wanted to see something. ThinkBIGsites has been very responsive whenever I asked for early reports, delivering them to me without complaining. They are much better than other SEO agencies I tried.

When we asked a detailed list of the results of their work, ThinkBIGsites went beyond the two keywords that we were targeting, instead listing three to four items. We checked each one and saw that they were right, not just giving us a pretty speech. On many instances, our company was number one after the ad listings. I have only positive things to say about their group. They pretty much do what they say they're going to do. ThinkBIGsites is a bit pricy for a smaller firm, but $500 per month isn't such a bad price, considering the results we've received. 

Is there anything ThinkBIGsites.com could have improved or done differently?

ThinkBIGsites allowed me to swap one of the keywords targeted, given that it was clearly unachievable due to its attractiveness to mortgage companies. They were realistic with me and let me know that it was a tough one to tackle. We only ever came to page three of the results for it. I asked ThinkBIGsites to swap the keyword, and they allowed me this, although the new one didn't get high results, either. I explored whether we could swap the word once more, but they told me that it wouldn't be possible without moving to the next pricing class. I consider that they were justified in their decision, and I don't resent them, but ThinkBIGsites could allow two swaps every six months or something of this nature, whenever a keyword isn't working out. I would call it a minor issue, though.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

I run a website for local real estate on the North Shore of Long Island.

What is your position?

I am an independent contractor.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with ThinkBIG?

My aim was to drive more traffic to the site, specifically people looking for real estate.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

Think Big has provided a combination of SEO and Facebook marketing for my business.

How did you come to work with ThinkBIG?

They're a local company, so I decided to give them a try. I'd met them personally on a previous occasion.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The average monthly cost is $1,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I've been working with them for two years. The relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

I'm extremely satisfied with them. Initially, traffic wasn't significant for my site, but it's increased greatly. In terms of clients, results can vary from month to month, but ThinkBig has definitely attracted new interest to my business.

How did Think Big perform from a project management standpoint?

They are fantastic because they always respond to the client and act as my secret weapon. I’m very conscious about being anonymous because I don’t want other agents to learn about ThinkBIG. I consider them the X-factor that helped my business grow a lot recently.

What distinguishes ThinkBIG from other providers?

Their customer service is generally good. ThinkBIG is always available and I've had an overall good experience.

Is there anything ThinkBIG could have improved or done differently?

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a garage door company located 20 miles north of downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We are a family-owned business focused on installing and servicing garage doors, entry doors, and awnings.

What is your position?

I am the Vice President and Treasurer of the company. I am also in charge of marketing and sales.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with ThinkBIG?

We hadn't had great luck with our organic search efforts and were looking for a new agency. It’s very difficult to find and keep a solid SEM [search engine marketing] agency.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

ThinkBIG offer organic SEO services to us. We're currently focusing on 20 keywords, with great results. I check my rankings personally in order to make sure that we're still in the top positions on Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

I am using a different company for ad words. I am happy with them and I don't want to switch. I also don't like putting all my eggs into one basket.

How did you come to work with ThinkBIG?

I came to know them through a friend who suggested their company. I met with one of their representatives and also checked references. I had to be careful, given that our previous company had been very hit-and-miss in terms of results. We contacted them and engaged in a test project, focusing on ten keywords.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The typical annual cost for their services is around $10,000-12,000. ThinkBIG is very competitive within the market, especially when comparing their services to ad word costs.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have been working together for two years. The work is completely ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

I am very happy with ThinkBIG. Initially, we found new business through referrals, not focusing on the internet. When we did engage in more internet marketing and started working with ThinkBIG, our leads increased two-fold. At the start, we would get around 40-50 referrals from previous customers, and 10-15 from the internet each month. We are now seeing 60-70 referrals from the internet after ThinkBIG took over. This has led to a growth in our business.

How did ThinkBIG perform from a project management standpoint?

Even though they're based in New York, they feel like a local company. Whenever I need to make a change or fix an issue, I can call them and have it addressed immediately, instead of leaving voicemails and waiting for days.

What distinguishes ThinkBIG from other providers?

Organic work is very cut-and-dry, as long as the customer knows what they want. The hardest part of it is choosing the right keyword. ThinkBIG has provided extensive research for what terms are right for our business, broken down by the categories that we supplied, like garage doors, awnings, and so on. They've picked variations of words relevant to each one.

Is there anything ThinkBIG could have improved or done differently?

I wish that they had a local representative. I like to actually meet the person I'm buying services from once every quarter. ThinkBIG will email and phone me occasionally, but I wish we could have more personal contact.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

My company is an online retailer of lubricants.

What is your position?

I am the owner of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with ThinkBIG?

Our anti-idle product, which is the main focus of my company, was low in rankings. We were using paper ads and pay-per-click marketing, spending a lot of money. Our main sales season is the colder months because our products are fit for winter issues. We have a very targeted seasonal product and customer base.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

ThinkBIG has gotten our product to the first page of results using organic SEO.

How did you come to work with ThinkBIG?

We researched several SEO companies through Google. We didn't have a lot of money at the time, so our decision was impacted by this.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The yearly budget for their services is around $10,000-12,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work is ongoing. We plan to work on different elements on the site in order to get a better ranking for them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Most of our business is done during the winter time. During the past winter, we’ve had outstanding performance. I am sure that this is due to the focus we've had on our web presence and ThinkBIG's assistance.

How did ThinkBIG perform from a project management standpoint?

They manage the project correctly. I am satisfied with their client service and attention to detail.

What distinguishes ThinkBIG from other providers?

What we have them do is pretty much run-of-the mill.

Is there anything ThinkBIG could have improved or done differently?

There could be, but I've been satisfied with everything they've done.