W3 Affinity

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of a new microblading and cosmetic tattooing studio in Williamsburg, Virginia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire W3 Affinity?

I hired W3 Affinity to build a website and provide branding advice.

What were your goals for this project?

My goal was to establish an online presence for my new business, along with creating a website that had an online booking tool. I also needed a logo.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I was very lucky to meet John (Owner, W3 Affinity) after his wife became a client of mine. She introduced me to him after I mentioned to her that I needed some help with my website.

Describe the project in detail.

John created an entire website for me. While designing the site, he worked with me to identify the optimal layout and color scheme.

What was the team composition?

John was my point of contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I couldn’t be happier with the site. It’s beautifully made, easy to use, and better than I could have imagined. John also gave me helpful marketing tips for creating a sizable digital footprint.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was great! John responded quickly to my emails and made me feel heard when I had questions or concerns. I’m very happy with the level of communication.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed by John’s extensive knowledge and skill set. It was obvious that he knew exactly what he was doing. At the same time, he was very patient and happy to explain everything to me. He was also willing to make as many changes as I needed.  

Are there any areas for improvement?

Honestly, there is nothing that comes to mind as far as what could be improved. I am very happy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the president and CEO of CCCSMD, a nonprofit that provides financial counseling services to the public. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with W3 Affinity?

Although we have been in the industry for 53 years, our online presence was barely existent. In addition to competing for new clients in a crowded market, we faced the chance of losing our existing customers after extensive rebranding. We needed to find a partner who could help us improve our visibility and generate more leads.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We were initially concerned with site traffic, so they began the process by integrating SEO best practices into all of our marketing channels. They also redirected our old links and updated external directories to reflect our recent name change. As our goals shifted from visibility to conversion, they started to develop a full suite of marketing strategies to accelerate our business growth; this includes PPC and social media management, and social media advertising. They also rebuilt our Drupal website and optimized the layout for UX.

W3 Affinity currently assists our staff in creating content for our blog and social media accounts. They regularly compile extensive KPI reports to track our progress. We plan to roll out a few paid advertising campaigns soon.

What is the team composition?

We work closely with their founder, who has become our virtual CMO.

How did you come to work with W3 Affinity?

Our temporary marketing consultant was a veteran in the industry, so they were already aware of W3 Affinity’s work. We connected with them based on the glowing recommendation.

How much have you invested with them?

To date, we have spent between $10,000 ¬$60,000 for their services. They’re extremely affordable and always willing to modify their scope to accommodate our budget.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership began in July 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After changing the name of our company, we expected to see a significant decline in our site traffic and search engine ranking; fortunately, W3 Affinity’s SEO strategies were efficient measures to maintain our status. While all of our early clients were slowly gained by word-of-mouth, we are now attracting qualified leads at an astonishing rate. Their digital marketing efforts have also helped us grow our social media following. Having access to their advanced web analytics allows us to follow our clients from the point of entry and use the data to optimize our site for user engagement.

How did W3 Affinity perform from a project management standpoint?

They have proven to be a formidable addition to our team. We were instantly impressed by their swift work pace and steady company engagement, which they have maintained throughout the entire project. Our team often makes last-minute requests, but they embrace the spontaneous changes without complaints. It never takes more than 24 hours for them to address our needs. In addition to our frequent email and text correspondence, we have a weekly agenda meeting that we hold over the phone. Delays are typically at the fault of our budget, but W3 Affinity is always able to pivot the ever-evolving schedule without interfering with our results.

What did you find most impressive about them?

W3 Affinity is a refreshing contrast to the digital marketers and PR professionals that we worked with in the past. Their team understands the complexity of the financial services industry, so their solutions are tailored to navigate through a crowded market space. They are always transparent about their strategies, but they never try to persuade us to get a service that we don’t want. It is great to have an effective creative partner who is genuinely invested in our success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our experience working with W3 Affinity has been incredible so far.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of a web development and design agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire W3 Affinity?

I'm located in the heart of one of the most competitive cities in the US, so I needed SEO services.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted to see more traffic and conversions within six months.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I found W3 Affinity on LinkedIn. After reading multiple reviews, all of which were 5 stars, I decided to meet them. After talking with John (Owner, W3 Affinity) for just a few minutes, I could tell he knew what he was talking about. He also came across as genuine and honest.

Describe the project in detail.

They provide a basic package including on- and off-site SEO and some basic marketing.

What was the team composition?

I speak to John on a weekly basis, and he handles my account directly.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any statistics or metrics that speak to the quality of their work and impact of the engagement?

I saw organic and direct traffic growth to my site within two months. I’ve also received multiple quote requests that have then converted.

How did the W3 Affinity perform from a project management standpoint?

They always let me know how we’re doing, and John himself is always available. They’re highly organized and have strong processes in place.

What impresses you about the W3 Affinity?

The knowledge they possess and efficiency with which they work are outstanding.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I don’t have anything to say.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner of an adjustable bed frame e-commerce store.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire W3 Affinity?

To develop a website and help us sell our product online.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to increase the visibility of our brand and sell more units through online channels.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found them through a Google search and vetted them through an interview process. They were able to provide excellent examples of their work during the interview which gave us peace of mind.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They were responsible for developing a stunning and interactive website for us. They set up and managed the e-commerce end of the business, while also managing our digital advertising and SEO campaigns.

What was the team composition?

We worked primarily with John (Owner, W3 Affinity) as well as some other members of his team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The results of the advertising started slowly but picked up quickly when we found our target market. This has resulted in year-on-year growth at an average rate of 30–35%. The traffic to the site has continually increased due to our good results in organic searches.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It's great—the communication and scheduling are always done well.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They're very versatile in terms of new technology. They keep us up to date with the latest tools and trends so that we gain the benefits.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They're always improving. The team knows that customers come first.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm one of the owners and founders of Pick a Bloom LLC. We're an online flower business, primarily for wedding flowers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire W3 Affinity?

We hired them for the design and development of our Shopify store, to setup advertising, develop email marketing and marketing automation, and for SEO.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to grow our visibility and increase our online sales through advertising, organic search, and email campaigns.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We needed a professional capable of building in Shopify. They came highly recommended from a family member. We took their free consultation and hired them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

W3 Affinity designed and built our website on Shopify. We then moved to Organic SEO where they helped us create content for the website. They also set up a lead generation campaign that sends emails automatically to our subscribers and funnel targeted leads to our site through advertising.

What was the team composition?

I work with John (Owner, W3 Affinity) who manages our project entirely.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We currently rank on the first page for virtually every keyword that involves the cost of wedding flowers. Their advertisements bring us over 100 qualified leads a week at a cost of under $100 per week from Facebook ads. These generate over ten times their cost in revenue.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It's awesome.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their customer service is top notch. John keeps us informed; he's very enthusiastic and interested in our business. Our traffic and sales have improved dramatically since hiring them.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can't think of anything that stands out. We’ve been very happy with them and wouldn’t want to work with anyone else.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I own a large gymnastics company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with W3 Affinity?

We hired them to design and launch a new website for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built our website from scratch. We gave them an outline with important information and scheduling and they took us through the whole process. They made suggestions for improvements and design ideas before sending us a sample site. We made a few changes, but most everything was right the first time. They listened to us and provided what we wanted.

They put our schedule on the site and included paperwork for future clients. It’s easy to get in and make changes to our schedule, which needs updating every eight weeks. As a startup, we didn’t have a lot of information to work with, but they provided a site design that made us look well-established.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with the owner.

How did you come to work with W3 Affinity?

They were a referral from another business I worked for. I knew their work and felt they’d be a good fit for us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $300–$500 on development.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around October 2016. They finished the site within about a month and we still engage them for maintenance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Even though we didn’t work much with our SEO, we became one of the highest ranked gymnastics companies in our area. They did such a good job with the website and our keywords that we’re naturally high in search results.

How did W3 Affinity perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication is really good. They put everything into layman’s terms and make their work easy to understand. Their responsiveness is often excellent.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They take the time to understand the business they’re working for.

BACKGROUND

I'm the CEO of Whystle; we're a company that provides personalized product safety information to families.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with W3 Affinity?

We needed a website redesign that made our information accessible to users. To have a more functional site, we needed a company with the technical background to provide ongoing website maintenance.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

W3 Affinity redesigned our site to make it more user-friendly. They added multiple features, including a bio section, a contact form, social media links and more. They post our press coverage on the site to increase visibility and help resolve any technical issues that arise.

What is the team composition?

I work regularly with one project manager.

How did you come to work with W3 Affinity?

Our app developer recommended them to us after their experience. The fact that someone I knew and trusted had worked with them persuaded me to hire them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We are still working together and have upcoming projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since we’re early in the process, we don’t have a lot of metrics. The site's appearance is highly received, which speaks volumes because I used to be embarrassed when referring people to it. We're getting more site traffic each week and our confidence in it is much higher.

How did W3 Affinity perform from a project management standpoint?

They are great. We communicate mostly through email and any issues I bring to them are resolved almost immediately.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I know that when I ask them to do something, it will be done right, that can’t be said for every vendor. Though the budget was on the smaller side in the beginning, they did a fantastic job without a lot of resources.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’ve been very pleased and that’s why we continue to work with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I own McCloud Fitness. We offer nutrition and personal training services via in person sessions or online coaching. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with W3 Affinity?

My old website wasn't generating any business, so I was looking for someone to help me create a new website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built a more current website for me and assisted with content creation. They also improved navigation and organized the site so that it flows better.

What is the team composition?

I mostly worked with John (Owner, W3 Affinity).

How did you come to work with them?

I found out about W3 Affinity through my husband, who knew them professionally.

What is the status of this engagement?

I worked with John in January of 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My customers like the website and make nice comments about it. On the home page, the new website has videos that introduce who I am and what I do. That is an important aspect and livens up the site.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

John executed everything very well. He was always very responsive and easy to reach by email or phone. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

John listened to me and understood my needs. I wanted to learn how to make changes on my own, and he taught me that, remaining very patient throughout the process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind. I appreciate what he did.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the vice president of marketing for a beer trading app that links together beer lovers and allows them to trade their favorite brews.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire W3 Affinity?

Initially, we wanted to develop a website for our app.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a website that looked professional and reflected the general style and aesthetic of the beer industry.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

A friend had been using W3 for SEO and recommended their services.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

W3 developed a world-class, single-page website. Then, we expanded the scope to include analytics work. The team tracked our website traffic and download clicks to see which of our avenues are generating the most business. They also provided SEO and advertising services. The W3 team continues to work with us to increase our user base.

What was the team composition?

We mainly work with a single representative from W3, who communicated with his own team to ensure each project is completed in a timely manner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After running a demo ad, we saw an instant bump in our download rates. W3’s website design is amazing and they finished the initial project early, which was refreshing.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our workflow is very simple and open. We use Trello to manage deliverable and the W3 team is very prompt to answer any of our requests. They are also very receptive to constructive criticism. The website went through a few revisions, but the finished product met all of our requirements.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

W3 understands our company and the type of customer we are trying to reach, they demonstrated that through their approach to the partnership. They provided valuable targeting strategies and helped us with various parts of our business.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Sometimes they completed stages of the project without updating Trello. We would be surprised to find a phase was completed. It is not a big issue, but I feel that it is worth noting.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of Simple Living Home, an online retailer for DIY-friendly products like fencing, flooring, cabinets, and paint.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire W3 Affinity?

We wanted a vendor to build a website from scratch, assist us with brand development, SEO, and advertising.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create a DIY brand that sells exclusively online. We set aside an advertising budget and we wanted to break into the market quickly.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We searched various directories including Shopify experts, where we found W3 Affinity. They had great reviews which made them stand out. We picked them out of three vendors because of the free consultation.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

W3 Affinity oversees all digital aspects. They come up with the strategy, branding, platforms we work on, advertising budget, and email campaigns.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with John, who is our project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our Google Shopping advertising profile increased, which increased our sales by 8 to 12 times what we spend on our advertising budget. W3 Affinity developed the cost per acquisition and scale our sales on what we want to spend per month.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We primarily communicated through phone calls and email. Their team kept the projects organized even without the use of project management software and handle feedback well. They provided a monthly overview of the completed work, which helped plan the direction we wanted to take the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are talented in terms of brand development and using Shopify to launch an e-commerce store. The Google Shopping ads and Amazon connection work well for us. Their team understands our product well and knows how to target customers. They took the time to research our product and it shows in the success of our project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We would like to improve our social media presence.