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Digital marketing partnerships that make waves

5.0
6 reviews

Since 2005, we've been partnering with successful businesses and organizations to provide branding, strategy, design, development, and marketing.  We plug in where you need a boost, and hone and amplify what you’re already doing. 

Big Sea is an agile digital marketing agency. That means you’ll never be in the dark, because you’ll be part of the team making your business soar. That also means that we’re flexible, nimble and always adapting to anything thrown our way.

Our clients include universities and family entertainment centers all over the country.  Aromatherapy educators and eCommerce retailers. Local multi-unit medical practitioners and national accessibility providers.  Genetic testing experts to international reef restoration specialists.  Our niche is smart organizations with complex problems to solve, and we excel. 
 

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$5,000+
 
$150 - $199 / hr
 
10 - 49
 Founded
2005
Show all +
St. Petersburg, FL
headquarters
  • 646 2nd Avenue North
    St. Petersburg, FL 33701
    United States
    7273868031

Portfolio

Key clients: 
  • HSN
  • Stetson University
  • The Poynter Institute
  • FELD Entertainment
  • Stars & Strikes Family Entertainment
  • Stillpoint Aromatics
  • Mote Marine Labs & Aquarium
  • The University of Tampa 
  • City of St. Petersburg
  • Invacare Corp.
  • Cigar City Brewing

Reviews

5.0
6 reviews
Sort by

Website Dev & Marketing Strategy for Insurance Company

“Big Sea helped ground our brand, pulling our management team together to help us find our voice.”

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5.0

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Nov. 2015 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Big Sea provides branding services, including help relaunching a website, written copy, and brand guidelines.

The Reviewer
 
51-200 Employees
 
Florida
Executive, Centricity
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Big Sea's branding work has helped the company hone its voice. Their team takes an extremely immersive approach to projects, learning about the details of the company's brand, direction, and industry. They're also highly receptive to feedback, responsive, and timely.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm an executive at Centricity, which provides service contracts and structural home warranties.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Big Sea?

We engaged them for rebranding services, including help relaunching our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Big Sea designed and developed our website, providing some written content in the process. They've also helped with additional branding work, bringing our logo and color palette to life. From there, they've worked on our marketing strategy, conducting an onsite workshop with some of our management staff to create a plan of action and brand guidelines.

What is the team composition?

We work with an account manager, copywriter, and design team.

How did you come to work with Big Sea?

Our corporate marketing team selected them after one of our colleagues recommended them. They integrated very well into our team from the start. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested $75,000–$80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since around May 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Big Sea helped ground our brand, pulling our management team together to help us find our voice. Their work has helped us take our company to the next level.

How did Big Sea perform from a project management standpoint?

Big Sea feels like part of our own team. They've done a great job of immersing themselves into our work, learning our products, and studying our industry. Their communication is excellent; they're responsive through phone, email, and text, and also use another project management tool to keep tasks organized. They're always willing to come into our office and keep us up to date on everything they're working on.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very responsive and receptive to our feedback. They're also good at connecting with the client's targeted audience and brand; they immerse themselves into their client's culture and products and have a strong passion for their work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. We haven't had any issues.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don't hold back when it comes to providing their team with information about your company, brand, and goals. The more details available to them, the better.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Ecommerce Dev, SMM & SEO for Aromatherapy Company

"Big Sea can overcome any challenge and never stops trying until they succeed."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
2010 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Big Sea formulated a comprehensive branding and marketing strategy to launch a retail business. They designed and built an e-commerce platform and marketing site. The team creates SEO-focused content.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Sedona, Arizona
Joy Musacchio
Co-founder, Stillpoint Aromatics
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Each site Big Sea creates is stunning and unique. The team continuously updates and expands digital presence via innovative design assets. Each year of the partnership, web traffic has increased between 10%-15%. Carefully mirroring personal tone, they perfectly captured the brand’s essential voice.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-owner of Still Point Aromatics. My business partner and I import and sell almost 450 essential oils from across the world. Other products include carrier oils, aromatherapy products, and 70 hydrosols. The sister company, Still Point Studies, is a school for basic and advanced certification in energetics. We offer clients vibrational aromatic medicine and weekend workshops. Soon, we’ll start holding weekly Chakra cleansings for local tourists.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Big Sea?

As massage therapists, my co-owner and I noticed the poor quality of domestically available essential oils. We started importing alternatives to give our clients a better experience. After amassing a personal collection of 180 oils, we decided to sell them. We hired Big Sea to create our entire brand identity, marketing strategy, and e-commerce platform from scratch.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Big Sea developed and optimized our e-commerce platform from scratch. They also built a complementary site from the ground up to showcase our aromatics school. The platform’s first iteration lasted six years after its initial launch, which is impressive staying power in the digital space. We just started a redesign to make it mobile responsive and refresh the look and feel. They make continuous updates and add-ons to both pages. Alongside the retail aspect, it also works as a research tool for interested potential clients.

The team also plans and runs our marketing strategy. They manage our Facebook account and item sales. We collaborate on the copywriting. I’m impressed by their ghostwritten content. It’s uncannily similar to my personal tone and style. Creative graphic design and blogging assets keep our brand visible. For special edition releases, they write press releases to generate interest in our new products.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with a team of 6-7 resources who manage all my projects. For business and technical concerns, I have four main points of contact.

How did you come to work with Big Sea?

A friend and colleague I’d studied with recommended using them. Big Sea built a comparable site for her aromatics company.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together consistently since 2010.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Big Sea is the absolute best partner I've ever worked with. They haven’t let us down once over our 10-year partnership. Monthly reports detail our inbound web traffic. Since we started working with Big Sea, this figure has increased annually by 10%-15%. Clients can test products at our storefront in Sedona, but sales come almost exclusively through our site. Our business couldn’t exist without them.

The quality of their work is the absolute best. On a scale from 1-10, I’d rate it a million. All our customers tell us we have the best essential oils website online. They’ve found it beautifully designed, precisely informative, easy to navigate. It's especially fantastic how each high-caliber page they design looks so distinct. Using an elegant, concise copywriting style, they perfectly encapsulated our brand's personality on both platforms.

How did Big Sea perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Basecamp to organize the project. They included each relevant party in email correspondence. The team attentive and accessible around the clock. We always get a response within five minutes. For urgent matters, they even work after business hours despite a three-hour time difference. I’ve never seen them act doubtful about fulfilling our requirements. Big Sea can overcome any challenge and won't stop trying until they succeed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Big Sea is dependable and creative. The team’s numerous resources each offers uniquely excellent ideas. Synergistically, this range of opinions and expertise helps us make the best choice every time. They've consistently shown tremendous integrity. As an online-only brand, their dependability and attentiveness are key to our success. The quality of their work is unsurpassable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, no.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My main tip is to be as open, honest, and forthcoming as possible. Clearly identifying your exact goals will help you succeed the first time around.

5.0
Overall Score I could easily continue working with Big Sea until I close my business.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    During our many projects within site, they've never exceeded the estimate. In fact, it's always been slightly lower.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    Take a look at our website, and you'll see for yourself.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    If I could pick the number, it would be a million.

Web Dev & UX for Economic Development Service

"They grasped our vision, as well as our clients’ needs, from the very beginning."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
July 2013 - Jan. 2018
Project summary: 

Big Sea built a responsive website to promote awareness and encourage growth. The UX design prioritized accessibility and user-friendliness in an entrepreneurial environment.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
St. Petersburg, Florida
Sean Kennedy
Co-founder, The Greenhouse
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The percentage of online registrations nearly doubled to 95%. Big Sea guided each step of development to ensure design features advanced the core objectives. They were effective communicators across a variety of platforms. Customers can expect reasonable pricing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I co-founded The Greenhouse, an entrepreneurial collaboration between the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of St. Petersburg. I'm also the VP of Entrepreneurship and Community Development at the Chamber.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Big Sea?

The Greenhouse held classes, provided counseling, and hosted events. We needed a website to promote the organization, and display information and schedules.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted the site to be responsive and user-friendly. As a tool, the site needed to serve as a meaningful space for new and growing businesses, particularly tech startups.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Five companies responded to our RFP. Our panel – comprising technology experts, entrepreneurs, and city officials – immediately eliminated two vendors from consideration. We chose Big Sea because they had a strong portfolio and reasonable prices. Importantly, they were already involved in the community.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Since we had no design or development experts on staff, they walked us through their process step-by-step. Big sea helped us think through UX design and messaging features to make sure they fit with our organization’s mission.

What was the team composition?

I served as the primary contact for our eight-person team. I interfaced with the project manager. Although we didn’t work directly with other team members, Big Sea’s leadership took part in some meetings.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Prior to the site’s launch, less than half our registrants joined via the internet. Currently, that number is over 95%.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They were effective via email, phone, and one-on-meetings, which we preferred. The project manager was a great communicator.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They grasped our vision, as well as our clients’ needs, from the very beginning. The team translated concepts we couldn’t verbalize, and then leveraged them into tangible results.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

No, there were no significant issues.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Branding and Development for Restaurant Club

“Big Sea delivered out-of-the-box solutions, helping our company craft everything from the ground up.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
Jun. 2016 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Big Sea helped develop a brand, imagery, website, social media presence, and marketing strategy from scratch. They continue to maintain and build on deliverables as needed.

The Reviewer
 
Tampa, Florida
Owner, Restaurant Club
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Big Sea's creative efforts were instrumental in getting the business off the ground. Over 2,000 people have signed up through the website they built, which has experienced zero glitches. Their client-centric, team approach and ability to problem solve sets them apart.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a co-owner of a local member dining club platform. In addition to restaurants, we provide value to members for local businesses (i.e., shopping, travel, entertainment, pets, health, and beauty). When a member joins, they receive half-off an entree and an alcoholic beverage of their choice at one of the restaurants and bars on our platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Big Sea?

Before launching our platform, we were looking for a technology partner that could help us develop our brand, website, social media presence, and a marketing strategy.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Big Sea initially helped us create our brand and imagery, along with a marketing strategy. They also designed and developed our mobile website, which acts and feels like an app.

What is the team composition?

I probably interacted with about 10 people in total, with two main points of contact: Dzuy (CTO and Managing Partner, Big Sea) oversaw the technology side of our work, while Andi (CMO and Managing Partner, Big Sea) helped us the most with our branding.

How did you come to work with Big Sea?

My business partner and I were researching local companies and interviewed a few different vendors. In addition to being recommended to us, Big Sea won us over with their strategic approach to our project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since August 2016 and continue to work with their team to upgrade and maintain some of the work they've done. As we grow, we anticipate continuing the relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Big Sea delivered out-of-the-box solutions, helping our company craft everything from the ground up. We're so proud of the brand and what they've helped us create. Over 2,000 people have signed up for our program thus far and not a single person has reported any issues. In the year that our platform has been live, it hasn't crashed a single time.

How did Big Sea perform from a project management standpoint?

Big Sea employed multiple members of their team to various pieces of our project, using a waterfall approach. It always felt as if they were working on our project and that we were prioritized. They continue to be extremely responsive and accommodating.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to problem solve and genuinely listen to their clients sets them apart from others. Their capacity to step out of creative comfort zones to help us come up with solutions and unique branding led to fantastic results.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. We were developing a new type of platform, so we were learning together. Had we done anything differently, we might not have ended up with as good of a product.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a good concept of who you are and what you want to accomplish. Be prepared with as much information and research as possible, but be open to feedback and new ideas from their team.

5.0
Overall Score I'll continue to work them indefinitely.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    Despite many moving pieces, they hit all deadlines.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They're not inexpensive, but the return on investment is worth it.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I tell everyone about them.

Web Design & Digital Marketing For Bowling Company

"Big Sea is a big piece of our success."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
2012 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Big Sea rebuilt a WordPress website to include features that engage customers in business offerings. They also manage all other digital elements, from social media to AdWords to content creation.

The Reviewer
 
51-200 Employees
 
Tampa, Florida
Anthony Perrone
Owner, Pin Chasers
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Because they became well-acquainted with brand and customer identity, Big Sea was able to offer a digital strategy that precipitated an annual growth in business of 8 percent and up. They continue to excel in tracking their success and providing comprehensive reports for future strategies.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and CEO of Pin Chasers, a bowling entertainment company serving the west coast of Florida.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Big Sea?

The initially rebuilt our website, but now they handle our entire digital footprint and marketing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built us a WordPress website that includes information about our business and where to contact us. The site also includes features like a form generator add-on from wufoo.com that allows customers to reserve lanes and facilities for events. There’s a page where our competitive community can see weekly standings and updates. The site also enables customers to view and download our food and drink menus.

Along with building our website, Big Sea handles the entirety of our digital and footprint and SEO marketing. They manage our HubSpot CRM platform, schedule social media posts, handle our advertising on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and maintain our Google AdWords account. They also create content for our blogs.

Currently, we’re working with them on a third upgrade for our website.

What is the team composition? 

We work with a client manager, as well as a developer, designer, and a content creator.

How did you come to work with Big Sea?

Big Sea acquired the company who built our first website, and we decided to continue partnering with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We have a budget of $2,500 per month with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve partnered with them since 2012.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve helped us grow our business annually for the last three years — upwards of 8 percent and above. 

How did Big Sea perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very good at keeping us apprised of our digital progress. They use an agile marketing system to manage everyone assigned to us. We meet monthly to go over the prior month’s performance. We meet four times a year to go over quarterly performances. Once a year, we’ll have an annual review of our progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Bowling is a very old industry, but not very well-known. They understand that in order to market for us, they have to get to know our business needs and our customers’ needs. Very few digital companies take the time to really study and listen to their client, but they’ve taken it upon themselves to do just that. That has allowed us to be on the forefront of digital marketing and set an example for the rest of the industry. Big Sea is a big piece of our success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Set your own standards and expectations, regardless of who you work with, so they can best help you achieve that.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Digital & Inbound Marketing for Nonprofit University

“They're always willing to ... figure out how they can meet our needs.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Sept. 2015 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Big Sea created and executes an inbound marketing strategy, using the HubSpot software. Deliverables include SEO as well as content creation for email, web, blog, and social media.

The Reviewer
 
501-1000 Employees
 
Florida
Assistant Dean, Nonprofit University
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Applications have increased in terms of quality, diversity, and volume. Uncompromising responsiveness and flexibility is a core strength, as well as the ability to capture the institution’s voice.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for an institution of higher education.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Big Sea?

The software system that we'd been using was antiquated, and we wanted to move to an inbound marketing software. We didn’t want to just increase the volume of applications; our goal was to improve quality and diversity of applicants.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did a ton of background research on who we are, our strengths, and weaknesses. Big Sea helped us figure out our value proposition, and then articulate it to prospective students from different walks of life.

They oversee our entire inbound marketing strategy. They create content—including smart, or dynamic, content—for the website, blog, email, and social media. They also execute an SEO [search engine optimization] plan.

What is the team dynamic?

Our lead contact is Maria [Content Director, Big Sea]. We’ve also worked with several other copywriters and designers.

How did you come to work with Big Sea?

We found them through the HubSpot website for certified marketing agencies. They were one of several vendors we sent an RFP [request for proposal] to.

What stood out in the proposal was their expertise with the entire HubSpot software system. They also had knowledge and experience working with other institutions of higher education that we didn’t find in other vendors.

We brought 3 vendors to campus and selected Big Sea. We liked their familiarity with our location, and their ability to talk without using technical jargon.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work began in September 2015, and it is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen improvements in the metrics used to measure class quality and diversity, as well as an increase in the total number of applications. The HubSpot software allows us to track year-over-year click rates, opt-out rates, open rates, and SEO performance data.

Big Sea has done a great job figuring out who we are as an institution and targeting our message to attract the right applicants.

How did Big Sea perform from a project management standpoint?

They use an Agile method of working in sprints, which we’ve found very helpful. They send weekly reports, quarterly reports, and hold bi-weekly phone calls. Day to day correspondence is done through the product management software, Teamwork. It allows us to go in and see what's going on, to make edits, and to send emails. We also use Google Docs. If there’s an urgent issue, we can reach them on their cell phones.

Maria is very responsive and flexible. If we ever asked them to change direction, there’s no resistance. She’s always willing to talk about our deliverables, figure out how to meet our needs, and not need to charge us more.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The way they took time to learn about the institution and figure out our voice. They create content that speaks to prospective students using language we would normally use.

Everything they do is custom. Their corporate culture is very much aligned with ours.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer