Maximising Your Company's Potential
Digital Glue is an independent marketing, PR and web agency based in Birmingham. Digital Glue are a results-focused agency who provide integrated marketing services to clients across the UK. We use our core skills in digital marketing, public relations, website design, branding, graphic design and social media to deliver results for our clients.
Digital Glue's client cross a range of industries; from website design for professional services businesses, public relations for venture capital firms, to graphic design for business improvement districts, social media for colour management solutions and digital marketing for training companies. Digital Glue are guided by our values – so much so, we made them part of our office.

headquarters
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Portfolio
DataColor, Fotospeed, Midven, Pireta, Jewellery Quarter, Castel Froma, Little Orchard, Springboard Corporate Finance, Alpaca

JQBID
About
The Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID) exists to improve the business environment and experiences of those living, working, visiting and learning in the Jewellery Quarter, and is funded by the local business community.
In 2017, local businesses overwhelmingly voted ‘yes’ to the JQBID being renewed for a second five-year term. One of the JQBID’s objectives over the next five years is to market and promote the Jewellery Quarter as a unique place to Live, Learn, Work, Visit and invest. As part of this, the JQBID wanted to relaunch their publication ‘Quarter Life’ so it better reflected the people of the JQ and the BID’s four pillars – live, learn, work and visit.
The project was put out to tender by the JQBID, and after successfully presenting a fresh editorial and design approach that met the JQBID’s objectives, Digital Glue took over production of the magazine in May 2018.
Challenge
The main challenge was to produce a publication which conveys a sense of an area whilst remaining relevant to the people that live there. It was important to stay true to the heritage of the Jewellery Quarter whilst combining it with a modern creative style. The publication had to reflect the four pillars of Live, Learn, Work and Visit, feature engaging content that was easy to read, and represent the diverse JQ community.
Read the full case study here:
https://digitalglue.agency/portfolio/jq-life/

Joshua Robert Recruitment - Branding and Website
About Joshua Robert
Joshua Robert is a recruitment company that specialises in all areas of property recruitment. It was founded by Josh Powell together with a small, but dedicated team of experienced professionals. The company values dedication and integrity, putting their customers first. They focus on the qualities of each candidate to find a job that fits them, rather than making them fit the job – this also includes creating brand new opportunities if the perfect role isn’t listed yet.
The Challenge
Joshua Robert approached Digital Glue with three different challenges: to discover who their ideal customers are, to supply them with a new brand, and to create a new website. The creative elements had to represent their personal values and appeal to the audience, to enable the business to grow and develop.
Read the full case study here:
https://digitalglue.agency/portfolio/joshua-robert/

Castel Froma - Branding, Website Design and Graphic Design
About
Castel Froma are a registered charity based in Warwickshire, who provide specialist care for individuals with neurological conditions.
Challenge
Castel Froma came to us to develop a clean, easy to understand, and user friendly website. They also challenged us to increase the prominence of donating with added GiftAid functionality and volunteer information via the site, so their supporters can engage more easily. We were also required to develop a dynamic recruitment section within the site.
Read the full case study here:
https://digitalglue.agency/portfolio/castel-froma/

Spyder X - Product Launch Social Campaign
About
Founded in 1970, Datacolor are a leading colour management hardware and software provider for the photography market. Their products are used by over 1 million photographers globally to help them ensure accurate colours in every step of their workflow – from capturing an image, through to the editing stages, and finally through to print. Datacolor’s biggest products are their display calibration devices, also known as a Spyder.
Challenge
Datacolor needed to launch their latest product, SpyderX, into the photography market. There hadn’t been a new significant product in the colour management market for several years, and they wanted to leverage that fact to ensure that there was a huge amount of interest in SpyderX, which would translate into sales.
Digital Glue were tasked with creating an international product launch through PR and social media which would gain global interest, increase engagement, and generate sales of SpyderX across the world. In addition to this, they wanted to tease the product prior to the launch to ensure that they still had the attention of their audience, after what had been a relatively quiet time for colour management.
Read the full case study here:
https://digitalglue.agency/portfolio/spyderx_social/

Blythe Liggins - Website Design
About Blythe Liggins
Blythe Liggins is an established law firm based in Leamington Spa. Blythe Liggins help their clients across a multitude of different disciplines and currently employs around 46 people. The services provided include Dispute Resolution, Employment Law, Family Law, Commercial Law, Personal Injury, Clinical Negligence and Property Law.
The Challenge
Blythe Liggins challenged us with creating a website that was representative of their modern approach to law. Distilling their services into a simpler user experience was crucial to the success of their new website.
The brief also included a requirement to develop an easy way for users to locate any lawyer working on their case or locate a lawyer best suited to work on their case.
Read the full case study here:
https://digitalglue.agency/portfolio/blythe-liggins/

Spectrum Optica - Branding, PR and Social Media
About
Formally Specs Express, Spectrum Optica is an independent opticians based in Worcester city centre and has recently came under new ownership from Zohra and Kasim Sumar.
Challenge
The new brand needed to represent quality, care and expertise whilst complimenting the new store interior.
We were tasked with promoting a re-launched opticians which needed to gain general interest and present a new angle to attract new customers whilst retaining its existing loyal customer base.
Read the full case study here:
https://digitalglue.agency/portfolio/spectrum-optica/
Reviews
the project
Content Marketing for Nonprofit Organization
"Digital Glue's copywriters research the features very well."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
The Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID) not only helps support businesses in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, it also promotes the area as a destination to come and visit. My role as Marketing & Communications Manager is to increase footfall to the Jewellery quarter through traditional and digital channels.
For what projects/services did your company hire Digital Glue?
To accompany our marketing strategy, we needed a channel that would promote the Jewellery Quarter in a highly engaging way that was not focused on the digital. As a result, we hired Digital Glue to create a magazine that promoted the Jewellery Quarter to Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. We have since worked with Digital Glue for nearly five years and produced 15 magazines.
How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?
We initially went out to tender and asked agencies to present their pitch for a new Jewellery Quarter magazine. Our deciding factors when choosing Digital Glue was the level of customer service that they could bring to the project. Yes, the pricing was good and the pitch was excellent, but it was the people that we would be working with that swayed us in our decision.
Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.
Each magazine begins with an editorial meeting where we sit down with Digital Glue and discuss what we would like being featured in the upcoming issue. This is a two way, honest discussion where we end the meeting with a finalised list of features.
Digital Glue will then assign staff to each feature and will then liaise with the JQBID team in ensuring they have all the relevant contact details and information before beginning the research and copywriting. As pieces are written, features are then uploaded to Monday.com for myself to read through and approve.
Once copy has all been approved, we then have a design meeting where we discuss the look and feel for each of the features. As the features are designed, again, these are uploaded online for me to look through and approve. Once all features have been approved, the magazine is put together for Digital Glue's internal sign-off, before handing over to ourselves for the Client's sign-off.
Digital Glue then liaises directly with the printer. We then take delivery of the magazines within two weeks from sign-off.
How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
Digital Glue have assigned me with an Account Manager that I liaise with on a very regular basis. I also work with the team's Graphic Designer and numerous copywriters.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
On average, we print approximately 7.5k magazines that are distributed to hotels, cafes and bars across Birmingham. Because the magazines always go so quickly, we are looking to increase volume, therefore illustrating their success. Digital Glue's copywriting has been excellent and has meant I have used the team on other projects outside of the magazine, including PR and social media.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
When we are working on a magazine, I receive a Monday email informing me on the work planned for the week ahead, and a Friday email to inform me on what has been achieved. I find this extremely useful and helps me feel confident that everything is on track.
We also have regular meetings to discuss editorial, design, and reviews. Digital Glue use Monday.com to share content with myself and this works perfectly. We are able to suggest edits and approve features for the next stage of either copy or design.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
Digital Glue's copywriters research the features very well. Therefore it's very rare that large edits are needed when it comes to the JQBID for proofing. The ideas given for illustration and design are also great and are often outside the box which makes working on the mags very exciting.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
No
the project
Digital Marketing for Business Networking Company
"Their knowledge of all areas of digital marketing is fantastic."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
Digital Marketing Manager of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. A membership-based business networking company providing events, government support and international support.
For what projects/services did your company hire Digital Glue, and what were your goals?
SEO - Improve our page ranking and CTA layout Google Ads - Run a variety of ad projects with the goal to increasing membership applications. Web development - Ongoing CMS upgrades and improvements
How did you select Digital Blue and what were the deciding factors?
A reputable Birmingham based company with a variety of skill sets
Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and marking tools used.
Through a number of touchpoints and meetings, Digital Glue are always very proactive in campaign development. With excellent suggestions and then following up on those points, we have successfully run a number of projects in SEO and ad work that without their support, we would not be able to achieve.
They have a wide skill set ranging across multiple platforms so they are always suggesting excellent ideas
How many resources from theDigital Blue team worked with you, and what were their positions?
Three, mainly. Account managers and a web developer who know a vast variety of platforms and possess extensive knowledge.
Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?
At least 30% increase in website enquiries, multiple google ranking improvements and 1000's of impressions and clicks on ad work. Long term project of creating a more reliable CMS on umbraco should help the website improve further.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Excellent, they are always on hand on emails, especially with urgent cases, Scott will reply immidiatley and find solutions to the issue. Regular check ins each week also provide the weeks feedback and work they have completed.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
The capabilities of everyone in the team there, although they specialise maybe in one or two areas under their job title, their knowledge of all areas of digital marketing is fantastic. So any question I have for example around 'XYZ' they will have or find an answer.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
Not any I can think of immediately, continued competitor analysis is always useful to us as a company so maybe check ins each week on what the external climate is looking like but im sure if I suggested this they would action this easily.
the project
Web Design & Dev for Corporate Finance Firm
"I felt that Digital Glue really understood what we were looking for with our site."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
Springboard are a corporate advisory firm. We deliver high quality advice on M&A solutions on mid market transactions to our clients. My job title is Origination Manager, I co-ordinate all marketing and BD activity within the company.
For what projects/services did your company hire Digital Glue?
We hired Digital Glue to re-develop the Springboard website. It hadn't been refreshed for several years and needed a new look to reflect the fact that Springboard had grown considerably and is now part of a much larger group.
What were your goals for this project?
Springboard recently became part of BTG Advisory and has grown significantly over the past few years, so we wanted a new company website to reflect these developments. Over the past few years we have also started to work more with PE houses and sell businesses internationally, so we wanted to showcase our credentials in these areas. Finally, we wanted to be able to see who is looking at our website and how they are reaching us.
How did you select this vendor?
We shortlisted three agencies for the process. One was our current agency, the other two were selected by a combination of searching on google for local agencies and asking for recommendations. Clive Bawden (Operating Partner at Springboard) and I met all three agencies to brief them on the project and give them some examples of what we liked and didn't like from websites in a similar sector.
We received proposals from all three agencies which were initially reviewed by Clive and I and then passed to the partners of Springboard to ensure that they were happy with our decision. We chose Digital Glue as we felt they had taken time to really understand our objectives and their proposal made us feel comfortable that they would deliver what we were looking for.
Describe the project in detail.
After Digital Glue was selected as our preferred agency to develop our new website, we scheduled a 'Client Discovery session' where Ben and Javan came in to our offices and met all three partners plus me and Clive. We spent a few hours discussing Springboard's offering, specialisms, how the company has grown over the past few years and our clients. Ben and Javan went away to write up their findings while I was introduced to Ben Goodman who would be running the project on a day to day basis and developing the site. We met Ben after a few weeks to review the initial page designs.
Once we confirmed we were happy with the design, Ben started to create the site. I was called upon to regularly contribute images, logos and review the wireframes and text for the new website. We were consulted on several occasions to review progress and once we were able to access the full website, I spent a few hours connecting the correct teams with relevant deals and tweaking images and colours.
Once the site was live, I created a snagging list which Ben worked through with me. Finally, we had a meeting with Ben and Javan to review the project. We all agreed that one of the pages wasn't quite right and they kindly agreed to do some further work on it within the scope of the original project.
What was the team composition?
Ben King and Javan Bramhall handled the initial pitch and follow up ideal client session. Ben Goodman handled the day to day project management and development of the site.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
The Springboard partners are all very happy with the new website. We are waiting to receive our first SEO report - we didn't have access to the stats from the old site so it is difficult to measure whether we have seen an uplift in traffic yet.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Digital Glue's communication was excellent - they sent progress emails at the start and end of each week detailing what they'd like to achieve and what they had achieved. Once the project was underway, I had regular emails and calls from Ben if he needed something from me or had a question.
There were, however, a few instances when I was told something would be done and the timeline drifted a little - it would have been useful to have a quick call explaining why this had happened. They also introduced us to a project management tool called Wrike - I'm afraid I found this a little confusing at times as I got lots of notification emails from it and it wasn't always clear whether I needed to act on them.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
I felt that Digital Glue really understood what we were looking for with our site. We were really impressed with the first drafts of the pages they produced, they had the look and feel that we were looking for. Ben was also very patient and adaptable - on a couple of occasions we gave him some fairly comprehensive feedback on amendments we'd like to be made to the site and he listened, went away and executed the changes perfectly.
Are there any areas for improvement?
Wrike didn't really work for us, I understand that it is probably a useful project management tool for the vendor, but I thought the weekly update emails were sufficient.
the project
Customer Platform Update for Risk Intelligence Consulting Company
"Digital Glue brought our strategy to life at a competitive price, and delivered it on time and on budget."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a commercial director at a small risk intelligence consultancy in the UK. We provide strategic analysis of geopolitical affairs for multinational corporations. I have overall responsibility for customer experience, product development, sales, and marketing.
What challenge were you trying to address with Digital Glue?
I needed help redeveloping a customer portal for a subscription product. The challenge was to update the rudimentary and outdated customer platform into something that can compete in a dynamic market.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Digital Glue primarily led backend development and frontend design of a new web application. They focused on the aesthetics while creating new features and functionality to improve UX on the platform. I provided the technical and functional specifications. They took that text-heavy document and created wireframes as a visual outline of what needed to occur.
As an intelligence provider, we have millions of words in high-level analytical reports that date back a number of years. A key part of the new platform was having a way to present the information visually. Digital Glue created an infographic for each country with dynamic ratings that show our forecasts of how trends will evolve in key areas of risk. They also built an advanced search functionality that enables users to query data based upon a number of fields. The parameters include geographic region, risk taxonomy for different types of grants, date ranges, or keywords.
What is the team composition?
I worked with 4–5 people including a lead developer, a project manager, designers, and UX experts.
How did you come to work with Digital Glue?
When I joined the company, they were already engaged as our design agency. I went through a tender process and invited several other companies to bid. Digital Glue expressed interest and their bid was most compelling. I wasn't expecting them to be victorious, but they came out on top in our scoring mechanism.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent just over $100,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
Work kicked off in May 2018 and we delivered to market in October 2018. They’re still working on a second phase to create a mobile app.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We've had excellent customer feedback on the platform. We didn't want to spend a lot of money on shiny features that the customer didn't need. Digital Glue struck the right balance so that the visual aesthetics didn’t dilute the main intelligence content. The new search functionality is very powerful.
How did Digital Glue perform from a project management standpoint?
I had an extremely good working relationship with the team at Digital Glue. The project was well-coordinated and effectively managed. They used a number of communication, virtual meeting, and project management tools, such as Trello. We had weekly calls to go over the progress on each task and discuss any issues. While everyone was involved in the weekly meetings, they also were pragmatic about having breakout sessions with just the relevant people so as not to waste everyone's time. For example, I met one-on-one with the lead developer if we had to go down a rabbit hole on a technical issue.
Also, I personally hate the concept of agile development. I made it clear from the start that I wasn’t okay with a never-ending development cycle. Digital Glue brought our strategy to life at a competitive price, and delivered it on time and on budget. They met every development milestone on our road map.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Digital Glue truly understood our specific business needs. I've been doing this about 15 years at various companies. I've worked with developers who made it sound as if they understood what we wanted, yet came back with something totally different. I had developers that tried to make the scope many times larger in order to make more money. Digital Glue was good at coming up with ideas we hadn't thought of. Their ideas were actually useful and not about trying to extend the budget.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Not really. They're a small organization and they run quite lean. In the beginning, the project is quite heavily reliant on the lead developer. The project would be in trouble if that role was suddenly vacated. Additional resiliency is the only improvement I can think of.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be clear on your desired outcomes and help them understand your business. The full context of your industry and competitors will enable them to determine the best approach. They can better manage your project if they know everything in advance. I laid out what I expected and how I like to work. I left it open for Digital Glue to contribute around design and development.