Eight Oh Two

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the site optimization manager at framesdirect.com, a part of EssilorLuxottica. FramesDirect sells hundreds of top eyewear brands as well as high-quality lenses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eight Oh Two, and what were your goals?

FramesDirect hired Eight Oh Two to re-write our 19,000+ product descriptions. Our goals were to improve conversion of our product pages through SEO and top quality writing unique to the company.

SOLUTION

How did you select Eight Oh Two and what were the deciding factors?

At the very start of this project, Eight Oh Two was hired to review the new product descriptions as they came in, written by another vendor. When it became clear that the deliverables were not meeting expectations, we hired Eight Oh Two to do the writing!

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and campaigns.

Eight Oh Two kicked of this project before I came to work for FramesDirect. Ken and team had already created a process documenting current processes, including recommendations for improvement. Eight Oh Two worked with our writing vendor and FramesDirect to develop a writing style guide as well as a delivery process. Eight Oh Two also offered SEO training to the vendor writers.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I have mainly worked with 3 folks from Eight Oh Two: Ken Reig: Founder, President Robert Langenback: VP, Digital Strategy Deb German: Copy Editor

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

A total of 3,301 pages have been delivered to date, which represents 16.9% of total pages. The revenue generated from those pages has exceeded expectations.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

Eight Oh Two is a great partner. They provide clear and consistent communication which is critical to any project. We have weekly status meetings for this ongoing project and if either one of us has a question or concern, it’s handled in a timely manner, either via email or phone.

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

I have worked with Eight Oh Two for many years and have watched them grow and expand their skills as the Ecomm landscape has changed. Highly adept and adaptable, the team Is agile and is always willing to dig in.

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

From my perspective, no.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was a Digital Marketing Strategist at The Orvis Company which specializes in outdoor clothing, fly fishing gear, and dog products. In my role, I worked with agencies and the internal marketing team to drive online digital sales through Paid Search, Shopping, Social Media, and Organic marketing channels.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eight Oh Two, and what were your goals?

Orvis partnered with Eight Oh Two to help with all things digital (content, website optimization, SEO, and PCC management). I specifically worked with Eight Oh Two on optimizing and expanding Orvis' shopping thumbprint on Google and Bing.

SOLUTION

How did you select Eight Oh Two and what were the deciding factors?

Eight Oh Two has been a longtime partner at Orvis. They are usually the first agency we contact to help with any digital challenges the company is facing.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and campaigns.

• Project: Paid Shopping Optimization

1. Each day, we partnered to optimize spend levels to achieve our ROI targets.
2. During seasonality changes, promotional holidays, and other key moments for Orvis, Eight Oh Two would be extremely responsive and adaptable to ensure Orvis' marketing goals were being met.
3. Eight Oh Two was also a strategic partner, working closely with senior stakeholders and Google/Bing representatives to shift Orvis to an Omni-channel marketing program. They play a critical part in our Local Inventory Ad set up - we could not have done it without their technical implementation knowledge.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I personally worked with 2-3 members of Eight Oh Two's digital marketing team from levels ranging from VP to implementation specialists.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The Orvis shopping program consistently over performed, exceeding targets which led to healthy scaling and growth opportunities.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

Their project management style is clear and concise. Eight Oh Two were always timely with their follow-ups and would provide recommendations/solutions in line with Orvis' marketing goals. They adapted quickly to last minute changes and were flexible when marketing objections were to change.

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

Their level of professionalism and ability to deliver actionable solutions to help grow Orvis' program was something unmatched by other agency partners I have worked with in the past. Their communication style, attention to detail, and willingness to dig into new projects are a few of the key factors to the success of the Orvis digital marketing program.

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

Nothing! They are a phenomenal agency partner (one of the best I have worked with in my professional career).

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Vice President of Marketing and Ecommerce for a consumer good company. We are an industry leader in portable power (consumer electronics).

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eight Oh Two?

We hired Eight Oh Two to manage our SEM and SEO business. I had worked with two agencies prior to Eight Oh Two that didn't have the consumer product experience or attention to detail required to meet our goals.

What were your goals for this project?

Our company is going through a significant growth period. There are internal and external factors contributing to our growth. I needed an agency that could help us build out tests, strategies, and assumptions that could separate truly incremental growth vs external factors driving growth. Our goal was to scale up quickly but in a responsible and cost-effective manner.

SOLUTION

How did you select Eight Oh Two?

I had worked with Eight Oh Two at a previous organization. We ran an RFP and Eight Oh Two was included in the process. After reviewing responses from four agencies, it was apparent that Eight Oh Two was the most capable and cost-effective option to meet our needs.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

On a quarterly basis, I work with Eight oh Two to set strategy, KPIs, budgets. We review the business as a whole and I provide insight into the company roadmap ahead.

Our Ecommerce Director works with Eight Oh Two weekly to review performance, and KPIs and make adjustments to budgets and goals as needed. Eight Oh Two handles the day to day execution, reporting, technical updates. In short Eight Oh Two is heavily involved from high-level strategy and goal setting all the way through daily execution.

What was the team composition?

1. Our company - Vice President of Marketing and Ecommerce
2. Our company - Director of Ecommerce
3. Eight oh Two - Vice President of Digital
4. Eight oh Two - Account manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Eight oh Two has been highly effective. They have scaled our SEM business by over 300% in the past three years. They have optimized our efficiency and effectiveness and introduced our brand and products to a host of new consumers through effective scaling of non-brand text and shopping.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We have a high level of trust with each other that has been cultivated over the past few years. As a result, we have been able to build out a process that has allowed us to be nimble, effective, and confident in our decisions and ad spend.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their attention to detail and the ability to identify the right tactics for us impressed us. Other agencies built our a process, brought on new clients, and ran all of the unique business essentially the same way. Eight oh Two tests and tweaks and builds out a bespoke team and process for your unique business.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Very happy with Eight oh Two at this time and would highly recommend their agency.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Founded in 1856, we believe the most meaningful experiences are created by sharing the love of nature and being inspired by its endless possibilities.

We pioneered the mail order industry in the United States, operates more than 80 retail stores in the U.S and the U.K., and maintains a network of over 400 dealers worldwide as a trusted source of discovery and adventure in the natural world.

We promise to open the door to extraordinary outdoor experiences, and to protect nature by committing 5% of our pretax profits each year to conservation efforts worldwide. I hold the position of Senior Director of Omni-channel Marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eight Oh Two?

Outdoors enthusiasts constantly seek content to help ensure their time spent outdoors, with dogs, or learning new skills is spent well.

We have the expertise, but sought out a partner who can frame that expertise in formats conducive to discovery by users of social media, search engines and mobile devices. 802 fulfilled that partner need.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to get consumers connected with us through expertise in a way that properly represented the brand.

SOLUTION

How did you select Eight Oh Two?

802 has a strong reputation in the SEO and Digital Marketing arenas. They are also located within physical meeting-distance of the company.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We scope the work with 802 into projects. In general, 802 identifies a major theme of expert information (ex. how to train your dog, how to select a dog, where to fly fish) that is a direct match with our unique expertise.

With that theme identified, we meet to gain clarity on the content that will meet that customer need, including the breadth, depth and user experience of the content. This cycle of project work generally takes 1-1.5 years to turn over.

The reason for that turnover rate is that we invest in large pieces of content that will be useful to consumers for 10-20 years.

What was the team composition?

The team generally consists of a strategist, an analyst and a number of content producers. We often direct the creative elements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Yes. Our guide to dogs, and the Dog Breed Selector have generated millions of visits to the website and tens of thousands of new customers. From a brand perspective, the content has helped us share valued expertise with existing and potential customers.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Once roles were clear, especially roles between our internal creative team and 802, the work flowed seamlessly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

802's agility and dedication to our business are the traits I find most impressive. Plain and simple, they care about our well-being and growth as a company, and they understand that agility (a key digital strategy) allows our company to seize opportunities in the content marketing space.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Of course. The opportunity that comes to mind is their ability to support video production.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Operations and Technology Director for an Educational Student Travel company based in Southern Vermont.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eight Oh Two, and what were your goals?

We brought Eight Oh Two on to help us with organic SEO and to advise on and manage a number of PPC campaigns.

We work with a number of high profile partner organizations as well and Eight Oh Two designed and implemented PPC strategies for these branches of our operation, as well.

SOLUTION

How did you select Eight Oh Two and what were the deciding factors?

We selected Eight Oh Two based on a direct referral from a new employee who had worked with them previously.

We liked that they were local (ish) and that they had experience both with smaller, boutique companies like ours and larger national brand names.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and campaigns.

Eight Oh Two really has done it all for us, from identifying, prioritizing, and in some cases implementing organic SEO strategies, to keyword analysis and tracking, to breaking down our business cycle so we can more effectively deploy PPC campaigns, to campaign design and A/B testing.

They have been a true full-service SEO and online marketing and sales partner for us.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We have a project manager who brings in various Eight Oh Two specialists as needed in key areas where we are looking to develop new strategies or evaluate the efficacy of our campaigns.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

While our business is one where there are "many touches" before a purchase and last touch attribution models don't do it justice, I will say that self reported client sourcing over our tenure with Eight Oh Two indicates a big jump in the effectiveness of both our organic SEO and our PPC, both in search and social media.

They have been an invaluable addition to our marketing process and projects.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

We have weekly phone calls and use a variety of shared spreadsheets and reports, mostly within the Google-verse.

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

I love how well they have come to know what we do, given that it is a very unique and high-end product.

I also like that despite not being one of Eight Oh Two's largest clients, I feel like we always have a direct line to the top of their organization and they have been incredibly responsive when we have needed to pivot due to a new partnership, COVID, etc.

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

There was some changing of account managers toward the beginning of our relationship, which meant a bit of going over the same ground again with new people...but it has settled down and we have a great working relationship with our account manager and the business as a whole.

To be fair, our marketing department was also in a bit of flux :)

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Sr. Manager of Front-end Development at an eyewear retailer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eight Oh Two?

We hired Eight Oh Two for assistance managing and verifying our ongoing SERP positions, SEO best-practices, SEM management, content guidance, and channel assistance.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to continually improve our SERP rankings and optimize our channels such as SEM to ensure we were efficient and competitive.

SOLUTION

How did you select Eight Oh Two?

Eight Oh Two was recommended to us by a former employee as well as our current VP.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We work with Eight Oh Two in different facets of our business for digital marketing and as a key resource to confirm changes we expect to make and guide us on 'white hat' decisions.

They are our go-to resource for day-to-day management of our SEM, affiliate, social, remarketing, and SEO channels. We have regularly scheduled meetings to review our positions with text and product listing ads, SERPs, and assistance with direction of our onsite content, metadata, and microdata (schema markup).

They are also available to help us with broader needs such as tracking via GA when we encounter something atypical. I work with them regularly to discuss changes to make sure we're on the same page for site enhancements regarding SEO best practices, providing data dumps for review and updates to site content, new SEO features, accuracy for SEM, feed management, etc.

What was the team composition?

We've worked with approximately 10 different team members directly at Eight Oh Two, from the principles to role-specific members (e.g., data analysts, leaders in Google Analytics conversion, etc)

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a significant traffic decrease and hired three independent firms to provide guidance as a request for additional viewpoints from our CEO but had mixed results. Eight Oh Two served as a fantastic guide throughout the process, and in the end it was clear we were already on the right track to resolve issues with Eight Oh Two.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our workflow has been fantastic. We have regularly scheduled reviews to go over updates and discuss new initiatives. They have provided a service that doesn't get in the way and allows us to work as though they were sitting in the office with us.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I've always been impressed by their professionalism and wealth of knowledge in marketing and the key areas where we've needed assistance.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I honestly can't think of anything they could improve upon at the moment. If there are ever any issues, they correct them immediately. The successes we've seen and their professionalism has make them our firm of choice for nearly 5 years.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Riverbend Home is a rapidly growing ecommerce retailer focused on home improvement and decor. I am the head of marketing for a small but dynamic team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eight Oh Two?

We contracted with Eight Oh Two on two projects. The first was to restructure our paid digital campaigns across Google (search, PLA, and smart shopping). The second was to develop a suite of content to drive organic SEO and establish credibility in key product expansion categories.

What were your goals for this project?

In 2019 the company relaunched with an aggressive move into home decor and home goods, in addition to its legacy of hard goods used in remodels and DIY projects. As a small player in both sectors, Riverbend Home had little brand presence or consideration.

The goal of the project was to build a base of content within the lighting, decor, and home goods categories to both help our brand become discoverable in search, as well as create credibility as a go-to shopping destination.

SOLUTION

How did you select Eight Oh Two?

Eight Oh Two came recommended by a consultant firm we engaged with to help our brand transformation. Based on Eight Oh Two's track record in helping other e-commerce brands grow their digital footprint, it was an easy decision.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The Eight Oh Two team first met with our principles and marketing team in a discovery session. Because Riverbend Home was expanding in several categories, the content project had several paths it could potentially take. Eight Oh Two came back with several recommendations on an approach based on our growth goals.

Once the direction was established, Eight Oh Two provided an overall editorial calendar and outline of specific article pitches. We had a series of short input sessions on the first suite of articles as the copy team got to better know our business.

Draft articles were then submitted for review. Eight Oh Two was able to quickly understand each category and our brand voice, and we eliminated the need for the input sessions about halfway through the engagement. Ultimately Eight Oh Two delivered 50 blog articles for our site across three key product categories.

What was the team composition?

We worked closely with the founder/CEO and day to day with their copy team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The articles have improved our credibility in these key product categories. While it's early, we are seeing improvements in our site rankings and customer engagement with the content.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The Eight Oh Two team was highly approachable, collaborative, and open to pivoting strategy when needed. We enjoyed working with them.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The level of involvement by their founder, Ken, as well as the rest of the team, was impressive. They felt like an extension of our internal team. I was also impressed by their ability to quickly adapt the project to take advantage of market shifts. Our project happened during the middle of the pandemic.

With quarantine, consumers shifted their buying behaviors to focus on being home; presenting a new demand for outdoor furniture and cooking/baking. Eight Oh Two proactively came to us with new ideas on articles to meet our customers needs. The result was even more relevant content for a very unique time and market.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that I can think of. We have been happy with the partnership with Eight Oh Two and their work product.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the head of marketing for The Company Store.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eight Oh Two, and what were your goals?

Our SEO rankings kept on sliding and SEO driven web revenue kept on decreasing.

SOLUTION

How did you select Eight Oh Two and what were the deciding factors?

Did an RFP with a couple of agencies. Deciding factors: plan of action, affordability, referral from prior job.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and campaigns.

We asked EightOhTwo to do a site audit to understand our site weaknesses either technical, best practice or content gaps. We also needed weekly, monthly and quarterly reports. The ask also included launch of new products, Google monitoring, Content calendar recommendation.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

3 people worked on our account:

• VP SEO strategy
• Sr manager
• Copy strategist

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Results: our SEO traffic and revenue finally started growing again in Q2 of 2020. We saw double digit session growth and demand growth.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

We have weekly meetings during which we discuss strategy. They are just a phone call away if needed. They are very responsive to emails. Projects are well prioritized.

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

Their way of explaining complex concepts in simple words for non SEO experts helped the team get believe in making SEO a priority.

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

We wish they were more proficient with our ecommerce platform so they could make changes on their own, instead us making the changes based on their recommendations

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the VP of Operations at CIMcloud, by WebsitePipeline. We are a B2B e-commerce and ERP integration company. We develop proprietary e-commerce and ERP integration software for wholesale, distribution, and manufacturing companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eight Oh Two, and what were your goals?

We engaged Eight Oh Two for our own SEO & PPC campaigns to drive traffic to our website. We then engaged Ken and his team to help our customers with their SEO efforts.

SOLUTION

How did you select Eight Oh Two and what were the deciding factors?

Eight Oh Two's consistent performance as SEO & PPC professionals, customer engagement and care, and their alignment with our companies core values. They are a trusted advisor for CIMcloud and our customers.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and campaigns.

Eight Oh Two has engaged in a variety of projects through CIMcloud. They have done on site, organic SEO work to optimize our clients product catalog and web page data for better ranking. They have designed, implemented, and managed paid ad campaigns for clients.

Eight Oh Two has also implemented custom template designs for our clients helping their sites perform better on mobile devices. Eight Oh Two assists our product development team and product managers by auditing our platform and guiding us in development best practices for onsite SEO.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I have personally interacted with 3 resources. Ken as a lead contact and CEO. Tow other resources for SEO development and design.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Feedback on Eight Oh Two from our clients has always been positive. They are very professional and deliver on the results they commit to providing.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

My interactions with Eight Oh Two has always been via email and phone calls. They are clear on communicating deliverables for CIMcloud. I am not aware of their preferred management tools for our clients or other clients they work for.

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

Eight Oh Two's ability to improve targeted traffic to our clients websites. Increasing page views and order conversions.

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

Nothing comes to mind. They have been great and exceeded my expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the former marketing manager at my company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eight Oh Two?

SEO optimization for over 2,000 products. General digital strategy. Branding/logo development.

What were your goals for this project?

Increase online sales.

SOLUTION

How did you select Eight Oh Two?

Ability to understand our scale and having worked with previous companies of similar size; ability to explain the rationale for how they made decisions as it pertained to paid ads and overall strategy.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We previously did not have a digital marketing strategy and they held our hand as we learned about all the aspects. It was a broad scope of work that included a little of everything until we felt comfortable in narrowing down what was working best for our business.

What was the team composition?

Worked closely with 2-3 people from Eight Oh Two and had a regular standing meeting to discuss progress of various components of the scope.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We developed a seasonal approach to paid ads which was more targeted and resulted in higher online sales for items needed at particular points in the season. We were also able to focus ads on higher-profiting products that increased overall profit margin.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We worked well together. Eight Oh Two was responsive to our many questions as we learned what we should be doing in the online space.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Ability to adapt to what we needed. They were not only skilled at what they did, but able to explain the "so what" of what was being recommended.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Really, no. Initially we had some sticker shock and did not understand their pricing model. Perhaps for those small businesses who are new to this really explaining how the pricing works.