Ernst Media

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior director of marketing at Managed Methods, a cloud application security platform for K–12 school districts. We help IT teams at school districts throughout the US and Canada secure the information that they store in Google Cloud (GC) and Office 365.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ernst Media?

When I came on board, my company had been working with a marketing agency for three years. The partnership had started off pretty well, but we came to find that they weren’t managing our Google Ads the way we expected them to. We didn't see the activity or conversion levels we wanted.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ernst Media helps us with PPC advertising. They mainly help us with our Google Ads by managing our account. They do all of our search, display, and remarketing ads, and then they also do retargeting video ads on YouTube.

They were doing a little bit of social advertising for us, but we brought on an in-house social media manager to do that. Ernst Media didn’t do anything wrong; we just wanted them to focus on Google Ads. 

What is the team composition?

I interact with Mike (Digital Strategist, Ernst Media). He’s our main account rep.

How did you come to work with Ernst Media?

I found them on Upwork. At the time, I was pretty agnostic whether we’d work with a freelancer or an agency; I was just looking for the right fit. I can’t remember specifically why I chose Ernst Media over the others, but I believe it had to do with the right balance of the hourly rate they quoted us and the customer reviews that I read.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $1,300–$1,400 each month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2018, and the engagement is ongoing.

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

We’re in the B2B space. We haven’t seen a huge ROI; our ad strategy has definitely been more for generating impressions and awareness rather than generating revenue.

In terms of better results, I can see that they’re actually doing work on the account and continually improving. Previously, I’d check on the account’s activity history and see that no one had logged in in a while. Ernst Media is continually putting in keywords, adjusting the budget, and testing out new things, which has helped us a lot. Before they got started, our average cost-per-click was very high, and that has definitely evened out to be more what we expect it to be.

How did Ernst Media perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly communicate via email. When we were first onboarding, we did more phone calls and check-ins, but once we hit a cadence, we began emailing to cut down on hourly costs. They have a nice update template in the form of a running Google Doc that Mike updates and sends over on a weekly basis.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Ernst Media has the ability to adjust to what we need to do. We’re a pretty early-stage startup, and we’re starting to scale. I’ve gone back and told them I need them to switch and do something else, and they get right in and do it.

They require very little direction and do excellent work. I’ll tell them generally what market we need to target, and they will set it up and do the ad copy in a way that I’m pleased with. It’s like having somebody on staff without really having to manage them much at all.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could potentially communicate why they do certain things a little bit better. That might be helpful.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend working with them. They’re very easy to work with. Knowing what you’re looking for and having at least general knowledge of PPC and Google Ads, and how to navigate those areas, is important. That’s true of working with any vendor; don’t go into it blindly.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a startup. We create electronic pens and sensors that allow customers to sync text from one touch screen to another as they’re using our drawing software.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ernst Media?

I’m the only employee right now, and I needed help developing a go-to-market strategy and figuring out some financial projections, vis-à-vis cost of acquisition per customer.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Evan (Strategist, Ernst Media) helped me with our go-to-market strategy. He wrote up the different things Ernst Media could do for us, which allowed me to see exactly what I’d pay to have a strong web presence through Google’s search services and Facebook Ads. He showed me the different analytics that his company can provide so that I’m clear on the customers we’d be targeting using their services. The final deliverable was a written document that he sent me.

I haven’t used Ernst Media for SEO or PPC yet; for this project, they just provided some mentoring market research and financial projections. 

What is the team composition?

I just worked with Evan.

How did you come to work with Ernst Media?

I found them through Upwork.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent roughly $500.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November–December 2019.

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

Evan provided a very professional workup. I haven’t had much time to look it over carefully yet, but I’m hiring a CMO and showed it to him.

How did Ernst Media perform from a project management standpoint?

We mostly communicated through video conferencing, but we also used the instant messaging feature on Upwork. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Evan was very professional and accommodating. He had a customer-centric vibe, which was very much appreciated.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

Any advice for potential customers?

I’d say have video conferences with Evan, because his advice is terrific.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of BELDT Labs. We manufacture and sell sports nutritional products.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ernst Media?

We had an ad team that wasn’t performing well.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ernst Media came on and retooled our existing ad campaigns, figuring out better ways to optimize them and get more traffic. They began with Google Ads and have since helped with SEO, SMM, and Facebook ads. They’ve worked on eliminating non-performing ads, which our previous ads team didn’t do, and building out split tests to further optimize. 

We stopped having them do SEO, but not because of their work; we reallocated their services to Facebook. 

What is the team composition?

We primarily work with Evan (Strategist, Ernst Media). Chase (Strategist, Ernst Media) handles our ads, and Tara (Social Strategist, Ernst Media) manages our social media. Channy (SEO Specialist, Ernst Media) did SEO. 

How did you come to work with Ernst Media?

I found Ernst Media on Upwork.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $100,000–$120,000. The ad spend is commission based.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work with Ernst Media began in April 2019, and it’s ongoing.

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

They’re lowering our overall CPA. Our biggest traffic push is Google Ads, and Ernst Media has improved its performance.

How did Ernst Media perform from a project management standpoint?

We mostly use Slack to communicate, but we speak on the phone every so often when I want to talk to them directly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication is impressive, as is the fact that they’re a part of our team. The last ads team we worked with acted more like a firm that was contracted out; they did things when they got to them, and it wasn’t really a collaboration. With Ernst Media, there’s no standoff. If they disagree with something, we’ll talk it out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t really think of anything.

Any advice for potential customers?

If someone’s looking for ad management, I’d pass it on to Ernst Media. They have a wide scope of skills, so any ad channel you need help with, they can handle it.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an online sports website for participants in sports betting and daily fantasy sports.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ernst Media?

We were looking for a marketing partner to run our ad campaigns across Facebook and Google.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were mainly focused on testing the copy for upcoming ad campaigns, running all the split tests, monitoring audience management, and making tweaks as needed. We’re a seasonal website based around the NFL, NBA, and MLB. It took a decent bit of management to refocus those audiences. That’s where they allocated most of their time. They optimized the content for both Facebook and Google ads. 

What is the team composition?

Evan (Strategist, Ernst Media) was in charge of Google Ads, and Mike (Strategist, Ernst Media) handled Facebook. They worked together for a unified marketing approach. 

How did you come to work with Ernst Media?

I found them online and was immediately impressed with their communication. We chose them after reviewing and interviewing 20–30 applicants. They seemed the most trustworthy and honest of the bunch.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $7,500 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in March 2019, and we still work together.

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

Before, we were gaining anywhere from 1–3 new users each day. After we engaged their team, we get up to 5–6 new users every day. They made this possible with less ad spend then we were previously using. In short, they got us more conversions. 

How did Ernst Media perform from a project management standpoint?

We had shared documents between my team and theirs. These included weekly reports and an ongoing stream of communications surrounding print media. Mike also provided us with a weekly video rundown, breaking down the week’s progress and upcoming changes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

More than anything, we valued their communication and trustworthiness. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They did a great job getting us conversions, but we’ve struggled a bit with retention. It would be nice if they could work their magic to optimize our retention and conversion funnel. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of Royal Cheese Digital, a digital marketing agency based in LA.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ernst Media?

We had signed a client and needed help managing their listings on Google Shopping—an area in which we lacked expertise. Our client wanted their merchandise to be easily findable on Google Shopping.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ernst Media took over everything related to our client’s Google Shopping experience. We gave their team access to our Google Ads and Shopify administration accounts. We had a brief over the phone, and the team then started putting all items directly on Google Shopping. Ernst Media began to optimize areas and test different ideas. Their weekly reports go into a shared Google Doc, allowing us to collaborate in real time.

What is the team composition?

Evan (Strategist, Ernst Media) is my only point of contact, which makes communication easy.

How did you come to work with Ernst Media?

We found them directly on Upwork after posting a job on the platform. We had several proposals from different people, and Ernst Media’s was the most compelling to us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $500 per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working in January 2019 for a three-month trial period. We’re happy with their work, so our collaboration is now ongoing.

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

We tried various platforms with little success before turning to Ernst Media. Now our ROI is much improved, and since the first of this month, we’ve reallocated our Google Shopping resources entirely into Ernst Media. Their expertise allows us to stick to our specializations—Google Ads and social media ads.

How did Ernst Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Our shared Google Doc has a working list of weekly ads spent and results. It allows Ernst Media to quickly determine what’s working and what’s not, letting them test multiple areas of optimization and efficiency. Their team takes care of everything, which we appreciate as a small company—we don’t have time to micromanage their work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

As I said before, it's great not having to micromanage Ernst Media’s work. They know what they're doing, and they test multiple techniques without us having to prompt them. We appreciate their proactiveness and creative independence.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything. Ernst Media does well with our small ad budget.

Any advice for potential customers?

Ernst Media is highly knowledgeable and creative. Let them test multiple things and be patient with results. You will have better results more quickly if you give the team freedom of direction.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder, owner, and CEO of an online platform that connects freelancers with healthcare-related jobs and projects.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ernst Media?

As a small startup, we needed more resources to promote our new product.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ernst Media was hired to develop and execute a viable digital marketing strategy, but their involvement expanded to cover all of our web needs. In addition to making sure our product aligns with sales and marketing efforts, they manage our Google Analytics, Google Ads, Data Studio, website, and PPC keywords. They also give us recommendations to improve our metrics. Most recently, they built wireframes for our graphic design vendor to implement on our site.

What is the team composition?

We only interact with their founder and CEO.

How did you come to work with Ernst Media?

We reached out to them after seeing their profile on a third-party website. Several companies were interviewed, but Ernst Media stood out due to their professionalism and years of experience.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent a little more than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

They began working with us in June 2018, and our partnership is ongoing.

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

It’s too early to measure the impact that their work has on our business, but we can confirm the positive influence that Ernst Media has on our business development. We have avoided countless mistakes and saved a lot of time with their guidance.

How did Ernst Media perform from a project management standpoint?

It would be hard to find a company that can compete with Ernst Media’s efficiency. They’re always transparent about what they can accomplish within our time frame and budget, so we’re never unsatisfied in the end. They’re always communicative of deadlines to make sure everyone is on the same page. Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better partner.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Previous marketing companies struggled to offer solutions that were practical for a company of our size, but Ernst Media is excellent at molding their strategies to accommodate our reality. Their team takes the time to observe the project with a wide lens and break it down into small, manageable steps. They always deliver what we ask for, and they never pressure us into getting expensive add-ons that we don’t need.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Everyone and every business can improve. There’s nothing in particular that stands out. Of course, I wish that I could spend more money and get more of their time.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s helpful to have a list of short- and long-term project goals, but being able to articulate those ambitions clearly to their team is the true key to success. Clients who don’t have a digital marketing background can also benefit from using Ernst Media as an educational resource.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Nitrogen Express. We supply liquid nitrogen to clients in California.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ernst Media?

Previously, a different company was handling our social media and digital marketing campaigns. We hired Ernst Media to take over that role and also help with web design and development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have several different websites—all built using WordPress. Ernst Media redesigned, rebuilt, and optimized each of our platforms. They improved our load times and installed additional widgets and features to increase engagement.

Currently, they act as our web administrator. Writers submit weekly blog articles for us to publish on our website and Ernst Media manages that process. They’ve taken over our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts as well, posting written and visual content to promote the articles and our company.

What is the team composition?

We have one main point of contact who is responsive, helpful, and dependable.

How did you come to work with Ernst Media?

If I remember correctly, we found them via Upwork. They were responsive and professional, so we offered them a small project. We like the results, so we expanded their role.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent between $5,000–$10,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2018, and it’s an ongoing relationship.

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

Internally, our staff is very happy with the design.

How did Ernst Media perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly interact via email, with phone calls as necessary. The team is very responsive, even during off hours and weekends. Generally, we can expect a response within an hour.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really appreciate our level of communication. The time difference is minimal, which has been a huge help.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be sure to clearly communicate expectations.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

ReputationX is an online reputation management services company. I’m the chief strategist.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ernst Media?

We needed a firm to help us navigate the complex intricacies of Google Analytics and set up custom reports, dashboards, etc.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They set up our Google Analytics dashboards. Previously, we didn’t have super clear insights into what our various web properties were performing for our company. Evan (Strategist, Ernst Media) created various, separate dashboards so we could see how our blog was doing, versus the site, versus various reputation management tools.

What is the team composition?

We only interacted with Evan.

How did you come to work with Ernst Media?

We chose Ernst Media because they had good reviews. We interviewed them and Evan seemed quite competent—it seemed like a good fit.

How much have you invested with them?

Less than $1,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May–June 2018.

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

The dashboards have given us a lot of clarity into what we need to know to optimize our various tools and properties. One of the big problems with analytics is attribution to keywords. They figured out a way that we could have a better view of how keywords were performing in our analytics. The clean analytics help us make better business decisions.

How did Ernst Media perform from a project management standpoint?

We used email and phone to communicate. They performed quite well. They kept up with deadlines and one of the things I liked was that they were very proactive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very competent at what they do. Most agencies I’ve worked with fall more on the incompetent side. Ernst Media do what they say they’re going to do. They exceeded our expectations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They did exactly as we expected.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand exactly what your objectives are before executing the project. Have a very clear idea of that.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Head of Marketing at Silvertrac, which is a software guard management and reporting solution.

For what projects/services did your company hire Ernst Media?

I hired Ernst Media to consult and oversee our venture into paid marketing on Facebook and Google.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was, and remains, to get our cost per lead (CPL) down to $10 or less, cost per demo down to $50, and customer acquisition cost (CAC) down to $1,000.

How did you select this vendor?

We felt comfortable selecting Ernst Media because we believed they could help us achieve the results we are after and help teach us about the process. We were put in touch with Evan, a strategist, that takes the time to discuss the advantages and pitfalls of certain methods or approaches.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

I meet with Evan once a week to review funnel and ad metrics and make any necessary adjustments. We finish each call with clear action items and work together to quickly execute what's needed. Evan coordinates our Google Analytics, AdWords, and Facebook accounts while I work with our internal copy editors and designers to create the ads and other content. Evan also oversees our organic SEO strategy.

What was the team composition?

Evan is our main point of contact. I have worked with two other individuals from Ernst Media but in a limited capacity.

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

Our CAC and CPL have both reduced by 50% over the past four months. In that time, we've dramatically increased our ad spend and have seen ourselves steadily growing. We have quickly seen bottom-line results.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication is quick and seamless. Evan has lessened our learning curve with his patience and knowledge.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

There was not a long ramping-up period. Evan knew what he needed, asked the right questions, and quickly got to work. They take pride in their work, and as a result, we’ve gotten closer to our goals. I'm confident we'll achieve and sustain those numbers within the next few months.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, not at the moment. We've stayed in constant communication and have settled on a workflow that works really well for us.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of DNSFilter, a company that offers a cloud-based solution to protect users from online threats and inappropriate content.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ernst Media?

We needed help with our digital marketing and media strategy. Our Google Analytics and Ads were a mess, so we needed a partner to make them better.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ernst Media cleaned up our Analytics data and provided custom reports from Google’s Data Studio. They integrated Google Tag Manager onto our website and app and organized all of our reports to make them much easier to access. They walked us through the different events we should have and the data we should be collecting, and then our internal team did the development to make those triggers occur. Together, we built the entire funnel and reporting to improve our digital marketing strategy.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a strategist.

How did you come to work with Ernst Media?

We found them on Upwork. We posted the job, saw Ernst Media’s past work, and decided to hire them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February–April 2018.

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

Google Analytics isn’t an easy tool to use, but they were able to centralize all the information, so we could see it in one view. Their reports helped us visualize the data and understand where to make strategic changes. They helped us invest more into the digital marketing strategy and better measure it.

How did Ernst Media perform from a project management standpoint?

We were extremely busy during the engagement, but Ernst Media pushed things forward and made sure we stuck to deadlines. We mainly communicated via Slack, and they made themselves quite available. They were even willing to have meetings on short notice, which we appreciated.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We expected a lot from them without giving much direction. However, they did a great job and stayed on track without having to ask for specific instructions. They knew what they were doing and only asked questions if they really needed something. I don’t think many firms could’ve accomplished what they did with as little oversight as we gave.

Are there any areas they could improve?

A project management tool to log updates and track progress could help everyone stay on the same page.