Hibu

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Owner & Founder, Massage Therapy Business

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire RevLocal, and what were your goals?

Hired RevLocal to increase Local Search Ranking. They claimed their strategies would help build real results by the time our 6 month agreement would end.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

A Digital Marketing Agent arrived at my office on an off day and reached out to me via phone call. That's how discussions came about utilizing them to help market my business. He claimed they really specialized In helping local small business which gave me confidence.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and marking tools used.

Honestly, they utilize a pyramid graph to communicate and show you their results, percentages and analytics. In terms of what they did, the project steps and marketing tools were unknown to me.

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

Two Resources: In person I met with a Digital Marketing Agent two times and we spoke on the phone maybe 2 or 3 times. I never met with the Local Search Strategist in person, we spoke on the phone 4-5 times. Email apparently was the best course of communication for her so that's primarily how are discussions or conversations took place. She was the only one I truly spoke with.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Before I hired RevLocal I averaged anywhere from 3-5 new clients a month. I hoped to double that by the time my 6 month agreement ended and then I would reevaluate whether to continue using their marketing team or not. Unfortunately those numbers didn't increase because their strategies didn't work.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I had a conference call once a month with the Local Search Strategist to go over ideas and strategies. The discussions we had never included what her or her team actually did or what their actual strategy was. Our phone calls always tended to end with something that I needed to do to help improve my rankings (Google or Facebook posts, upload pictures). I assume because whatever they were doing wasn't effective or efficient enough.

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

NA

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

The strategist and consultant I worked with were non existent. I truly believe the consultant was new and inexperienced and the strategist was completely unaware of or lacked any knowledge at all in how to improve the strategies because nothing was working. Just a total lack of effort and concern. Not sure what can be done there, but a lot of improvement for sure. What else can I truly say when I have paid $3500.00 in 6 months to a company that didn't help broaden my business?

Company Responses

The vendor responded on March 21, 2023.

Thank you for the feedback, it has been shared with our team. We strive to build trusted partnerships and are sorry to hear that we did not meet your expectations. If you would like to discuss your experience further, please reach out to us.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a mining company. We create mining bags and buckets for kids, which has rocks and sand that kids can dig through to find crystals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Hibu?

We hired them to provide SEO services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our plan was to set up Google Analytics, Google Ads, and SEO for our website. Hibu was also supposed to conduct social media marketing for us, specifically to put up and manage Facebook ads.

The sales representative personally came in to see us and spent an exorbitant amount of time giving us the rundown of what the costs would be. We were able to settle on a starting point and how we would move forward once that was successful. 

Everything went downhill almost immediately, though. We held a two-hour phone call to talk about our company and walked them through our terminology and verbiage. We even dove into our FAQs and how we interacted with our customers to direct their SEO keyword research. Hibu said that they would immediately get to work after that call, but it ended up as though we never even had the conversation in the first place. 

Hibu did sign us up for Google Analytics, but they never gave us access to it. The very first Facebook ad they put up was also grammatically incorrect and didn’t have the “shop here” option, which should’ve been the whole point of the ad. It took a couple of hours to take that ad down since we couldn’t get in touch with them. It felt like they brushed the matter off, as though it wasn’t a big deal. 

What is the team composition?

We interacted with two people from Hibu: a sales representative who personally met with us and his regional boss with whom we only ever spoke on the phone. 

How did you come to work with Hibu?

Hibu was recommended to us via a local Facebook group. 

How much have you invested with them?

We paid $3,000 a month, so it all amounted to around $9,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We hired them in April 2021, and we terminated the partnership in July 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a very specific request to not be called a “toy store”, but to this day, that is how we’re recognized on Facebook. The main keyword we wanted to rank for is “activities for kids”. We also pointed out that though our location is in Massachusetts, we’re a global company, but our website still reflects that we only cater to Massachusetts. It’s very inaccurate seeing as we generated $3 million in revenue last year and are very clearly not a small company. 

We had to spend a lot of time reversing all of the things that Hibu did incorrectly. I had to pay my own staff for overtime work and even pull some of them off of their current projects since this matter was time-sensitive.  Even our FAQs page, which they put up, was nowhere near what we had talked about. It’s like they made up their own words. 

We fought for the reimbursement of our $9,000 investment because everything we hired them to do, we essentially ended up having to do ourselves. 

How did Hibu perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated over the phone and via email only. There wasn’t any kind of project management structure or platform. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could definitely improve on their services and their bedside manner. I feel like they were being too comfortable with us and neglected to maintain any level of professionalism.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Hibu traditionally helps brick and mortar companies, and I don’t think they’ve fully transitioned to catering to e-commerce businesses like ours. My advice is to hire an e-commerce expert and ask for references, specifically e-commerce brands that have used that expert’s services. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Owner/Operator of Move Chiropractic. I provide mobile chiropractic services and house calls

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire RevLocal, and what were your goals?

I hired Rev Local to grow my local and organic search awareness.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Matt had reached out to me, seeing that I was a new business in the area. He was very personable and extremely knowledgeable in what he was explaining. The other deciding factor was that he was actually a local person from the area.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and marking tools used.

A landing page was created for my business as well as optimizing my google my business page. They also search ads to be run. I was kept up to date on the performance of what we were doing through their analytics program and monthly calls with the strategist to discuss what was working well, and what we should look at changing. I was also given "homework" to focus on such as strategies and best practices to ask patients for google reviews and social media posting.

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

I worked with Matt who my local rep, and Hanna, who was the strategist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Being a brand new business, the results were slow to start, but after a couple months, I began noticing more calls from people who found me through local google searches. Matt was also able to get the listings of chiropractors that were no longer in business in the area, removed from google maps, which was fantastic. The ad spend received on average 11,000-12,000 impressions.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The work flow was very convenient. I am a single member business, and having direct contact with both Matt and Hanna was fantastic. If I wanted any changes or had any questions, they were answered nearly immediately with a quick phone call or email.

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

The most impressive quality I felt, was that they seemed genuinely vested in the results I was getting. They were honest if something was not working, and offered ideas to change up the strategy. Also, the ease of direct communication with both Matt and Hanna was outstanding. There were no automated phone calls and no wait times if I needed to contact them about something. I was just a small start up, with a small budget, but I felt like I was treated as well as a large company investing thousands of dollars into their marketing. Matt is also tremendous with thinking of his clients and personally connecting them together if he felt it would be worth introducing them. He made me countless valuable connections in the community, and I can't say enough how grateful I am for that.

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

I honestly don't know enough about digital marketing to know what they could have done better/different. I just know that the personal interactions and feeling like Matt, Hanna, and their team genuinely cared, was more than I could have ever expected.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own a custom PC company based in Raleigh NC that I started at the end of 2015. We believe that fostering and strengthening authentic personal relationships with our customers is the most important part of our business. Above all, we want to help you get exactly what you need to be successful.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire RevLocal?

When I needed someone to help me out with more advanced topics, my relationship with Matt on LinkedIn was all I needed to know he was the right person to call. He and my strategist Taylor get my business in a way that few people do, and they truly have my best interest at heart.

What were your goals for this project?

To improve local search marketing, brand awareness, and recognition of what our business does (and does not).

SOLUTION

How did you select RevLocal?

I'd like to say I've become a decently proficient business owner when it comes to marketing. When I needed someone to help me out with more advanced topics, my relationship with Matt on LinkedIn was all I needed to know he was the right person to call.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Matt and my strategist Taylor get my business in a way that few people do, and they truly have my best interest at heart.

What was the team composition?

2 roles ever, Matt and Taylor.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Consistent measured scalable results online that we can mostly source a cause from. Things are moving at rates that are either on par or better than expected by our strategist.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Seamless, clear regular communication with open professional lines. Stellar.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Honestly, we appreciate how open and professional they are.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None right now.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an automotive software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Hibu?

We needed help with digital marketing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We asked them to create a digital marketing campaign to boost sales and bring in more leads. Within two months of working with them, they just took the money out of our bank account with literally no results whatsoever. Nothing was delivered.

What is the team composition?

They have thousands of employees, but I was only speaking with the sales representative and a marketing specialist.

How did you come to work with Hibu?

I found them on Google. I chose them because of the way they represent themselves. In our conversation, they were so nice and promised to do everything so I decided to take a chance and see if they can do what we needed. They promised that it would work 100%.

How much have you invested in them?

I spent at least $7,000. They were charging $2,500 a month with no results.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them in 2016 for about two months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

In terms of doing what they were supposed to do, I would give them a zero. On the website, I could see the actual leads and where they were coming from. If the leads are coming from Google, I can see that a lead has been driven directly from a Google search. With them, within two months and spending money, there were literally no leads. We had the exact same amount of leads as we did before working with them.

I spent $7,000 and literally had no return. When I told them that I didn’t want to work with them any longer, they told me the contract was at least three months. We didn’t finish the contract with them because it was a waste of money, so it did affect the business a lot. 

How was project management handled?

In terms of scheduling and conversations, it was pretty easy, and I would rate them a four out of five in that area. In terms of performance, which is the most important thing, it was absolutely zero.

Is there anything that the vendor did well or that you would consider a strength?

No, I can’t think of anything.

In what specific areas can they improve?

Everything should be improved. They have to hire someone who really knows what they are doing. Everything is about knowledge. It isn’t about how you represent the services; it’s about how you can make it happen. If you promise people that you can bring them leads, it is supposed to happen. If you are spending $7,000 and get nothing in return, it’s a scam.

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

My advice is to never deal with them. They promise a lot of things but don’t perform any of them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President of Kilby Electric CO

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Electrical services

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Hibu to accomplish?

• more clientel
• better website access
• better company profile

SOLUTION

How did you find Hibu?

walk in

Why did you select Hibu over others?

Other

How many teammates from Hibu were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Hibu is helping us with website developement as well as a better google profile. Helping us with getting reviews to be more noticable when clients are lookign for electrical services in the area we serve. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

it is an ongoing processbuilding our internet profile to bring in more customers. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Diane is my personofcontact. She is very nice and takes her time to help with any needs I have. 

What was your primary form of communication with Hibu?

In-Person Meeting

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

They provide great customer service. 

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

i do not have any at this time. I work with diane monthly to change adds to try to pull in more customers. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of Tile Designs of New England

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Retail sale of tile

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Hibu to accomplish?

• Improve website
• Social Media Campaign
• Search engine optimization

SOLUTION

How did you find Hibu?

Other

Why did you select Hibu over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Hibu were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Hibu One, Local Ranking, Service Area Pages, and Social Ad Campaigns

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Increased web traffic and increased review numbers

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Megan is incredibly responsive and always makes communication easy. I never have to wait long for answers, and she consistently keeps projects moving smoothly. Her friendly, upbeat personality makes collaborating a breeze, and she's offered numerous ideas that we've acted on. She listens carefully, follows through, and is incredibly professional. She's pleasure to work with!

What was your primary form of communication with Hibu?

In-Person Meeting

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

They have a helpful staff

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

More options for "boiler plate" website design

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Kenneth Fugiel of All Mirror and Glass

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

A local family operated glass fabrication and installation company. Specializing in custom glass, mirror cutting, custom shower doors, glass panels, commercial storefronts and bath accessories.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Hibu to accomplish?

• Increase my visibility on Google and generate qualified leads

SOLUTION

How did you find Hibu?

Referral

Why did you select Hibu over others?

Good value for cost

How many teammates from Hibu were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

My account manager Tammie provides ongoing communication, optimization and support to strengthen my company's online presence while generating qualified leads

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Working with Tammie provides measurable progress across several key areas- increased online visibility website traffic and stronger local market reach.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Tammie is readily available whenever questions concerns or new marketing needs arise and works quickly to provide solutions.

What was your primary form of communication with Hibu?

In-Person Meeting

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

The fact that my representative is local, willing to help, and very professional is impressive.

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

NA

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Vice President of Joffary Window coverings & Interiors

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Custom window coverings

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Hibu to accomplish?

• Online presence
• Bring in more sales
• Spot light our business

SOLUTION

How did you find Hibu?

Other

Why did you select Hibu over others?

Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from Hibu were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Online presence

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Yes increased online presence 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

constant contact always helpful when needed.

What was your primary form of communication with Hibu?

In-Person Meeting

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

They had a great response time when needed.

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

Lower cost for services

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the President of a consumer products & services company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Pressure washing, window cleaning

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Hibu to accomplish?

• Get more customers

SOLUTION

How did you find Hibu?

Other

Why did you select Hibu over others?

Good value for cost

How many teammates from Hibu were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Google had challenged my profile that had been active for over twenty years. We sent videos three times and each time we were rejected. The perseverance of the team at Google and my rep Tom Brown won out. The appeal was accepted and Google approved my verification.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Google had challenged my profile that had been active for over twenty years. We sent videos three times and each time we were rejected. The perseverance of the team at Google and my rep Tom Brown won out. The appeal was accepted and Google approved my verification.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Google had challenged my profile that had been active for over twenty years. We sent videos three times and each time we were rejected. The perseverance of the team at Google and my rep Tom Brown won out. The appeal was accepted and Google approved my verification.

What was your primary form of communication with Hibu?

In-Person Meeting

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

I was impressed with their dedication.

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

no