iCONQUER Ltd

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the managing director of Storm New Media and our clients are companies who need powerful and well-optimized websites.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our client had created some brand new software for the building industry and we needed targeted online promotion to reach our desired market, and quickly.

SOLUTION

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

We have been working with iConquer for over 8 years on other projects and we know that they deliver results.

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

Initially, the project needed a well-optimized landing page with great onsite SEO. This was followed up with an AdWords campaign targeting electrical engineers and electrical contractors. iConquer also handled PR articles and a number of blogs with great content. Another side that iConquer hello with is ongoing social media on our LinkedIn and Facebook pages.

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

The director himself and 2 SEO experts, who also managed content.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In our soft launch month we gained more subscribers than we'r had anticipated and the numbers keep growing.

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

They have been great and very proactive. I am confident to leave the project to then and they get on with what they do best. I receive constant updates on progress and they report monthly on progress and the steps for the following month based on these reports.

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

I was able to tell thrm what i needed and they have cobe up with some great ideas on how to achieve this.

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

Can't really fault them as they DJI deliver results.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am one of the company directors of DIY Splashbacks. We manufacture bespoke kitchen splashbacks for commercial and domestic installations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We struggled for many years to sustain a good position on search engines, so as an online business we had to spend a lot of money on paid advertising to acquire our sales. The goals were clear, we wished to improve our online ranking on the major search engines.

SOLUTION

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

After reviewing the work (by looking at their portfolios and manually checking how their clients were performing in the SERPS) and reviews of several UK based SEO specialist businesses we found iConquer and placed our trust in them.

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

The project began with detailed instruction on changes we had to make to our own website and it's content which included technical changes as well as straightforward content changes. This first step was crucial to allow the next steps to work. Following on from that the changes were slow and steady as they began to work their magic.

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

I have worked closely with the majority of their team I believe over the last year and a bit. Their consultants have a number of different skillsets from technical analysis to content writing,

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The number of search terms on the first page of Google grew from a handful to hundreds and the number of top three positions more or less the same. The results have been dramatic and transformational.

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

They are a very personable and helpful team, as well as building your business they are building personal relationships. We get weekly updates and content from the team members, and monthly progress reports from the owner.

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

Having tried numerous companies claiming to be experts at SEO we had all but given in. Each failed attempt damaged us further almost to the point we thought the only option was to start afresh with a new website and domain name. What impressed me is that from the beginning they assured me it could be corrected and yes it did take a few months to start to see results but you do have to be patient and our patience and their hard work paid off handsomely.

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

Honestly cannot think of any at this time, we are very happy with the team at iConquer

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the creative director of Skylab Design.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with iConquer Ltd?

Over a number of years, we have outsourced onsite and offsite SEO work for many of our clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Oftentimes, our clients tell us they have a need for these services because they want to lead Google rankings for specific keywords. We meet with iConquer to learn more about their processes, and our clients offer them insight as to what they hope to achieve. Usually, this involves determining target audiences and goals for growth. Once we agree to terms, iConquer conducts onsite and offsite SEO campaigns.

What is the team composition?

We generally work with a team of three people.

How did you come to work with iConquer Ltd?

My former business partner contacted them originally, but I’m not sure of how the decision was made. We worked with several SEO companies prior to iConquer, but they rarely produced desired results, which prompted us to change vendors.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between £20,000–£50,000 ($26,000–$65,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked with them since 2005. It hasn’t been a constant engagement, but they have done a lot of work for our clients when those projects come up. We do have an ongoing project now, however.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They are able to deliver strong traffic numbers, which generally converts well into sales. They are very good at working with search rankings and getting them to the necessary point for our clients to be successful. Their team has produced far more results than any other SEO company we’ve worked with.

How did iConquer Ltd perform from a project management standpoint?

We meet once a month to discuss which keywords are performing well, which aren’t, and what our next steps are. We receive our monthly reports on time, proving that they manage the campaigns well and efficiently.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re always there when you need them. It’s nice to find a company that is this accessible and willing to help. We have never felt like we’re being fed a sales pitch. They’re transparent and work to make their clients comfortable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d like to see them offer a product that was a bit cheaper and more targeted at small businesses. We’ve had some clients discontinue their services because of the cost, so it would be great if they could offer a service that is more scalable to a business owner’s needs.

Any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to give them as much information as possible regarding what you’d like to achieve. The more they have to work with, the more successful they'll likely be.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I host a website that lets users create personalized videos from Santa. We have multiple domains worldwide that offer our service in multiple languages, including versions in the U.S., U.K., and Europe.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with iConquer?

We hired them to improve our SEO.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provide onsite and offsite SEO. When we got started, they audited our site to see what needed work. For a year, we only had them manage one of our domains; then, we decided to extend the work to the other domains as well.

They began with the onsite work. However, the majority of the work is done offsite and includes writing articles for blogs, building external links, and so on. Since our site’s activity is seasonal, with an active period from September–December, we pay them to do extra offsite content creation for us during those months in order to push our search engine rankings higher. Also, when we make minor changes to the site, they review and update our keywords.

What is the team composition?

They provided one representative to work with us, but I think there are also more people involved on their end.

How did you come to work with iConquer?

We performed an online search for companies that understood Google Ads. We met with a few and chose iConquer specifically because they suited our price range. I also liked that they responded to our inquiries quickly and that their site wasn’t overdone with self-promotional success stories.

How much have you invested with them?

I think we’ve spent around $50,000 over the last 3 years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2015, before our season started, and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We saw a 250% growth rate in organic traffic compared to last year. Those results are good, which is why we’ve decided to continue the collaboration with iConquer.

How did iConquer perform from a project management standpoint?

We typically communicate once a month. They sent us a report detailing all the work they’ve been doing, plus a review with improvement suggestions based on our Google Analytics data.

Our primary contact puts a lot of effort into his work and responds to inquiries within a matter of minutes. According to our in-house IT staff, iConquer has done a much better job than SEO companies we’ve hired in the past.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re extremely responsive. We don’t have to wait for them to make changes and they regularly present us with additional solutions based on what they’ve seen on other websites. Some of this requires an additional fee, but they’re keen to help us grow our business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m only comfortable speaking to the quality of their contact with us and the results of their work. I’m not involved in the technical aspects, and I don’t personally read every article they write, so I can’t fully assess the quality of the work. I can say that it’s good enough to deliver the results we need.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

It’s hard to say, given that every company has different goals. Clients should first review the vendor’s website, and it’s also good to negotiate the price up front.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the company director and a real estate agent at Select Estate.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with iConquer Ltd?

We wanted to get more traffic to our website, resulting in stronger lead generation.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They handle our SEO work and Google Ad Words campaigns. In the past, they've done some web design, changing the structure to help our rankings using URLs and keywords. They advised me on how to edit our content to make it search engine friendly. Their role is more an advisor, rather than an actual content creator.

They also look through the website and check that the code is written in the correct format. They input certain keywords so that properties can be found. They assess the website, the competition, and the keywords for the industry, then come back with implementation plans. It’s an ongoing process with a couple of new projects in place.

What is the team composition?

I work with Nadim (SEO Manager, iConquer Ltd) and Craig (CEO, iConquer Ltd). Once in a while, I work with the support staff.

How did you come to work with iConquer Ltd?

I found them through a Google search when looking for an SEO company. I looked at their portfolio, which was full of well-known companies. I was looking for someone that wasn’t so corporate and was more personable; then when I went to meet them, it went very well.

How much have you invested with them?

For the online marketing, it's £8,000 (approximately $10,500 USD) per year. It will probably go up this year to about £40,000 (approximately $52,500 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2008, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There’s definitely been an increase in profile and lead generation. We sometimes get people who want to sell properties who say the profile is good. Other times, there are people inquiring to purchase. It can vary, but the results are clear from both sides.

How did iConquer Ltd perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed very well. It’s not always on time, but close enough. They always keep us informed with what’s going on, which is the important thing.

If there’s something they think isn’t going to work, they say so. They’re very reliable with feedback. If there’s a period where the traffic is a bit low, they will explain the reasons why. I get an email once a month saying what’s working, what’s not working, and what keywords to drop or add. We get a lot of feedback because the market is always changing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their honesty, their follow-up, and their client care are very good. They’re always available and responsive. Communication is excellent. Their staff retention is excellent. In the last 10 years, I’ve been dealing with the same people.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, which is why I’ve been working with them so long. There’s nothing that bothers me about working with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They might not always tell you what you want to hear, but they always tell you the truth. Some people might take that to be negative, but before you consider other companies, listen to the facts rather than a sales pitch. They’ll deliver on your results.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director for a finance company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with iConquer Ltd?

The bulk of our business comes from Google searches, so we needed a partner to improve our SEO and WordPress website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For the past three years, iConquer Ltd has worked closely with our internal team. They consistently improve our SEO and website ranking, even when Google changes the algorithm. They redesigned our WordPress site and made artwork for materials not related to the site.

They frequently help with the marketing side of our business. We’ve recently put them in charge of our digital marketing strategies like email and content marketing, and they’re currently putting together an online book for our business development managers.

What is the team composition?

We work with a team of about four people.

How did you come to work with iConquer Ltd?

I’ve known them for a long time.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked together since 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our company focuses on bridging loans, and we get about 15,000 hits a month from that search term alone. We often have 2–3 pages listed on Google’s first page for relevant searches and at least one PPC result. We’re a specialized and niche industry, but we get about 60 leads a day because of iConquer Ltd’s work. Now that our site is optimized and ranking highly, it’s much more valuable than before.

How did iConquer Ltd perform from a project management standpoint?

We talk multiple times a day and don’t have any issues. They’re responsible and communicative, and our staff seems to like them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re incredibly flexible. I can ask them to work on something and, even if it’s not their area of expertise, they’ll still try to help and point me in the right direction.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their design work could be improved.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Put in a performance-based bonus, especially for SEO. It will motivate them to work that much harder.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of EJM Investigations. We’re a private investigations firm that also handles process servers in the area.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with iConquer?

I needed help improving my site and it’s local rankings and traffic.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I had another web designer build my website initially, but that resulted in him charging me a lot of money and not doing any work. I lost the site but managed to get my files and put them on another site. However, that site did not rank well.

When I first met with iConquer the columns of the site weren’t aligned, some pictures weren’t the same size, and the text was slightly different fonts throughout. They improved the metadata and made everything across the site uniform.

Over our years working together, we’ve never been tied down to a contract. Even in the initial project, we made the down payment and had a six-month plan, but I was able to walk away at any time. After seeing their initial success, I continued going back to them and have for the past four years. They’ve added new pages, posted blogs, improved our Google rankings and click-through rates, and done multiple SEO campaigns to help increase traffic to the site.

What is the team composition?

We usually interact with our SEO consultant. During bi-annual meetings, we meet with both him and the owner.

How did you come to work with iConquer?

I had been looking into a few local companies, and iConquer was one of two that invited me to their office to sit down and discuss the project. Out of those two companies, iConquer was more willing to work with what I wanted. Instead of scrapping the whole site and starting from scratch, they were happy to follow my lead and keep the basics of the site and evolve it from there.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent just over £10,000 ($12,863.900 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We first began working together in 2014 and are still working together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We use three main keywords to track our SEO and ranking progress: private detective, process server, and detective agency. From monthly reports, we’ve seen about an 80% improvement in our web rankings.

How did iConquer perform from a project management standpoint?

I communicate with our SEO consultant over email. He’ll confirm receipt of the email within minutes, and then typically respond with an answer to my query that same day. They post blogs within an hour or two and always have someone available over the phone to handle any major issues.

Every month they send me a traffic and ranking report for all of the keywords that we’re targeting so that I know how the site is doing. I’ve never had to remind them of their responsibilities or closely monitor them to make sure they’re getting the work done. They do what they say they will.

Every three to six months I meet with our SEO consultant and iConquer’s owner to discuss the project’s progress and our goals for the next three to six months.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They follow up on their promises, and in terms of SEO, they follow white hat techniques. Any time that I’ve come to them with an idea that they think focuses on the search engines instead of our audience, they instead provide a white hat technique that won’t cause problems down the line. While working together, we’ve never had a drop in rankings due to an algorithm update. They work on the site in a way that works with Google.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they need to improve on. I’m happy with what they’ve done for me.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’ve had negative experiences with web designers in the past, so I always recommend meeting with potential vendors. Some people doing web design and SEO work offer a really cheap price but the work isn’t good quality. iConquer offers a competitive price without cutting corners.