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Marketing Agency Known for Custom Web Design

4.9
11 reviews

Idea Marketing Group offers award winning web design and development with effective marketing strategies to clients all over the world. Our team listens to your needs to produce a creative strategy and deliver goal-driven results. In a digitally connected market, you need an experienced web design company that respects your urgency and drive to win.

We work closely with you to get results by navigating through your web development needs, working to deliver competitive search results, and delivering more quality leads through content marketing.

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$10,000+
 
$100 - $149 / hr
 
10 - 49
 Founded
2009
Show all +
Yorkville, IL
headquarters
  • 46 Saravanos Dr
    Yorkville, IL 60560
    United States
    312-300-6841

Portfolio

Key clients: 

Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants, Rosebud Restaurants, Here's Chicago, American Board of Medical Specialties, Northwestern University, Northeastern University, The Patio Restaurant Group, Ventus at Marina El Cid Spa & Beach Resort, Company House Hotel, Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, The Compassionate Friends Nonprofit Organization

Reviews

4.9
11 reviews
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Website Update & Ongoing SEO Management

“They seem to be the only company out there that took the time to learn our industry.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
2017 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Idea Marketing Group provided a full WordPress overhaul. They do SEO, e-mail campaigns, and blog-writing; create city-specific location pages; and provide secure data backups.

The Reviewer
 
2 - 10 Employees
 
Skokie, Illinoise
Benjamin Palmer
President, Expressive Structures
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The team’s efforts yield phenomenal results, ranging from increased site traffic to more event bookings. Their project management process is seamless and adaptive to circumstances. Idea Marketing Group's exhaustive knowledge on the event industry is what sets them apart from other agencies.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Expressive Structures, a corporate scenery company that uses modular systems. We transform event spaces for shareholder meetings, investor meetings, financial analyst meetings, and internal awards ceremonies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Idea Marketing Group?

Our initial challenges were to update our website, make it more accessible on mobile devices, and try to drive more leads and applications to our newsletter, through the website.

After we achieved those goals, we sought after their SEO feature to start driving traffic to the site.

We deal with the end client, but we’re dealing with one-layer back, as well, with project managers, audiovisual companies, and producers. A big challenge was to explain our offerings to them on a product basis, but also provide a solution-based presentation to everyone. We have a lot of technical information on the site, but we also needed to do it in a way that wasn’t overwhelming.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created a brand-new WordPress site for us. The backend is built in a very organized way, which we like. We can go in and alter content whenever we need to. They also provided a lot of great ideas on how to handle our site’s navigation; they came up with this really great idea of doing accordions on the site for details about a product, without overloading a visitor.

In terms of SEO, the team works on our organic search results and manages our email on MailChimp, which also runs our email marketing campaigns. They create location pages for a lot of the major cities that we visit. Originally, we aimed our SEO efforts at different market segments; over time we realized it's better to aim it at different groups of people we serve within the market. Now, we’re able to evolve the site in the background, instead of letting things get outdated, like in the past.

Additionally, we do one blog every month, and they’ve been writing most of those for us. Finally, they handle the backups and security for our site. We run our domain through them, and we have backups in three different cities, so we don’t have to worry about a web hack situation.

What is the team composition?

During the website building process, we had 3-4 people working on the project. Now, we have just one point of contact that handles the blogging content. He also works with other team members in the company for SEO elements. We can always reach out to the owner if that person is ever unavailable.

How did you come to work with Idea Marketing Group?

I work in the event industry, and I go to a lot of networking meetings; I’ve never met any website people who specialize in the events industry. They seem to be the only company out there that took the time to learn our industry. They’ve also worked with a few other events companies that I’m familiar with.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $10,000–$25,000 in total so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in 2017 and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve seen us come up on the first page, if you search “rental scenic walls in Chicago”, which is important because there’s a large contingent of professionals that prefer to get things in the city they’re coming to. I also noticed we started getting forms filled out, for both our newsletter and our questions form, which never used to happen with our past website. I can directly tie the number of people who fill out the forms to shows that we’ve won. It’s definitely generating specific contacts who are actually looking for our service.

How did Idea Marketing Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They have a fantastic process. They take something that’s overwhelming and they have a defined process on what the expectations are, within each stage. They’re very good at helping keep the projects focused; if at some point, during one of their steps, things look like they’re taking a new direction, they’re very good about noting that and making those changes to ensure the overall agreement.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I think their knowledge and understanding of the event industry is quite good. I also think they have great writers; we didn’t really have a voice for our blog, and with their help, we were able to narrow down the voice we’re trying to convey.

Since most of our sales are made via phone, email, and text, we like how easy it is to communicate to our prospective clients and refer them to the links on our site or walk them through different aspects of our offerings to get their questions answered efficiently.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. From my end, they’re doing everything they’re supposed to do.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you can write down on paper what you’re trying to achieve, it’ll help you get to the desired end result.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    If there was ever any hold up, it was on our end.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I’d recommend them in a heartbeat.

Wordpress Design and Digital Marketing for Nonprofit

"Idea Marketing Group’s personalized approach and willingness to train our team stood out."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
July 2018 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Idea Marketing Group redesigned a WordPress website to enhance its look. They focused on emphasizing services in the design and layout. Their team now provides marketing services.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Palatine, Illinois
Cassie Khurana
Outreach Coordinator, St. Mary's Service
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The internal response of the website has been positive. Idea Marketing Group’s instruction empowered their internal team’s methods of production. Their team is responsive and in tune with the client’s needs. They also remain open to feedback.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the outreach coordinator at St. Mary’s Service. We’re a non-profit adoption agency and counseling center for women. I also work with technical support for the agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Idea Marketing Group?

We needed a website redesign. Our team wanted to freshen up our look.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Idea Marketing Group created a customized WordPress theme with a striking backend. Our team provided them with a sitemap and content. They did give us suggestions, but let us lead the way. I have experience with WordPress, but their team made it so simple that anybody on my team can work on the website.

As for design, we loved their main website designs and looked through other pages they’ve worked on. Going off that, we discussed what we liked. The way Idea Marketing Group set up the website was different than our previous. Their team found a way to incorporate all our services in a balanced way versus focusing one.

Now, they’re doing Google advertisements for us to drive traffic. Their team set everything up for us and helped us get in the right direction to update our website with fresh content.

What is the team composition?

Our primary contacts are Beka (Project Manager, Idea Marketing Group), Shannon (Business Development Manager, Idea Marketing Group), and Darren (Creative Marketing Leader, Idea Marketing Group). We worked with an all-female design team.

How did you come to work with Idea Marketing Group?

We did an online search of local companies then interviewed a few who were experienced in non-profits. Idea Marketing Group’s personalized approach and willingness to train our team stood out.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $12,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work started in July 2018 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since the website is new, it is still gaining traction. Our board of directors did comment on how much they liked it. That’s a huge deal. We’ve gotten great initial feedback from our employees.

I spearheaded this process, and everyone seems to be happy with it, so that is wonderful for me.

How did Idea Marketing Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Our team is expressive and passionate, and Idea Marketing Group was able to get an idea for what we wanted based on our personalities. Beka was quick to respond to any requests, and Shannon communicated our mission exceptionally well. Darren helps with the advertising aspect and is receptive in understanding what our agency is trying to achieve out of our advertisements.

We communicate through email and usually get a response within the same day, if not, within the hour. InVision helped us view the website at our office, so we could make comments and give feedback.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I loved that they were willing to teach us the process so that we wouldn’t be dependent on them. The project came from more of a customer service standpoint than sales. Our team appreciated that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing really, I wish the timeline would’ve been quicker, but I know that’s within industry standards.

Any advice for potential customers?

Communication is number one. If we needed anything, we would always get a reply the same day. Communicating with their team is the biggest thing, and I think people tend to forget about that side of it.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Web Design & SEO for Audio Visual Company

“The platform is everything we were hoping to achieve with Idea Marketing Group.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Nov. 2017 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Idea Marketing Group designed and developed a website based on WordPress. The look and feel reflect in-depth research about the company. They use SEO to get more conversions and are starting Google AdWords.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
New York, New York
Or Israel
President, ATD Audio Visual
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Idea Marketing Group delivered a website that reflects the highest industry standards for its design and functional capabilities. Reliable, trustworthy, and honest, the team put results first and was committed to customer satisfaction.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president at ATD Audio Visual. We provide audio visual services in New York City.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Idea Marketing Group, Inc.?

Our company had transitioned from being mainly a rental house to more of a service provider. We wanted to rebrand the website, the company, and streamline the checkout process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Idea Marketing Group helped us build a WordPress website that will increase conversions using SEO. They based the design on extensive research we conducted together. They learned about our company in depth before starting. Currently, they’re hosting our site. The team’s copywriters wrote content to add.  We’re going to start working on Google AdWords soon.
 
What is the team composition? 

We are in contact with Beka (Project Manager, Idea Marketing Group, Inc.) and Dan (Frontend Developer, Idea Marketing Group, Inc.) on a daily basis. Shannon (Business Development Manager, Idea Marketing Group, Inc.) started off the process and passed it onto Beka.

How did you come to work with Idea Marketing Group, Inc.?

I found them through another website they had designed. We liked their work.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $11,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2017, and the work is ongoing.
 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our website is at the top of our industry right now regarding appearance and functionality. The platform is everything we were hoping to achieve with Idea Marketing Group. They’ve over-delivered in every aspect. We’re pleased with their work.

How did Idea Marketing Group, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

Idea Marketing Group performed very well with project management. We use phone and email to communicate. They use an external website to show the design and comments.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Idea Marketing Group stuck to their word. We paid what we agreed to, even when they had to make changes. The cost was never the main concern for them. Instead, they prioritized the experience and what they delivered.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Define the scope of work ahead of time. In our case, we made everything very clear about what we expected them to deliver. Make sure the design you approve is the design that you want.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Web Dev & Marketing for Parks & Recreation Org

"They're an incredibly talented group of people and they were wonderful in creating our website."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Apr. 2017 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Idea Marketing Group developed and designed a website to boost overall functionality and design. They host the site, and also provided training for staff on how to use the backend.

The Reviewer
 
51-200 Employees
 
Plainfield, Illinois
Marketing Manager, Plainfield Park District
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Communicating clearly from the start, Idea Marketing Group’s expert team inspired confidence throughout the project. The team’s quality deliverables set them up for an ongoing engagement. They also bring creative ideas of their own to the table at a reasonable value.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the marketing manager at Plainfield Park District. We bring recreation services to over 100,000 people in Plainfield, Illinois.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Idea Marketing Group?

We wanted to make our website user-friendly for our patrons who range anywhere from grade school all the way to retirees and beyond. It also needed to be easy our staff to update on the backend.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They completely redeveloped the website. We took down our old site to start fresh with Idea. They provided their opinions about the best platform to use and the best layout. They learned about the quirks of the parks and rec space and the rules that we have to abide by. They presented a plan for how to best go forward in publishing information to the public. They simplified the backend and provided training on how to use it for our staff. They’ve provided us a way to make changes to the site from wherever instead of having to be in the office at a computer station. They're also hosting the site.

What is the team composition?

I have one main contact, but also occasionally work with the owner and other account representatives.

How did you come to work with Idea Marketing Group?

We did a request for quotes and had approximately 13 companies reply. We narrowed it down to three and brought them in for interviews. A key selling point was they showed us the before and after of a large website project they were working on. They seemed very personable, which is important because we plan on this being an ongoing relationship. Idea was the only company that asked us what we wanted and didn’t just focus on what they've done.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work started in April 2017. The website launched about six weeks ago. They continue to help us update the site and provide ongoing maintenance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They helped us set up Google Analytics. We don’t have them yet but soon we’ll be able to get insights into our website and be able to report that back to our board. We like the way our site looks and we have received a lot of compliments so far both internally and externally.

How did Idea Marketing Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is great. We never had any issues. We primarily communicated via phone and email, with the occasional in-person meeting. We’ve been to their office a few times, and they came to us to do website training.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very personable. They have a positive attitude. They're an incredibly talented group of people and they were wonderful in creating our website. They've been very helpful and patient with our staff. They've helped us navigate the whole project, and provided good feedback when we've asked for their opinion.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they're just really great to work with.

Any advice for potential customers?

Have trust in who you're hiring because they’re incredibly talented. They will help you get to where you want to be.

5.0
Overall Score We’re really happy with the engagement.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    Never any issues with deadlines.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They’re in line with their competitors.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    Their deliverables are fantastic, and their training was really good.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I have already recommended them.

Branding & Marketing for Full-Service Engineering Firm

“Our online performance for one day now outperforms what our performance was for a whole month prior to the launch.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Less than $10,000
 
July 2017 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Idea updated the branding and design of a website, incorporating mobile-friendly features and content. They also designed supplementary marketing materials as needed (e.g., brochures, business cards).

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Plainfield, Illinois
Colton Anderson
VP of Operations, ABM
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Idea's updates to the website significantly improved web traffic and Google search rankings. Timely and transparent in their approach, working with their team was a breeze. They quickly learned industry information to deliver top-quality work at a reasonable rate.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the VP of operations at ABM, a full-service engineering firm that specializes in the food and beverage and chemical industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Idea Marketing Group?

We had an outdated website that was not mobile-friendly, so we were in the market for a vendor that could update and modernize the design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Idea helped us rebrand most of our website, providing the designs and updates to the site to make it mobile-friendly. They also incorporated SEO and designed a brochure and other marketing materials as needed. 

What is the team composition?

I was assigned a project manager as my main point of contact. Others working on our project included a sales manager, graphic designer, developer, and content creator. 

How did you come to work with Idea Marketing Group?

I found Idea through an online search for various design firms. I ultimately chose Idea, because they seemed to have the best website compared to their competitors. After meeting with their sales manager, I appreciated how open and transparent she was about their approach, taking the time to educate me on why certain things needed to be done in a certain way.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested about $8,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2017 and the website launched in March 2018. We expect to be picking up more work with them pretty soon.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within a couple days of launching the website, our business was showing up on Google under broad search terms for the first time. Our rankings and web traffic have significantly improved thanks to Idea's updates to our website. Our online performance for one day now outperforms what our performance was for a whole month prior to the launch.

How did Idea Marketing Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very reasonable with timelines and responded almost immediately whenever I reached out.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're open and transparent—they basically told me how to redesign the website ourselves. It also didn't take them long to understand our industry, so they were able to write content and choose photos for our website in line with our work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Their area of expertise is in marketing and web design, so understanding your industry may take some time. Be willing to help them and give them as much information as you can upfront, so they can make something great with it.

5.0
Overall Score They were fun to work with and made the whole process very easy.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They turned everything around quickly.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    The value of our product far outweighs its overall cost.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    Their designs were pretty much always right on the first try.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    Working them was painless and their costs are very reasonable.

Website Renovation for Business Events Company

"They’ve engendered our trust."

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4.5

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Nov. 2015 - Dec. 2016
Project summary: 

Idea Marketing Group fully renovated a business event website to include a more professional UX/UI. The team provided extensive designs, modernized coding, and maintenance training for revenue growth.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Orlando, Florida
Manager, Events Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Since the site’s relaunch, the number of visitors has tripled, and dozens of new leads have presented. Idea Marketing Group’s responsiveness, reasonable price point, and focus on fast load times contributed to a positive partnership. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our firm is an event services company that works entirely on behalf of businesses and business-related associations, providing excellent speakers who will achieve our clients' event objectives. I manage our digital marketing efforts. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Idea Marketing Group?

We had an existing website that we wanted to renovate to attract new customers and grow our business. We wanted our renovated website to deliver relevant information about top speakers to our clients and act as a "self-serve" means for clients to search for speakers who fit their event needs. Our target metrics included improved customer satisfaction, revenue growth, and business process improvement.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Idea Marketing Group took our input, crafted and refined a design based on our feedback, coded the entire site, and trained us on how to manage its upkeep. The site we had was over 10 years old, and the coding was on the verge of losing all support. Idea Marketing Group took a bit of what was there and asked for our input to help us craft something on WordPress that works for the 21st century.

All the features we wanted were incorporated into the new site. They did a nice job creating search mechanisms and profile pages featuring speaker information. They also created forms to capture new leads, and that’s been an efficient and helpful functionality for us compared to our prior site.

My initial conversation was with the president of the firm. Then I primarily worked with a team of 3: a project manager, a designer and a developer. At one point, more members of their team were working together to get it rolled out. After the launch, we added some additional improvements. For those projects, I worked with the president of the company and the same developer.

How did you come to work with Idea Marketing Group?

We looked at 5–7 providers and did various speed tests on the agencies’ sites and their clients’ sites to find out if anything was lacking in the build. Many of them had heavy images, slow loading times related to how things weren’t compressed, and various other impediments to our customers. After comparing quality of work and price, we narrowed the field to 2 options.

We chose Idea Marketing Group for multiple reasons: their understanding of the events industry, consistent excellence and fast load times on their websites, and competitive pricing.

How much have you invested with Idea Marketing Group?

We spent between $15,000 and $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project - not including a few post-launch additions - lasted just over a year, in part because of an internal delay.  We are continuing to work with them for WordPress platform and any other technical updates.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Our overall website traffic has over tripled. The time to implement content updates has decreased significantly. Employees and customers are both satisfied with the results, and the site has generated dozens of new leads. We are very satisfied.

How did Idea Marketing Group perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a project manager who would loop in the appropriate person (design or development) to work on crafting the site based on our vision and input. We started with an initial survey questionnaire about the design style, content, and various functionalities. They drew up a draft, and we went through a few rounds until we landed on a layout that worked for our business. Clarifying our vision internally, then communicating it, took time of course. Idea did a good job staying in touch regularly through email and phone calls. The only delays were when they had an understandable time crunch when rolling out another client's website.

In regards to project expectations, I am the type of client who is particularly invested in the details. There were a few things I was hoping for that didn’t translate into the development. That was due in part to our own time crunch; our old site was losing support, and we were at risk of being completely shut down. Idea Marketing Group cranked out our new site which worked well, and we made tweaks after the fact.

Even with the post-launch projects, the president of the company will respond within a day. That level of customer service has engendered our trust.

What did you find most impressive about Idea Marketing Group?

Idea Marketing Group is smart, insightful, and talented in what they do. They were patient and provided helpful feedback when we were crafting the design strategy, and when we hit crunch time, they went all-hands-on-deck to get our site launched.

Are there any areas Idea Marketing Group could improve?

A deep-dive strategy conversation at the beginning would have been welcome and would have saved time spent mid-process defining and refining the website vision. The people at Idea Marketing are experts, and I think they could charge more to add on strategy development for customers who need the extra assistance. That said, they’ve given great advice on the user flow and layout questions we’ve had along the way, so my critique is a little nit-picky.

Overall, we would hire them again. They build smart, user-friendly websites with fantastic SEO [search engine optimization] at a good price.

4.5
Overall Score
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    We got a great website at a competitive cost.
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    Our site is user-friendly, cost-effective, and smartly built.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Web Dev & Marketing for Chimney Sweep Company

"We are really happy with the website ... They exceeded my expectations."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
2010 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Idea Marketing Group built a website from scratch for a chimney sweep company. They also took on the companies digital marketing efforts, which included SEO, PPC, and Google Adwords.

The Reviewer
 
11–50 Employees
 
Yorkville, Illinois
Terry Dearborn
Founder, Valley Chimney Sweep
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The client receives daily inquiries directly from their website, which is a major improvement from their previous site. Due to Idea Marketing's efficient online advertising work, the client has been able to increase their hiring from using one truck to employing three vans.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Valley Chimney Sweep is a small chimney service company that has been in business for 39 years. I’m the founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Idea Marketing Group?

Our existing website was just a basic website created by an employee’s wife, so we needed to build a new website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Idea Marketing built a new website from scratch. The new site is interactive. We post client reviews and before and after chimney pictures. Because of the work they did on the website, we hired Idea Marketing to manage our marketing and online presence including search engine optimization, pay-per-click, and Google AdWords. I am not a technical person and I loved that they were the expert on the internet and I could concentrate on chimneys.

How did you come to work with Idea Marketing Group?

Idea Marketing was referred to us from a friend. I called several other agencies but didn’t get a response back. When I contacted Idea Marketing, it so happened that they were moving the business closer to where my company is located, so everything worked out well.

How much have you invested with Idea Marketing Group?

My budget is $1,000 a month. I was spending $2,700 a month with Yellow Page advertising 10 years ago, so this was a big saving for us.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2010, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We are really happy with the website. We were getting very little web response and now we’re getting one web response a day. We have a lot of page views and clicks to call us directly. It’s been phenomenal as far as we’re concerned. I haven’t had any issues with the site. We have gotten a lot of positive feedback about it. Client reviews of our company have helped us go from having one truck to having three vans now.

How did Idea Marketing Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They exceeded my expectations.

What did you find most impressive about Idea Marketing Group?

I call them with an idea and a couple of days later, it shows up on our site. The site is so much better than what we used to have, and I’m very pleased.

Are there any areas Idea Marketing Group could improve?

No. I haven’t seen something on somebody else’s site that I like more than ours.

5.0
Overall Score I’m very pleased.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I have already referred them.

Web Design for Youth Development Organization

"Idea Marketing Group is very hands-on and listens to our requests, doing their best to deliver."

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4.0

Quality: 
3.5
Schedule: 
3.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
4.5
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Mar. 2014 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

A non-profit organization hired Idea Marketing Group to build their new website. They focused on making it aesthetically pleasing and responsive on mobile devices.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Chicago, Illinois
Maliha Sadiq
Communications Director, Mikva Challenge
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Idea Marketing Group made a great impression and delivered a polished, functional website. The agency was successful in receiving and learning from feedback. Although the website’s first iteration was lacking in quality, the team earned praise for their final delivery and communication.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a nonprofit organization based in Chicago. We work mainly with young high school students in the area, with the mission of involving young people in specific engagement opportunities. We achieve this by working with teachers in schools and by doing direct development work through our citywide youth and leadership councils. The work starts out as an off-school program. We also run direct political campaigns involving young people, but we are nonpartisan. We serve around 6,000 young people, and we're expanding to Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.

What is your position?

I am the communications director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Idea Marketing Group?

Our website was very old and not mobile-friendly. We couldn't update its content ourselves, instead relying on the people with whom we worked. It also didn't look good and did not bring out the energy of what we represented. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

We hired Idea Marketing Group in order to build a new website.

How did you come to work with Idea Marketing Group?

We didn't go through a request for proposal process, but I did contact many people in the industry. We had interviews and requested proposals for what we could achieve and what the cost would be. 

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The total cost of the redesign project was between $20,000 and $30,000. It was initially estimated at a lower cost, but we decided to add e-commerce capabilities for our online donations, which bumped up the price.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March 2014. The website was launched in November of that year. Our work is ongoing, and we've had subsequent development on the site, creating a blog for it recently. They are our go-to web specialists.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Their principal [founder and president Darren Fox] was amazing to work with. He was very hands-on, but his team wasn't necessarily as great. One of our developers quit in the middle of the process after delivering a bad first iteration of the site. Their owner took control of the work and got the project back on track. He was good at getting feedback from us and figuring out what needed to be fixed. There were some issues with our donation system, given that it was the first time they'd attempted to build something like it.

How did Idea Marketing Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very strong in this regard.

What distinguishes Idea Marketing Group from other providers?

Idea Marketing Group is very hands-on and listens to our requests, doing their best to deliver what we want. They are also a cost-effective solution, which was a big reason for deciding to work with them.

Is there anything Idea Marketing Group could have improved or done differently?

They're very good in terms of communication, taking our vision and building it on their end, but I also would have wanted to receive an expert perspective from them, which didn't happen to a great degree.

4.0
Overall Score
  • 3.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 3.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 4.5 NPS
    Willing to refer

Web Design & Development for Event Planning Resource

"Our leads have increased 120% since moving over to the platform they built."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
Project summary: 

With the goal of improving their user interface and search engine positioning, the an event planning company hired Idea Marketing group to assist with the full overhaul of their website

The Reviewer
 
Chicago, Illinois
President, Event Planning Resource
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Idea Marketing Group exceeded the company's expectations and succeeded according to every objective measure. The agency earned praise for their efforts to understand the project's business objectives. Their creativity, timely deliveries, and technical knowledge set them apart. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a top online resource for the meeting and event planning industry. We make it easy for event and meeting planners to research and contact local top event venues and event service providers. We utilize SEM to help drive traffic and generate leads for our members.

What is your position?

I am the President.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address with Idea Marketing Group?

We needed to overhaul our existing website, giving it a fresh new look that fit with current trends while providing a better user experience for our viewers. In addition, maintaining our existing Google rankings was crucial, so I wanted to make sure I selected a firm that showcased strong marketing expertise and experience.

What were your company’s business goals for the project?

We aimed to provide a more user friendly interface which would result in additional leads for my clients. In addition, maintaining current search engine rankings while improving them at the same time was critical.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

It was a full overhaul of our website which essentially works as an online directory where our clients can maintain and update their profiles. We moved from a proprietary system to the WordPress platform, which meant exporting existing databases and then remapping them to the new system. There are also several advanced search tools in place for browsing the directory.

How did you come to work with Idea Marketing Group?

We chose them based on previous work they did to our old system, which helped increase search rankings as well as some cosmetic issues. They also came highly recommended from trusted contacts in our city.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

We have spent over $20,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

It was completed within a year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

They helped provide us with us a trackable lead source for our member listings. Our leads have increased 120% since moving over to the platform they built.

How did Idea Marketing Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Idea Marketing Group exceeded our expectations with design and implementation of a new lead generation concept.

What distinguishes Idea Marketing Group from other providers?

They understood our business. They also suggested new ideas for our website that we didn’t know were possible.

Is there anything Idea Marketing Group could have improved or done differently?

With our project, no improvements were necessary. They achieved our goal in getting to the top of the search engines and converting visitors to leads for our member listings.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I have recommended them to multiple colleagues.

Web Design for Restaurant Group

"They bring an organized and timely workflow to our somewhat chaotic workflow."

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5.0

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
Project summary: 

A restaurant group partnered with Idea Marketing Group to improve their communication and branding efforts. The agency provided a variety of services, most recently including web design.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Chicago, Illinois
Marketing Manager, Restaurant Group
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Idea Marketing Group consistently delivers high quality work for the group and provides reliable processes that enhance their working environment. Internal staff had high praise for the agency’s personalized approach, thorough explanations, and friendly customer service.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a restaurant group.

What is your role at the company?

I am the marketing manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Idea Marketing Group?

The relationship between our company and Idea Marketing Group is a long-standing one that preceded me. I do know that since being here, they have been an invaluable asset in regards to design – web and some collateral – and helping us with our email campaign efforts. 

What were your company's business goals for the project?

We wanted to continue to improve our communication and branding efforts.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

The project is ongoing, but through their professionalism and attention to detail, I feel like we are at a place where we are finally putting the right emphasis on our communication.

How did you come to work with Idea Marketing Group?

I know that our CFO/COO has a personal relationship with their owner.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

This year, we had Idea Marketing redesign all of our websites. So, with that and the continued monthly retainer this year, it was around $38,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We are still working on some of the sites, but we are hoping to have them completed in the near future.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Idea Marketing as always is a great group to work with. They bring an organized and timely workflow to our somewhat chaotic workflow. It was great having them help us along the way with reaching milestones within a timely fashion. Idea knows our company rather well and subsequently knows our strengths and weaknesses. They know that, sometimes, we can get lost in the details, but they are always there to lead us back to the project.

What distinguishes Idea Marketing Group from other providers?

I would say the personal nature with which they approach their clients.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve or things you might do differently?

Yes, but it has more to do with us than with Idea Marketing. I wish our company was better at getting information and feedback to Idea about whatever project we were currently working on. 

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer