Jelly Digital Marketing & PR

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a partner at Momentum Real Estate Group, a firm that specializes in real estate project marketing in British Columbia. We work on behalf of developers to market their new home projects.

What challenge were you trying to address with Jelly?

We needed support running our digital strategies for an upcoming purchase. Our clients are developers for whom we facilitate sales of their new home developments. We try to reach potential buyers over several months prior to and after the launch of a new home project until it is sold out. We needed ongoing digital marketing and PR strategies that could ensure a continued marketing presence online to reach customers over what can be a period of a few months to 1-2 years before the development sells out.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We outsource most of our digital marketing and PR to Jelly. We’ve worked with them on multiple projects to market new developments, reach customers, and build our databases with registration lists of interested parties. We contribute to strategies and messaging, and Jelly implements.

They manage multifaceted campaigns that combine digital marketing with PR and which are uniquely designed for each project. They run ads on social media, get the word out via local news outlets, and organize targeted events with influencers and potential buyers. For example, for one of our projects they organized a contest that was advertised on social media, wherein entrants could win a “date night” at one of the restaurants in the community surrounding the new development.

What is the team dynamic?

For any given project, I typically work with 1-2 key people including a project manager and a digital ad or PR strategist.

How did you come to work with Jelly Digital and PR?

We had noticed their work with another developer at the time. We decided to work with them because they are experts in their field, specialize in digital marketing and PR, and are also a Google Partner. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since June 2014.

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

Jelly has worked on multiple successful projects. For example, Jelly helped us draw buyers to a 64-home new development in a remote area that wasn’t well known. They organized an evening event with bloggers and journalists to introduce them to the property. We received social media visibility and had a couple of newspaper articles published that were widely shared. They combined that with digital ads placed over many months. We ended up selling out the project within a year.

Our primary focus is registration of potential buyers who click the ads to find out more about our project and add their information to our database. Registrations are critical for us to drive potential buyers to these developments and the digital marketing campaigns have ensured consistent registrations. For example, for one project we’re working on, we get around 1.5 registrants a day or 12 to 20 per week.

We’ve also achieved visibility through well-received articles in Van City Buzz and the home sections of Vancouver and provincial outlets.

How did Jelly perform from a project management standpoint?

They submit monthly reports detailing the analytics. They include easily understandable descriptions in nontechnical terms which are particularly helpful for those of us, including our developers, who may not understand the numbers.

They’re accessible – it has never been difficult to get a face-to-face meeting with them or a quick response to a direct contact or email. We meet on an ad hoc basis based on our needs. Though most of the communication goes through us, Jelly has also met directly with our developers if the developer requests it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Expertise and accessibility are key. I’m confident in Jelly’s expertise to create eye-catching ads, monitor them, tweak them if needed, and get them into the right places. This is evident in the results we get, including the registrations that grow each day and each week. They exhibit an ability to shift when needed which I think it's important. The apply both their past experiences and the analytics to best utilize your dollars.

Personalities are accommodating across the board, which makes them easy to work with. In particular, Jelly’s owner is a great guy who has tons of energy and is always on time. I think his personality flows through the rest of the staff.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the general manager of Big Splash Waterpark. We are an outdoor waterpark located in Vancouver, Canada, and we have approximately 140 employees.

What challenge were you trying to address with Jelly Digital?

Our ultimate goal was to drive traffic and gain a clear understanding of our target audience.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Jelly helps us with our digital ads, public relations, social media, SEO, and keyword research. We didn’t have a keyword list before working with them. They basically handle the entire digital side of our business, and we have a very collaborative relationship. They ask questions to try and understand what we are looking for, then we work together to see how different solutions would pan out moving forward.

They provided a lot of input for our previous site, but our corporation now has a lot of in-house staff that takes care of website development.

Our industry is very unique, so it was interesting to see Jelly gain understanding of what a waterpark does, what we offer, and what we’re trying to accomplish. They provided guidance and pioneered our transition to 100% digital advertising. It was a lot of fun, and they took care of everything.

We’re only open for three and a half months out of the year due to our location, and during that time, our social media demands drastically increase. We aren’t able to handle our own Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter accounts, so Jelly manages all of them for us. They create their own posting schedule, and also respond to messages when our staff isn’t able. Their understanding of our business allows them to provide proper answers, and if they’re unsure, they always contact us for clarification.

They are very transparent with their work, so I fully trust them to steer our digital ship. I don’t feel like I have to constantly supervise them. They do on-site visits to create incredible videos and takes pictures for us, and they've also conducted fun online contests. The media now comes to us, rather than us having to pay for that advertising. It’s been an enjoyable relationship.

What is the team dynamic?

I regularly communicate with 3–5 members of their team, including a project manager who provides follow-up and gauges our satisfaction with their work. We also have a social media person who I communicate with directly if she has a question.

How did you come to work with Jelly Digital?

Our previous owner knew the owner of Jelly, so that’s how the relationship originally started. They came on site to have a meeting with us, then things developed from there. The first year went well, and the second year was even better. Overall, it’s been an awesome relationship. At one point, we were using two companies, so Jelly collaborated with them. Eventually, we switched to just using Jelly for those services.

How much have you invested in them?

We spend approximately $40,000–$60,000 annually.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2015, and the relationship is ongoing. The bulk of the work occurs during April–August, but they still work for us during the off-season as well.

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

Our business has increased by 10% since going 100% digital, which is an exciting statistic for us. Jelly’s quality of work met our expectations and really captured our brand.

We were really pleased with their willingness to learn about our industry so they could provide appropriate resources. They have a positive attitude, and they make it apparent that they genuinely enjoy working with us.

How did Jelly Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They have performed really well. They use Basecamp as their general platform, but I also communicate with them via phone. I can text or call, and I always receive a quick response. They have also come on site many times to make sure they fully understand our business and upcoming events so they can plan accordingly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their attitude, energy, excitement, and willingness to try new things are all really impressive. They have the ability to ask the right questions to obtain a true grasp on our industry and what we’re trying to achieve. They’re always willing to try something new, and if something doesn’t work out, it doesn’t halt their progress.

I’m looking forward to working with them again next year.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the marketing assistant for La-Z Boy Furniture Galleries. We operate four retail locations in the greater Vancouver area.

What challenge were you trying to address with Jelly Digital?

Aside from our corporate website, we needed help with our entire digital marketing strategy. It’s a challenge because corporate is very cautious about making sure that everything is aligned and that everyone will be happy with whatever Jelly produces.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The scope of what they’ve done with us over the years evolved and changed over time. They have consistently managed our Facebook page over the years. They also run our Instagram and Twitter feed.

Jelly Digital built and operates a local blog site for us that we call “Lifestyle Meets Comfort.” They started that project from the ground up. It’s subliminally sponsored by La-Z Boy, but its main goal is to reach people who are interested in lifestyle and design in the lower mainland. They schedule the blog posts, the local bloggers, and influencers. Jelly deals with the local influencers directly and pitches those ideas and topics. I deal with our in-house design consultants who contribute to the blog. I brainstorm with Jelly to develop a list of possible topics, usually for a six-month timeframe. Then, I get buy-in from the designers as to which ones they want to do. My account manager at Jelly and I make the schedule. I make sure the designer does the post and get it back to Jelly. Then they do the final edit and post on the website. They also pitch all the keywords and manage the SEO and SEM for the blog site.

They launched a YouTube channel for us to include our local in-home designer bios and videos about style. Jelly also filmed home-tour videos about decorating.

What is the team dynamic?

I am in direct contact with my project manager. I can also reach out directly to the social media coordinator, who is responsible for my account, and the fellow who does some of the creative work behind the graphics for the ads that they’re creating.

How did you come to work with Jelly Digital?

Although we operate under the La-Z Boy franchise, we are a family-owned and operated business. One of our owners’ best friends owns a retirement facility in Abbotsford, and Jelly created a great video for his website. He recommended Jelly and connected Tim [Owner, La-Z Boy Furniture Galleries] and Darian [Founder, Jelly Digital and PR]. The energy of the folks at Jelly is intoxicating. A lot of the values that Jelly holds are the same as ours; it was a great match. They were keen to jump on board for what our needs were at that time and adapted over the years.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $6,000 per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2013 and the work is ongoing.

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

The biggest success is the growth and the following of our Facebook page. Initially, I was doing it myself with one of the owners, and we had a couple hundred followers which has increased to over a few thousand now.

It’s difficult to build a blog site from the ground up and try to get your followers organically, but Jelly has been able to do that, too. To go from zero to a few thousand people on our mailing list in almost two years has been a good measure of success for us.

Finally, they meet our expectations in making sure that our brand aligns across all digital and marketing touchpoints.

How did Jelly Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Basecamp. They’re very transparent. I can see everything that’s going on; there are no hidden conversations. We also have a monthly connect meeting.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The biggest thing that’s kept us in partnership with Jelly over the years is that they have a vested interest in all aspects of our business. They don’t just care about the digital side and the blog. They’ve sat in multiple brainstorming meetings with us regarding our print and direct mail to make sure that everything is in alignment. They have a vested interest in our success, which is huge for us.

At the beginning of the year, we wrap up the past year and look forward to the coming year. They haven’t been afraid to admit defeat. To be able to work with a team that can agree that an idea was unsuccessful and to stop pouring money into it is refreshing.

Their transparency also impresses us. With Jelly, I never have to question where my budget is going and how they’re spending it. They’re always there if I have a question. There’s never anything hidden.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re still a young agency. They’re still discovering what exactly they do best. They’ll find their footing as time goes on, but in terms of their daily performance and how they operate as a team, we wouldn’t have stayed with them for the last four years if we felt things weren’t successful.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Trading Post Brewing is a craft microbrewery in Langley, BC. I am the marketing coordinator so I manage all our social media, advertising, and events internally and externally.

What challenge were you trying to address with Jelly Digital?

We’re very new. We opened in February 2016. We needed to get the ball rolling to help us figure out who our demographic was, how we could reach them, and how we could make ourselves present in the Langley community. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Jelly worked on public relations. If we had a big event, they created the media lists, sent out the invitations, and did the follow-ups. I gave them content for the press release and they would create that, send it out, and keep an eye on the newswire. They did all our digital ads on Google and Facebook. Before I joined the company in March 2016, they were managing our social media: posting, doing all the analytics, keeping an eye on it, and replying to people. Since I came on, I took that over, but they still monitored and created content every now and then. 

They also helped with e-newsletters. I send them all the content and they created the template for it and send it out to a MailChimp for us. We wanted a video for our website and a couple other videos we wanted for internal promotions. We gave them our direction, brainstormed a bit, and then their team came in and did some video shoots. Then they edited the videos, sent them back to us for a couple of edits, and wrapped it all up for us. 

They created our website and did updates that we needed, including all our SEO. Choosing keywords was a collaborative effort. They have a web developer that does all our website edits. They changed things around if we didn’t like the layout and added a few things as we grew. Even when we need small edits done like people switched out or changes to our menu online, they do that for us. 

How did you come to work with Jelly Digital?

We wanted to use as many local vendors as possible and for everyone on our team to be local from Langley. We did some research but also heard from a lot of other people about Jelly. Their office is right across the street from our restaurant. We heard nothing but good things about them and the fact that they were local was just the icing on the cake. 

How much have you invested with them?

Around $3,000 CAD [$2,395] per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January 2016 until September 2017. We now have a bigger team in-house that has the capabilities to do the work. We are going to continue to use them on an as-needed basis, for example, for video creation or PR help. 

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

We’ve had a couple of PR events or media launches. They were something special and we had about six media people come — we got good results from those. Jelly is good at pushing it and getting people to come to our events. 

They also always share our website analytics. We saw that people weren’t staying on our website for a very long time. It was Jelly’s idea to then do the video to capture the audience. We then saw an increase in the time people were staying on our website and exploring more. 

How did Jelly Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They were so good. They were always available to us any time of the day. Anytime we had a problem, we’d call or email them and they got back to us promptly and with ideas. If they didn’t have an idea, they’d schedule a brainstorming session and come back to us in a couple of days.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We liked the energy of their team. The team was super positive and always willing to work. Even though they have quite a few clients, they’re very focused on us and always keep us in mind. 

We really appreciated that anytime anything came up that they thought was a good opportunity for us, they shared it with us. Anytime they had other meetings with other clients or other business ventures, they always included us or brought our name up. They were very good at creating a lot of relationships that we now have and giving us a lot of opportunities.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We wanted them to take more initiative on some things. We wanted them to come to us with more ideas. They did reasonably often, but we’re always looking to be innovative and new, especially in the craft brewing industry.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner and president of Legacy Advantage, a CPA firm focusing exclusively on bookkeeping. We’re based in Vancouver.

What challenge were you trying to address with Jelly Digital and PR?

We wanted to grow sales. At that point in time, I was the only driver of sales, through networking. I wanted to take myself out of the sales process, which meant we needed a passive source of lead generation. In this way, we wanted Jelly Digital to be our source.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Jelly Digital has provided onsite SEO, search ads, and scheduled social posts promoting openings in our firm or awards we’d won.

They have provided PR services, giving me opportunities to write for different sites, thus increasing the domain authority of our own site.

They mainly drove the keyword list creation, coming up with ones that had good volume, and asking for negative keywords, ones we wouldn’t want to show up for. We didn’t want to show up when searching for “tax consultant”, anything tax-related, or anything including the word “audit”, since we don’t provide those services.

Bookkeeping and accounting are a specialized topic, and it’s hard for Jelly Digital as a marketing company to write about it. In the writing process, they would come up with areas I could contribute to, or topics for me to write about, after which I would write the material and Jelly Digital would post and promote it. I could also just write a piece of content, give it to Jelly Digital, and ask them to find a place for it. At the end of the day, I mainly produce the content. We produce three blog posts per month.

Jelly Digital hasn’t made any optimization changes on the website.

What is the team dynamic?

We have monthly or bi-monthly check-ins, either through a video call or at their office, and we go through the list of small or big things we want to change. Whenever I have a question or want to create a piece of content, I can send them an email and have Jelly Digital get back to me on the same day.

How did you come to work with Jelly Digital and PR?

Jelly Digital was introduced to us through a referral from a mutual client. I met with their rep for lunch and found we both had entrepreneurial mindsets. The key factor, which made us choose them was their bottom-up approach.

We used a digital marketing firm in the past, but I wasn’t very well-educated in the marketing terminology, and they didn’t provide that education. Their reporting was based on cosmetic metrics like number of users and time on site. As an accountant running a business, I wasn’t concerned about those numbers.

When I had a conversation with Jelly Digital, they took the bottom-up approach, reporting the number of leads first, and explained how those leads came about. While the first marketing firm was process-oriented and results-agnostic, Jelly Digital was results-oriented and process-agnostic. I appreciated this, since all I cared about were the results.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $3,200 per month on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Jelly Digital in March 2017 and have an ongoing relationship.

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

Overall, our leads have been growing, and our business has grown because of having more online leads. Our followers, engagement and overall social profile have increased. Our SEO has increased because of the PR we’re getting, but the most important metric is the number of leads we’re getting.

How did Jelly Digital and PR perform from a project management standpoint?

The tracking was a lot better with Jelly Digital, which gave me confidence that we were actually growing and improving digital sales. We have one main contact, who has been consistent. Their team members have changed, which I would say hasn’t been a very good experience.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their approach to being results-oriented.

Are there any areas they could improve?

More consistency with service providers. It’s hard to do, but it is an improvement area. Having more proactive updates would also be good. PR is a very difficult thing to measure, but it would be good to discuss with them what they’ve tried to do, on a weekly or biweekly basis. It would give me the sense that they’re actually doing something.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO & Principal of the Joseph Richard Group, a collection of unique hospitality ventures including public houses, restaurants, and a hotel and winery.

For what projects/services did your company hire Jelly Digital Marketing & PR?

We needed someone to manage media relationships and provide ongoing support for marketing strategy. This would enhance coverage of all the businesses in our portfolio.

What were your goals for this project?

We set out to develop media relationships and ensure we were top of mind when creating editorial content. We also wanted to increase awareness of new ventures.

How did you select this vendor?

Darian (Principal, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR) and his team were recommended to us through a mutual friend who’d worked with them in the past.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The team at Jelly Marketing is constantly staying up to date with our latest business initiatives, product launches, and new location openings. They strategize ways to produce significant coverage and connect us with local organizations/ambassadors to work on community projects. Their coverage comes in various forms including editorial mentions, press releases, listicles, TV appearances, and radio and social media mentions. Along with press coverage, these techniques help drive event attendance.  

What was the team composition?

We’re in daily contact with Hudson (Account Manager, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR) and Caroline (Public Relations, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR). They meet with our team every week or two and are always available to schedule a meeting or phone call. Darian is also available for strategy sessions via in-person meetings or phone calls.

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

Since starting to work with Jelly Marketing, we’ve seen an increase in coverage across traditional (TV, radio, and print) and digital media (news sites and social media). Media members and outlets have also begun to contact us for stories and updates.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Reporting is a top priority for them. They provide a weekly summary of goals achieved, as well as a look ahead to the next week’s tasks. Quarterly business summaries and annual in-person reviews give us an opportunity to discuss the peaks and valleys of our partnership, celebrate successes, and identify opportunities.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The Jelly team is professional, detail-oriented, and able to adapt to any and all projects we give them. Their wide-range of industry connections and relationships demonstrate their expertise in their field. Their excitement for our successes and our industry is contagious.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We’re satisfied with the partnership and the work being done, though we’d be thrilled to see any new and outrageous ideas they have to grow awareness of our brand and business across Canada and North America.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CEO of the Joseph Richard Group. We’re a hospitality company that owns restaurants and private liquor stores.

What challenge were you trying to address with Jelly Digital Marketing & PR?

In terms of marketing, we’ve engaged Jelly Digital Marketing & PR for a number of different projects. Most recently, they helped with the launch of our virtual restaurant.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They offer professional, strategic guidance on how to best position the brand for maximum engagement. It’s their responsibility to get us into conversations surrounding labor, hospitality, delivery, staffing, etc. Their team also has many connections they can tap into to support our launches.

Specifically, they provide us with press releases, exposure to print and digital media, blog posts, and more. Their influencer network is sizable, so they’ve helped us navigate our social media messaging in our efforts to build marketing campaigns.  

What is the team composition?

We work with a core team of four people: Darian (Principal Digital Marketing and PR Specialist & Director of Strategy, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR), Caroline (Marketing & Communications Specialist, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR), Jessica (PR Coordinator, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR), and Husdon (Account Manager, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR). Darian is our point person, but others on the team are a part of hands-on strategizing, organizing, or writing. 

How did you come to work with Jelly Digital Marketing & PR?

One of our marketing managers knew of them and was interested in partnering. I had also met Darian at a few local functions and business events. We’d also heard many positive things about his company. In our initial conversations, Darian seemed very authentic and interested in our business, despite us not being clients yet. We were partnering with another PR agency at the time but switched over to Jelly Digital Marketing & PR when we got the opportunity.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $25,000–$50,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work with them started in January 2018 and is ongoing.

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

When they started doing press releases, launches, and announcements, our exposure was much greater. We had more inquiries and media stories as a result. Their work at our brick and mortar events was visible too. During those new store launches, the events were packed. It was night and day compared to before.

How did Jelly Digital Marketing & PR perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re at a level where they can really manage themselves. We talk strategy together, but they’re able to execute on their own. Very organized, they take the ball and run with it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They do everything a PR agency should do. But, their stand-out attention to detail and authenticity that sets them apart from others. It’s apparent that they care about our business success. They’re always opening up new doors for us, even if it isn’t of financial benefit for them to do so. We’ve built a strong relationship with them, and that’s huge. They were completely genuine, never transactional at all. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d recommend meeting with them to get an understanding of their genuine approach to their work. You’ll see how engaged they are with their work.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the office administrator at a full-service law firm that’s been in business since 1977.

What challenge were you trying to address with Jelly Digital Marketing & PR?

For a long time, we were advertising in the Yellow Pages and similar directories without receiving a good ROI. We needed Jelly Digital Marketing & PR to promote us and bring in more leads.

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, they built our website with a blog component. Their team manages our LinkedIn and Facebook accounts, posting daily and answering questions users post. For both our site and social media, they monitor traffic and important metrics.

Additionally, they’ve connected our lawyers to opportunities writing for magazines and appearing for interviews on TV.

If we’re doing a promotional event, like our region’s Rib Fest, their team helps us develop clever collateral to promote our firm. At that event, we gave out toothpicks with our logo on the container. 

What is the team composition?

Darian (Principal Digital Marketing and PR Specialist & Director of Strategy, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR) was our initial point of contact, but Aman (Digital Ads & SEO Coordinator, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR) is our main point person now. We meet over the phone on a bi-weekly basis. Caroline (Marketing & Communications Strategist, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR) is also on those calls and works with us directly. One of our partners and I meet with their team quarterly to review our online performance.

How did you come to work with Jelly Digital Marketing & PR?

We helped Jelly Digital Marketing & PR with the incorporation process back in the day. When we needed digital marketing help, one of our partners remembered and suggested them.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent approximately $50,000 in our work with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership started in January 2018, and the work is still ongoing.

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

They’ve increased our web site traffic from about 200 to 1,200. I’m very satisfied with their work. They’re incredibly collaborative, taking the time to explain their process so we could understand it and participate in it.

How did Jelly Digital Marketing & PR perform from a project management standpoint?

They have team members who specialize in all aspects of digital marketing, but I can get all my information from Aman. That makes my job a lot easier. His response time is amazing, and they’re some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Jelly Digital Marketing & PR is very transparent, communicating where every penny goes. They also provide accurate statistics. We did not find this in previous partnerships. They were able to accommodate our understanding of digital marketing, explaining technical aspects when needed. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything they could do to be better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They offer a lot of support to their partners—take advantage of it. Their team is willing to educate you on the industry to make sure you understand their processes and ideas.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I run the marketing communications department at Together We Can, the largest addiction rehab in Canada. We’re a non-profit.

What challenge were you trying to address with Jelly Digital Marketing & PR?

We wanted to expand our audience to attract higher-end clientele by bringing our website, social media, and PR up to speed.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They completely redid our website using RapidWeaver, revitalizing some of the content from our old site. However, it was completely reconstructed by their team. 

Jelly Digital Marketing & PR also handled SEO and advertising, running campaigns on Facebook and Instagram. We had social media before our engagement, but it wasn’t very efficient. Jelly Digital Marketing & PR set up a posting schedule to make our accounts more professional and manageable. They optimized the site for Google, too.

In their SEO work, they instituted a weekly blog and guided us on what topics to write about, which was informed by the performance of keywords we targetted together. As part of our PR efforts, they supported our annual gala. That’s a major fundraiser for our programs, so that was very important. 

It was important that all of this came together seamlessly because we are a unique organization made up of many programs. We’re also targetting a challenging audience, so we needed guidance from them on how to grow our reach strategically.

What is the team composition?

In total, we worked with 5–6 team members very closely. Darian (Principal Digital Marketing and PR Specialist & Director of Strategy, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR) was our initial point of contact and is running a large part of the gala.

We also interface with Hudson (Account Manager, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR), Sullivan (Digital Ads & SEO Coordinator, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR), and Caroline (PR Coordinator, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR). They really opened up and let us use their whole team as needed, though.

How did you come to work with Jelly Digital Marketing & PR?

We were referred to them during our search for a local partner. After seeing that they manage similar accounts to ours, we decided to start off slow with them. They proved early on that they were going to be helpful, so we expanded the contract and jumped in with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $120,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the engagement in January 2018, and the work is ongoing.

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

Since implementing their services, all of our metrics have trended upward: bounce rates decreased while unique visitors, social media followers, and engagement have increased exponentially. Clients are now finding us online rather than through word of mouth. That’s allowed us to generate new leads and conversions in our high-end target audience. 

How did Jelly Digital Marketing & PR perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve exceeded expectations in every regard, which is why we continue to work with them. Whenever we run into an issue, they handle it right away. They’re one of the most proactive marketing companies I’ve encountered in that respect. We lean on them, and I expect our relationship to build in the future.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Initially, we didn’t necessarily hire them for PR work, but they’ve increased our presence in the industry. We’re much more prominent in the industry now, and much of that can be attributed to their team. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind. Generally, we’ve been very satisfied with how well they’ve treated our account.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Lean on their staff for different areas of work. They let you work hand-in-hand with their specialists, so take advantage of that. For example, we have constant email contact with the website developer and SEO professional. The unfiltered access to their team has been really helpful.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of public affairs and corporate social responsibility for a maritime employers association.

What challenge were you trying to address with Jelly Digital Marketing & PR?

We had quite an aggressive growth target for 2021, which involved obtaining a 110% growth in our social media following before the end of the year. We had about 8,000 followers, and we needed to close that gap within two months so we decided to look for a company that could help us achieve this goal.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Jelly Digital Marketing & PR handles our social media marketing and ad content creation for Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. They’re tasked with transforming our existing digital assets into branded ads by incorporating our branding, logo, and other relevant brand standards into the ads.

We had our previous consultant develop an infographic for us before, and Jelly Digital Marketing & PR took that infographic and broke it down into smaller ones. They’ve also produced several short videos based on a longer existing one, which was also produced by a communication firm we had worked with before.

We haven’t done video production on our own yet, but we’re already planning on having Jelly Digital Marketing & PR produce marketing videos for us in the future.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with Darian (Founder) and Slava (Account Manager), who is our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Jelly Digital Marketing & PR?

We found Jelly Digital Marketing & PR throughout our network. As PR and government relations professionals, we are always hearing from other industry associations and organizations about positive work relationships with consultants. 

Jelly Digital Marketing & PR came very well referenced from our political and government relations network as a small but dynamic team that really provides a hands-on and flexible yet responsive connection to communication.

How much have you invested with them?

Our budget for this year is $130,000 CAD (Approximately $ USD), but we spent somewhere between $20,000-$25,000 CAD (Approximately $16,000-$20,000 USD) for the initial two-month pilot contract.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2021, and the engagement is ongoing. We began with the two-month pilot contract in 2021 to get us to where we needed to be for the end of the year, and we just entered into an annual contract until the end of 2022.

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

Jelly Digital Marketing & PR was able to help us reach our goal of obtaining a 110% growth in our social media following before the end of 2021. In terms of the quality of their work, they demonstrate a very fresh take in creating various kinds of content for us. 

They’ve taken some creative liberties around our branding — their ad copy and captions for our posts exude professionalism whilst still being relatable to our target audience. As a matter of fact, we’ve heard some very positive responses from our members and stakeholders regarding the quality of their work.

How did Jelly Digital Marketing & PR perform from a project management standpoint?

Jelly Digital Marketing & PR has performed incredibly well in terms of project management. They’re very transparent — we have weekly check-ins on engagement rates and how much we’re getting out of each ad from a click perspective.

Aside from that, they’re very responsive and well-tuned to all of our needs. They’re always on top of updating all of our schedules as things change from our end. Overall, they’re just a very well-organized and efficient team.

We use email, phone calls, and Microsoft Teams to communicate and to track our discussions and deliverables.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed with Jelly Digital Marketing & PR’s creativity and the quality of their work. The tone and overall look and feel of our ads and social media posts are now more compelling and more engaging than before.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything that they could improve on — we’ve had a really positive relationship with them so far. It’s nice working with a smaller, more agile company that is really focused on the project initiatives and deliverables for our membership.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to have a dedicated individual that's able to liaise with Jelly Digital Marketing & PR’s account manager as much as possible. Aside from that, make sure to have all of your information in order and to be organized so that you can have productive discussions with them.