novi.digital

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Marketing Director for Arena Events Services Plc. I am responsible for the sales delivery of our 7 managed ice rink attractions accross the UK as well as our structures and seating marketing and PR activity. We design and deliver temporary architecture with a permanent feel to the events industry as well as the archaeological, construction and medical industries.

For what projects/services did your company hire novi.digital, and what were your goals?

Novi have supported us in the delivery of the revenue targets for managed ice. Managing our PPC and SEO activity culminating in strong page rankings and conversion to bookings.

How did you select novi.digital and what were the deciding factors?

Novi follow a robust on-boarding process, they really get to know the brand and the organisation. Their consultancy and KPI reporting ensures transparency and results.

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

A robust project process is fulfilled from on-boarding - getting to know us and our brand - through to weekly status updates and finally full delivery of a post implementation review along with recommendations for next campaign/learnings.

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

Project Director and an SEO and PPC specialist.

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

Improved search ranking and very competitive marketing cost per acquisition delivered through successful conversion rates.

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

Weekly meetings, SEO checklist, workshops - a variety of channels and tools to support and communicate as often as we wish to.

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

They have clear knowledge and expertise as well as a willingness to share and succeed. They are always available.

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

Not really that I can think of.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager of Summergrove Hall, a hotel and conference center.

What challenge were you trying to address with novi.digital?

We wanted to expand our reach to a new audience and were looking to improve our marketing.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They examined our website and streamlined it to make it SEO-friendly. They strategized keyword placement and heightened our website’s sensitivity to Google algorithms. They advised us on PPC initiatives and consulted with us on how to maximize our search rankings.

What is the team composition?

We worked predominantly with Mike (Digital Marketing Manager), who served as our project manager.

How did you come to work with novi.digital?

We received an outbound marketing email from them. We looked over their services and pricing, and scheduled a meeting to discuss our options. Upon chatting with them at their offices, they seemed very promising, particularly in terms of the value they offer for the money. We were also pleased with how they were local to us.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $14,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement began in January 2020 and is ongoing.

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

We’ve seen a huge, quantifiable improvement in web traffic and online bookings. We’ve been an awful lot busier, and our occupancy levels have increased considerably.

How did novi.digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very good about frequently following up with us. They regularly update us, and they’ve also asked us to update them so that they can incorporate any new developments into their action plan. I’ve appreciated that two-way communication model.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They simplify everything for us by refraining from using jargon that we wouldn’t understand. Instead, they explain their processes in a way that allows us to get our heads around what they’re actually planning to do. They don’t make it too technical for us, which we’ve been very grateful for.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think so. It’s been very good from the start.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Tell them what it is you need. Identify where you need their help, and ask for their advice. That’s what we did, and they were very good at addressing our needs.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Cubbies Ltd makes personalised teddies for any occasion. I am the MD

For what projects/services did your company hire novi.digital?

Needed help in increasing our conversion rate which was less than 1% We have used Google PPC and Google Shopping and Facebook ads in the past with no success.

What were your goals for this project?

Increase conversion rate to 3% and have a cost per conversion below £12

How did you select this vendor?

Referral from a business colleague

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Review Product title and images Access website and customer user experience Research competitors and search terms Assess bidding structure to be affordable

What was the team composition?

I worked closely with Mike and also the MD, Aaron who gave his insight on strategy to increase brand awareness and conversion.

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

Sales from April to June are up 300%. - this is down to a new website customiser I worked on but also Google Shopping performance which has a conversion rate over 4%

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

In the first three months I was on the higher tarif and got regular input/feedback. After a lot of the legwork had been done I reduced down to the basic review package with an additional One Hour consultancy. This is now working well.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their knowledge of the area is impressive - understanding bidding and introducing me to Smart Shopping vs Google Shopping. Smart Shopping was much more cost effective - 75% lower cost per conversion.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Novi closed fro two weeks at Christmas when I was on the highest tariff for service, but i was still charged for the full month. It would have been nice to have a holiday, too.

Please describe your company and your position there.

CEO at a leading specialist property project online lending platform, exceptionally efficiently matching the demand (quality property professionals undertaking quality property projects) and supply (retail/institutional investors) of capital for value-creating property projects, delivering a better deal for all – borrowers, lenders, the under-supplied UK housing environment and spend in the UK economy.

For what projects/services did your company hire novi.digital?

Optimise Google digital marketing spend, overall ppc performance and improve SEO performance.

What were your goals for this project?

Optimise Google digital marketing spend, overall ppc performance and improve SEO performance.

How did you select this vendor?

We reviewed and interviewed many parties and selected Novi.Digital for their passion, personal attention, demonstrated client performance in the past and knowledge of our sector.

Describe the project in detail.

Optimise Google digital marketing spend, overall ppc performance and improve SEO performance.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with both the owner and key account manager in the business, both of whom were professional, responsive and in command of their field of expertise.

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

The project proved excellent improvements in cost of acquisition of customers, which was the core objective of the project.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very efficient - regular catch ups and clear tasks allocated to them and us to collectively drive performance based on their experience and expertise.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Ultimately, results. But also the journey and they've transferred learnings that have helped our team also learn and develop.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not really and would thoroughly recommend their services.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a climate change consultancy. We work globally, and, though the majority of our people work at our UK offices, we also have satellite offices in Singapore, South Africa, Mexico City, Beijing, and other locations. We offer strategic services and advice to large organizations. I'm the senior marketing manager.

What challenge were you trying to address with novi.digital?

We're in a competitive marketplace, and we wanted help to improve our online visibility for specific search terms and areas related to climate change.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We target several hundred keywords, and we're about halfway through a web redevelopment project. They will eventually help us with a site migration to make sure we don't drop significantly in our rankings. They are likely to help with some page content rewrites, but most of their work with us to date includes SEO and PPC. Most of our PPC campaigns are through AdWords.

We spent weeks getting the campaigns set up properly. They asked challenging questions about the ways we measure our results, and they made us adapt our thinking. We work with a huge variety of clients, and the campaigns that novi.digital helps with are quite diverse.

What is the team composition?

There are two main contacts on their side, plus quite a range of people who work behind the scenes. In all, we work with a team of about six.

How did you come to work with novi.digital?

We worked with another agency previously, but I wasn't happy with their services. I put the contract out to tender, and we found novi.digital through a related search for agencies who focused on B2B services in the UK. We invited them to pitch to us, and they were the most detailed and knowledgeable of all the agencies we considered.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend £2,500 (approximately $3,200 USD) per month on the contract. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The contract started in March 2019, and we still have them on retainer. We hope to extend them after this contract is complete.

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

The attention to detail and our conversions are markedly better. We're a reasonably challenging organization to understand, and there is a lot of complexity in the work we do. The most important thing that novi.digital has done for us is a framework and clarity in what we should do next. I really appreciate their depth of knowledge, even if they push back on ideas that we have on our side. We have a very healthy working relationship. They steer my ambitions in the right direction.

How did novi.digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They use a project management and communication tool. We have regular phone calls and monthly reports. Over time, we've worked to make those reports less geeky and more user-friendly for our stakeholders. We've met in person a few times, but most of our interactions are over the phone or through video conferencing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are very rigorous and very clear about what they do and don't do. They've made their list of services very clear.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything to share about potential improvements for them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We have a strong working relationship with one of our contacts, so we find it helpful to have more clarity in our conversations. When we interact with multiple people, we don't always have that same precision.

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I'm a brand manager for Chomp Casino’s 12 online casinos throughout the UK, Europe, and elsewhere.

What challenge were you trying to address with novi.digital? 

My goal is to get as many players into the casino as cheaply as possible. We already had two marketing channels operating, but I was looking to add a third.

What was the scope of their involvement? 

For the brands assigned to novi.digital, they’re in charge of all player acquisition efforts. That’s the main metric within the casino sector. They're leading SEO efforts on an ongoing basis. We considered the first year of the engagement to be a test, as we didn't want to turn everything over to them right away.

We've been so pleased with their performance that we're about to start using them for social media as well. They've done a couple of presentations for us on their plans. They're going to continue doing SEO and expand it to include PPC in order to generate organic traffic. 

What is the team composition? 

I only talk to two people. Rory (PPC Team Lead, novi.digital) is our account manager and primary point of contact. I deal with Aaron (Managing Director, novi.digital) for high-level conversations. 

How did you come to work with novi.digital? 

I was looking for potential new companies. My thought process was to see which SEO companies were at the top of the page in search results. novi.digital was the second result on the page. I called them and I was very impressed with their team.

How much have you invested with them?

To date, we've given them a marketing budget of around £20,000–£30,000 per month (approximately $25,000–$38,000 USD). They’ll have a much bigger budget going forward. 

What is the status of this engagement? 

Work started in late 2017 and the engagement is ongoing.

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

novi.digital delivers fantastic results. They consistently have the lowest cost per acquisition (CPA) per player. I'm pretty impressed. Our key metrics are CPA and amount of deposits from each player. For every £1.00 we spend in a month, our target is to get back at least £2.50 in deposits. That means we’d pay off the marketing spend in the first month, and any additional player spend is profit. novi.digital consistently hits that line. We’re expanding the relationship because they did such a great job in the first year.

How did novi.digital perform from a project management standpoint? 

The process is very easy with one account manager. Rory is absolutely fantastic. We know who to go to if we need anything. Everyone I've ever spoke to there is so genial. They're always available for a chat if I ever have a problem.

What did you find most impressive about them?

novi.digital is a pleasure to work with, and I don't say that about many companies. I love working with them and I hope that we'll work together for a long time. I know that they will spend our marketing budget wisely, which is absolutely essential. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

Not really. We had a small issue with how they sent out invoices. It was difficult for our account team to keep up. We let novi.digital know and they quickly changed the process. Now it's all working smoothly. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Trust what they say. Give them what they ask for. Do that, and they'll do a good job for you.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing coordinator and executive personal assistant to the director at 3-1-5 Health Club, a large private gym based in Lancaster, United Kingdom.

What challenge were you trying to address with novi.digital?

We wanted to transition from traditional marketing and focus more on digital, as well as reduce the marketing spend on press, radio, and other strategies.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We ditched radio advertising, reduced the amount of press in the newspapers, and set a digital marketing budget with novi.digital. We began with SEO for our website, which definitely needed work. They focus mainly on that, but we’ve also used them for PPC.

Most recently, they’ve helped us with Google and Facebook Ads, and we have two or three large campaigns a year that we focus on. Furthermore, novi.digital has helped me tremendously with teaching me how to use WordPress, which is where our website is built on. Their account manager has coached me through blogging, suggesting that the more we publish, the more reach we will attain. Once I complete the blogs, they take of the SEO.

What is the team composition?

I’m mostly in contact with their senior operations manager.

How did you come to work with novi.digital?

We met them at a networking event. We had interviewed three local businesses who offered digital marketing services and were on our shortlist, but novi.digital blew us away with their expertise.

How much have you invested in them?

We spend approximately £1,000 (approximately $1,272 USD) a month on their services. We set a daily budget, but the spend is a little more during the months with a campaign.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in January 2018, and it is an ongoing relationship.

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

We saw quite an increase in leads just from the regular blogs we put up on the website. In general, we’ve seen a 15% increase this year compared to last year in website leads. During a campaign that they have worked on with us, we have seen a 50% increase in the number of leads and a 20% increase in revenue from sales made from those leads.

How did novi.digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve performed really well. I’m on my third account manager within a 12-month period which is the only thing that is slightly disappointing, but it’s out of their control. However, the transitions have been as fluid as can be. The current account manager is exceptionally communicative, professional, and really responsive. He explains everything to me in terms I can understand.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a local business, which is something I appreciate. We’ve always liked to keep our business local if we can but they do operate deliver as if they were a huge national company. Their overall professionalism, integrity, and trustworthiness are impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I asked them to do some design work, but that was outside of what they offer. I always worked out a way to do the things they couldn’t do myself, so they actually ended up helping me in that respect since I learned new things.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the office manager as well as the executive assistant to the directors of The Plastic Bottles Company. We wholesale and distribute empty plastic containers.

What challenge were you trying to address with novi.digital?

We had previously been working with a consultant that looked after our Google AdWords, SEO, and general website issues. However, the relationship didn’t work out and came to an end. We needed someone new to help us with SEO and PPC.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We got in touch with novi.digital, who was very proactive and took our account on board straight away. While we understand the basics of Google AdWords and how it works, we don’t really get it as we aren’t particularly technical. However, they’ve done quite a good job of keeping us informed in an easy-to-digest way and also help us understand how our budget is best spent.

We had a previous single campaign that held a huge number of keywords. They’ve stripped some of those keywords down into individual campaigns, which has given us a better control and understanding of the reporting side of things like demographics, location, and devices. They haven’t only tidied up the campaigns, they’ve also made them more efficient. This means that we can be a lot more reactive to the changes in the popularity of our keywords.

How did you come to work with novi.digital?

A while ago, our business owners met their owner at a networking event. He had made quite a good impression, and when it came time to hire someone else, we approached novi.digital.

How much have you invested in them?

We spend around £250 (approximately $320 USD) per month with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in February 2018 and the collaboration is still ongoing.

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

Since we started working with them, things have gone really well and there’s been a noticeable increase in sales. We recently launched a separate campaign with novi.digital specifically for the vaping industry, and we’ve sold a lot of bottles.

How did novi.digital perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve had a couple of small issues along the way, but our account manager has been quick to resolve them. He’s good about keeping in touch and knows that we don’t fully understand many technical things. He explains things it in laymen’s terms without being patronizing and tries to educate us. We touch base once a month or every six weeks to analyze information together.

What did you find most impressive about them?

For us, professionalism is their key trait. There’s a noticeable difference from our previous vendor. We get a monthly report that shows us how our keywords are performing, which we didn’t have before. Furthermore, any time we have a question or need a favor, we can always run it past them and they’re always quick to get back to us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not particularly. Any issues we’ve had have been addressed quickly and things are now resolved. We’re generally happy with their service.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a manager for My Energy Comparison. We’re an energy comparison website where users can search through different industries to ensure they’re getting the best deal from their service provider.

What challenge were you trying to address with novi.digital?

We wanted to offer a simple interface where users could enter what they need and get results without being overwhelmed with information. Our platform provides that service, but there’s also a lot of competition in the market. We needed a marketing firm to help us stand out from similar providers.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially approached novi.digital to have them lead a PPC campaign for us. Aaron (Managing Director, novi.digital) performed a full audit of our site to analyze how users interact with it and figure out how to make our content more approachable. As a result, we realized expanding our engagement with novi.digital would be in our best interest.

In addition to PPC services, they provide SEO, web hosting, and manage our digital marketing strategy. This includes prioritizing content revisions of web pages and creating blog posts. We’d previously used a simple template to format each page, but they informed us that repetition will negatively affect our Google PageRank. They helped us design unique web pages with engaging content to boost our SEO numbers. To advance that effort, they researched and compiled a list of relevant keywords to include within our content.

An example of their problem-solving ability and creativity is how well they revamped our menu structure. Initially, we put everything we thought would be relevant to the menu and it looked cluttered. They suggested a flowing menu structure that gradually increases in content with each step of user engagement. The menu is on every page of the site, so we’re happy they took the time to implement an enticing design.

What is the team composition?

We primarily interact with Aaron and an account manager.

How did you come to work with novi.digital?

They’re located relatively close to us, so a word-of-mouth element contributed to us hiring them. However, their reputation precedes them. They were frequently recommended to us by other industry professionals.

How much have you invested with them?

Each month, we spend £12,000 (approximately $15,000 USD) for SEO and £6,000 (approximately $7,600 USD) for PPC.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2017 and the engagement is ongoing.

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

They provide monthly reports that allow how us to see how many users view and click on our ads. Overall, novi.digital has proven to be quite invaluable. We’ve experienced an exponentially positive ROI after engaging their services.

How did novi.digital perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication is so seamless that it often feels like we’re in the same building. They quickly respond to emails and participate in regular calls. We have face-to-face meetings with our assigned account manager each month. I’ve been told that they’ll soon be utilizing an instant messaging software to further improve their communication capabilities.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We appreciate their honesty. They let us know when something doesn’t go the way they expect and they’ve never tried to hide our performance behind overly complex numbers. Instead, they communicate a clear strategy of what they intend to do and how they anticipate it’ll work out. Other companies just try to justify their pay, but novi.digital is much more sincere in their efforts.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They haven’t always been punctual with the delivery of their reports, but that’s been improving over the last couple of months.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a partner at Halwill Manor. We’re a privately run 25-bed nursing home that provides extensive dementia care. My responsibilities include financial management and marketing.

What challenge were you trying to address with novi.digital?

We needed a company to manage a PPC AdWords campaign for us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

novi.digital initially managed a PPC campaign. However, the engagement evolved to include full-scale web development and organic SEO services. I spoke with their account manager over the phone and scheduled several meetings. During those meetings, novi.digital gathered information regarding our company’s ethos, policies, and unique selling points. They used this data to create an AdWords campaign that’s accurate and as helpful as possible for prospective customers.

The AdWords campaign ran for about a year before I spoke with them about redeveloping the website. Similar to the previous project, we discussed the site’s UI/UX over multiple phone calls. They delivered a scope of work and started development using WordPress. Once the site was built, they put me in touch with their copywriting lead to design content. They implemented site content that works organically within Google and also complements the established AdWords campaign. Overall, the project required them to bring different elements together and make everything synergize through search engines.

What is the team composition?

We interact with the managing director, an account manager, and copywriter.

How did you come to work with novi.digital?

I searched for PPC companies on Google and was immediately inundated with dozens of unknown firms. I decided to refine my search strategy and browsed an online UK business forum focused on PPC management. Both large companies and individuals contribute to the thread. I came across novi.digital’s managing director as he would consistently post exciting information. Therefore, I reached out to him via email. We negotiated a price for the project and went from there.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend £4,000 (approximately $5,100 USD) a year for their SEO and PPC services. The web development cost just under £1,000 (approximately $1,300 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2016 and the engagement is ongoing.

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

It’s often difficult to get a defined ROI for digital undertakings like this, but novi.digital simplifies the process. They send regular reports regarding the performance of the site and the ad campaign’s effect on conversions. We’ve experienced a 40% increase in site traffic as a result of their efforts.

How did novi.digital perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve always had a defined point of contact with them. If something changes, I’ll receive an email and have an introductory conversation with the new account manager. Their department structure is clearly well-defined in that way. We’ve never felt like we didn’t know who to contact to answer a question or address an issue. We appreciate the peace of mind this grants us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

novi.digital’s professionalism stands out to me. They’re responsive and honor the meetings they schedule. I’ve worked with several other companies that were less organized and have seen projects suffer due to negligence. That’s not the case here. I’m quite happy with the services they provide.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

What helped me personally was how much they taught us about online marketing. This made our initial meetings with them a journey, as we learned something new each step of the way.