OuterBox

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a lifestyle blog, helping couples in their relationship. We sell online courses and coaching.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired OuterBox to increase our Google Rankings and optimize our site for search engines and user experience.

SOLUTION

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

We chose OuterBox because they came highly recommended from others in the online business world. Their consultation was friendly and thorough.

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

We were given an extensive list of optimizations to make on our site, with reasonable timeframes for their work. We met regularly and they answered any questions we had.

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

We worked with a team of about 5, ranging from coordinators to SEO experts.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since implementing their strategies and improvements, our site traffic has increased, and our customers are loving the new design experience.

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

I love their mix of online communion and virtual meetings. They are extremely quick to respond.

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

Their friendliness and professionalism is so refreshing, and are extremely patient and caring in their approach.

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

They have gone above and beyond anything I have expected. I just with I found them sooner.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a VP at a leading provider of photo editing software for photographers. With a focus on ease of use and powerful features, we provide a complete photo editing solution for hobbyists, professionals, and everyone in between.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

SEO - To increase organic traffic to our website by 15%.

SOLUTION

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

We selected Outerbox because of the evaluation process and detailed plan they presented.

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

To ncrease traffic, leads, and conversions. Project steps:

• Review current stats
• Come up with blueprint for plan
• Review strategies for executing plan
• Review goals

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

3 people I've been worked with on this project.

• Lexi
• Tristen
• Kalie 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our SEO efforts continue to improve as we get furthers into the plan. We are ranking higher for several targeted keywords and look forward to growing our efforts.

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

They are very responsive and us a good project management system. Communication is open and professional at all times. Responsiveness to our questions and the collaboration efforts.

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

The overall knowledge of our company at the beginning of the project.

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

Not yet

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Marketing Manager of a retail business based in Ottawa Ontario.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanting to market our business into the US and required their help to gain market share there.

SOLUTION

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

I was impressed with their website and felt confident during our initial interview.

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

We use their services for SEO as well as PPC.

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

I would say we work with about 6 different employees from OuterBox depending on the particular task at hand.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within just a few months we are already ranking on page 1 for our 1st choice of keyword. Very pleased!

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

They use an organizational software which alerts me every time there is new communication. It is very efficient.

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

Their level of communication is next level. They answer questions before I even have to ask them!

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

Nothing yet

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President of Leotard Boutique, LLC

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

At the Leotard Boutique, we sell children leotards, skirts and tights.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Increase your company's share in its market
• Increase the total income of your company by 10% over the next two years.

SOLUTION

How did you find OuterBox?

Referral

Why did you select OuterBox over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

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

Writing content for web pages, blogs, creating titles, meta-descriptions, link building and writing Keyword optimized content.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Deliver the expected business value and return on investment

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

The Outterbox project management involves the planning and coordination of any project related to SEO. These various tasks include keyword research, content distribution, on-page optimizations, link building, SEO for video content, and more. They are wonderful at delivering items on time and always respond to our needs. We truly value all of the knowledge and hard work they dedicate to our business to help it grow and thrive.

What was your primary form of communication with OuterBox?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email
• Messaging App

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

I absolutely love how organized they are, but my favorite thing is how kind they are. I always feel well taken care of, and it feels real and genuine.

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

I do not have any at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the tech manager for a door and hardware sale, production and fulfillment company. We make sales with our custom-built online builder. We also manage a bathroom partitions sales center.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired OuterBox to optimize our websites for SEO. They are working to generate more traffic for our ecommerce sites.

SOLUTION

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

We did research online and met with the OuterBox team. OuterBBox made a great first impression and we have enjoyed working with them since.

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

The team identifies keyword targeting goals, implements new content, reviews existing content, requests and acquires backlinks, and continues to build domain authority. They identify opportunities to expand our businesses' visibility online.

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

We work with about 4 individuals. We work with their VP of Business Development, a senior account manager, and two of their SEO specialists.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have see a marked increase in our online traffic since beginning to work with OuterBox.

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

They use ActiveCollab to communicate with the team. Tasks are assigned there as well as discussions and points of interest.

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

I love how well the team communicates with us. Reporting calls are helpful and informational. The team is down to earth and conversational, while also providing professional services.

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

As they are a smaller company, sometimes their response time is delayed by a few hours. This is understandable with meetings and trainings that they engage in. I'm nitpicking here as OuterBox is an amazing team!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Senior Vice President of a financial services company, with niche real estate lending products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired OuterBox for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Paid Search. As part of SEO, they managed a lot of ongoing website content management.

SOLUTION

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

Our parent company, Hunt Companies, Inc, highly recommended them.

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

They analyzed all of our historical AdWords campaigns and we met monthly to refine them and determine where to create new campaigns. In the same monthly meeting we also determined where content had to be enhanced, and how we could keep content fresh. We also kept up with all the required security updates for the site.

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

Five total: VP Business Development, Marketing Acct Mgr, Senior SEO Strategist, Senior Paid Media Strategist, and Copywriter.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Most recent metrics: Click-through rate (CTR) improved 15% YOY, we outperformed three of four largest competitors in keyword performance, and through September our impressions were up versus the prior year 32K, or 17%.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very smooth. Monthly meetings, communication as needed throughout. Good response times.

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

They are truly a one-stop shop for digital marketing.

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

The only downside for us, would be how to better integrate "old-world" marketing media (i.e. direct mail) that is still relevant in our industry. That said, it's probably not a concern for most other companies/industries.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the marketing manager for Ultrasabers.com, a manufacturer and online retailer of toy lightsabers inspired by the Star Wars franchise. I direct all strategic initiatives for visibility and direction in our marketing efforts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We have been in the industry since 2005, but our niche product wasn't widely known. As it became known, it was discovered by users who were searching for highly competitive keywords that are typically owned by the Star Wars franchise such as "Lightsaber" or "[Character name]'s Lightsaber".

In order to maintain visibility we wanted to keep association and ranking for those terms where we could as well as any others, while growing our authority in the emerging keywords such as "Custom Lightsaber" or "Build your own lightsaber". We signed on with OuterBox for their SEO knowledge and tactics to accomplish this goal.

SOLUTION

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

I needed a good SEO agency, so I literally did a search for "Best eCommerce SEO agency". I couldn't think of a more cutthroat and competitive keyword. Ranking first organically isn't an easy task, and everyone wants to pretend they're the best SEO agency, Obviously if you're ranking first for a keyword THAT competitive, you're good at SEO.

We had bounced between a few agencies over the years, and our own team has a fairly high level of knowledge of SEO practices and tactics. We met with the company's founder who immediately found holes in our website's plan and even gave us a few quick win tactics to try out during that initial meet and greet call.

It wasn't just that he was forthcoming and generous with the knowledge that appealed to us, but it was his ability to explain why doing something like "Adding the registered trademark symbol next to your business name" would improve your ranking (We now know that it's because users trust a business with this more than a casual name they've never seen, so they'll be more likely to click our result, so our click-through-rate would increase, which is an indicator for Google that a site is a good result).

The team here has been fantastic to demonstrate their knowledge and consistently backs it up with up to the date knowledge of the changing SEO world.

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

The team here spent their time reviewing our site, putting it through the paces from various tools like SEMRush, AHREFs, lighthouse scans, etc, and other manual reviews for usability, conversion rate optimization, etc and provided a comprehensive report of where we stood as a website.

They highlighted successes, and put a spotlight on issues that would need to be resolved, and even prioritized the order in which we should be tackling these issues. We spent quite a bit of time discussing the nuances of how we could present our business, and how careful we wanted to be to be clear that we were not associated with Lucasfilm or Disney.

Their team took no time to understand and even suggest the best way to market using industry keywords without stepping on toes to preserve our relationship with Disney. We identified a list of extremely competitive and some broad keywords that we wanted to rank for such as "Lightsaber" (singular and plural), as well as something more unique to our industry like "Custom Lightsaber".

Their team did not hesitate to set expectations around the difficulty in targeting broad keywords, but gave their commitment to try. Spoiler: We're currently ranking #1 for "Lightsaber". The most broad and competitive keyword possible for our company. Campaigns launched within 4 weeks of onboarding, and their communication was consistent through the whole process.

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

I work directly with two members of the OuterBox team: a Senior SEO Strategist and a Marketing Account Manager, but have worked with as many as eight at a given time ranging from PPC to Email services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In August of 2018 we had 156 keywords ranking in Google's top 10 placements. As i of October of 2021 we now have 3.8k keywords ranking in the top 3 placements. We've never had such a forward approach to our Organic growth and traffic, nor have we had such detailed planning and logical methodology to WHY we would take these steps.

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

We meet with the Outerbox team every-other-week, to review completed actions, discuss monthly performance, and to go over any upcoming opportunities for a change in our strategies. The team communicates regularly throughout the week when pertinent information is available such as news from Google about a change in the algorithm, a sudden shift in ranking, etc.

Work is managed in ActiveCollab where users are assigned and tagged with due dates. I think we've only had a single project go over timeline, but that was because I missed an email.

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

SEO just seems like a second nature to them. Nothing is "odd" or surprising. Most agencies want you to think they've got some secret sauce or put on a smoke and mirrors show so that you believe that they have some crystal ball or secret connection. It's ridiculous. Outerbox puts it in plain English.

The more the client understands, the less friction there is to accomplishing projects, and the faster they can execute their agenda. Their dedication to testing, experimentation, data collection and application for SEO tactics is completely unique. It seems that they've found a way to literally reverse engineer Google's algorithms through testing. We're very impressed.

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

I don't love the back-linking strategy. Essentially we are presented with a list of websites that come as recommendations for collaboration each quarter, but the costs to facilitate the blog posting and linking are an additional cost. With that said- the results cannot be disputed, and it is worth every penny. It is just an awkward conversation each time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the sales and marketing contact at BLU3.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Outerbox to assist with Google ads and website redesign.

SOLUTION

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

Outerbox was a recommendation. We had been impressed by the team during our virtual meeting.

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

We started with a general meeting and objectives for BLU3. Our conversations then moved over to activecollab.com. Outerbox set clear objectives and accepted feedback. Our website redesign started with a video call. Outerbox then sent us wireframe designs. We had been able to modify the layout using feedback on activecollab.com. The website redesign was a smooth process. It was a pleasure working with activecollab.

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

We worked with multiple people from the Outerbox team. We worked with the SEO team members, Web design team members and also our point of contact person at Outerbox.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have worked with several marketing companies in the past. None compare to the level of service Outbox offers. They are able to communicate information effectively and perform tasks in a timely matter. Starting with the right marketing is important. We have been impressed with the whole team. We waited two years to start with Outerbox and sure wish we did not wait that long.

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

They've been great to communicate in a timely matter on all objectives. We have never had any delayed communication with the team. Super impressed our quickly the team is able to respond.

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

The level of professionalism and communication between the team is outstanding! They have also been able to find creative solutions for our projects.

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

They were an outstanding team.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Chief Marketing Officer for a tech startup based in the Silicon Valley. Our product is an app in the interior design and furnishing industry, utilizing technology such as augmented reality, artificial intelligence, etc., and is available on both the web and iOS.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired OuterBox for full-scale SEO. Our goals include growing our organic traffic, building the site professionally and meeting technical SEO needs, boosting conversions, converting signups, improving keyword ranking, etc.

SOLUTION

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

We chose OuterBox because we felt they were the most prepared. They asked a lot of questions to understand business, provide full bucket SEO, were founded in 2004 with plenty of experience, and are a Google partner. They also had the most flexible contract in terms of length, offered to sign an NDA, and gave us a full team to work with.

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

Our roadmap has begun with technical optimizations, low-hanging fruits, and setting the foundation on our website for SEO. This includes landing pages, internal linking, title tags, on-page content, and more. OuterBox has helped us ready our new website for Google, so that future tactics can make an impact.

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

We have worked with 4 total team members. A sales consultant who helped us get onboarded, an account manager, and two SEO specialists.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've begun to see some fluctuation in keywords. We have made big progress in the technical side of our website, finding errors and optimizations that will help us in the long run. It has been only a few months, so there are no measurable outcomes yet, but the firm has provided many optimizations that will contribute significantly to our website conversion rate in the coming months.

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

We have a monthly call but communicate daily through their platform and email. Communication has never been a problem, with same-day responses and answers to all questions. Everything is organized on their platform, and it is easy to view all tasks at once.

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

Knowledge of SEO. Ability to adapt to our unique product and understand business is something key. Responsiveness is greatly appreciated, as I ask many questions and have many back and forth between internal teammates and OuterBox.

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

Not yet, everything has run smoothly in the first 4 months.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and chief executive officer of In Ink Ghostwriting. The team at In Ink Ghostwriting specializes in every step of the book creation process, from drafting, writing, and editing to design, layout, and printing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

My goals were to increase my company's visibility among potential customers and to drive more sales. I hired Outerbox to help me revamp my website and to harness the power of Google Ads.

SOLUTION

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

I wanted a company that was a verified Google partner and where a dedicated team based in the United States would work on my account. I also wanted a company with a proven success record. Outerbox met all those criteria.

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

Our engagement began with a discovery phase where my designated Outerbox team learned about my company, my goals, and the issues I was facing. Then, they developed an SEO and conversion optimization plan that would increase traffic, leads, and conversions for my company.

Outerbox also outlined how they would make these tasks happen, which included creating Google Ads campaigns, implementing a robust SEO strategy, website code updates, and recommend new content to target specific keywords that target my top pages. Throughout the process, my Outerbox team has delivered on these goals and we have adjusted our approach as conditions evolve.

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

I work with a dedicated sales consultant, a project manager, an SEO strategist, a marketing account manager, and a paid media specialist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since implementing our SEO and PPC plan, In Ink has seen tremendous growth in site traffic and visitors. Many visitors tell us that they have found us by searching for specific keywords online.

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

The Outerbox has clearly managed my expectations and met deadlines. We use an internal communications forum called ActiveCollab to communicate and send materials to one another. We have a monthly reporting meeting where the team updates me on ongoing projects, implemented changes, and plans for the upcoming quarter. My team is always planning for the next 12 months, and each month is another step towards meeting my goal of boosting visibility and increasing client conversions.

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

The Outerbox team is professional and fully understands the challenges my company faces. And if I ask a question that doesn't have a readily available response, someone from the team does the research and answers my question. They follow through on their deliverables and seem invested in the success of my company.

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

The ActiveCollab communication function is a little wonky sometimes, but that's a technical issue rather than an area where the Outerbox team needs to improve.