Be the Bigger Fish
Runningfish’s office is located in the beautiful San Diego, California. Our agency is comprised of expert designers, programmers, coders and marketers all led by an accomplished management team with one goal - YOUR SUCCESS.
We love to explore and listen to people’s stories and cultures. Over the years, we’ve discovered many businesses that bring such unique value to their local communities through the quality of their products, services or expertise, but they go by unnoticed because they think they don’t have the money or the insights to market themselves. So, they stagnate or, even worse, close down.
We empower small and medium businesses to grow while they keep doing what they do best.
headquarters
Focus
Recommended Providers
Portfolio
Bamboo Skateboards, Bill Howe, Cali Select Products, Catalina Cylinders, Coast 2, Coast Refrigeration, EggHead IT, Greystone Prime Steakhouse & Seafood, Mamma Chia, Monumental Workx, RakiRaki, Sun Diego Wraps, Synergy Benefits & Enrollment, The RPR&C Group, The Yasai by RakiRaki
Gaslamp Quarter
The New Normal for San Diego's Historical City Center, Visualized and Executed
The Challenge
The Gaslamp Quarter Association had initially asked us to overhaul their website and expand their revenue streams. But when San Diego shut down during the coronavirus pandemic, we added another goal: promote the Gaslamp Quarter to spur the revitalization of the downtown area.
Upscale the Look
We knew early in the process that the current design of the GQA website did not fit with their brand values. We developed a new look and feel around the “retro elegance” of the neighborhood itself, utilizing vintage typography and a distinctive gaslamp silhouette.
Enrich the Directory
The website’s biggest draw is a directory featuring hundreds of member businesses. We built a richer experience for visitors, from quick-view details on the grid view to interactive maps and filters. All this creates a valuable resource for locals and tourists alike, driving repeat traffic and creating buzz around the site.
Diversify Revenue
One of the primary goals of the project was to provide additional revenue sources for the nonprofit GQA, allowing them to invest even more in promoting the historic district. We developed a framework for affiliate and in-network ads, as well as promoted listings, spotlight content, and event ticket sales, all from within the dashboard of the site.
Synergy Enrollment & Benefits
Taking an Established B2B Company to the Next Level
The Challenge
Having built a solid base of local clients over 3 years, Synergy Enrollment & Benefits was ready to set their sights on the statewide and national market. We helped them revamp their brand assets, redesign their website and sales collateral, reorganize their service information architecture, and reposition their message to compete in the big leagues.
Branding
Synergy gets most of its sales leads from word of mouth and trade conferences, so our goal was to quickly establish a personable yet professional brand impression to any leads. Straying away from the corporate colors and shapes of their competitors, we opted for a vibrant color palette and puzzle-piece motif to emphasize the connected nature of Synergy’s services.
Organization
The new website provided Synergy with an opportunity to rethink how they present their service offerings. We helped them simplify their information architecture from 13 service pages to just 6 pages. This helped us tremendously in our conversion-rate optimization and allowed us to focus on making each page outstanding.
Greystone Prime Steaks & Seafood
Making the cut
Greystone Steakhouse is the premier steakhouse in San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter. Unfortunately, their old website didn’t reflect the quality for which Greystone is known.
So in early 2017, the owners Vincenzo and Antonio contacted us to overhaul their website with 2 substantial improvements in mind: mobile-friendliness and search engine optimization.
Cali Select Products
Developing a High-End Cannabis Brand with California Authenticity
Founded by longtime cannabis cultivators, Cali Select needed to distinguish itself from an increasing array of competitors in the California cannabis market. We worked with them to blend vintage style with a high-end, wine-inspired aesthetic to reflect their roots and values.
Sun Diego Wraps
Affordable Organic Growth From Smart SEO
The Challenge
In an industry that can’t rely on location benefits, recurring monthly revenue, or walk-in business, most mobile automotive service companies fail after a few months. In that same timeframe, we helped Sun Diego Wraps organically dominate the local market and online search results — and stay there for years.
Our efficient SEO strategy has netted Sun Diego Wraps an average 1,389 unique visitors per $100 spent.
Our revamped site's architecture funnels visitors to a contact form for a 16% conversion rate on project estimates.
After revamping Sun Diego Wraps' website, we increased their top-10 presence on Google from 40 keyphrases to 110 keyphrases in just 2 months.
Overall
Runningfish was able to help Sun Diego Wraps build their brand from the ground up: starting with logo design and business cards, we moved on to building a sleek website including showcase photography and a customized eCommerce solution.
By leveraging the weight of Juvenal’s existing brand presence, we were able to bootstrap Sun Diego Wraps to the top of the search engines in just a few months.
The Lean Machine Meal Prep
Streamlining Complex Ecommerce Through UX Best Practices
The Challenge
For years, The Lean Machine Meal Prep built its loyal customer base through personal, accessible service. After 5 years, their meal ordering system was starting to become unmaintainable, preventing them from growing and reaching new customers. We polished their brand’s visuals, completely re-worked their website’s customer journey, and streamlined their back-end workflow so they could concentrate on continuing to provide great customer service.
Brand Development
Springboarding off the client’s existing logo and brand colors, we created a visual identity that was personable, clean, and honest.
Information Architecture
We spent extra time determining the customer journey and pre-visualizing the site’s information architecture, store flow, and various ordering options to ensure an intuitive and streamlined experience for customers.
Web Design & Development
We developed a mobile-optimized eCommerce website that includes user accounts, curated and build-your-own meal options, delivery and pickup customization, individual and bulk orders, weekly subscriptions, customer notifications, gift cards, bundle savings, a refer-a-friend system, and more.
UX Development
To facilitate more growth, we streamlined and automated much of the back-end tasks for the website including processing orders, sending discount codes, notifying customers, and calculating weekly food buys. Combined with a cleaner experience for their customers, The Lean Machine is spending less time on recurring menial tasks and more time taking care of their clients.
Catalina Cylinders
From the ground up
Founded in 1986, Catalina Cylinders is a leading manufacturer of compressed gas cylinders for a wide variety of domestic and international markets.
But by 2013, Catalina Cylinders’ aging and the sluggish website was rapidly becoming a liability. When they chose Runningfish to revamp their website, we knew that we would have to rebuild it from scratch.
The Brush Guys
Replacing a Legacy Ecommerce System to Promote Scalable Sales Growth
The Challenge
When The Brush Guys changed ownership in late 2019, the new owner knew that the company’s legacy platform was preventing him from taking ambitious steps to grow the business. He approached Runningfish to perform the first major brand overhaul since the business was founded, and to completely rebuild his online storefront to improve his customers’ experience. But with a loyal customer base who appreciate the small-business feel, he didn’t want to lose sight of the company’s customer-centric roots.
Brand Development
After interviewing the client about his values, we iterated on a variety of visual styles to convey an approachable, customer-oriented attitude. We wanted the design to feel fresh but still true to the legacy of the brand so his existing customers would feel right at home.
Logo Development
The logo required the most iteration as a focal point for our rebranding work. We kept the brush motif and script typeface, but canted the logo at an angle to add dynamism and make it feel fresh. Instead of a paint splat, we opted for a palette, which is cleaner but still iconic.
Web Design & Development
We leveraged the mature WooCommerce framework to create a secure, sustainable ecommerce foundation. With so many features available out-of-the-box, we were able to focus on tuning the look and uxer experience of the website to create the most seamless and easy shopping experience we could.
Gallagher | Krich Trusted Advocates
A Trustworthy, Open Brand Identity Geared Towards the Layperson
We helped Gallagher Krich craft an online presence that projects their ethos and demonstrates the strong reputation they’ve built in the community. Now, each time Gallagher Krich branches out into new practice areas, they come to us to accelerate their growth.
Gallagher Krich has stayed on the top page of Google for every one of their target keyphrases since they signed up with us.
Our latest Google Ads campaign generated 47% more clicks than the industry average.
WLKS Eyewear
Building an Ecommerce Platform Focused on Passion and Sustainability
How do you build a lifestyle brand from scratch? We focused on WLKS’s core values: passion, economy, and sustainability. Then we crafted a customized ecommerce solution and a website that revolves around these values.
Reviews
the project
Web Design & SEO for Art Organization
"We were impressed with their excellent pricing and quick delivery of services."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am the founder of the San Diego Art Society. We promote programs, events and artists in San Diego County,
For what projects/services did your company hire Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing?
We hired Runningfish because we heard that they were a local company and the work that they had done with nonprofit companies really impressed us.
The entire process design process was very easy, we spoke to their designer a few times and explained what we were looking for, received a proposal and immediately knew we wanted to move forward with Chris and his team. Very thoughtful and professional.
How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?
We selected Running fish because we were referred to the by a friend and they were excellent at communicating and cost. The examples provided and the design were on point. Highly recommend!
Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.
Had a few meetings with the designer and described what we needed, the social media interaction through the site and the ease of navigation required for visitors.
How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
We worked with two team members. web designer and SEO
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Our site is a very intuitive and user friendly interface
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
They were very communicative throughout the entire process.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
We were impressed with their excellent pricing and quick delivery of services. The site had major changes immediately after requests were submitted by our team to theirs
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
no
the project
Website Design for Computer Repair Service
"Their marketing concepts have been spot on so far and really have produced results toward our lead generation."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
EggHead IT is a Veteran owned, computer repair and technology consulting service, and an educational resource for our Clients. We provide leading technology-based repairs and support solutions, helping to bridge the gap between our Clients and their technology.
For what projects/services did your company hire Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing, and what were your goals?
Our original website was a template website and overall was kinda blah. We knew it needed to be re-done and overhauled completely. Our main objectives for the new website were Google search ranking, appearance, and ease of navigation.
How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?
There were A LOT of choices out there to choose from and most were over priced. Chris worked with our budget and original design proofs were amazing!
Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.
First was overall project scope and design, next was concept development, then design proofs, and finally website launch.
How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
Initally was Chris and his marketing consultant. After launch we began working with his developent team.
Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?
Once the site was launched we saw a dramatic increase in calls and website traffic. We have received numerous compliments on the new website and love the re-design.
Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.
Runningfish's team has been exteremly responsive to our change requests and have been very helpful towards our ongoing marketing goals.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
Their marketing concepts have been spot on so far and really have produced results toward our lead generation.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
Charged more for the results given and continue to provide for us.
the project
Web Dev & SEO for Pet Care Services Company
"They are very communicative and will get back to me within a day."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am a business owner of the company and we do pet care. We offer dog walking, pet sitting and overnight care for our furry clients.
For what projects/services did your company hire Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing, and what were your goals?
I hired the Runningfish to create my website and SEO. I wanted my website to be SEO and Google friendly.
How did you select Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing and what were the deciding factors?
I chose Runningfish from a referral and saw how much success my friends were having with their website traffic.
Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and campaigns.
They made it very easy for me since I am not knowledgeable in this atta at all. I basically told them I wanted a great website that people can find me easily through Google and the website to be user friendly.
How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
I worked with 3ppl and they were coders, website developers and SEO experts.
Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?
I’m very happy with my website and SEO. I get a ton of positive feedback how professional and aesthetically good looking my website is. My SEO worked really fast and has been getting a lot of traffic towards my website.
Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.
They are very communicative and will get back to me within a day. Everything gets done by a day or two of me reaching out to them which is nice.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
How personable they are and that they are always available. I can contact them anytime and they will get back to me in a timely matter.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
Honestly, I’m very happy with them and I wouldn’t change anything. Their professional, reliable, communicative, affective, and fast at getting things done!
the project
Website Management & Marketing for Nonprofit Theater
"We were really impressed by the culture of the company. The team was friendly and helpful."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am the director of Black Kat Theatre, located in San Diego, CA. We are a volunteer run 501c3 nonprofit focused on political satire & social justice focused issues.
For what projects/services did your company hire Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing?
We hired Running Fish in 2015 to create and maintain our website. We also rely on them for digital marketing campaigns for our shows and other events, as well as additional consulting.
What were your goals for this project?
We knew a professionally developed website would add credibility and a professional polish to our organization. However, because we are volunteer run with limited resources, we needed something user friendly for a range of skill sets. Our other goal was to make a connection with marketing professionals who could guide us on the best way to build our audiences and promote our brand.
How did you select Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing?
After looking online we narrowed our search to 3 companies. Running Fish was the 2nd group we met with. We never bothered meeting the 3rd. It was clear from our first meeting that Running Fish cared about our success. They were genuinely interested in learning about our organization and what made us unique.
The Running Fish team were easy to speak with, reliable in responding and overall helpful in guiding us through this new information. Their enthusiasm made us excited about working them.
Describe the project in detail.
We started with an initial meeting to review our needs and the scope of the project. We shared inspiration ideas and images as well as discussing practical needs. The Running Fish team also made suggestions based on their experience and the research they had done on our organization prior to the meeting.
After the initial meeting we continued the discussions via email. The next time we met, we were shown 3 different website designs. Running Fish was great as picked and chose what things worked for us.
After our 2nd meeting some of the team attended one of our events so they could see first hand what we do and if the site is speaking to that. We finalized the website design about a week after that. The site was launched within a day and has been running smoothly since.
What was the team composition?
Our initial meeting consisted of the owner and the content writer. At our subsequent meetings we worked with one of the designers as well as the owner. We also communicated throughout the process with the owner.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Interest in our auditions tripled within the first year. First-time audience attendance increased by 20%. We also doubled our mailing list.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
We communicated with the owner though all steps in the process. They always replied promptly and gave us project updates throughout.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
We were really impressed by the culture of the company. The team was friendly and helpful, and we felt like they genuinely cared about our success.We also really liked the sense of community they shared with their clients. We felt (and continue to feel) very supported by the Running Fish team.
Are there any areas for improvement?
We're really grateful to the team at Running Fish for 5 years awesome years.
the project
Web Redesign for Charter Bus Company
"They regularly shared updates and milestone goals throughout the process."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am an owner and General Manager of SureRide. We are an executive charter bus company. We operate in the greater San Diego County area.
For what projects/services did your company hire Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing?
We were looking for a complete redesign of our company website.
What were your goals for this project?
To have a more professional, modern and dynamic website.
How did you select this vendor?
We have worked with them for various projects for the last 13 years.
Describe the project in detail.
Redesign of our website, including adding new videos, pictures and design layout. Showcasing our new logo that they created and color scheme.
What was the team composition?
The team I worked with at Runningfish consisted of about 4 different employees. Initially I worked with 4 members for them to gather details and my expectations. As the project got closer to the final product I worked directly with 1 project manager for most of the time. With occasional checkins with the other team members to ensure the project was moving along smoothly.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
I was very pleased with the redesign. We have recently shared the new redesign to our email marketing list and we received nothing but positive feedback. Thanks to Runningfish for promoting the redesign to our email list and to our social media accounts.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Very effective workflow between us. They regularly shared updates and milestone goals throughout the process.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
The regular check-ins and their ability to change the design along the way as I made changes. I may not have been the most easy client to deal with but all along the way the showed patience and professionalism with all my demands.
Are there any areas for improvement?
I don't have any improvement recommendations. They did a great job with all aspects of this project.
the project
SEO & Content Marketing for Skateboard Company
“I’d recommend their SEO services, but their marketing isn’t very consistent.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the CEO of Bamboo Skateboards.
What challenge were you trying to address with Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing?
We originally hired Runningfish to do our domain hosting. We then engaged them to do our SEO for us.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Over the last five years, they’ve provided us with SEO work. I meet with Chris (Founder & Marketing Director) from time to time. We’re continuing to work on improving our rankings and SEO metrics. They’re now responsible for other forms of marketing, like generating blog content.
What is the team composition?
I worked primarily with Chris.
How did you come to work with Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing?
Chris provided work for a company I joined five years ago. My initial introduction to him was when he handled domain hosting for our website.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent somewhere around $10,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in 2015, and it’s an ongoing engagement.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Our SEO has definitely improved over time.
How did Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?
Chris does pretty well, especially on the SEO side of things.
Are there any areas they could improve?
While they’re consistent on their SEO delivery, they haven’t been great at keeping in touch about our other marketing efforts. Chris could do a better job of maintaining monthly contact and sending out articles and emails.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
I’d recommend their SEO services, but their marketing isn’t very consistent.
the project
Branding, Web Dev, & Digital Mktng for Construction Company
"They are very creative problem solvers!"
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
Owner, Using a unique 1918 formula developed by and known only to our chemists, the CRETO products are designed to work with the natural elements found in masonry and wood to help preserve them.
For what projects/services did your company hire Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing, and what were your goals?
Website Development, SEO, Digital Marketing, Print Marketing, and Branding.
Expand into international markets and establish an online presence as a premier sealer.
How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?
Great experience and track record with reasonable pricing.
Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.
Deliverables: create a website, continued SEO and Digital Marketing, website maintenance.
Tech: WordPress, plugins, custom code, and Adobe suite
How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
Worked with 8 people: CEO, project manager, developers, designers, copywriters, and photographer
Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?
Increased sales and visibility. Deliverables were accomplished with timeframes.
Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.
They're extremely organized, communicated at all milestone completions, and gave teasers of work in progress.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
They are very creative problem solvers!
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
No
the project
Website Design & Development Services
"They're very professional and responsive."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I’m the Owner.
For what projects/services did your company hire Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing, and what were your goals?
I hired RunningFish in spring of 2016 to help re-brand my event company by hiring them to create a new website.
How did you select Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing and what were the deciding factors?
I connected with this via a friend referral.
Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.
The website was first created and then over the years, we worked together to improve its SEO ranking.
How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
There were at least 4-5 staff members that helped me ranging from Website Designer to Graphic Designer.
Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?
Within about six months RunningFish was able to get my company’s website bubblesoccerclub.com to the first page on google. And then it took about a total of 2-3 years for website to pull up #1 on google.
Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.
They're very professional and responsive.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
The owner genuinely Chris really cares and want his clients to succeed. In other words, he’s a supporter and never a hater.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
Actually no because the owner Chris is receptive to critiques and he realizes him and his team are always growing.
the project
Corporate Website for Manufacturing Company
"We selected them after a positive experience working with them in developing a website for our sister corporation."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
Catalina Cylinders manufactures high pressure aluminum cylinders for industrial gas companies. I am the VP of Strategy and Operations.
For what projects/services did your company hire Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing, and what were your goals?
We hired Runningfish to develop our corporate website. The goal was to provide our business with a professional site that helps our customers and prospects understand the global presence of our business, and provide information about our products.
How did you select Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing and what were the deciding factors?
We selected them after a positive experience working with them in developing a website for our sister corporation.
Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.
Runningfish led the development process every step of the way, from brainstorming to finishing touches.
How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
Four people from Runningfish worked on our project, including developers and the owner himself.
Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?
Visitors to our site have more than tripled since launching our site upgrade with Runningfish.
Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.
Chris is very responsive, typically within minutes, we can get minor changes implemented.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
Responsiveness is their most unique trait.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
None.
Runningfish Web Design & Digital Marketing successfully delivered an intuitive, user-friendly site that met the client's expectations. The reliable team exhibited excellent communication and quick turnaround time. Their cost-effective services and receptiveness to feedback impressed the client.