Startup App Experts
Who We Are:
We are the nations hottest startup mobile app development and marketing agency. We've helped launch a variety of mobile apps from their inception. We can attribute a lot of our success to our affordable pricing and agile process, which has made us capable of attributing more of the clients budget to growth. We are always willing to adapt to the market, and are always at the forfront of the mobile app scene.
Why You Need Us:
The vast majority of good apps never get to see their time in the spotlight. This is due to poor/lack of marketing. Founders often believe that a good product is enough to be noticed on its own, this is no longer the case in todays market.
How We Make It
Discovery:
- What is the purpose of the app?
- What do people get from it?
- Main Competitors?
- Who are our target users?
- How is it going to get monetized?
Design
- Create Wireframes
- Design the look and feel of the app
- Develop Prototypes
- User Test
- Build Brand Development
Development
- Agile development
- iOS, Android, ReactNative
- React.js, Ruby On Rails
- Node.js, Java, .NET
How We Market It:
The SEM Nexus Process uses a combination of ASO, App Store & Play Store ads, social media ads and influencers to acquire users, followed by in-app analytics to retain active and paying users. We follow our checklist rigourously:
- ASO
- Social Influencers
- Digital Ads
- App Analytics
- VC Prep
As you can see, virality requires capital. Our initial proof of concept campaign will aid you in proving that your app can be a success. Then we can connect you to our VC partners for funding
Focus
Portfolio
https://semnexus.com/case-studies/

Nautical Eye
Who they are:
- Nautical Eye is a forecasting and all-in-one maritime app to help you along your fishing misadventures!
Their problem:
- Nautical Eye is a fantastic mobile app, but they had no users!
Our Solution:
- We developed a full scale marketing plan from conception to execution. As of writing this, the app sports over 50,000 unique users.

Lux Lighting
The Luxlighting app allows you to control your LED lights from your phone. You can create custom themes or have the lights sync with the music playing around you.

YogiGo Fitness
Connect with Certified Yoga and Physical Fitness Trainers in your area. Work out from the comfort of your own home, park, or even hotel gym. YogiGoFitness is your premier all-in-one tool for discovering, messaging, and booking appointments with nearby yoga/fitness instructors and personal trainers. It’s also a great way for trainers to be found by potential clients!

Tito
Who they are:
- Tito is a popup social event app in NYC
Their Problem:
- The app came to us from inception. No users
Our solution:
- A full app marketing strategy was deployed and executed on. Tito now has a thriving active userbase in NYC, and experiences some of the best retention we've ever seen

Teletour
Who they are:
- Teletour is an AR global touring app that provides you with in depth visual tours at any location you select accross the world
Their Problem:
- The app came to us from inception. No users
Our solution:
- A full app marketing strategy was deployed and executed on. For Teletour, we are seeing incredible CPI numbers, as low as $1 per download in the US.

Scan And Translate
+1,000,000 Downloads
Who they are:
- Scan & Translate is a text translation app, designed to help you travel easily
Their problem:
- Ironically, the apps description was only available in english, and they needed assistance with ASO, translation & app localization
Our Solution:
- We optimized the app store page, provided localized translations for various countries, improved their app rankings, and drove downloads to the app.
- As of writing, the app has reached a 20% increase in organic user acquisitions

My Favorite Places
MFP is a simple, functional way to organize and share your places. With A-Z list format, categories, maps & notes, you'll never forget or be lost for a place to go again. Use it as a way to keep a record of the places you've been or plan to go. Whether you're a foodie, a traveler, a blogger or someone who gets asked for recommendations this is the app for you. Follow your favorite friend, influencer or organization and see their recommended list of places. Only connect with people you know and trust.

WinQuik
Who they are:
- We are the proud app marketing agency behind WinQuik. Clickstreams star studded trivia game app.
Their Problem:
- The app came to us from inception. No users
Our solution:
- A full app marketing strategy was deployed and executed on. As of writing this, the app has 50k unique users, and the CLIS stock is up 10x since our original involvement.

Scootroute
Who they are:
- Scootroute is a micro-mobility navigation app helping riders of mopeds, scooters, and bicycles navigate to their destinations safely.
Their Problem:
- The app came to us shortly after launching with a small user base and base app store imagery.
Our Solution:
- A combination of ASO and App Promotion helped Scootroute find success in downloads. On just 3,000 Product Page Views, Scootroute achieved over 1,600 installs leading to a conversion rate of over 53%.

Off Market
Who they are:
- Off Market is a mobile real estate app that simplifies housing transactions.
Their problem:
- Came to us with an underdeveloped app with no design.
Our Solution:
- Created a completely original design for the app. Launched a pre-registration campaign while the app finished development, and eventually a fully live campaign with a conversion rate of 43% on both iOS and Android.

Vodacast
Who they are:
- Vodacast is a podcasting app providing bonus content to users and treating podcasters more fairly while offering a more complete all-in-one podcasting solution. Fully immerse yourself in your favorite podcasts with the Vodacast app.
Their Problem:
- The app came to us from inception. They had no users and were looking for podcasters & listeners.
Our Solution:
- A full app marketing strategy was deployed and executed. We are seeing incredible CPI numbers, as low as $1.53 per download in the US. We also increased their conversion rate by 25%.

Famous
Who they are:
- A digital talent show that ranks users based on their favorability instead of their likes/followers. Winners each week are given cash or career prizes such as $500 or a session with Aloe Blacc
Their Problem:
- They had brought in users previously but they were primarily low value installs lacking talent
Our Solution:
- Completely redid their App Store listing. Primarily used Google Ads and Facebook Ads to target individuals that would be able to create higher quality submissions. Brought in IOS users at a sub $1 CPI.

Headero
Who they are:
- A unique dating app that focuses on oral pleasure. They have created an open and honest dating community that rejects the binary and encourages users to be themselves.
Their Problem:
- They came to us in an early beta stage. We guided them through the pre-marketing process, into pre-registration and finally to a fully live product. Due to the nature of the app, we have been rejected from most ad networks. We found our place on Google Ads and have successfully created a diverse and deep community of users.
Our Solution:
- Leverage both digital and social marketing along with IRL events to help build the community. Went from being banned on all ad platforms to building a self-sustaining user base in NYC. Additionally, we have begun expansion into San Francisco.

Know Wake
Who they are:
Join the #1 fastest growing community navigating together.
Their Problem:
The app came to us with only focusing on specific waters with specific users. They wanted to map more wake zones & become more user friendly to casuals
Our Solution:
A full app marketing strategy was deployed and executed on Apple, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Tik Tok.. We are seeing incredible total install number of 20k

GrainSt
The Best Farm Management tool to Determine Grain Pricing!
GrainSt helps you find the best prices for the corn and soybean crops. Find corn and soybeans at the nearest grain markets. Search for the best bids on old and new crops, and keep tabs on agriculture markets near you.
GrainSt provides you with regularly updated grain economy data that will keep you ahead of the grain market. View up-to-date corn and soybean crop delivery location bids in your location to help determine the best price for your crops on the grain market. Specialized in soybean and corn marketing, GrainSt is the companion app for both new and old crops.
Browse current and future commodity market prices within your area! Find crop markets closest to you or up to 100 miles away. GrainSt provides you with the contact information to delivery locations within the app, saving you the hassle of searching for it yourself!
Reviews
the project
Digital Marketing for Female Dating App
"They blow me away with everything they do, and I feel like they care for us and give enough attention."
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 Meowchownow, a female online social dating app.
What challenge were you trying to address with SEM Nexus?
I needed help with digital marketing to get more users to my app and increase revenue.
What was the scope of their involvement?
SEM Nexus does my digital marketing. I also work with their social media director to get influencers to launch the campaign. They’ve also done my graphics, my ads, my video promos, our description in the App Store and Google Play, and keywords.
What is the team composition?
I operate directly with their project manager, who has a team working behind the scenes.
How did you come to work with SEM Nexus?
I interviewed several companies, but we chose SEM Nexus because they had good reviews and were within my budget.
How much have you invested with them?
I've spent $12,000 with them so far.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in December 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Their work has been very satisfactory for me, and I have nothing negative to say about them. Their entire team has been available for me and wonderful to work with.
How did SEM Nexus perform from a project management standpoint?
They’ve been very professional; we have biweekly calls with the project manager, they’re always on time, and their owner is very approachable and responsive. I also have their cell phone numbers, so I can text them if I have any issues. In addition to that, we email them and have video calls with their team — communication is very good, and they always get back to me.
In addition, we haven't had an issue with the fact that they’re based out of New York and are three hours ahead of me — they’re always on time and deliver as promised.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They have a network of investors that we can work with after our initial marketing, which is helpful for startups like us. They put our pitch portfolio and pitch deck together for us, and we can use their investors to get additional funding for our company. It was a great idea to work with them because of the potential to get investors.
Overall, their team has been great; they blow me away with everything they do, and I feel like they care for us and give enough attention.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I don't think there's anything they can improve on — if there’s something I want them to work on, they’re very receptive and responsive to it.
the project
App Marketing for Educational App
"They’re excellent at meeting deadlines and keeping their word."
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 founder of an app that teaches kids with autism and other developmental needs to associate words.
What challenge were you trying to address with SEM Nexus?
I needed help in marketing.
What was the scope of their involvement?
SEM Nexus is providing us with app optimization services. They’ve helped us find areas of improvement within our app so we can increase our sales and appeal to more people. They’re also marketing our app on Facebook and other platforms. In addition, they handle our influencer marketing efforts.
SEM Nexus creates the visuals, videos, and other assets for our campaigns. They’ve supported our product launch in app stores, which is available on Android and iOS.
What is the team composition?
I’ve worked with Greg (Digital Campaign Manager), their COO, and one guy who handles our influencer marketing. Other teammates come and go as needed.
How did you come to work with SEM Nexus?
We found SEM Nexus through a Google search. While other companies only sent generic proposals, they met with me, and we discussed their packages and our project’s goals. That spoke to me because they took the time to develop a proposal with data and comparisons. I felt they would see me as a person instead of a number, so I chose to work with them.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent $25,000 so far.
What is the status of this engagement?
We’ve been working together since October 2021, and our partnership is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
I don’t have any metrics right now.
How did SEM Nexus perform from a project management standpoint?
SEM Nexus is great at project management. They’re very transparent and open — if something is not going well, they’re quick to disclose and present solutions. Additionally, they constantly explain things to me and show me data. I can have meetings with their team whenever I want. They’re very responsive and quick to get back to me.
SEM Nexus always stays within my budget, and they present cheaper options if we need to do something beyond my range. They’re excellent at meeting deadlines and keeping their word. We communicate through emails and have regular meetings.
What did you find most impressive about them?
SEM Nexus’ customer service skills are excellent. In addition, I appreciate that they treat us as if we’re a big organization, even though we’re not.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can’t think of anything.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
You have to be willing to be committed for the long haul — don’t expect changes overnight. It will take some time before things go where they need to be.
the project
Digital Marketing for Connectivity Mobile App
"They simply know what they’re doing."
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 president of Monkeysphere, a mobile app that reminds people to call their relatives, friends, and close acquaintances.
What challenge were you trying to address with SEM Nexus?
We needed help with our digital marketing efforts.
What was the scope of their involvement?
SEM Nexus helps me with very comprehensive digital marketing services, including SEO, social media marketing, PPC, and email marketing. They work closely with us on keyword research and campaign launches. Additionally, they’re currently working with us to get our price per install lowered.
What is the team composition?
I mainly work with Sergio (COO) and Max (Digital Campaign Manager). In the beginning, I also talked with Michael (Founder & CEO).
How did you come to work with SEM Nexus?
I looked at different companies online, as well as at their reviews. SEM Nexus had great reviews, so I reached out to them, and they told me what they could do for me. I liked what they offered; that was why I hired them.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve invested around $10,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
I first contacted SEM Nexus a year and a half ago, in 2020. However, our app took a long time to get developed, so we just stayed in touch until we were ready to launch our marketing strategy. Once we got closer to launching, around April 2021, we started working with them, taking steps towards advertising and marketing our app. When it got released, SEM Nexus was able to provide more services. Currently, we’re still working together.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
SEM Nexus’ efforts have helped us get more installs. For example, we were able to get 404 installs last week from the Google Play Store alone. Additionally, they’ve greatly decreased our price per install, although we keep working on that.
How did SEM Nexus perform from a project management standpoint?
SEM Nexus’ project management is very good. They’re very transparent about how much money different campaigns and paid efforts cost. Additionally, they’re very communicative.
They set up a meeting with us at least once per week to touch base and let us know what they’re doing. We use Firebase to manage the project, which is the same platform our development company used during that portion of the project. Additionally, we communicate via email and Google Meet.
What did you find most impressive about them?
SEM Nexus’ professionalism and knowledge are impressive. They’re very punctual to our meetings, and they’re always in a professional setting, even wearing suits to those meetings. Additionally, they don’t second guess themselves, and they seem to know the answers to all of our questions — they simply know what they’re doing.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No. So far, I have no complaints.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Do your research as I did and give them a shot. Call them, hear them out, and explain your needs so that they can tell you what they can do for you. Once you do, trust that what they tell you they can do, they’ll do it.
the project
Design, Advertising & Influencer Marketing for App Firm
“They’re highly communicative, and the team is on point in terms of delivering the data we need.”
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 working with a smartphone app company in a division that was founded 1–2 years ago. I serve as an external advisor with a background in marketing technology and marketing communications. I’ve been helping their founder in the decision-making process and in managing their relationship with third-party vendors, including SEM Nexus.
What challenge were you trying to address with SEM Nexus?
We hired SEM Nexus for app development guidance and influencer marketing.
What was the scope of their involvement?
We’re doing an influencer campaign with SEM Nexus. They've assigned a person to manage the campaigns and to put together a list of people that are audience-appropriate for the app. He takes us through the process of selecting influencers and enables us to work with them. The influencers' end deliverables are videos on their channels to promote the app.
SEM Nexus has also been giving us feedback on the app experience, giving us instructions on how to track all the activity in our app in a sensible way. They also create reports and advise us on user flows, covering how the app is downloaded and how users are onboarded into the app.
We’re in the early stages of this process. So far, we’ve had onboarding conversations about the brand feel. The team has created our ad collateral, including copywriting work. Moreover, SEM Nexus resources have designed all of the assets we need to go live in the App Store and Google Play. These assets include our logo and the compiled pictures users see on the app stores.
The team has also launched ad campaigns on both app platforms. We also have banners on Facebook, and we’ll expand those into Instagram and TikTok. On top of that, their resources help us with our keyword strategy in terms of descriptions and app content.
What is the team composition?
We’ve primarily worked with Max (Digital Campaign Manager) during the onboarding process and in getting everybody settled. At present, we work with a project lead. Under the project lead, we interface with Kasey (Director of Digital Campaigns), who handles the tactical side of things. He does keyword research and keeps an eye on our budgets for our digital marketing activities. Skyler (Director of Social Media & Influencer Marketing) handles our influencer campaigns, while their internal design team members design our collateral.
How did you come to work with SEM Nexus?
We looked around for a number of agencies that had experience in app launches, and they turned out to be hard to find. Many agencies, including relatively big-name firms, turned us away. The ones that talked to us came with outrageous costs for a startup running on seed funding.
Then, we found SEM Nexus online. The reason we chose them was that they were comfortable with doing an app launch. On top of that, they had all the components that we were looking to use. Their pricing model was also way lower than other agencies’ offers even when we included the amount of money we’d spend on ads.
More importantly, they offered to give us feedback on how the app was performing. For comparison, it seemed that other agencies only planned to blast our ads out on the internet and then wash their hands after that. In other words, SEM Nexus wanted to help us build a user base, and that was highly compelling to me. That was the start of our engagement.
How much have you invested with them?
We spend around $5,000 per month, including their retainer fee and our budget for ads.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them in September 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The first run of ads has been better than expected. In fact, we’ve hit our two-week target in just three days. We’ve also had several hundred downloads and signups, which is in line with our team’s expectations. As we go, we hope to optimize these leads and increase our conversion rates.
While it’s too early to claim success or failure on anything, the SEM Nexus team has been refining the user flows and app processes even more. Their recommendations are based on data, and they fall in line with what I might have done if I had built and designed the app myself. I’ve been a UX design practitioner for around 15 years, and I sense that we’ll achieve a positive ROI in this project. However, it’s too early to tell.
How did SEM Nexus perform from a project management standpoint?
SEM Nexus has managed the project well. They’re highly communicative, and the team is on point in terms of delivering the data we need. They also haven’t missed any deadlines. Meanwhile, our influencer campaigns are a little more fluid. Skyler has to reach out to influencers and sign contracts with them, and we can’t simply put these things on the calendar and work on them. In any case, we’re getting what we need from them from a project management perspective.
Further, we have standing meetings every other week where they talk about the results and data they’ve gathered from the app and our ads. The project itself has been straightforward enough that we can get any information we need through email. We also have access to SEM Nexus’ platform, which shows us ad data and conversion rates.
What did you find most impressive about them?
SEM Nexus’ cost structure has been impressive. On top of that, they’re the only agency that’s willing to help us with the project. To reiterate, we’ve experienced rejections from other agencies. Others haven’t said outright that they’re rejecting us, but they’ve priced the project at a cost that isn’t going to work for us.
As a result, I’ve been delighted that SEM Nexus is willing to help us out. We have a new app, and most new apps fail — they’re willing to take that risk with us.
Are there any areas they could improve?
In the beginning, we didn’t know what feedback to give to influencers. To be fair, this is a minor sticking point, and we’ve already sorted this out. It’s also a by-product of us not being familiar with influencer marketing.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Come with a little more pre-existing market research. On top of that, sketch out all your KPIs before engaging with SEM Nexus or any other agencies. That way, you can give them a leg up in terms of optimization and planning. This may accelerate things for your project.
For context, in our engagement with SEM Nexus, we initially didn’t have a fully baked idea of who our audiences were; we were making those decisions as we went. If I had to do it over again, I would have taken a week to put together a research deck that we could present to them before we started.
the project
Marketing, PPC & Design for Nonprofit Theater Company
"The team does an adequate job, but their approach isn't working out for us."
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 artistic director of a nonprofit theater company. We have an app that offers an immersive theater experience.
What challenge were you trying to address with SEM Nexus?
We needed help marketing our app.
What was the scope of their involvement?
SEM Nexus provides marketing services. First, the team guided us through the process of setting up ad campaigns. They continue to manage our ads on Google Ads, Facebook, and Instagram.
We’ve also worked closely with the SEM Nexus team on designing various marketing pieces using our existing assets. Additionally, they’ve offered suggestions on optimizing our app’s listing on the App Store and Google Play Store.
What is the team composition?
We only work with two teammates, including a project manager.
How did you come to work with SEM Nexus?
Another marketing agency recommended SEM Nexus to us.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent about $10,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
The project started in September 2021, and it’s ongoing.
Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.
SEM Nexus initially predicted that we would have around 10,000 downloads within three months of the engagement. Unfortunately, we have yet to hit even 1,000.
We’re a nonprofit organization, and this was a considerable investment for us. Overall, the team does an adequate job, but their approach isn’t working out for us. We plan on ending the project soon.
How was project management handled?
Their project management is satisfactory — they’re good at sticking to deadlines and budgets. We primarily communicate via email.
Is there anything that the vendor did well or that you would consider a strength?
The SEM Nexus team has done a great job of helping us understand the marketing campaign process. Other than that, I don’t think they had strong points.
Are there any areas they could improve?
SEM Nexus didn’t immediately learn about the app, so we initially felt like they were using a formulaic approach to marketing that wasn’t suited to our product.
They have overcome that challenge by getting more familiar with the app, but they could’ve done that earlier.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Make sure that your app is heavily marketable for a mainstream audience before engaging with SEM Nexus. I think their campaigns would be more successful if your app is trendy.
The vendor responded on December 7, 2021.
This issue has actually been resolved with the client shortly after this review's submission. The problem was not with the app, but rather with the Grant Google Ads Account we were provided to work with, which is unable to run mobile app campaigns, and restricts us to Google Search Ads. These ads are horrifically inefficient for mobile app campaigns. Using other, less restricted channels/ad accounts, we both are able and have the data on this campaign to show that we have been achieving the KPI's we've aimed for.
To any and all future clients reading this, I would heavily advise against relying on any form of Grant account from Google Ads to achieve your mobile app download goals. It is far too restrictive to be of any practical use.
the project
Mobile App Marketing for Mobile App Development Company
"Thanks to SEM Nexus, we have over 100,000 users on our app's waitlist."
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 VP of a mobile application development company. We offer a live-streaming app.
What challenge were you trying to address with SEM Nexus?
We needed someone to provide app marketing solutions to help us build our product’s brand awareness.
What was the scope of their involvement?
SEM Nexus handles our marketing campaigns. We first had an introductory call with the team as we were starting to develop our app. They then started building out creatives and advertising materials.
Once we finished the app, SEM Nexus helped us position the app and optimize it for both the App Store and Google Play Store. We also asked them to work on our product’s SEO.
The SEM Nexus team is now helping us advertise the app on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms. They provide various SEO strategies and implement them through content.
What is the team composition?
We work with eight people, including the CEO, the CTO, the VP, a social media manager, and marketing associates.
How did you come to work with SEM Nexus?
I did a Google search for app marketing agencies and found SEM Nexus’ page on Clutch. The team had great reviews from other startups that needed help with brand awareness.
After reaching out to SEM Nexus, I found them to be very genuine and understanding.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent about $10,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
The project started in January 2021, and it’s ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The project has been highly successful. We’ve gained 500,000 impressions and 2,000 followers on Instagram. Meanwhile, our TikTok has earned about 15,000 views.
Thanks to SEM Nexus, we have over 100,000 users on our app’s waitlist.
How did SEM Nexus perform from a project management standpoint?
Their project management is excellent — the team is very professional and always provides perfect customer service. In terms of deadlines, they’re always ahead of the game. They’re always organized and never miss a beat.
We used Jira and Trello to manage the project and Slack and Google Meet to communicate.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We’re impressed with SEM Nexus’ willingness to go above and beyond. Although the project has been very successful, they’re not satisfied and continue to improve our numbers further.
They’re one of the most patient teams I’ve ever encountered thus far. SEM Nexus truly cares about providing the best value for us. Overall, our experience has been phenomenal.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I have no negative feedback — SEM Nexus has done an incredible job.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Make sure they have the documentation they need to fulfill the project. Additionally, set clear deadlines and communicate well with them.
the project
SEO & PPC for Travel Company
"They’re a one-stop-shop for startups who need sales and marketing."
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 CFO of Be There Do Good LLC, which owns the Teletour brand name. We’re a social platform tied to travel.
What challenge were you trying to address with SEM Nexus?
Since we were a startup app, we were looking at all the challenges of addressing initial market sales and marketing efforts, including SEO — particularly regarding our iOS app. We also wanted to evaluate our other sales and marketing initiatives, including tying in influencers to assist us with marketing.
What was the scope of their involvement?
SEM Nexus assisted us in optimizing our app and ensured that we had great photos and descriptions. The team reviewed our app and gave us guidance on what they thought would be easy for our new users. They even pointed out some challenges they saw within our app so that we could retain our new users. In addition, they gave us directions on how to track the success of our various ads and initiatives within our app.
They also assisted us in advertising within the App store which involves keyword research and testing. They tested various images and content within our App Store presentation, too.
On top of that, they designed various Facebook and Instagram ads. All of our ads are tested on various segments in the US and internationally. Then, on a weekly and biweekly basis, we review all of our efforts and decide where we should be putting our focus going forward as we continuously fine-tune our marketing and advertising efforts.
What is the team composition?
We’re working with Kasey (Director of Digital), and he’s our primary point of contact who helps coordinate all of our initiatives and has also looped in specialists into the project. We’ve also dealt on and off with Michael (Founder & CEO), and he’s been very available when we need him.
How did you come to work with SEM Nexus?
We did a lot of research and SEM Nexus seemed to be the right vendor for us because of their broad range of expertise. We saw a lot of organizations that had specific areas of expertise for startups. However, SEM Nexus was a company where we could get resources and assistance across the board, which was something we needed to kickstart our sales and marketing for our app. They were also very responsive to our requests for information and that was a big driving point for us.
What is the status of this engagement?
We began working together in July 2021, and it’s ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
SEM Nexus has helped us find keywords for our iOS app through their SEO efforts. They’re able to provide the support we ask for, which is why we’ve been very pleased with their work.
How did SEM Nexus perform from a project management standpoint?
They’re responsive, and they produced everything they say they’re going to do. We have biweekly calls, and we also get in touch through email. Then, we have some online resources that we use to track the project’s progress.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They’re a one-stop-shop for startups who need sales and marketing.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, I don’t think there are any areas they could improve. They’re already growing pretty rapidly and adding more resources to their organization in various areas.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Have regular discussions with SEM Nexus because it’s important to talk about what your data means and how you can move forward in the most efficient manner. If you’re also working on an app, make sure you have a solid communication relationship with their sales and marketing team to really understand your app’s direction.
the project
ASO & Digital Marketing for Travel Platform
“SEM Nexus has given us great insight and creative solutions, helping us expand into other digital marketing spaces.”
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.
We are a mobile and web travel platform that helps our users plan trips, explore new places, and do more travel-related things. As a company, we’re a startup located in New Orleans, Louisiana.
What challenge were you trying to address with SEM Nexus?
We were trying to learn more about the advertising space, but like any startup, we had limited resources. We needed to understand how to optimize our application in the App Store and advertise across multiple social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. However, we had no one in-house who could help us with our advertising needs, so SEM Nexus filled that void for us.
What was the scope of their involvement?
When SEM Nexus joined, our main focus was to increase our app downloads. Initially, they dove deep into our iOS app and gave us insightful, industry-wide feedback, highlighting the different features they thought that the app should include to be more effective and get more downloads.
Then, they put together a contract with the scope of work, which included putting together advertisements and running them on Facebook and the App Store, bidding on keywords on the App Store, and reaching out to potential influencers on TikTok. The deliverables for this project included a pitch deck at the end of our four-month contract, encompassing all the metrics and data that we gathered throughout the advertising campaign.
For the keyword bidding, we initially provided them with a list of keywords that were relevant to our app. However, they’ve helped us discover new keywords and found great success.
What is the team composition?
I’ve worked with four people from SEM Nexus. Their team includes Mike (Founder & CEO), Kasey (Director of Digital), who acts as the project manager and my main point of contact, the CTO, and a person who helps us reach out to potential influencers.
How did you come to work with SEM Nexus?
When we knew that we needed app store optimization (ASO) and help with our digital marketing, we decided to research online. We were looking for a digital marketing agency that could help us with our needs, and we found SEM Nexus. They had great reviews online.
After interviewing different agencies, we felt that SEM Nexus had the bandwidth and tools that we needed, and they also had great resources. Mike really understood our concept and was very engaging. The team was also very responsive, so we decided to partner with them.
How much have you invested with them?
The initial contract cost $40,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started our conversation in July 2021, and we started working together in the same month. We signed a four-month contract, so we finished our initial scope in October 2021. However, we’re still working together.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
When we started working together, we had roughly 300 downloads on the App Store. Now, we have over 50,000 downloads, so our growth has been tremendous.
How did SEM Nexus perform from a project management standpoint?
SEM Nexus has been in charge of the whole project management, ensuring that we stay on pace and on goal for what we were trying to achieve. They have their own proprietary software that allows me to see all of the different advertisements across different platforms, so we don’t need to log into Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok to see how the advertisements are performing.
The team has been really responsive and creative. Our biggest need was getting insight from the industry to know how our metrics compared to the industry standards. Fortunately, SEM Nexus has given us great insight and creative solutions, helping us expand into other digital marketing spaces.
We work closely with them in the sense that we have weekly updates. We communicate mostly via email, and we use Google Drive to share documents.
What did you find most impressive about them?
SEM Nexus has a very comprehensive team, and they’re able to handle all of our needs. Other vendors only could help us with ASO or other specific parts, but SEM Nexus offered us full-service digital marketing. Additionally, they provide us with great insight, so they check off all of our boxes.
Are there any areas they could improve?
SEM Nexus’ initial approach to every project is a little formulaic, so it would be good if they tailored it specifically to every product.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
If I had to do this project all over again, I would be more hands-on to get more out of it. You don’t have to stay on top of them to make sure that they get things done; they’re very independent. However, try to be more engaged to ensure a successful relationship.
the project
Digital & Social Media Marketing for Sex Positivity Platform
"SEM Nexus has proven to be a strong partner across all areas of digital marketing."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
ThotExperiment was founded in 2020 to liberate people from arbitrary and harmful restrictions by creating sex positive, inclusive and joyful platforms for sexual exploration and experimentation. Our first platform, Headero is the app for everyone, for one thing: people who love oral pleasure. Headero was designed from inception for people of all gender identities and sexualities. Headero allows for fluidity in gender identity selection and allows you to connect with whoever you're down with at any time, regardless of your sexuality. I am the Founder and CEO of ThotExperiment.
For what projects/services did your company hire SEM Nexus, and what were your goals?
We hired SEM Nexus to manage our digital marketing and social media for the launch of our first platform: Headero, the hookup app for oral pleasure. Our goals were to reach potential Headero members in a cost-effective manner and at scale.
How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?
I undertook a vendor selection process, speaking with marketing agencies - including vendors across various geographies. I sought a partner with demonstrated technical excellence that took the time to understand our key objectives and had a knowledge of digital marketing and social media channels that would be essential for us to reach our member growth aspirations - while staying true to our company values. SEM Nexus was also recommended by another marketing agency that was out of our budget range.
Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and marking tools used.
The scope was to build and execute on a marketing plan to facilitate the launch of Headero, the first hookup app for people who love oral pleasure. This included doing a competitor analysis, keyword analysis and evaluating digital marketing platforms and channels. Because Headero is a sex-tech platform, our app faced added challenges marketing on each channel. As a result, to date Apple Ads and Google Ads have been the only channels we have been able to utilize at scale.
How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
We generally worked with two team members at any given time - our account manager and a social media manager. These two team members worked with the SEM Nexus design team where relevant.
Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?
To date we’ve achieved over 3,400 paid installations at a cost per install that was better than our initial budget.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
We held regular weekly meetings to discuss project progress and timelines.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
SEM Nexus has proven to be a strong partner across all areas of digital marketing. They’ve partnered to iterate on our creative, copy and design. Our digital marketing team and our Account Manager in particular have shown care for our product and our outcomes. They’ve partnered with us as we’ve faced various systematic challenges that we’ve faced as a sex tech company.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
No notable areas of improvement.
the project
Market Research & Digital Marketing for Food Inventory App
"We’ve practically started from nothing, and they’ve taken it upon themselves to bring me successful results."
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 Recelery, a food tracker and grocery sharing platform.
What challenge were you trying to address with SEM Nexus?
I needed their marketing expertise.
What was the scope of their involvement?
SEM Nexus has devised a marketing strategy to help me get the word out about my mobile application. They’ve integrated marketing and analytics tools into the app, which allow me to track my ad spend and engagement.
Additionally, SEM Nexus studied different ad mechanisms from Facebook, Google, iOS, and Android to gain insights on how I can improve my app’s UX. Once we’ve launched the marketing campaign, their team has helped me reach out to an influencer to boost my engagement.
What is the team composition?
I work with Sergio (COO) and Greg (Digital Campaign Manager).
How did you come to work with SEM Nexus?
I originally onboarded a different agency to handle this project. During the early stage of the app development, they referred me to SEM Nexus based on the size of our project and my budget for marketing.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent over $25,000 so far.
What is the status of this engagement?
We kicked off the project in March 2021, and we’re planning to conclude the partnership by the end of this month.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’ve started the projects without any user downloads — SEM Nexus’ team amplified our digital presence, which has led to 3,000 downloads and counting. We’ve only spent $6,500 on Google Ads, and their team has made the most of our money by drastically improving our revenue and user engagement — those are the only success metrics we need for their work.
How did SEM Nexus perform from a project management standpoint?
We communicate via email and bi-monthly video conference calls. SEM Nexus has a dedicated and responsive approach despite their high volume of clients. Their team’s attentiveness and guidance have done a lot for my company — we’ve practically started from nothing, and they’ve taken it upon themselves to bring me successful results.
What did you find most impressive about them?
What stands out about their team is their enthusiasm and genuine interest in seeing me succeed.
Are there any areas they could improve?
SEM Nexus delivers quality solutions, but they can benefit more from assigning rational price points for the services they provide.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be as prepared as their team — they’re only handling the marketing aspect of your product, so your responsibility is to preserve its quality to gain more traction.
The client's team is delighted with SEM Nexus' professional work. Their responsive and communicative approach has been key to delivering solid project management. The team also praised the network of investors they have in hand for startup projects.