SERPCOM

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Cara Group Travel, an international group tour operator. We do customized group programs to Ireland and Europe out of the U.S that include things like sports and music travel, as well as custom, leisure, educational, and family heritage tours.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SERPCOM?

Building a better online presence as well as gaining access to people with knowledge around online marketing and social media were our main goals. We didn’t have the in-house capabilities to make that happen. We wanted to develop a good relationship with a resource moving forward to update the website and build new ones.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with building a new website. They moved us to a different platform to give us more flexibility regarding marketing through searches, Google, and Facebook. They were able to help provide social media postings, as well as help us to grow and promote our brand.

We’ve also built another website since then. We now have a consistent marketing program in place where SERPCOM has helped me build and manage that entire process, including feedback, numbers, clicks, visits, etc.

They’ve also enhanced the existing website numerous times, constantly improving its security along with other features I wouldn’t have as a small business. We’re in the process of building a new website for college sports’ tourists, which is becoming a big part of the business. Serpcom have put together marketing campaigns, expectations, and targets along with SEO so I can secure co-op funds from tourists boards to promote destinations. 

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with multiple people. Their CRO is my main contact.

How did you come to work with SERPCOM?

I did some research and took on another marketing company, however they sold a great story but did not produce. They took advantage of the fact that I didn't have a good understanding of SEO and online marketing. As a small business, I could not afford to throw money away.

SERPCOM happened to move to our location, and I had the opportunity to sit down with their CRO one day. He gave me the 101 crash course on SEO and different things to do with searches. That's how we started our relationship.

SERPCOM happened to move to our location, so I sat down with their CRO one day. He broke everything down in a simple way, explaining SEO and different things to do with searches. That’s how we started our relationship.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $15,000–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our traffic has increased by 100%. We had a nice website, but nobody saw us. Rather than me having to hire a full-time marketing person to manage all of this, I’m able to put some of that budgets towards SERPCOM. They manage all of the processes related to marketing and it’s been a great success.

How did SERPCOM perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been very good. The most important thing I’ve learned with them is to make sure you get on their calendar. They’re very busy, which is a sign of how good they are. They’re great at meeting deadlines once we establish them and are also quite accessible. We have to be clear with what we’re looking for, discuss it with them, and then they’ll provide clear deadlines of when they expect to finish. They even sometimes deliver before deadline.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their authenticity impresses me. When I recommend them, I tell people that SERPCOM doesn’t realize how good they really are. They’re excellent in terms of value and cost compared to other companies I’ve looked into. I feel very confident with them because they’re great at what they do and are very easy to work with. Their response time is ideal and they also provide a lot of options.

They’ve made everything very affordable for me as a small company from the very beginning and provided a level of scalability that I’ve been comfortable with. They’ve proved their worth and made me feel confident about increasing my marketing budget. With their help, we have found areas in which the company could improve (e.g. online payments, trademarks) addressed them and provided options for improvement. I'm very grateful for their service. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They come up with a lot of ideas if we’re trying to create a program, but it might be a bit better if they were more streamlined. I don’t have any major complaints, which is unusual when dealing with another vendor. They feel like they’re my personal marketing department.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go in and hear what they have to say and then come back and look at what you need. They’re very enthusiastic and can do so many things. They want to do everything for you, so you need to know how much you actually need. Everything is possible, but it all also has a price tag, so it’s important to prioritize the necessities.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. We’re made up of retail shops, bars, restaurants, and pushcarts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SERPCOM?

We needed a digital advertising campaign to promote our annual holiday light attraction, Blink!.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve done digital ads for a few years now using targeting and re-targeting tactics. The campaigns’ success made us want to enhance our digital presence. We brainstormed about additional projects to make us more interactive. As a result, they built a new blog and website, launched June 2017 and February 2018, respectively.

The site accommodates varying needs for all our vendors. For example, SERPCOM integrated restaurants’ Facebook events on our homepage. They also created a sales page that promotes deals from the national retail brands. The team then built an e-commerce system for pushcarts, many of whom weren’t previously able to sell online. That feature’s currently in development and just about to go live.

For SEO, SERPCOM leverages our social media accounts with the site and blog. The team integrated our social media accounts, specifically Instagram, to feature our merchants posts on the site. Those pictures go on our main page and the merchants’ individual pages to maximize exposure.

What is the team composition?

I interact primarily with the project leader.

How did you come to work with SERPCOM?

The project leader did the digital campaigns at another firm prior to me joining Faneuil Hall. As marketing director, I decided to transfer our account when SERPCOM hired him because I was very happy with his work.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work started in 2015 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re pleased with every project they’ve done. We gained additional exposure for holiday attractions. The blog has increased our rankings, click through rates, and impressions considerably. However, the website hasn’t been live long enough to provide metrics.

How did SERPFCOM perform from a project management standpoint?

The project leader is responsive and always available to provide support and quantitative data as needed. The designer was attentive and open to suggestions while creating the site’s look; he had several great ideas too. They deliver everything on-time, often at a faster pace than we can work. For example, we asked them to slow down when launching the website because we needed extra time to coordinate with vendors and proof everything. The partnership’s worked very well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their innovation and attention to detail distinguish them. The digital advertising solutions creatively incorporated social media, which helps us identify and engage supporters online. That approach allows to increase traffic organically rather than by paid digital advertising.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. We’re happy with everything they’ve done.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to new ideas. They have exciting approaches for social media integration.