WordStream (acquired by Gannett)

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own a local roofing company in Denver, CO. We specialize in residential roof replacements following Colorado's annual hailstorms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire WordStream (acquired by Gannett), and what were your goals?

I hired WordStream to create a custom ad campaign and manage PPC for me. The custom ad campaign focused on residential and hail damage / insurance.

SOLUTION

How did you select WordStream (acquired by Gannett) and what were the deciding factors?

A friend recommended WordStream. He didn't actually use them but suggested to give them a try.

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

Key deliverables were custom ad campaign and monthly PPC, none of which was effective in the slightest

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

I worked with 2 different people. The first was the sales person, who sold the amazing talents and results ... and promised the world.

The second was the "expert" in custom ad creation and the account manager who would manage PPC each month.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

During my bi-weekly calls, we essentially reviewed keywords. There were some qualified keywords for which I was charged and many that should have been negatives initially (so I was never charged for these).

They worked with no other roofing companies. But as local SEO experts, they should have known how to scope inclusions/exclusions.

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

I had bi-weekly calls with my account manager during my time with WordStream.

We essentially discussed there was some qualified keywords for which I was charged, a bunch of keywords that should have been negatives initially (so I was never charged for these). They worked with no other roofing companies.

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

Nothing impressive. Unique is how they can manage to still be in business based on my ROI.

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

Expert ad writer wrote very long and seemingly generic ads. I wouldn't click on any as a user. More importantly, the expert account manager seemed to know NOTHING about local business SEO.

I was shocked that for my Denver, Colorado roofing company, I was getting clicks for autos (cars, trucks, RVs) and for states outside of Colorado. The fact we needed to discuss putting negative keywords for Hawaii and Toyota for a Colorado roofing company is unbelievable.