What do you need from me to begin taking over digital marketing services?

To kickstart our marketing efforts, we’ll need a few essential ingredients to ensure a smooth and effective launch. First, clearly understanding your business objectives and marketing goals is crucial. Whether you aim to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, generate leads, or boost sales, knowing your goals guides us in tailoring our strategies.

Next, insights into your target audience are critical. We’ll require information about their demographics, interests, and behaviors to create content and campaigns that resonate with them. Any branding assets, such as logos and design elements, are valuable for maintaining a consistent brand identity. If you have any existing marketing tools, such as Google Analytics, Google Business Profile accounts, or other third-party marketing platforms, we’ll need access to those, too. Competitor insights and any previous marketing data you have can provide valuable context.

Ongoing, open communication and feedback will help our strategies align with your vision and expectations. With these elements in place, we can collaborate closely to develop and execute a tailored marketing plan that drives results for your company.

Can we work together on marketing efforts?

Certainly! Collaboration is at the core of what we do. We’re dedicated to forging a solid partnership with our clients to achieve your marketing goals effectively. Our team is here to listen to your ideas, gain a deep understanding of your business, and work closely with you throughout the process.

We also recognize that you may want to take an active role in handling specific projects while entrusting others to us. We’re adaptable to your preferences and needs. Whether it involves refining existing strategies, crafting new ones, or focusing on specific projects, we’re happy to tailor our collaboration to align perfectly with your requirements. Together, we can work towards accomplishing your objectives effectively and efficiently.

How soon will I see marketing results?

The speed at which you’ll see marketing results can vary depending on factors like marketing tactics, industry competition, and your target audience.

Generally, substantial improvements might be noticeable for long-term strategies like SEO and content marketing after three to six months. In contrast, PPC advertising can yield quicker results, often within weeks. Social media can generate engagement and visibility in weeks, while email marketing campaigns can show immediate results in opens and clicks.

Regardless of the marketing initiative, achieving sustained success usually requires ongoing effort and fine-tuning your strategy. Setting realistic expectations and focusing on long-term growth for lasting results is essential.

How often do you meet with your marketing clients?

Regular and effective communication is key to relationship success, and the frequency of our meetings is tailored to your preferences and needs. Typically, we recommend regular check-in meetings, such as monthly sessions, where we can comprehensively review the progress of your marketing campaigns, discuss any updates to the strategy, and address any questions or concerns you may have.

That said, we remain flexible and can adjust the meeting schedule to align seamlessly with your availability and needs. Our primary aim is to ensure that you’re well-informed and that your marketing strategies continuously align with your goals and expectations.

What is the length of a marketing contract? Am I locked in for a year?

Our marketing agreements are designed to be flexible and adaptable to your specific needs and goals. We do not lock clients into long-term contracts, such as a full year (unless that’s your preference!).

We typically recommend an initial contract term of three to six months to allow sufficient time to implement and assess the effectiveness of our strategies. Following this term, we operate on a month-to-month basis.

Ultimately, our goal is to provide you the flexibility to adjust and optimize your marketing strategy as needed, ensuring that you always get the best results and value for your investment.

What SEO metrics do you measure?

If you engage us to help with your SEO efforts, we’ll keep a close eye on many important metrics to understand how things are going and identify opportunities for smart improvements. We measure things like where your chosen keywords rank in search results, the amount of organic (non-paid) traffic coming to your site, and how many folks are clicking on your search listings – that’s your click-through rate (CTR).

We’re also big on user experience, so we look at metrics like bounce rate (how many people leave your site after seeing just one page) and conversion rate (how well your site turns visitors into leads or customers). Backlinks are on our radar, too – we track the number and quality of links pointing to your site. Fast-loading pages, content engagement (like how long people stay on your pages), and technical SEO health are part of the mix, too.

We keep tabs on local SEO metrics for local businesses, including local search rankings, reviews, and citations. And, of course, we’re always watching your competitors to stay ahead of the game. All these metrics help us fine-tune our SEO strategies to ensure your site ranks high, attracts quality traffic, and hits those business goals out of the park.

Do you use artificial intelligence (AI) to write content or blog posts?

We sometimes leverage AI-driven tools and technologies to assist in content creation. These tools can help streamline the content generation process, making it more efficient and enabling us to produce high-quality, relevant, and engaging content more effectively.

However, it’s important to note that while AI can aid in content creation, our team of skilled writers and editors also plays a crucial role in crafting and fine-tuning the content to ensure it aligns with your brand voice, goals, and target audience.

Our approach combines the benefits of AI with human expertise, recognizing that best practices from an SEO perspective often benefit from a human touch. This synergy ensures that your content meets your needs, is based on SEO best practices, and exceeds your expectations.

What is the pricing structure for your digital marketing services?

Our pricing structure for digital marketing services differs from the conventional “package” approach, which often involves pre-determined tasks. Instead, we focus on understanding your specific market and uncovering opportunities tailored to your business. Every business is distinctive, and its digital marketing strategy should reflect that individuality.

We completely understand that budget considerations play a significant role in any marketing strategy. That’s why we’re committed to working with you to craft customized services that align precisely with your unique needs and objectives while accommodating your budget. Whether you’re starting with a modest investment or have a more substantial budget, rest assured that progress can be made at virtually any price point.

Our goal is to ensure that every dollar you invest in digital marketing delivers the maximum return on investment (ROI). By tailoring our services to your business and budget, we can harness the potential of your market, boost online visibility, increase conversions, and strengthen your brand presence as effectively and efficiently as possible. Our pricing structure is about making your digital marketing strategy work smarter and delivering results that truly matter to your business.

How do you measure the success of a digital marketing campaign?

We recognize that different companies and campaigns come with unique objectives and priorities. Success is distinct depending on these immediate and long-term goals and requirements. That’s why we prioritize collaboration with you to outline the specific benchmarks that genuinely matter. Whether achieving a higher keyword ranking, driving an influx of unique visitors to your website, reaching a sales target, or expanding your followers on social media, we believe the only way to assess outcomes accurately is to have a reliable measuring stick in place.

By establishing clear and tailored performance metrics, we can effectively track progress and gauge the success of your digital marketing campaign. This approach ensures that our efforts align with your overarching objectives, whether boosting online visibility, increasing conversions or strengthening your brand presence. It’s all about delivering results that matter most to your unique business goals.

What digital marketing services do you offer?

Our comprehensive digital marketing services cover various aspects of online marketing, starting with search engine optimization (SEO) to enhance your website’s visibility and rankings. We also craft pay-per-click Advertising (PPC) campaigns on popular platforms like Google, Bing, LinkedIn, Meta, and Yelp (and more!) to capture targeted audiences’ attention and drive clicks.

Our content experts excel in content marketing, creating engaging and valuable website and social media content to build brand awareness and attract and retain your audience. We’re also well-versed in developing email marketing campaigns to nurture leads, retain existing customers, and drive conversions.

We provide insightful Web Analytics reporting to offer transparency, measure and refine your digital marketing strategies, and make sure they align with your objectives. Our services include review responses, e-commerce marketing tailored to boost online sales and improve user experiences, and local SEO and map optimization to enhance visibility in local search results.

We offer a wide variety of tailored services to elevate each business’ online presence and deliver concrete results. Our goal with every client we serve is to design a personalized digital marketing strategy that perfectly aligns with business objectives and delivers impressive results —increased website traffic, enhanced sales, or improved brand recognition.

Will my website meet accessibility standards?

It’s important to note that the accessibility landscape is dynamic, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all set of standards. We’re committed to incorporating all the best practices for accessibility, such as maintaining proper contrast ratios, accurately labeling links, providing alt tags to ensure screen readers can seamlessly navigate your site, and much more.

We often employ tools like the Accessibe plugin to keep up with evolving standards. This ensures that your website complies with the latest accessibility guidelines and provides an inclusive online experience for all users. It also offers some legal protections. Make sure to ask us more about this when we begin your project!

What is the typical timeline for completing a website design project?

The time it takes to finish a website project is like a choose-your-own-adventure story. It all depends on a few things. For example, putting together a simple 10-page brochure site when the client already has the text ready is a smooth and quicker ride compared to tackling a full-blown e-commerce site for a company with tons of products that also wants a fresh new look.

A basic informational website with just the essentials might wrap up in about 2 to 4 months. On the other hand, if yours is a complex e-commerce website with custom features, the journey could stretch beyond six months. Remember, these are ballpark estimates, and the actual timeline can vary based on all the nitty-gritty details.

What sets the pace are things like how complicated the project is, what features you need, the size and skills of the team working on it, and how quickly you can provide content and feedback. To speed things up, keep the communication flowing, make sure the project scope is crystal clear, and get content and feedback to us pronto. We’re all about tailoring the timeline to fit your project’s unique needs and priorities, so let’s make it an adventure together!

Is mobile responsiveness included in the website design services you provide?

You bet! We’ve got mobile responsiveness covered in our website design services. Your site will look great on phones, tablets, and more. We’re all about making sure everyone has a smooth browsing experience, no matter the device!

How long have you been in business?

Stellaractive has proudly been in business since 2007, happily calling Portland, Oregon, our home base for all these years. Our commitment to the local community runs deep; everyone on our team is local. Our office is in the vibrant Buckman neighborhood at 1931 SE Powell Blvd. We’ve cherished every moment of serving our local and broader clientele and look forward to continuing this journey with you!

What website platform do you use?

We specialize in WordPress. It’s a widely recognized and versatile content management system (CMS) with a user-friendly interface that is great for SEO. WordPress offers extensive customization options, whether you need a simple brochure website or a full-fledged online store. Plus, it’s cost-effective, mobile-friendly, and has a fantastic community for support and updates. There’s a reason more than 40% of websites are built using WordPress!

Will I own the website when the project is complete?

This seems strange, but we have discovered that some agencies retain website ownership when the project is completed. You should ask this question about any agency you want to work with. With Stellaractive, you own the website when the contract has been completed. We offer hosting services, but you are not required to host it with us and can move the site elsewhere anytime.

What do you need from me to create a website for my business?

This is an excellent question because the most efficient path from the beginning of a website project to its launch is preparation. And while we can get started with nothing more than a desire to create a new website, many details you can consider (and decisions you can make in advance) will get the project across the finish line faster.

At the beginning of a website design project, several key preparations must be considered. These include outlining your business goals, gathering content (text, images, videos, etc.), organizing brand assets (logo, font choices, color preferences, and other visual elements that represent your brand identity), providing insights about your target audience and competitors, and specifying any functionality requirements.

We take a personalized approach to our client relationships, making you feel like a valued member of our team (and us a part of yours!) throughout the process. This close collaboration relies on open and effective communication, which is essential for meeting project deadlines and ensuring successful outcomes. Depending on your specific needs, other information or assets may be required, such as logos, domain access, branding guidelines, and more. We’re here to guide you through this process and create a website that aligns perfectly with your goals and vision.

Do you offer e-commerce websites?

Yes, we have a passion for crafting exceptional e-commerce websites! When it comes to building online stores, we rely on the powerful WordPress plugin known as WooCommerce. It’s our go-to choice because it’s versatile, robust, and can be customized to suit your unique needs.

With WooCommerce, we can help you create an engaging and user-friendly shopping experience for your customers. You’ll be able to showcase your products, manage inventory, process transactions securely, and even integrate various payment gateways seamlessly.

Whether you’re starting a new online business or looking to revamp an existing e-commerce site, we’re here to provide you with a tailored solution that helps you achieve your online sales goals. Our team is experienced in leveraging WooCommerce’s capabilities to design and develop e-commerce websites that look great and function smoothly. So, if you’re ready to take your online business to the next level, we’d be thrilled to assist you in building an impressive e-commerce website that meets your specific requirements.

Do you use commercial WordPress templates or themes?

While commercial WordPress templates and themes can be handy in certain situations, we like to take a different route when designing websites. Instead, we prefer to get to know your business goals, brand identity, and target audience inside and out. This allows us to create a visitor experience and visual design that are tailor-made to fit your specific needs, making your website distinctive. 

Another reason for this preference is that commercial templates often come with a lot of code and features designed to cater to a wide range of businesses. And while that versatility can be helpful, it can also lead to unnecessary code that might slow down your website.

Should I provide text for my website? Can you write it for me?

Although content is pivotal to any website’s success, businesses often overlook or underestimate it. The truth is that taking a thoughtful approach to your message is vital and can significantly impact how your website will rank compared to the competition and whether it converts prospects into customers.

Do you need help with just a few words on the page? Good news! We offer content development services and can help your brand find its voice. Our text-writing approach can be flexible, from refining your existing content for clarity, grammar, and keyword optimization to conducting interviews with key team members and crafting it from scratch. With some collaboration from someone on your team, we’ll be sure to capture the right tone and details to portray your business’ advantages.

However, it’s a vital element for a website that converts effectively. We offer text-writing services for your site, but we’ll need someone from your team to collaborate with to ensure we capture the right tone and details. Your website’s content is in capable hands!

Text is an essential part of your website that many businesses neglect or don’t think about, yet it is a crucial piece of a successful site that converts. We can write the text for your site but will need someone on your team involved to ensure we get the tone and details correct. Our approach to writing text can vary, from simply reviewing what you write for clarity, grammar, and keyword frequency to interviewing key personnel and writing it from scratch.

Do you outsource any of your website development or digital marketing work?

We handle all of our work in-house! We understand the significance of your business, and that’s why you should have a direct connection with the people delivering your web and marketing services.

Can we make edits to our website? What if I prefer you make edits for me?

We’re all about empowering our clients by providing the tools to manage their websites confidently. In fact, with new website launches, we typically create a series of short, topic-specific training videos that cover the basics — everything from making text updates and adding links to posting on your blog, swapping out photos, and even adding new products to your online store. 

Of course, we’re here for you if you ever need a hand or prefer to leave it to the experts, and we’re happy to provide cost estimates in advance. Our approach is about flexibility and ensuring your website perfectly suits your needs.

I hear that WordPress websites are more prone to hacking due to the platform’s open-source code. Do you provide ongoing website security, maintenance, and updates?

A well-maintained WordPress website is like a secure fortress, and we’ve got your back! Our managed WordPress Website Care services are robust and include monthly updates to core files and plugins, and if there’s ever a plugin vulnerability, we’re on it right away.

Plus, we host our services with WPengine, with excellent security perks like a fully managed Web Application Firewall (WAF), advanced DDoS protection, encryption, and more. Your website’s security is in good hands with us!

Do you offer website SEO services, and can you guarantee my placement on Google?

We’re definitely here to help with your SEO needs. As part of our website development process, we offer essential on-page SEO services, like adding title tags, headline tags, alt-image tags, and meta descriptions. We provide audits and optimizations for ongoing SEO support as a separate marketing service. It’s important to note that we can’t guarantee specific rankings because of the ever-changing algorithms and wide variety of contributing ranking factors. However, we offer analytics tracking as an optional service, and we’d be delighted to work with you on your SEO journey.

Do you offer WordPress website hosting, and how much does it cost?

Absolutely! Our managed WordPress Website Care services begin at just $150 a month. The comprehensive package includes hosting on our dedicated servers powered by WP Engine, an SSL certificate to allow HTTPS connections, monthly updates of core files and plugins, and the licensing fees for any plugins used on your site.

Does your agency offer digital marketing services in addition to website design and development?

Yes! We really shine when trusted to affect change on multiple fronts. That’s why we offer a comprehensive suite of marketing services, including strategy, branding, content writing, SEO, SEM, social media marketing, email campaigns, and more. We also offer web hosting.

Do I have to be local to work with you?

Nope! While we have many clients in the Pacific Northwest, we work with companies all around the country. Thanks to the type of work we do, it’s easy to communicate and share using remote tools. Our team uses Zoom and Skype to meet with clients, Dropbox to share images and documents, and good old-fashioned phone calls and emails to get in touch and keep projects moving.

Do you manage search engine PPC campaigns? How about social media platform advertising?

Yes, we have expertise in managing search engine and social media platform advertising. When it comes to Google AdWords, Bing, and the like, we’re well-versed in creating and optimizing pay-per-click (PPC) ad campaigns to help you reach your target audience effectively and drive traffic to your website. We conduct thorough keyword research, craft compelling ad copy, and continuously monitor and refine campaigns to maximize your return on investment.

On the social media front, we’re equipped to handle advertising across various platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and more. We create tailored social media ad strategies to boost brand awareness, engage with your audience, and achieve your marketing goals. We’ve got you covered — from ad design and targeting to budget management, performance analysis, and more.

Our goal is to ensure that your advertising campaigns on both Google AdWords and social media platforms are effective and aligned with your broader digital marketing strategy, delivering measurable results and helping your business thrive in the digital landscape.

Can you integrate my CRM, inventory management systems, POS, or Quickbooks account with my website?

We understand just how crucial streamlining your business systems can be. So, we’ve got you covered when integrating your website with your customer relationship management (CRM) software, inventory systems, point of sale (POS) applications, or accounting systems such as Quickbooks.

We know that many third-party programs offer ready-made integration options, and we’ll leverage those whenever possible to ensure a smooth and efficient process. But, in cases where these options aren’t readily available, we’re ready to go the extra mile. We can either develop a custom API (Application Programming Interface) specifically tailored to your needs or collaborate with trusted partners who specialize in the integration you require.

Because it’s important to you that your website seamlessly integrates with other business systems, it’s important to us, too. We’re fully committed to helping you streamline your systems and achieve your business goals.

What is the number of design revisions included in your website development process?

Our website development begins by laying out some initial design options. From there, we’re all about keeping things flexible with up to three rounds of revisions to tweak that basic look and feel until it’s just right. Our goal is to make sure your website looks fantastic and feels like a perfect fit for your vision and brand. If more revisions are needed beyond these initial rounds, we’re always open to discussing additional adjustments to guarantee your satisfaction.