SINGAPORE - Media OutReach^[1] - 14 October 2019 - Rebranding from SEO Agency that was the domain expert in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) since 2011, First Page Digital^[2] takes a step out of its pigeon hole in June 2018 to become a holistic digital marketing solutions provider. There is no turning back ever since. The versatile team of quirky and talented digital gurus have seen on average over five times the returns for their clients and an internal business growth of a whopping 160% in less than a year!

Helping clients make it big in the search engines sure does put the money in the pockets for these tech wizards. A peek into their win-win strategy is worth the hit.

Branding done right: your value proposition matters

Why only depend on SEO when you can also pay to create awareness (read: Google ads)? How about creating conversations with more than three-quarters of Singaporeans scrolling on social media and drive these enlightened souls to your website?

If clients want to rank... and continue to rank in the digital sphere that never stops evolving, relying on a single solution limits success. Customer experience is changing with multi-faceted digital innovations, so efforts to score brownie points from the audience's chocolate jar requires a diverse strategy to stay relevant.

First Page Digital knows this too well.

Now offering a suite of digital marketing solutions which include search engine monetisation, social media and content marketing campaigns on top of their industry-leading SEO techniques, the team has been digging gold.

First Page Digital taps on the needs of their market and delivers strong and convincing marketing solutions for clients who do not want to drown in the digital sea of competition. Indeed, that is what the brand is all about: Without straying too far from their SEO roots, they expand their digital footprint and continue ranking clients on the first page of search engines.

The results do show -- 60% of First Page Digital's clients signed a multi-channel marketing campaign -- instead of only SEO -- which have delivered stellar returns!

Taking cues from First Page Digital Hong Kong's branding efforts, the strategy is also a step closer to potentially consolidating global offices in Thailand, Australia and in the Middle East under the same First Page Digital brand -- it comes to no surprise should this firm become the next big competitor in the network of the world's leading integrated digital agencies.

Introducing the brand to clients: keep their trust and walk the talk

When First Page Digital took the reins, all clients were notified via an EDM and a follow-up call by their dedicated account managers to reassure them of positive changes from then on with no organisational or restructuring changes.

It is not uncommon for clients to feel a little edgy when introduced to a new brand by their marketing agency.

Wait, what?

Did it merge with another company?

Was this agency not doing well?

I thought they were good -- was I wrong to think so?

Is this new company going to last? Am I going to be left hanging?

The clients cannot be blamed -- of course, handing over a bulk of their marketing efforts to an external party puts them in a vulnerable position because... they could lose this paid expertise anytime. The responsibility thus lies in the agency itself.

The solution: be honest and transparent.

It is not that difficult, even when there is a need to admit that "if it is our fault, it is our fault and we will never give excuses for it". That's exactly what Shane Liuw, the new General Manager, wrote to a client who was apprehensive of the rebranding.

In a detailed email, Shane revealed to the client that while SEO Agency^[3] had been doing very well, top management found it necessary to offer a holistic digital marketing delivery that is more aligned to customer's needs. This also means optimal customer service and making sure that clients feel and see the value of their investment.

So should the ball drop on client communication, admit it and take actions even if that requires the need to remove services that have caused customers distressed simply because you are just bad at it.

"If we do not show clients that we are not afraid to admit our mistakes, we cannot gain their trust -- we have to walk the talk," Shane quips. "That's why we train our AMs to ditch the fluff and work transparently."

Exciting the employees: engage, engage and engage

A determined and talented team is at the heart of a successful agency, so a rebrand needs to also be in line with employees' growth needs.

A disengaged employee is a speed bump to your journey to success. When you have multiple speed bumps, a rebrand will be slow to bring value.

First Page Digital has been training its team of diverse talents on understanding the technicalities of different omni-channel solutions, even beyond what is expected of their role. Speak to a content producer and she will be able to tell you some best practices for LinkedIn marketing. Ask a sales strategist for a recommended Google Ads budget and he'd be able to calculate a rough estimate for the pitch.

Learning never ends at First Page Digital according to Shane, and this motivates the team to truly deliver value and results for clients. Instead of being siloed into providing SEO solutions, this rebrand offers opportunities for the team to challenge themselves and grow -- a key factor in employee retention.

"Communication here is really open and people help each other so teamwork here is actually pretty incredible," he says. "I don't want my team to suffer inside. If they have concerns, they are free to voice them out so that we can prevent the problem from ballooning out of control."

Shane has enjoyed 14 months of no staff turnover [instead the team doubled in size], something unheard of in an agency.

References

1. ^{^} Media OutReach (www.media-outreach.com)
2. ^{^} First Page Digital (www.firstpagedigital.sg)
3. ^{^} SEO Agency (www.seoagency.com.sg)