Ladder.io

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the project manager for Way Forward Signage Co., which is a company that provides beautifully designed temporary COVID-19 signage for the workplace.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Ladder.io?

We hired Ladder.io to train and gain more traction in the market. As expected, there are lots of signage options available. We wanted to differentiate ourselves and emphasize our commitment to customers safety.

We didn't have any technical experience in performance marketing as the business was started by a branding agency and architecture firm. We needed Ladder.io to run the entire show, which they did! They handled everything perfectly and we could not have asked for better partners.

What were your goals for this project?

We were looking to increase our visibility in the market, as well as our sales. Using Ladder.io helped us to be at the top of Google searches using specific keywords. We got more traction and visibility than expected and were extremely pleased with the outcome, which would not have been possible without the team at Ladder.io.

SOLUTION

How did you select Ladder.io?

We were looking at the company that was most knowledgeable about trends in regards to performance marketing. We chose Ladder.io because they provided the most insight into the ever changing market and offered solutions right away.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The Ladder.io team was responsible for taking a deep dive into Way Forward Signage Co. They immersed themselves in the company and our product and truly came to understand where we wanted to position ourselves in the market. Once the discovery and immersion was complete, they were tasked with creating ads to promote our business.

Understanding our company and goals was crucial for this to be successful. They worked tirelessly to find keywords and research other signage companies to see what would work best.

What was the team composition?

We had one main point of contact for the project and he was responsible for planning all of the weekly meetings we had and communicating new findings/giving updates throughout the week. There were various other team members at Ladder.io working on our project that we were able to reach out to and ask questions. The team was consistent throughout the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Traffic to the website has increased significantly and we are continuing the Google ads to generate revenue. Due to our product, many people come to the site various times to look at the our options and discuss with the partners at their business on what to order.

Seeing these conversion rates is extremely helpful to us in creating content for the website. We would not have seen this much traffic to the site without the help of Ladder.io.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was extremely effective between our team and theirs because of the main point of contact we had. Olaf was great and played a big role in keeping the project on track.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I found their communication and drive most impressive. They were always researching new things and keeping us up to date on all their findings.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager on the growth team at an advertising technology company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ladder.io?

We hired them because we had broken out into a smaller team. We were trying to onboard new customers at scale, and we had a new self-service offering of our technology, so we needed Ladder.io’s expertise and assistance in ramping up the program.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ladder.io did a big audit of our existing marketing stack and looked at everything that we had been doing. They then gave us recommendations from a technical standpoint of how we can improve and how they could support us from that side.

The team also did a bunch of interviews and information gathering to put together a comprehensive plan for how they would support us. When we kicked it off, they supported us in the day-to-day by doing demand-driving activities.

This included paid social support on LinkedIn, testing Facebook, and kicking us off on Google Display Network and Google Ads. They supported us from top to bottom with any growth-related campaigns that included copywriting for emails and webpages, page design, and technical ad management. 

What is the team composition?

We work directly with an account manager. He works directly as a liaison between us and other people on the team. We’ve had two account managers in the time that we worked together because one of them left. We periodically have conversations with higher-up members of the team as well.

How did you come to work with Ladder.io?

We did a lot of research, reached out to, and interviewed a lot of digital marketing agencies. Somebody else had used Ladder.io in the past and liked them, so they came internally recommended which is why they made our shortlist.

During the evaluation process, we decided that they were the best to support us in what we were trying to achieve. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in June 2019. We’re still working with them in a different structure than the original one.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, they provide high-quality service. Ladder.io is very responsive and flexible to our needs, which has been one of the most helpful aspects of working with them because our needs change constantly. The team is always willing to adapt their services that they provide based on what we need.

How did Ladder.io perform from a project management standpoint?

The first account manager wasn’t an excellent project manager, so we had a lot of frustration at the beginning of our relationship around having visibility into one different campaign. We got a new account manager who is very on top of everything, and we feel a lot better. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Beyond their flexibility, I’ve learned from them. While they’re executing certain services, I’ve been able to learn about growth marketing and how Ladder.io tackles different challenges. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’re a bigger company that has a lot of internal stakeholders. I get the sense that the way Ladder.io works is more autonomous, but we can’t do that. It’s tricky finding a balance of how we can let them work the way they do while maintaining internal standards. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Work with them. They’re a great company to work with, so have a conversation with them and you’ll be able to tell very easily if they’re the right fit or not.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re working on a sponsored blockchain project that uses technology to reinvent the way people use the Internet. Essentially, we’re created decentralized solutions to give data ownership back to individuals, rather than it being siloed with large corporations. I’m leading a decentralized experience team in my role.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ladder.io?

Over a year ago, we started building this technology and realized we needed to outreach to get some traffic directed to landing pages to gain initial traction. Now, we’re moving into specifics surrounding engaging directly with developers and those who will be utilizing the technology.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, they started to build up a directory of people who might be interested in our product. From there, they used paid advertising through Google, Facebook, Twitter, and others to get an audience excited and aware of our offerings. They did this to generate traffic, conversions, and member signups on our email list.

As part of their effort, they made landing pages Unbounce for white paper and workshops giving people early access to the promotions.

What is the team composition?

We have direct meetings and communication with a public account specialist. I know there are creatives and writers working on ad content, but I’m not sure how many. We only have regular direct contact with one person, though.

How did you come to work with Ladder.io?

I found them by doing a Google search, with the intention of vetting a few different agencies. Their growth marketing and tracking algorithm intrigued me. They have their own unique system that’s based on historical data of their past campaigns with other companies. That appealed to me, so I hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $11,000 each month, which comes out to about $130,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the collaboration in October 2018 and continue to work together today.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Each month, we’re getting better conversion rates, their advertisements yielding good growth performance. On average, we’re seeing a 3%–4% conversion rate on the strategies we’re focused on. The main thing we wanted to achieve, though, was growing our email list. Our current list has around 2,300 addresses, and we started at zero. They did a great job ramping up that process—we’re getting about 10 leads each week.

How did Ladder.io perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re very satisfied with our weekly meetings, where we’re able to communicate about different strategies. They’re able to actively engage with us in ways that accommodate our needs. Sometimes, we need them to be more hands-off and other times we’d prefer them to be more involved. Either way, we’re actively communicating with them, which is always helpful.

In our work with them, we’ve interacted with many specialists and have started using some project management technology. For instance, we just moved over to Google’s data management system. We’ve also used Airtable. Our team is happy with both the tools and representatives we’re using to manage the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

From day one, they were serious about establishing KPIs and knowing exactly what our end goal was. They wanted to understand what kind of leads we were looking for and the specifics on timelines. Because of that preparation, we’re getting better conversions and higher quality leads. They work every month on new tactics, accommodating the growth of our company over the years. Throughout, they’ve been willing to work with us to meet our various needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

In terms of messaging, sometimes content appeared in a way that wasn’t in the original plan. For that reason, we needed to more actively participate in the creative and writing end of the project to ensure our specific messaging was accurate. Our need to continue to actively communicate in that way ended up being the only shortcoming.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try them out, as long as you’re comfortable with your project plan. They need specifics on your goals to succeed, so communicate that to them. There won’t be a problem executing from there.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of marketing for a wedding venue and package company. I oversee the entire marketing spend reach for all of our communication, advertising, and promotion goals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ladder.io?

My company wanted to create a more consistent paid media approach. We hoped to have one agency oversee all our paid advertising so that they could learn from the strengths of different platforms and continue innovating and improve results. 

It’s very important that we get people to tour our venues. To do that, we need to promote our business to the right people at the right time—this was our core request for the Ladder.io team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ladder.io uses search and social tools to help us promote our business to clients. They’ve deployed Google Ads, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. The team crafts new creative and develops ongoing ad campaigns.

What is the team composition?

We’ve had too many different project managers. Different teams work on different parts of the project. 

How did you come to work with Ladder.io?

I followed Ladder.io’s blog and enjoyed it because they had so many relevant ideas. I also loved their expertise. 

My company put the project out to tender and had three RFPs. We spoke with five different agencies, and Ladder.io stood out because they had better ideas, were more innovative, and seemed to personally care about the account. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work with Ladder.io began in November 2018, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Ladder.io manages a budget of $2 million. We’ve been tracking standard metrics, such as cost-per-click, and several touchpoints, like phone, formfill, and chat. We track everything within our own terminology and metric database, and then also within native tools.

How did Ladder.io perform from a project management standpoint?

They haven’t done very well in this regard. They make big promises and have big ideas, but when it comes to actually fulfilling the work, they repeatedly miss deadlines. When they’re doing work they like, they do it well, but it doesn’t tie back to any targets or goals. They prioritize based on ease rather than the requirements of the client. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Ladder.io is always in-the-know on what’s happening in the industry, and they’re always willing to try something new.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’ve had a rotating door of project managers, and communication has been consistently poor. When something isn’t working well, Ladder.io leaves us to discover it rather than communicating proactively. Unfortunately, the approach from Ladder.io is to over promise and under deliver.

They’re also not great at prioritizing. It was up to my team as the client to create deadlines and even remind them when they missed them. It’s taken a lot of management work from our side. If I had known how much work it would be going into the partnership, I would have chosen a different agency.

Any advice for potential customers?

Expect to manage your own targets and metrics. Also, keep them focused until you get results; don’t give them too much to do at once. They tend to be scattered because they have so many great ideas, so a “less is more” approach works best.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager at a nonprofit children’s art museum in NYC. We have a gallery with rotating art exhibitions and offer different workshops and classes in fine arts and media applications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ladder.io?

My company brought Ladder.io on to help market and sell our registered classes. This includes weeklong summer art colony camps, which take place at the museum and an offsite location, as well as after-school classes. Besides our fall and spring semester classes, we offer studio classes for children under the age of five. We hired Ladder.io to increase sales for all of these classes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ladder.io manages our paid advertising. They mainly work with our Google Ads account, and they’ve also been managing Facebook and Instagram paid ads. As a nonprofit, we receive a certain monthly amount of Google Ads money in the form of a grant. Ladder.io has been working on optimizing that spend. 

What is the team composition?

We work with a dedicated account strategist who we meet with weekly. There are other people on their team that he manages, but we deal with the strategist directly. 

How did you come to work with Ladder.io?

My company had worked with Ladder.io before I came on board, so I can’t really speak to that. 

How much have you invested with them?

We pay a monthly fee of $4,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

For this project, we began working together in October 2018, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a successful summer colony season, which we’re really pleased with. We’ve enjoyed working with Ladder.io and find them to be very responsive to our needs. Here at the museum, what we’re hoping to be our targeted promotion can change quickly, and we’ve found that working with Ladder.io has helped us to stay nimble about what programs need to be promoted and when. 

Also, working with Ladder.io’s digital strategist has been helpful in terms of learning how different digital paid advertising works. He provides me with easy-to-understand knowledge that I can pass along to the rest of my team. 

How did Ladder.io perform from a project management standpoint?

We have weekly calls to review the past week’s activity, which is helpful. They’re very clear about sending along assets that need to be approved and talking through their decisions behind certain copy or images.

They recently rolled out a new reporting platform on Google Data Studio. I can log into the platform and set a span of dates to bring up metrics; this allows me to understand how our advertising is working. I can then pass that information along to my colleagues. Working with the platform has been helpful, and our strategist has been great about explaining how it works and what each individual metric means. 

We previously used a platform called Spotlight, within which we could view weekly reports and different assets that Ladder.io was using. We could also approve their work using that platform. However, we found it was easier for them to send information in a Google Doc and then give approval that way.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What I really like about working with Ladder.io is the educational aspect. They really serve to educate their clients on certain aspects of digital marketing and what it means as a whole for an organization. The world of Facebook ads and paid advertising can be difficult to dive into, and Ladder.io has done a great job explaining everything and making sure that there is a large amount of clarity between what they’re doing day-to-day and how that affects us. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think so.

Any advice for potential customers?

Our organization exists in a pretty unique space, being an art museum, a children’s educational institution, and a nonprofit. Since we receive a grant for our Google Ads, there are a lot of restrictions on how we use the money. I’d advise potential clients to see if Ladder.io has worked with other companies with a similar business model to their own.