UpCity Excellence Winners

Overall our company is happy with the structured approach to SEO that AIS media brought us. It continues to be a sustainable relationship and we're excited to keep it going.

I picked Brand and Mortar due to their reputation, reliability and known resources in the community. We signed a contract in May of 2021, with my needs heavily outlined of building an extensive website with cutting edge plugins and a custom functionality. After numerous follow-ups, they were confident they could meet my needs and we signed. It was extremely pricy, but I knew because of the functionality needed, it was needed. Once the wireframes (website outlines) were approved in October (they looked amazing), it was a contracted 9 weeks until I had my website in hand. I was so beyond ecstatic. Glad I chose Brand and Mortar to create this for us. Well, December rolls around, I want to confirm I will have the website mid January and it's confirmed! My website will be live! Well, they forward the "finished" website and it's a joke. Is is nothing as contracted and then I get told they need more time. So we wait, then the next deadline gets pushed and continues to get pushed. I couldn't wait anymore when I can see they don't have the skills to create when they agreed upon. Up until this point, I've been waiting to hear back from the owner and he won't respond to my emails. The amount I have paid, for this quickly slapped together website is beyond ridiculous. They're communication is severely lacking, the professionalism was there, but slowly dissipated once they received my money. Their marketing background is where they should focus their business when website design is clearly not their expertise yet.

Working with Guidea has been an absolute game-changer for our project. Theresa and Karin aren't just design professionals—they're true partners who have gone above and beyond at every turn. Their deep understanding of the healthcare landscape has been incredibly impressive, allowing them to provide insights that go far beyond typical design work. I can confidently say that Guidea has been more than a design agency—they've been true collaborators who have significantly elevated our project. Theresa and Karin's expertise, passion, and partnership have been instrumental in bringing our vision to life. If you're looking for a design team that will truly understand your mission and help you exceed your goals, Guidea is the team to call.

Throughout our partnership, we have been truly impressed by the level of dedication, professionalism, and creativity demonstrated by the Major Tom team. Your team's commitment to understanding our brand and objectives has resulted in exceptional campaigns and innovative ideas. The SaleFish team genuinely appreciates the time and effort invested in crafting such remarkable work. Your agency's dedication and passion for delivering exceptional work are qualities we highly admire, and we will keep you in mind for any future projects that may align with your expertise. Please extend our thanks to your entire team for their hard work, professionalism, and commitment. Cindy Lloyd Director of Sales and Customer Success at SaleFish https://salefish.app/

Tyler and his team are the real deal. This is the second time that I have worked with E3M Creative, and this is the second time that I was impressed with their professionalism, promptness, and conscientiousness. The amount of work they put into my projects speak for itself whenever I am showered with compliments by customers or colleagues when they see the "media" section of my projects. If you are looking for a reliable, hardworking, and knowledgeable team that strives to create the best possible product for you, then I would go with E3M Creative. I look forward to working with Tyler and his team on future projects. Thanks again E3M! - Martin

I wholeheartedly endorse entrusting Dotty with the development and management of your website. Her competence, diligence, and creativity guarantee exceptional service. You can count on her patience and dependable support, along with her willingness to continuously learn about technological advances and then share how to put them into action. Beyond her skills, Dotty's kindness makes "Ask Dotty" a real promise for trustworthy and effective website optimization and much more.

I cannot emphasize enough about the team they have at Straight North. The Account Executive Brian Bicek remained on point throughout the project. Ann Hambry was the Web Design Acct Mgr and Courtney Ciesielski our PPC and SEO Acct Mgr and both did and are doing an outstanding job. We continue to engage with Straight North on our Lead Generation, SEO and PPC and continue to see measurable growth with our KPI's, metrics and ROI. It really has been an excellent collaborative engagement with Straight North.

I'm a newly licensed therapist starting my own practice. Starting a new business is intimidating, Jives Media took the time to help me learn the process and lay out the best services to meet my goals including putting together a marketing strategy to help patients find the new practice. I found and chose Jives Media on Clutch after an excellent phone call where we talked about experience and an overall game plan. Jives Media appears very hands-on and I'm excited to feel as if I have a partner in this new journey. Jives Media developed a custom marketing roadmap for my new practice; they did this by first really taking the time to understand my goals while looking at the landscape and competitors and trends around me in my geographical area. They also helped to identify third party platforms to advertise on such as Google My Business, Yelp, and Psychology Today. The work that Jives Media is helping me kickstart my business and potential clients have been reaching out to begin working with me. Jives Media is genuine and has a clear passion for what they do. They take the time to fully explain the process and educate around best practices and new ideas.

Absolute stellar experience. Let's start with the end result: This was a corporate video and featured a PPT presentation with remarks from the CEO. The end result was outstanding. The process: I contacted Key West video at 10:30 pm on Wednesday after realizing we had to reshoot the previously recorded video. I was not familiar with Toronto, so I consulted Google and started emailing. Key West replied within 20 minutes to my inquiry. 1. I needed the video shot the next day 2. I only had one specific time on the next day that worked 3. We then needed it edited within 2-3 days. The team at Key West video was absolutely stellar. By 11:30 pm we had the plan in place, I had one planning call with the producer and the team showed up on time and produced and edited a fantastic video. I cannot thank them enough for coming through on such short notice. Would highly recommend them in the future!

From the professional office space to the detailed monthly overview, CNG focuses on delivering a high-quality product and even higher level of customer service. Very quick to respond and understands the rigors of smaller businesses and how to position them effectively in the marketplace.

We are Securisyn Medical, a start-up Medical Device Company. We have used Snowy Peak for several projects over the last several years. They are fantastic to work with. They produced our showcase video entitled "A Preventable Tragedy". It was extremely well done and we receive constant compliments. We have had several other companies request the name of the company who produced our video because they are so impressed and want to use them for their own projects. They also produced a 3-D video model of our new airway device which very clearly demonstrates how our airway device works. Like the showcase video, extremely well done. Snowy Peak has also produced lots of graphic materials for us. I must say Troy, Joe and David have all been great to work with. They are very professional and always get the job done extremely well and amazingly fast. Their prices are extremely reasonable. There has never been a request that I have had that they haven't been able to not only get done, but get it done quickly and extremely well done. I can't say enough about working with this group of professionals and would give my them highest recommendation. Joe, Troy and David. Thanks very much. I look forward to working together on many more projects over the years to come. Arthur Kanowitz, MD Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director Securisyn Medical

Our initial engagement with Belkins began with a startup package, aimed at kickstarting our lead generation efforts. Our specific goal was to establish a robust sales pipeline, targeting potential clients interested in our services. We operate in a niche market, so we understood the unique challenges that Belkins would face in effectively communicating our value proposition to prospective clients. As we thought, collaboration started off with some challenges as they navigated our intricate industry landscape. However, their dedication and adaptability shone through, leading to a significant breakthrough. Belkins undertook a comprehensive approach, conducting diligent research to understand our target audience and industry. After a few months of persistent effort, Belkins successfully closed their commitment and booked multiple relevant appointments for us.

My experience at Bold x Collective has been immensely knowledgeable. The staff actively conducted an effective analysis of the current social media and digital marketing trends for me to strategise my approach to my business. All the analysis was backed up with credible research that assisted in me innovating my marketing approach to my business plan. Communication and meetings was very professional and punctual. Great experience! Looking forward to let my friends and family know about them.

I highly recommend DSquared Media! From start to finish, they exceeded my expectations. Their team of experts understood my business needs and helped me develop a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. I couldn't be happier with the results and will definitely be using them for all my future marketing needs.

Working with Travis and the team at GLIDE was one of the best professional experiences in my career as a digital marketer. Their organizational skills, streamlined process, transparency, and communication are way above par, and bedside manner is baked into their client relations like chocolate chips in mom's favorite cookies. From day one, we knew what to expect, when to expect it, and who to reach out to if we had questions. The design team was phenomenal at coming up with designs we fell in love with, open to our feedback as non-experts, and matched our brand vision perfectly. From a WordPress development standpoint, the website they built was lightening-fast, Google and Bing-friendly, and invoked all the best practices for security, accessibility, privacy, and mobile-friendliness. We didn't even have to ask, these things came standard. I strongly recommend GLIDE for web design, development, and digital marketing.

I own an online Pet Store and they’ve done a fantastic job with our site and the Amazon advertising portion. We’ve been incredibly profitable and are seeing a significant return. We’ve had 3 advertising providers in the past and I can say that our experience was very different with this firm. Not only have they provided us with results but they’ve been very attentive and responsive with our account. I feel like that’s the differentiator and what’s made us successful. There’s a sense of ownership they’re taking in our business and its results.

Our VP of Marketing had been researching internet marketing providers, so we could begin to tackle that realm. We had no experience in any type of online advertising, pay-per-click, or search engine optimization etc. In fact, our website was horrific. We spoke to this company and were immediately turned on by their level of knowledge in the construction and marketing space. It was obvious to us that we were talking to experts in construction marketing and SEO. We had a few meeting because we wanted to make sure we were ready to pull the trigger and we did. We've been working with NITRO PLUG Digital Marketing for a little over a year now. They did our website, and still do our PPC and SEO. I must say that I am more than satisfies with what they've been able to accomplish. We had to restructure our lead management process because we weren't prepared for the amount of leads that would be coming in. Great work, I highly recommend!

I have partnered with PCA Technology in the community to support small businesses and raise money for cancer research causes in WNY. They are not only experts in cyber security, but also passionate about giving back to the society. I have attended their cyber security events and I found them knowledgeable, reputable and credible. They explained the latest trends and threats in the IT industry and offered practical solutions for protecting our data and systems. They also shared their success stories and challenges in working with different clients and sectors. I was impressed by their professionalism, dedication and enthusiasm. I highly recommend PCA Technology to anyone who needs IT services or wants to collaborate with a socially responsible company. They are the best in the business!

“Why should I pay someone to do my website when I have been doing it myself for more than 10 Years?” This was me. Back in the middle of 2020, I realized that just having a page on the web was not enough to bring in the prospects. I also realized that the more work we got the less time I had to work on the site. It started to look like it was made back in 2010…….because it was. I started looking around for someone who could do more for me that just a website. I need SEO, Blog site, landing pages, squeeze pages, form fills and Google Ads. I needed someone that could manage all of this and all I need to do is post a blog once a week or so. So, the search began. I was looking for a partner with a team and not just a person with a company name. I wanted the type of service that I provide to my clients and expect from my vendors. After talking to over 5 companies and reviewing the work, I selected Slamdot. They are easy work with, attentive to what I want and have excellent suggestions. I started with a single landing page and have progressed to a complete website with everything I needed. That have an excellent portal to be able to track my ranking and Google Ads. Any time I have a question, they respond promptly and always in a professional manner. All I can say is that if you are looking for a professional team to assist you in growing your business, look no further than Slamdot.

Finally, an agency I can trust and has a great eye for design! I found them on Google and sent them a message about what I was looking for in a redesign of my company's website. They were very prompt getting back to me and with very helpful insight on how best to move forth. Plus, they were affordable and didn't try to squeeze me more $, like many of the other firms I reached out to did. Since I'm not the expert, I had them take lead on my project and from just a few back and forths, my new website came out superb! Their helpful team also showed me how to control the site myself, which was easier than I thought. Highly recommended and will be working on more projects with them very soon! Thanks guys!

I work with closely with CCP on behalf of one of my clients and have the pleasure of interfacing with several members of the team, including the CEO, Bill Hammelman. From speaking at a company-wide Cyber Security Awareness event to helping us launch the implementation of standardized signatures and other company-wide initiatives, Bill and his team have been incredibly responsive to our needs. As local clients, they've even run over to our office to troubleshoot specific issues in real time. I appreciate their willingness to partner with my client and learn about our industry to provide optimal IT support. They also demonstrate great patience in helping us learn their world of information technology. In short, CCP is a company with heart that puts the true connectivity into IT!

This is to provide full transparency for any and all future FBM clients. I highly suggest that before hiring Funnel Boost Media, you research what "Black Hat" SEO tactics are, their implications, and consequences. Then, make a decision if you are okay with paying a company to utilize such services. I hired FBM late last year, and it has been nothing short of a nightmare. - FBM stole content from a competitor's website and delivered it to me as their own work. Upon discovering this, I requested a refund, but they were unwilling to oblige. - FBM implemented backlinks to my website that are low quality, low authority, and have no domain traffic. This directly violates our contract. These backlinks are representative of the types found in "Black Hat" SEO tactics, coming from low authority, "fake" websites with strange URLs filled with spam content and posts. Some examples include: https://babelite.com/ https://hasstrollcrashedyet.com/ https://bhajanasampradaya.com/ https://tds-esport.com/ One SEO company told me, "The quality of links is very poor and is coming from sites that receive no traffic but also have very low domain ratings." - My website has zero keyword rankings. - My website has had zero organic traffic throughout our partnership. I hired two separate SEO companies to conduct a full audit of my domain, and they concluded that no real SEO work had been done and urged me to request a refund. "It is evident that no substantial search engine optimization (SEO) efforts have been implemented to enhance its rankings on Google." Despite relaying all my findings and providing evidence to support my claims, FBM was unwilling to offer a refund, despite failing to deliver the work and services outlined in our SEO Contract Agreement. I highly suggest you take into account all that I have said and research "Black Hat" SEO tactics. Decide for yourself if you are okay with paying a company to conduct these immoral practices that go against Google Guidelines.

I have worked with LexReception for nearly 3 years and their services are an invaluable asset to my small business. Setting up my account was easy and any changes I need to make are handled quickly and correctly. The feedback and recording options for inbound calls is great too. When there are issues with team members not handling a call according to the script, their system makes it easy to review the call (assuming you have calls recorded) and the follow-up from the supervisor teams is fast and thorough. Recommend LexRecption without reservation.

I am extremely satisfied with LEGND's performance and I know that it's due to the type of people who make up the company. I hope that they continue to find people as good as those currently on staff as they expand, which I know will happen in the future since competent web service professionals are in high demand and this demand is only growing.

I had the pleasure of working with Organical for my company's SEO and website development at mindfullyintegrative.com, and I couldn't be more impressed with the results. They not only optimized our SEO but also created a stunning website for Mindfully Integrative within just a few months. As an Integrative Family DNP, I appreciate how their work truly captured the essence of my practice, making it inviting and professional. Their attention to detail, professionalism, and expertise have significantly enhanced our online presence. The team was responsive, knowledgeable, and truly dedicated to delivering high-quality work that reflects our brand's mission. I highly recommend Organical for anyone looking for top-notch SEO services and website development! Thanks again Integrative Family DNP Damaris Grossmann

I can not state enough about my POSITIVE experience in working with REGEX SEO!!! As a private practice physician and business owner of two companies, marketing my practice and my personal brand are essential. I was previously working with an out-of-state marketing company who provided valuable information, but did not execute my brand's mission and was very poor at communicating with me. I desired a marketing company who was local and had the experience with ALL elements of branding; It was also important to me that I locate a diverse team of professionals who were great with their marketing gift and could execute it effectively; finally, it was a must that I found a company who allowed me access to meet with them on a routine basis, to discuss marketing strategies and marketing/branding goals for both businesses. I have found all of these with REGEX SEO, and I am looking forward to growing with them. I HIGHLY recommend REGEX SEO!

I was referred to The Media Captain by a fellow music school owner friend who said they were amazing to work with and really helped his SEO. My friend was right! Jason, Alec, and the whole team at The Media Captain are extremely organized, efficient, and knowledgeable. They presented me with a spreadsheet of goals and tasks organized by month, explained their strategy and got my approval for it, and have been working through the tasks methodically, updating me as they go. They made super smart changes to my website which I never would have thought of and my rankings have already improved after just a few months! They also improved my Google Adwords and got the cost per click down. I was initially worried that they would simply advise and I would have to do a lot of work on my own (which would be a bummer since I don't know anything about this stuff!), but that's not how it works. I gave them my login credentials to key sites and they do ALL the work. I have worked with two other SEO companies. One was more of a freelancer and one was a much larger company. Both had problems and even though I was promised results (which was fishy in the first place), I never got them. I did, however, waste a lot of money. The Media Captain is a perfectly-sized company with direct contact and strategizing with the owner but also a lot of support from the rest of the team. They're large enough to have resources but small enough to actually care. As a business owner of nearly 10 years, I have worked with a lot of companies. The Media Captain is one of the best companies I have ever worked with! In our industry, there is no smarter way to spend your marketing budget than on getting those organic rankings up. If that matters in your industry as well, it's worth every penny with these guys.

We started working with Thrive after considering a few SEO agencies. Our main reason for going with Thrive was their reputation for quality, white-hat SEO strategies which is rare in this industry. In a few months, we were able to see real results in organic growth - a measurement that is on a consistent upward trend. Once we got fully aligned with our SEO specialist, things were smooth sailing and currently, there is very little agency-management required on my end. They know what they're doing and they get it done.

We have been working with UltraWeb for nearly 3 years. They have designed, developed and support three of our company websites, plus provide support with analytics and social media. Damon and his team are very knowledgeable and responsive to our needs. I highly recommend UltraWeb Marketing to anyone seeking a dependable and talented digital agency.