A local digital marketing agency, ExtraMile Communications, has praised a Keele University business support programme for aiding them in funding their entire search engine marketing team.

The digital marketing agency, with offices in Staffordshire and London, provides Search Engine Marketing (SEM) campaigns, responsive web design and development and multilingual email marketing. Accredited with an Investors in People Gold Award, ExtraMile is committed to nurturing the growth of its employees and has welcomed new staff every year since 2000.

ExtraMile’s Search Engine Marketing department is responsible for ensuring that its clients’ websites are visible on search engine results pages, and importantly, that they are generating valuable leads and enquiries. Before being made permanent at ExtraMile, the team of three had each received funding from a Keele University business support programme; Keele Research and Innovation Support Programme (KRISP)* and the Santander Internship Scheme.

KRISP has been designed to support businesses that are thinking about, or are currently in the process of, developing a new product, process or service.  By providing dedicated human resource and academic expertise, Keele delivers the expertise, focus and processes that will help businesses innovate and grow.

ExtraMile’s Search Engine Marketing team – who are they?

• Jade Larkin, SEM Manager, started at ExtraMile in 2015 under the Keele University Internship Scheme as a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Copywriting Assistant. After graduating from Keele University with a 2:1 in English and Human Biology, ExtraMile was Jade’s second move in her career. With several years’ experience in digital marketing, Jade now develops a team of SEM professionals and oversees all SEO, PPC (pay per click) and social media campaigns at ExtraMile.
• Amelia Eckersley, ExtraMile’s SEO and Copywriting Assistant, joined ExtraMile in January 2017 after graduating from Sheffield University with a 2:1 in English. Amelia writes content for a range of clients spanning a number of industries, carries out SEO reporting, and implements ongoing social media activities.
• Laura Griffiths, ExtraMile’s SEO and PPC Assistant, joined ExtraMile in April 2017 and is responsible for making sure that websites are technically sound. She also carries out paid advertising campaigns (primarily Google AdWords). With previous agency experience gained over a number of years, Laura’s PPC knowledge is benefitting the company and its client base.

Jade Larkin, ExtraMile’s SEM Manager, said: “In 2017, the SEM department at ExtraMile has worked on 16 rolling contracts with local and national businesses and many more in-build, reporting, and content writing projects. The support of Keele University has catalysed the success of our department and we’re looking forward to continued growth throughout 2018.”

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent businesses can benefit from a range of specialist support and funding, more details of which are available through Keele University’s Business Gateway - 01782 733001 / business.gateway@keele.ac.uk.

*The KRISP project (ref: 32R16P00711) is part-funded from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) England Growth Programme 2014-2020.