In the past couple years I have seen a surge in the number of digital marketing and social media services available in Saskatchewan. And for good reason - Our provincial economy depends heavily on export markets, our own population is dispersed, and we also happen to be one of Canada's heaviest user's of the internet.
So, if you prefer to buy local then below are a number of reputable and capable companies that provide online marketing services. As a matter of transparency, I have worked with all of the below companies as either a client, collaborator, or supplier. It is for this reason that I am comfortable recommending them.
Vendasta Technologies - This agile software firm is developing a number of social media driven eCommerce tools to help companies manage their online reputation, implement web-based group buying coupon solutions (i.e. Saskatoon Deal of the Day), and various other tools. They're led by an experienced management team and, in my opinion, have one of the strongest web application development teams in the province.
24hr Assistant - It's a brilliantly simple concept but very few service based companies in Saskatchewan offer web based appointment scheduling. If you rely on appointment scheduling for your business (Salon, Real Estate, Financial Planner, Etc) then check out 24hr Assistant. For only a few dollars per month you can automate your appointment scheduling and free up time spent on phone tag with actually doing work.
Sonntag Search Marketing & Web Feat Marketing - I have collaborated with both Galen Sonntag and Dan Maynard regarding search engine marketing projects and can attest that they both know their stuff. There are a lot of search engine scheisters out there, so take comfort that we have some capable and experienced experts right here at home that can help you with search engine optimization, pay-per-click campaigns, and local search strategies.
CollegeMobile - The web is being consumed more and more on mobile devices and by the mid point of this year smartphones will represent fifty percent of all mobile phones on the market. If you need a mobile strategy then look no further than CollegeMobile - Founded by Chad Jones, a former Apple Engineer and creator of Canada's first university level iPhone programming course, CollegeMobile specializes in mobile apps and mobile websites for all major platforms. I have done work with them and can confidently say they are world class in their capabilities.
HuloMedia - The power of video is amazing and it's use on websites is not only good for presentation it's also effective for search engine rankings. If a picture is worth a thousand words than a video is worth ten thousand. The costs for producing video have come done considerably and the web is an ideal distribution channel. I recommend HuloMedia for your online video needs since they bundle both production and marketing services together.
iTracks - The web has opened up a world of possibilities when it comes to conducting market research or monitoring your brand online. If you need to conduct some surveys, focus groups, or set up social media monitoring then consider iTracks. They have been doing online data collection since 1998 and likely have a service that meets your data collection needs. Another local supplier to also consider is Insightrix since they specialize in small to medium sized business and also offer market research consulting.
An important thing to keep in mind is that any online marketing or website strategy needs to be developed with an overall plan in place. I happen to know of a guy that can help you put all the pieces together. He's smart, good looking and funny, as well 😉 Just sayin'.
