The SEO agency Tecmark was founded in 2008 by Richard Heyes, and a decade and a half later it is celebrating its 15th birthday.
The Manchester-based business has pioneered many fundamental processes that have helped to shape the SEO industry. Priding itself on fact-focused strategies that companies such as Sainsbury’s, BUPA and B&M Stores have benefited from over the years.
Despite the usual highs and lows, along with the pandemic, Tecmark continues to grow after a successful 2022.
Founder, Richard Heyes, discussed the highlights on the way to the 15th-anniversary celebrations: “It really doesn’t feel like it’s been 15 years since Tecmark was formed. Running an agency is very tough and this journey has been filled with plenty of ups and downs, but I’m privileged that it has given me the opportunity to work with so many amazing people over those years.
“Altogether, Tecmark has seen over 200 employees provide award-winning SEO services for over 450 customers over the past 15 years.”
The highlights continued in the year just gone, with three new hires, award nominations and wins, the expansion of the digital PR services and a brand new office.
But with such a long history, Tecmark could easily run the risk of falling behind in the industry. To reflect how they were still ahead of the curve, 2022 saw a rebrand for the agency, switching up the original design to a fresh new look to reflect the changes.
Marketing manager, Lydia Rutter, commented on the rebrand, and what it meant for Tecmark: “The Tecmark red has been a part of the company since it began – and although there is a lot of great history there, it’s not the same company as it was in 2008.
“We wanted a refresh that would represent where we’re going in 2022 and onwards – with our focus completely on organic search and bringing innovative SEO to our clients in a constantly changing search landscape.”.
Richard added: “We began life in the 2008 recession, but despite this managed to force our way to the forefront of competitive search marketing and then mobile-first optimisation and app and web development. The rebrand really highlighted how Tecmark has managed to navigate the digital marketing landscape, despite it dramatically changing over the last 15 years.
“We have managed to constantly reinvent and find new ways to ensure we stay at the forefront of organic search marketing. Throughout that time the team has been full of people who are passionate about search marketing, but curious enough to find new ways to get results for our customers.”
The SEO industry is incredibly fast-paced and demanding, so the focus on the culture of the company was also centred at Tecmark in 2022. Lydia explains: “When we decided to rebrand, it felt like the right time to review everything about how Tecmark operates – from the processes and ways of working to our company culture. In 2022, our team defined our shared vision for the culture and what we want out of the workplace.
“Our focus on the wellbeing of our team through transparency, compassion, experimentation, learning and curiosity has made it easier not only for our work-life balance and day-to-day lives but also when bringing new team members on board.
“Now working towards a progressive company culture, many of our hiring questions have to do with an individual’s motivations and what drives them day to day. It’s one thing to be able to do the job, but another thing to be able to join the team and work towards the same vision. It’s about hiring the right people, not the right experts.”.
As the business settles into its new office and prepares for 2023, Richard discusses what’s next for Tecmark: “Following the pandemic, we have started a new chapter with a new brand, new team members and new clients and I’m looking forward to steering Tecmark to more success in 2023.
“I am proud of everyone who has ever been part of the team at any stage of the Tecmark journey, and thank them for the part they played in the story so far”.
