Celebrating 6 years of Digital 22

Digital 22 became a limited company exactly six years ago today. Time has flown by and lots of things have happened within this period. We’ve won awards, hired some fantastic people, but most importantly of all, we’ve had an amazing time in the process.

To celebrate this milestone, I thought it would be a nice touch to write a blog about Digital 22’s adventure so far. So, let’s rewind to 2011 when everything began.

Chapter 1: The search agency days 

The idea of Digital 22 actually began around eight years ago when me and my younger brother were working together as SEO consultants. This went on for around two years and then in 2013, my wife, Perry, and I decided that we wanted to take Digital 22 to the next level.

Perry left her job and we registered as a limited company. From that day onwards, we pledged to focus all of our efforts on making Digital 22 a success. 

We originally started as a search agency, only offering SEO and PPC services. However, after a couple of months, changes in the market and the need for fresh and innovative marketing strategies meant that we needed to expand our service offering. 

The team then grew significantly and we hired around eight new members of staff. Things were really picking up and then one day, I got a call from HubSpot which changed everything.

Chapter 2: The HubSpot call 

One day I got a call from Brian Sexton, who worked as part of HubSpot’s business development team. He got in touch to discuss a really exciting opportunity for Digital 22 - HubSpot were keen for us to become partners. 

As I’d had some exposure to HubSpot already, I tentatively agreed to discuss the idea further and was introduced to Diarmuid Walsh. After many long phone calls and internal meetings, we decided to take the plunge and say yes. Little did I know how much of a great decision this would be.

Although we were on a 100% year-on-year growth path as a search agency, I’m not sure that could’ve continued for six years straight without niching down and becoming specialists in HubSpot and inbound marketing. 

Things were going great and we became Gold Partners in record time (around a month or so). Then, in June 2016, we moved up another level and officially became a Platinum HubSpot Partner. 

So much had happened within the space of three years. However, the next milestone is probably the most significant of them all.

Chapter 3: The acquisition 

2016 had been a big year, and it was about to end with a bang. Having worked with Mark Byrne and his creative agency on many joint projects in the past, we decided to merge with The New Media Company to further develop our marketing services. 

The acquisition doubled our team and increased our revenue, but most importantly, it gave us the skills to offer HubSpot CMS development and website design to our clients. We had also become the largest inbound marketing agency in the North of England. 

I never expected us to grow so quickly. But with the help of HubSpot and some awesome team members, we were well on our way to becoming one of the first HubSpot Diamond Partners in the whole of Europe.

Chapter 4: Our HubSpot success story 

At the start of 2018, we moved into the HubSpot elite and became a Diamond Partner. This was a huge achievement for us as we were now positioned in the top 1% of HubSpot Partners worldwide.

We were now competing in the same bracket as agencies based in New York City, Paris and Barcelona. We’d officially put Clitheroe (and the North West of England) on the map. Fist pumps all round.

Me, Mark and the rest of the team were absolutely delighted. Why not check out this video to see how much it meant to us all? 

Digital 22 enjoyed a really successful year. We onboarded some big clients, implemented some awesome marketing strategies and continued to welcome lots of talented people to the team. 

However, just when we thought things couldn’t get any better, we received some more incredible news.

We were announced as HubSpot’s 2018 Partner of the Year. Take a bow team, take a bow. 

Chapter 5: The people today

The team has grown rapidly. We’ve gone from having eight members of staff in 2016 to over 40 in 2019. Not only does this make us the largest HubSpot agency in the UK, but it also means we can now offer a pure expert service to our clients. 

From marketers to copywriters, designers and developers, every member of staff works towards the same goal: helping clients and each other grow. We’re all experts of inbound marketing and know the HubSpot platform like the back of our hand. 

As well as building an incredibly talented team and being rated the number one HubSpot agency in Europe, we’ve also recently moved into a brand new 5,000 sq ft office. Wanna see how awesome it looks for yourself? Check out the video below! 

Digital 22 is still growing. We’re still on the lookout for talented individuals to join our team. If you’re interested in becoming part of the family, head over to the careers page on our website to see what roles we’re currently hiring for.

Chapter 6: Delight the client

Our clients are a massive part of who we are. We work hard every day to help contribute towards their success. The Digital 22 dream would’ve never become a reality without them.

Here’s what just a few of our clients have to say about our service: 

Case study videos:

Seeing our clients achieve great things is the reason we come to work everyday. Here are a few examples of how Digital 22 have contributed to the success of businesses around the UK.

Shoes for Crews (Europe) Ltd

We’ve been working with Shoes for Crews for over six years and they’ve enjoyed significant growth during this period. Find out more about the awesome relationship we’ve built in this video. 

WiFi SPARK

Our relationship with WiFi SPARK was a success from the get go. Check out what their team had to say about our services in this short video.

B&B Press

Digital 22 have been a huge part of B&B Press’ transformation. Check out this video to hear all about the expert support which we’ve offered them over the last few years. 

These client testimonials make me really proud. One of the six core values at Digital 22 is to ‘Delight the Client.’ Each day, we all work extremely hard to ensure we’re achieving the best results possible.

Chapter 7: Today and tomorrow 

It’s been an incredible journey so far. I’m so proud of everything we’ve achieved. Just to put everything into perspective on how far we’ve come, here’s Digital 22 by the numbers today:

There are now 10 different client-facing departments at Digital 22. These include:

1. Content writing.
2. Video.
3. Strategists.
4. Customer success.
5. SEO.
6. PPC.
7. Social.
8. CRO.
9. Design.
10. Development.

Chapter 8: The memories  

We’re very ambitious here at Digital 22 and that’s reflected by the eagerness which the team shows day in, day out. We’ve set goals and we all work hard to achieve them. However, we always try to remember the journey is more important than the destination.

Here are some of our favourite memories from the last six years… 

An absolute classic - Our Inbound Marketer, Amy, rocks up to work dressed as a hot dog.

Place your bets - The Digital 22 squad take a trip to Chester Racecourse to celebrate becoming Diamond HubSpot partners. 

Summer days - Some of the lads put their burger flipping skills to the test at a Digital 22 BBQ. 

Spookfest - Halloween means only one thing here at Digital 22... get your fancy dress costumes ready.

Guinness time - What better way to celebrate being crowned HubSpot's Partner of the Year than heading across the water for a night out in Dublin? 

Join us at LOVE INBOUND

As we’ve grown, we’ve become more than just an agency who offer an inbound marketing service. At the start of 2019, we held our first ever exclusive event in the heart of the Ribble Valley.

LOVE INBOUND is a free and invite-only event for anyone who has a passion for inbound marketing. We’ve secured some top industry speakers to join us. So if you’re interested in taking your inbound knowledge to the next level, sign up today using the button below.