We have carefully assessed the search engine marketing expertise, team structure, industry diversity, portfolios, client testimonials, pricing plans, and relevant awards of over 1800 search engine marketing agencies. Learn more about our ranking criteria and how we identify the top players in the search engine marketing agency industry.
Table of Contents
The Number 1. Search Engine Marketing Agency as Selected by DesignRush Is...
1. HawkSEM
- Best for: Overall
- Average hourly rate: $149
- Minimum budget: $1,000 - $10,000
- Founded: 2006
- Size: Under 49
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Notable clients: Honda Motor Co, Microsoft, CSUN, Wyndham Capital, Amerisleep
HawkSEM is a search engine marketing agency that provides tailor-made marketing strategies for better return on investment (ROI), revenue, and growth. The agency uses its proprietary marketing technology, ConversionIQ™, to drive actionable insights, ensure full-funnel attribution, and deliver high-quality conversions.
This marketing company offers a wide range of SEM services, including pay-per-click (PPC), search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, conversion rate optimization, paid social media marketing, performance display, remarketing, and shopping and feed management.
HawkSEM Success Story
- Challenge: Honda Motor Co. needed an SEM agency for a campaign in South America to drive awareness to two new car models. The company was competing with dealer partners who used the same keywords, which drove up Google Ads costs.
- Solution: HawkSEM created separate keyword groups for Honda and its partners, refined offers in SEM and SEO campaigns, and promoted them using new YouTube and display strategies.
- Results: Honda reduced cost per conversion by 30%, increased dealer inquiries by 40%, and increased traffic by 200%.
2. Searchbloom
- Best for: eCommerce SEM
- Average hourly rate: Inquire
- Minimum budget: $1,000 - $10,000
- Founded: 2014
- Size: Under 49
- Location: Draper, UT
- Notable clients: ShirtSpace, Jitterbug, Suse, NUVI, Rancher
Searchbloom is an agency that provides ROI-driven strategies through a personalized approach. This search engine marketing company assigns a dedicated analyst to each client with a guaranteed 24-hour response time.
The agency won several awards, including the Search Engine Land Best Retail Ecommerce SEO Initiative 2021. Some of the services it provides include local SEO services, national SEO services, eCommerce SEO services, and PPC management.
Searchbloom Success Story
- Challenge: ShirtSpace previously worked with two other search engine marketing agencies, but the lack of adequate return on ad spend (ROAS) made the company reluctant to spend its entire monthly budget on those agencies again.
- Solution: Searchbloom wrote six ads per group, implemented custom ad copy for each buyer persona, and implemented a Remarketing List for Search Ads (RLSA).
- Results: ShirtSpace saw a 95% growth in Google Ads and 45% in Microsoft Ads revenue as well as a decrease in its cost per conversion.
Check Searchbloom Agency Profile
3. Pure SEO
- Best for: Lead generation campaigns
- Average hourly rate: Inquire
- Minimum budget: Inquire
- Founded: 2009
- Size: 50 - 99
- Location: Auckland, New Zealand
- Notable clients: HomePro, Boardertown, Bell & Co, Subaru, Cloud Edge
Pure SEO is a search engine marketing agency that helps clients achieve instant visibility through Google Ads, YouTube, Bing, Google Shopping, Google Maps, Display, and more. The company is a Google Premier Partner and one of the top 3% of SEM agencies in New Zealand, as chosen by Google.
Pure SEO is one of APAC’s largest independent digital marketing agencies, with a worldwide client track record. For six consecutive years, Deloitte has named this agency one of the 500 fastest-growing tech companies in the Asia-Pacific region. Pure SEO has been nominated for multiple Westpac Business Awards too.
Pure SEO Success Story
- Challenge: HomePro struggled to gain traction online and was looking to increase online visibility through SEM and SEO.
- Solution: Pure SEO narrowed down the target audience for Google Ad campaigns and launched a brand recognition campaign.
- Results: HomePro saw a 225% increase in submitted forms, a 1,650% increase in clicked emails, and a 500% increase in phone clicks.
4. Thrive
- Best for: SEM for traffic optimization
- Average hourly rate: Inquire
- Minimum budget: Under $1,000
- Founded: 2014
- Size: Under 49
- Location: Newton Aycliffe, United Kingdom
- Notable clients: Baptist Theological Seminary, Weardale Practice, SockMonkey Studios, Three Counties Ltd, Joolala
Thrive provides a range of marketing services including consulting and management, SEO, PPC ads, Amazon store optimization, copywriting, conversion rate optimization (CRO), and more. This search engine marketing agency primarily works with eCommerce and B2B companies.
The company has won several notable awards, including the United States National Excellence 2024 Winner, Official Member of the Forbes Agency Council, The Manifest Top SEO Provider, and others. Some of the SEM services Thrive offers include banner ads, interstitial ads, video ads, rich media, Google Shopping, remarketing, YouTube advertising, and more.
Thrive Success Story
- Challenge: The Baptist Theological Seminary needed a complete website redesign and a digital marketing strategy. Its site was outdated, non-user-friendly, and didn't effectively represent its theological programs.
- Solution: Thrive built a custom website and launched combined organic marketing and paid advertising campaigns to optimize the client’s search visibility and increase engagement.
- Results: The client saw a 285% increase in overall traffic sessions and a 707% boost in interaction rate.
5. SevenAtoms Marketing
- Best for: LinkedIn Ads
- Average hourly rate: $100
- Minimum budget: $1,000 - $10,000
- Founded: 2017
- Size: Under 49
- Location: Dublin, CA
- Notable clients: Aikens Lake Resort, SISU, Lastline, Axiad, PerimeterX
SevenAtoms Marketing is a search engine marketing agency with a portfolio of 100+ satisfied clients. It offers innovative PPC strategies to boost leads and sales, custom landing pages and ads to maximize conversion rates, and continuous optimization and A/B testing to improve ROI.
The agency specializes in Google Ads, Facebook/Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads, landing page design and CRO, content marketing and SEO, eCommerce marketing, SaaS and technology marketing, and more.
SevenAtoms Marketing Success Story
- Challenge: Aikens Lake Resort wanted to attract new customers and ensure 100% booking of its summer cabins. Its website wasn't SEO-optimized, and the client struggled to attract the right audience.
- Solution: SevenAtoms Marketing took on PPC campaign management, website optimization, content creation, monthly press releases, and social media marketing, focusing on LinkedIn to attract B2B customers.
- Results: Within two months, Aikens Lake Resort saw a 243% increase in website visits, a 1,100% increase in lead generation through the website, and a 95% reduction in cost per lead.
Check SevenAtoms Marketing Agency Profile
6. NinjaPromo
- Best for: Crypto/NFT SEM
- Average hourly rate: $25
- Minimum budget: $1,000 - $10,000
- Founded: 2017
- Size: 100 - 249
- Location: New York, NY
- Notable clients: Affyn, Paypolitan, Tripment, TOZEX, CONTENTOS
NinjaPromo is a full-service search engine marketing company providing multi-channel marketing solutions for SEM, SEO, social media ads, paid media, video marketing, and many others. The company's portfolio revolves mostly around fintech, crypto, SaaS, eCommerce, eSports, and various B2B tech companies.
The agency's work has been recognized by accolades such as the Digital Agency Network award for Top Digital Marketing Agencies for Startups, Startup Stash Best Web3Marketing Agencies, and more. NinjaPromo helps its clients get funding from prominent venture capital companies like Y Combinator and Signum Capital.
NinjaPromo Success Story
- Challenge: Affyn is a metaverse gaming platform based on Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) that struggled to grow a used community due to hard competition.
- Solution: NinjaPromo launched promo campaigns on Discord and Telegram, engaging the community through contests and giveaways.
- Results: The Affyn community expanded by 250% with a 400% increase in user interactions.
Check NinjaPromo Agency Profile
7. OpenMoves
- Best for: Google Ad Grants
- Average hourly rate: $125
- Minimum budget: $10,000 - $25,000
- Founded: 2001
- Size: Under 49
- Location: Huntington, NY
- Notable clients: SCORE, Shutterstock, Netsmart, Waking Up, ADP
OpenMoves is a search engine marketing agency that combines paid media, SEO, creative, and marketing automation to help clients grow revenue and achieve other marketing goals. In its 20+ years of experience, the agency has delivered successful projects to companies from food and beverage, automotive, education, HR, and other industries.
This digital marketing company is partnered with major ad platforms, including Google Premier Partner, Meta Business Partner, Bing, and Amazon. OpenMoves offers a long list of services, including paid search, paid social, eCommerce, Amazon, digital and programmatic, Google Ad Grants, and more.
OpenMoves Success Story
- Challenge: SCORE's main goals included increasing conversions and traffic, establishing and optimizing a Google Grant account, improving PMAX placements, and developing ads for diverse audiences.
- Solution: OpenMoves managed to optimize ads through continuous A/B testing.
- Results: A 64% increase in conversions, a 43% improvement in CPA, a 42% improvement in CPC, and a 59% rise in traffic.
Check OpenMoves Agency Profile
8. Intero Digital
- Best for: Organic revenue growth
- Average hourly rate: Inquire
- Minimum budget: $1,000 - $10,000
- Founded: 1997
- Size: 250 - 499
- Location: Colorado Springs, CO
- Notable clients: Blackbaud, Jaguar, Current, Don Julio, Land Rover
Intero Digital is a search engine marketing company with over 400 experts offering full-service marketing. The agency has provided SEM, SEO, paid media, and similar services for nearly three decades.
Intero Digital has expertise in Amazon Marketing, social media ads, eCommerce SEO, local SEO, national SEO, link strategy, and more. The agency has won several awards, including the National Excellence Award, Expertise.com Best Digital Marketing, 2024 AVA Digital Awards Gold Winner, and others.
Intero Digital Success Story
- Challenge: Blackbaud wanted to outrank competitors for key terms and garner more exposure and leads for ongoing campaigns.
- Solution: Intero Digital performed on-page SEO, made custom content, improved website usability, and launched an organic campaign.
- Results: Blackbaud saw a $22 million increase in revenue and a 1,398% increase in the first page rankings.
Check Intero Digital Agency Profile
9. Fannit Internet Marketing
- Best for: Local SEO
- Average hourly rate: $149
- Minimum budget: $1,000 - $10,000
- Founded: 2010
- Size: 100 - 249
- Location: Everett, WA
- Notable clients: Radon Company, T Bailey, Pacific Mobile Structures, KPD Insurance, Naimor Metal Fabrication
Fannit is a search engine marketing agency that has served over 100 clients in its 14 years of service, helping them drive close to $400 million in new revenue. The company provides various marketing services, including SEM, SEO, paid media advertising, reputation management, analytics tracking, and more.
Fannit has worked with clients across different industries, both B2B and B2C, including legal, automotive, manufacturing, home services, healthcare, and tech. The agency's team members are experts in MarTech software like GoDaddy, Infusionsoft, Dealer Spike, AdWords, Hotjar, Shopify, and many others.
Fannit Success Story
- Challenge: Radon Company had no SEO strategy, and its website wasn't generating enough leads.
- Solution: Fannit created a new WordPress website and helped optimize SEO to grow the client's local rankings by 4,061%, with 541 new keywords ranked in positions one through three.
- Results: Radon Company increased revenue by over 750% in five months and improved its Google Business Listing Traffic by 3,259%.
Check Fannit Internet Marketing Agency Profile
10. Delante
- Best for: Google Display Network (GDN) campaigns
- Average hourly rate: $150
- Minimum budget: 1,000 - $10,000
- Founded: 2015
- Size: 50 - 99
- Location: Krakow, Poland
- Notable clients: Litex Garden, Fellowes, Notino, Paul Rich, Youniq
Delante is a hands-on search engine marketing company specializing in traffic growth through SEO. It offers services such as technical SEO, link-building, keyword research, and others. The company’s expertise includes international SEO services, eCommerce SEO, technical SEO, as well as website indexing services.
Delante focuses on providing SEO for three main platforms: Magento, WordPress, and Wix. In its portfolio, the agency has the most experience working with travel, CBD, and software companies.
Delante Success Story
- Challenge: Litex Garden needed help with SEM, most notably SEO and Google Ads.
- Solution: Delante launched brand awareness campaigns on YouTube, Google Display Network (GDN), and search ads for several months.
- Results: Litex Garden grew its income from Google Ads by 200%, with Google Ads campaigns alone generating 51% of the store’s revenue.
How We Picked the Best Search Engine Marketing Companies
To select the top search engine marketing companies, we reviewed their performance, portfolios, reputation and awards, team expertise, and management. Our team of agency experts developed a scoring system to measure their overall performance based on several important factors:
- Reviews: Quality of work, client satisfaction, and level of trustworthiness
- Portfolio: Agency's track record of relevant work
- Awards and press: Industry reputation and innovation
- SEM expertise: Relevant certificates in SEO, Google Ads, Meta Ads, and other SEM services
- Team bios: Team structure, size, seniority, and fields of expertise
- Top services: Core competencies and services
Visit the DesignRush Agency Ranking Methodology for more information on how we research agencies.