Shropshire-based digital marketing agency Ascendancy is on course to record its best financial year ever.
The award-winning company, based in Newport, has expanded its workforce, delivered websites to some high profile clients, begun partnering Aston University in offering Digital Marketing Degree Apprenticeships and guided clients through the transition to Google Analytics 4 in what has been an extremely busy first half of the year.
The team and the Newport office also made an appearance on Midlands Today after becoming the first Shropshire company to move to a four-day week after a hugely successful global trial.
Over the next six months Ascendancy plans more experimentation with AI tools and how this ground-breaking technology will help clients, and to increase its commitment in providing opportunities to help young people into employment.
Ascendancy director Helen Culshaw said: “It’s been an amazing 2023 so far – a hugely successful one for the company and it just looks like getting better and better as the year progresses.
“We are on track for this to be our best financial year ever which is great news, particularly when you consider how we have always managed to continue growing and developing year-on-year.
“The first six months have seen us launch lots of excellent websites for clients – including one for Bishop’s Castle based global company Jesmonite, a firm that picked up a prestigious title at the Shropshire Chamber Business Awards. We were also delighted to complete the Aria Care and Komplex Care websites in record time to meet the tight deadlines of both companies.
“We welcomed John Archibald to our growing team as a Digital Marketing Executive. John rejoined the world of digital after taking five years out to be a professional cyclist, a career which saw him take silver medals in both the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games.
“The company moved to a four-day week in January after taking part in a successful global trial – something which produced only positive results for staff and clients, and we have started offering Digital Marketing Degree Apprenticeships in partnership with Aston University.
“I am passionate about supporting and encouraging our workforce of tomorrow and see this as a really positive step that Ascendancy can take in helping to provide the right start for young people setting off on their career path.
“With this in mind, I am now also looking at recruiting a new digital marketing apprentice and potentially starting to offer T-Level placements which I learned about through my role as an Enterprise Adviser – something I have an interest in and feel very strongly about.”
Ms Culshaw said one of the biggest challenges Ascendancy has faced this year has been moving digital marketing clients seamlessly over to Google Analytics 4, which is revolutionising the industry.
“Google Analytics 4 is the next generation of analytics which collects event-based data from apps and websites,” she added. “Benefits include improved customer journey tracking, enhanced visualisations and reporting, more intelligent tracking features and user privacy, more powerful audiences for ad campaigns and improved analyses of user engagement.
“We have been heavily involved in helping all our clients adapt to the new version of Google Analytics and get their reporting just how they need it. It is one of the obstacles our industry is facing up to at present but one in which we are able to help keep our clients ahead of the game.
“Another challenge within the industry is the difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff. We are also having to deal with the way increased use of machine learning and AI in online advertising is reducing transparency for businesses on why certain decisions are being made by advertising platforms.
“Looking ahead, we will be placing a greater emphasis at Ascendancy on experimenting with AI tools and how they can be used to our clients’ advantage, and we will continue to be at the centre of delivering Google Analytics 4 training to our clients and other businesses – both directly and through Shropshire Chamber, bringing people up to speed with the product.
“Over the coming months our goal is, as always, to continue growing strongly, building high-quality websites and bringing excellent results and service to our digital marketing clients.”
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