Impaqt

IMPAQT is a privately held Search Engine Marketing agency. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, IMPAQT was founded as an outgrowth of 3W Interactive in 1999 when the need for organizations to increase visibility within search engines was emerging
On March 29, 2011, Merkle Inc., the nation's largest independent customer relationship marketing agency, acquired IMPAQT to mark the first combination of CRM and Search Marketing among existing competitors.
History
IMPAQT was founded by Richard Hagerty in 1999 as one of the first organizations to enter the Search Engine Marketing sphere.
In 2000, IMPAQT developed the Search Position Score to benchmark, track, and report client's keyword visibility across search engines and against competitors.
IMPAQT developed a collaborative extranet to share data with clients in 2001. IMPAQT was the first Search Engine Marketing agency to offer this capability. This extranet laid the foundation for IMPAQT's ExstoNet.
The ExstoNet currently provides a "dashboard" to condense and simplify the data streams involved in Search Marketing.
IMPAQT was the first SEM firm to develop a collaborative Extranet to share and deliver campaign result data with their clients, in 2001. IMPAQT also developed a database to support the beginning of geographic and behavioral targeting in campaign strategy planning and tracking.
In 2002, IMPAQT developed the ExstoNet, a campaign decision support system that provided an in-house system for campaign management, to replace the Extranet created in 2001.
IMPAQT developed BidWise, a fully customizable Paid Search Management system, in 2003. They also developed KeyWise, the first keyword selection tool to utilize Bayesian Analysis and advanced pattern matching formulas.
In 2004, IMPAQT began using advanced Business Intelligence and Business Performance tools to better address the predictive analysis and data mining needs of clients, redesigned campaign management processes, and began implementing a full Six Sigma management system in its client service and development areas.
IMPAQT launched its Search Education Services offering for clients and Agency partners in 2006. Forrester Research also included IMPAQT in their Forrester Wave Search Marketing Agencies Q4 2006 evaluation.
IMPAQT hosted its first Search Marketing Training event in 2007. Also, IMPAQT moved to its current office space in Greentree, PA.
In 2008, IMPAQT beta tested and launched several of its products: Adaptive Bidding, Search Target Rating Points (TRP), Brand Attachment Value (BAV), Media Mix Modeling, and Audience Identification and Measurement (AIM).
In 2009, Forrester Research included IMPAQT in its Forrester Wave U.S. Search Marketing Agencies, Q1 2009. IMPAQT was cited as a "Strong Performer." against eight agencies. In the Q1 2011 Forrester Wave, U.S. Search Marketing Agencies, IMPAQT was cited as a "Leader."
Operations
Specializing in the growing digital marketing mediums of search engine marketing (Pay per click) and search engine optimization (SEO), IMPAQT is classified as the third largest advertising agency/firm in Pittsburgh. IMPAQT utilizes proprietary software that assist in its management of 1.2 million keywords for its 58% enterprise level client base. IMPAQT focuses heavily in research, specifically the areas of predictive analytics and forecasting, allowing clients educated predictions as to where they should best allocate their marketing dollars for optimal return on investment. By limiting its focus on search related products and services, the company is considered one of the top 10 search marketing agencies in the US and has doubled its annual growth rate over the last three years.
The majority of IMPAQT's work falls in the following vertical industries: Insurance, Retail, Financial, Pharmaceutical, Education, Travel, B2B, Automotive, and Consumer Packaged Goods. Its business is split between small and medium businesses and enterprise, 42% and 58% respectively, with 41% of those clients combining both paid search and organic search services. Among IMPAQT’s key clients are Best Western, CIGNA, DSW, GNC, GSK, IBM, General Mills, JPMorgan Chase, Mercedes-Benz, Office Depot, State Farm, and UPMC. Since establishment, IMPAQT has managed more than 500 campaigns.
Products & Offerings
IMPAQT offers a wide array of Search Engine Marketing services:
* PPC Campaign Management - IMPAQT specializes in the management of large and complex sets of keywords and helps their clients understand the online customer and searcher preferences and styles, as it relates to paid search.
* SEO Campaign Management - IMPAQT helps clients optimize their sites for improved visibility in natural search results and provides regular reports on their organic visibility and competitiveness.
* Search Education - IMPAQT provides classroom-based and online training for the creation and management of PPC campaigns, as well as implementing SEO best practices.
* Social Media - IMPAQT conducts social media auditing to determine a client’s presence in the social media sphere and recommends strategies and tactics to build and maintain a positive brand reputation.
* Consulting and Auditing - IMPAQT offers a multitude of consulting and auditing services, including SEM Capabilities Auditing, Infrastructure Consulting and Planning, Business Process Design and Documentation, Best Practices Documentation, Staff Training, HR Recruitment and Guidance and Seasonal/Holiday Planning. IMPAQT also provide Social Media, Domain, Usability, Analytics, SEO, Retail, Paid Search and Globalization Consulting
* Global SEM - IMPAQT manages multilingual PPC and SEO campaigns in almost any market in the world.
IMPAQT has also developed a number of proprietary technologies and products to manage PPC and SEO efforts:
* ExstoNet - Developed in 2002 as a collaborative extranet to provide clients better access to their data and function as a decision support system.
* KeyWise - The first keyword selection tool to utilize Bayesian probability analysis and advanced pattern matching formulas.
* BidWise - Keyword bid management tool used to control and monitor bids on multiple paid search campaigns from a single interface<.
* Adaptive Bidding - A predictive modeling and forecasting tool that makes optimization decisions about bid levels.
* Brand Attachment Value (BAV) - A website traffic tracking and measurement tool.
* Media Mix Modeling - An analytical integration of external media effects on paid search performance.
* Search Position Score (SPS) - A way to measure the visibility of a company’s site through a scoring system.
* Search Management Ad Hoc Reporting Tool (SMART) - A reporting tool that creates advanced, customized paid search campaign reports, allowing for greater control over data.
* Target Rating Points (TRP) - Identifies search segments and enables users to conduct a smarter search campaign.
* TRAQ - A management tool to track the details and deadlines of search marketing.

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