Best SEO & PPC Companies in Canada

John Blown - 6S Marketing Inc.

May 23, 2009

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Biography/Background:

John Blown can be described as a unique blend of composure, skill and business savvy. He co-founded 6S Marketing in 2000 and under his direction, it has become one of the most cutting-edge, progressive and results driven internet marketing companies in North America.

John is fluent, experienced and skilled and has been working in the field of internet marketing both as an employee and entrepreneur since his university graduation. It is his true passion.

John is an avid speaker and resource for peers, clients and the media on various aspects of internet marketing. He has had numerous articles published in newspapers and magazines pertaining to the internet and marketing industry and has appeared on shows such as GetConnectedTV and CityTV’s Breakfast Television.

John has also successfully co-founded and sold two companies, OnRes Systems Inc., a software company catering to the hotel and accommodation markets, and DiscoverVancouver.com, an online tourism portal.

John graduated from the University of British Columbia with Bachelor of Commerce degree, and he obtained an International Business Certificate from the School of Business in Vienna, Austria.
In 2008, John was named one of Business in Vancouver’s Top Forty Under 40 – an award that honors Vancouver’s leaders in business.

Since 2002, John has volunteered thousands of hours as an active member and Executive Board Member of the North Shore Rescue team and was awarded a Unit Commendation from the RCMP Superintendent for Bravery.

 John’s efforts demonstrate to his peers and the staff at 6S that community involvement and volunteerism is important and can always be accommodated.  John has been featured in countless media stories for his work with North Shore Search and Rescue and is called on to speak about safety and survival on a regular basis.

It is often joked that John just loves everything “search” from search engine optimization to search and rescue! When it comes to searching…John is the man!

Role:

My role at 6S is shared by my business partner Chris Breikss. Between us we share the day to day management of the company. My role focus’ more on HR, finance and sales, while Chris focuses on business development and marketing.

Main Services:

Search engine optimization, cost per click management, analytics, email marketing, usability services, and Social Media Marketing.

What Makes Us Different:

Experience – we have been in business since 2000 and have worked on 100’s of projects across the globe.
Reputation – we are widely regarded in the industry, by search engines, and by peers as the top search marketing company in Canada.
Skills – our Account Managers are very experienced and we have a large talent pool of extremely skilled Internet marketers under one roof.
Focus – we focus only on Internet marketing – we are extremely specialized making us the best at what we do.
Ethics – we follow strict ethical guidelines whether it is search engine optimization tactics, or general business ethics.
Fun – we think if you aren’t loving what you do, then what’s the point, and we love what we do.

Success:

Well success is actually our name (6S = success). Chris and I started the company fairly soon after university out of his 200 sq. foot solarium in Chris’ apartment. We struggled for the first few years, but felt our formula of providing outstanding Internet marketing services that provided ROI at a reasonable price was a winning one.  We were right - for the past 3 years we have doubled in revenue each year and we are on pace to hit $10 million in revenues in the next two years.

Questions a customer should ask:

Like researching any professional services company – you are buying expertise. So looking at the company’s history, clients and experience is essential. Obviously price is an important factor – but really price is all about value – are you getting value for your money and will the project provide a return on investment.

Myths in the field:

The main myth that I see is that being a search engine marketer is all about living the rock star life style. It’s not just a life of glitz and glamour, hanging out with Brad, Angelina and the kids.

Seriously though the main myths are that SEO people can waive a magic wand and your site will rank. It takes time and a lot of work to get a site ranked well. Just like any field – hard work pays off in the end.

Developing Skills:

Unfortunately when you are the leading edge of an industry you can’t go to school to develop your skills. It’s all about testing new techniques and research. Going to conference and being involved in the community is extremely important as well.

Future:

Well, the great thing about the Internet is that it is always changing. I see that Social Media marketing will become more mainstream just like SEO and SEM have become. It will take some time for people to figure out how to leverage it effectively, I think everyone is still learning right now.

6S in the next 5 years:

Continue our expansion across N. America and be recognized as of the top Internet marketing companies in N. America.

Personal Goal:

Leading 6S to be the top Internet marketing company in N. America, and my volleyball serving skills need some work as well.