Engineering Inc - July/August 2017 - 25

STEVE McCRACKEN

first impression of you," says Sarah
Walpert, chief marketing officer
for the brand consulting firm Ingenium. "It gives you the opportunity
to tell them exactly what you want
them to know, such as who you are,
what you're good at, why it's great
to work with you and the projects
you've worked on," she says.
A sleek website and a social
"We're putting
media presence are also essential for
content on our
attracting young talent, especially
millennials and Gen X workers who
website and
do the majority of their job searchdistributing
ing online, Walpert adds. "It's the
impression they get of a company
through one
when they go to their website,
look up the owner on LinkedIn or
of our social
encounter a company's brand presmedia sites,
ence at a conference that attracts
them to the firm," she says.
including
A multilevel-branding approach
Facebook,
also includes content marketing
and a social media presence that
Twitter and
enforces the company's brand. The
latest rebrand to the SGH website
LinkedIn, at
includes a regular cadence of new
least once
content that's specific to the firm's
message. The website also allows
a day and
visitors to sort through informasometimes
tion quickly to find content that
matches their interests.
multiple times
"We're putting content on our
a day."
website and distributing through
one of our social media sites,
JASON HEROUX
including Facebook, Twitter and
SIMPSON
GUMPERTZ &
LinkedIn, at least once a day and
HEGER, INC.
sometimes multiple times a day,"
Heroux says.
The type of content posted-and its value to readers-matters a great deal. The firm updated its website by including news
about successful projects, posting thought leadership papers and
topic briefs that may have already been written for other purposes
as well as publicizing the educational seminars it hosts. Additionally, SGH introduced video content, which brought even more
traction to its website. "We're getting thousands and thousands of
views on projects that prior to the new website launch would not
have been that widely viewed," Heroux says.
Adding regular content integrated with an effective search
engine optimization (SEO) plan also moves a firm's name up
higher in a browser search. The key is doing proper SEO research
on keywords and topics that match a firm's expertise, and then
posting with both frequency and depth on those topics.
"There are still a fair number of firms that think of their
websites as a brochure, and then they'll say they're not showing
up on searches," Feldman says. "It's a natural consequence
of not adding a lot of content. The search engines have

algorithms and will respond to those changes, but it takes time."
How often should content be updated? There are a lot of
variables, including resources and capacity, but a general rule of
thumb is at least one or two new pieces of content a week. Most
important, it must cover topics that are important to the firm's
target audience.
"If they're blogging about trivial stuff or the firm's latest anniversary, that's not going to help," Feldman says.
SGH has set a lofty goal for its online content. "We're trying
to capture 10 to 15 percent of our project work and as much as
possible of our professional work, so that in 10 years we will have
several thousand project and professional content pieces on our
website," Heroux says. "Then we expect to have improved search
rankings on Google and very few holes when someone drills down
and tries to find something on a very specific topic."
To accomplish this objective, the firm has hired two full-time
marketing writers who draft content pieces that are then edited by
technical leaders to ensure accuracy.
EMPLOYEES AS BRAND AMBASSADORS

"Developing the brand doesn't end with the project launch. It's a
continuous process of educating employees and reinforcing the
message every day," says Therese Nuckolls, global brand director for
HDR.
To kick things off, HDR developed online training modules that
explain to employees what the brand represents, how it should be
communicated and what it means to their relationships with clients.
All employees were required to take the course, which takes 90 minutes to two hours to complete, and it's now mandatory for all new
employees.
"We knew the rebrand would only be successful if employees
actually believed in the brand," Nuckolls says. "Employees are our
brand ambassadors. Make sure they're selling the company consistently with that new messaging."
Brand ambassadors can represent the firm in many ways, including philanthropy.
"Our method is very sincere and simple. We give back to the
very communities where we live and work by volunteering, donating and similar philanthropy," says Renee Lane, director of PR and
corporate communications for the engineering firm C&S Cos.
in Syracuse, New York. "This promotes a tremendous amount
of goodwill in the community and is also great for internal staff
morale. It is amazing how recognizable your brand becomes when
you are embedded in the community. It works at all levels, and it
feels good, too."
Lane adds that it's difficult to measure the success of volunteerism and its effect on the brand. "But it is safe to say, our
communities and clients certainly know who we are and all
that we do for the communities," she says.
Marketing and branding experts agree that rebranding a
company takes time, but the benefits can last for years.
"A campaign or a tagline can change, but a brand is who you
are, and that doesn't change," Nuckolls says. "While the look
of our new brand might be contemporary, what we stand for is
still exactly the same as it was 100 years ago." n
Stacy Collett is a business and technology writer based in Chicago.

JULY / AUGUST 2017

ENGINEERING INC.

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