Brianna HarrisonThe 5 Best SEM Agencies in Toronto
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a powerful tool that can help you achieve these goals, but it works best when used with knowledge and experience.
SEM companies are experts in this field and know how to make and use SEM strategies that work.
There are a lot of SEM companies in Toronto, but which are the best? In this review, we’ll take a closer look at the top 5 agencies in Toronto and talk about what makes them stand out.
Top SEM Agencies in Toronto
We utilised the following criteria to write this review of the top SEM agencies in Toronto.
How much do SEM services in Toronto cost?
SEM services in Toronto can vary in price based on factors like the complexity of the campaign, the size of the team working on it, and the agency’s level of experience in the field.
Most of the time, SEM services are paid for by the project or by the hour. SEM experts in Toronto might charge anywhere from $75 to $250 or more per hour, depending on how much knowledge is needed and how big the project is.
Moreover, depending on the size of your business and how complicated your campaign is, a full SEM campaign that includes ad design, execution, and optimisation could cost anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 or more per month.
Keep in mind that the platforms or channels you want to promote on may affect the total cost of SEM services, since they may have different needs and prices.
Ads management for Google, Microsoft, and YouTube can cost anywhere from $500 to $2,000.
Before making a final decision, it’s best to get multiple quotes from different SEM companies or consultants in Toronto.
1. Green Lotus
| EXPERTISE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Experience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Reputation | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| TRANSPARENCY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Results | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Analytics and metrics | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CUSTOMISATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FEES(A higher score means better value) | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| COMMUNICATION | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Green Lotus positions themselves as the most trusted digital marketing agency in Canada. Started in 2012, they continue to find new developments in marketing services and incorporate advanced technologies to clients.
It’s remarkable that they have been voted as the Best Digital Marketing Agency by the CanadianSME National Business Awards in 2020.
They were also awarded as the Entrepreneur of the Year by the Association of Marketing Professionals in 2015.
Green Lotus has worked with multiple companies from all over the globe. Acquiring more than 1,100 clients, we believe this equipped them with the knowledge to cope with different company needs and demands.
The agency’s strong reputation is rooted in the years of good work they have done. One mentioned working with Green Lotus since 2013 and this has helped them identify the right SEM tools to drive their website traffic.
Another testimonial mentioned how impressed they were with the result even with an entry-level price point.
According to the client, the company knew exactly what they were looking for and guided them on how they can use SEM to improve their listings.
For us, Green Lotus seemed like the perfect solution for a client who is just beginning to explore SEM as the agency explains the procedures and tools in layman’s terms to make sure clients understood what they were doing.
Green Lotus offers a wide range of white label services, which appeals to us as well.
This means companies can fully outsource them for your marketing needs, from onboarding, project management, and ongoing reports.
Their white label services, which start at $255, will save you time and money. They have no setup fees, offer discounts up to 50%, and provide a free marketing consultation.
Even so, they could improve on the quality of their customer response.
While they have a live chat available on their website, it was not as efficient when we tried it as we had to communicate via email multiple times to get a quote.
Furthermore, some people apparently find it a little difficult to transact with Green Lotus since they don’t have business hours during weekends.
Pros
- Received multiple awards
- Offers white label (outsourcing) services
- Explains their strategies to clients thoroughly
- Monthly meetings and reports
- Custom packages
- No setup fees
- Free consultations
- Huge discounts
- Has online and onsite services
Cons
- Customer response time and quality could be improved
- No business hours on weekends
Customer Reviews
Very professional and excellent
“Our team has had a great experience working with Green Lotus. Very professional and excellent at providing insights. Highly recommend!” —Kris Rambeau
Response is fast and the process is seamless
“Green Lotus is professionally-run. They care about their clients, and try to find out in detail about the clients’ businesses and objectives in order to customize the right solution. Response is fast and the process is seamless. The website looks amazing and it loads quickly on all devices.” —Trina Lee
2. 23e2 Digital
| EXPERTISE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Experience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Reputation | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| TRANSPARENCY | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| Results | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Analytics and metrics | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| CUSTOMISATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FEES(A higher score means better value) | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| COMMUNICATION | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Because every business is unique, 23e3 digital ensures to be always up to date on the latest trends and be on the lookout for what the audiences need.
They create new and unique strategies that fit whatever the client is going after.
We are amazed at their SEM experts who create the buzz and make the client relevant in the industry that they are a part of. They plan, develop, and implement SEM campaigns targeted to the client’s main audience.
A customer once described how ecstatic they were after getting recommended to 23e2. They appreciated getting an SEM audit, SEM strategy, forecast, and project plan, even before starting the actual service.
We like that the agency checks every bit—the readability, grammar, spelling, and visuals—to get a grasp of what the challenges are and what they can do to help promote brand visibility.
They aim not only to increase sales but also to be at a relevant ranking for the client’s audience.
The effectiveness of their campaigns is reported while conceptualising feedback to better improve as well.
Starter, Standard, and Enhanced packages are available at 23e2 Digital, priced at $547, $747, and $1,247 per month, respectively.
They also provide custom packages and their pay-per-click management fee starts at $397 per month, which is affordable in our opinion. You can also get prepaid discounts of up to 20%!
However, there was one client we interviewed who had issues with communicating with the agency.
They mentioned that there were times that the next steps of the process weren’t clear, which led them to repeatedly ask questions.
Reports have shown that customer concerns are not answered promptly either. With 23e2 Digital’s long business hours, this is definitely an area that we think might benefit from some improvements.
Pros
- Innovative, quality work
- Consistent transparency reports
- Custom packages are available
- Affordable services
- Prepaid discounts
- Onsite and online appointments are available
Cons
- Remarks on not getting enough clarifications on the process
- Concerns may take some time to be addressed
Customer Reviews
They’re very professional, knowledgeable and give honest advice
“I never leave reviews but I was just so pleased with the services they provided that I honestly had to leave one. We had the pleasure of dealing with Dmytro who created our Google business page about 3 years ago and I can’t say enough good things about the service they provide. They’re very professional, knowledgeable and give honest advice on what will work best for your business. Three years later, they’ll help fix any issues you have right away. I highly recommend 23e2 digital, you won’t regret it.” —Maneet Kaur
They have increased the volume of my business
“I have been working with 23e2 for 6 months for Google ads and website needs. The team is amazing, they are always there to answer our questions and the price is very reasonable. If you’re struggling with your business and need help, reach out to this amazing 5-star team. I highly recommend them, they have increased the volume of my business. Thank you 23e2.” —Katerina Angellotti
3. IDL Web Inc.
| EXPERTISE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Experience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Reputation | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| TRANSPARENCY | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Results | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Analytics and metrics | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| CUSTOMISATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FEES(A higher score means better value) | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| COMMUNICATION | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
IDL Web Inc. leverages on targeting relevant customers for their clients by making their brands more visible on search engines.
It’s notable that their experts build plans that are tailor fitted to the client’s goal and measure them through high-end tools and metrics to achieve relevant results.
We think this is how IDL Web Inc. established an excellent standing among their clientele, even with only 8+ years of experience in the industry.
In fact, one customer who has been working with the agency for quite some time mentioned how they identified opportunities even outside of their task.
They helped in making their business easily discoverable through a successful leads generating strategy.
Another mentioned experiencing high traffic yet minimum sales before. The help from IDL Web Inc. provided the client with the correct keywords and the type of market they should look out for, which resulted positively for the client.
Sadly, we discovered that clients have been asking for more transparency and regular status updates. Previous customers claimed that they had to keep on following up regarding their concerns.
The contact form on IDL Web Inc.’s website is also not working as of writing. You need to directly send your inquiries via email instead.
Nevertheless, their team is kind and friendly. They recognise criticism and respond in a professional way.
IDL Web Inc. has a monthly fee of $500 or 20% of what you spend, which we think is quite decent. They do have a setup fee of $1000.
Pros
- Tailor fitted plans for client needs
- Goes above and beyond in the tasks they do
- Decent value for money
- Handles criticism and feedback professionally
- Has online and onsite services
Cons
- Needs improvement with sending status updates
- Website contact form is not working
Customer Reviews
Quick and efficient
“It has been an absolute pleasure working with Jacob and his team. They are quick and efficient, and the customer service is stellar. We look forward to continuing to work with this amazing group of people.” —L’Arche Daybreak
Exceedingly helpful experts
“Our experience with IDL Web Inc. has, and continues to be excellent. They are experts at what they do, they are efficient, and they are exceedingly helpful.” —Popular Book Company Canada Ltd
4. Jives Media
| EXPERTISE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Experience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Reputation | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| TRANSPARENCY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Results | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Analytics and metrics | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CUSTOMISATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FEES(A higher score means better value) | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| COMMUNICATION | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Completing over 500 projects and servicing 16,000 customers worldwide, Jives Media is a marketing agency that aims to make growing startups into multimillion companies.
We find it impressive that the agency has been consistently recognised by leading online marketing platforms such as Clutch and DesignRush.
What we like about Jives Media is their use of highly localised strategies. Even with an international clientele, the make sure to build a brand’s reputation through precise and custom campaigns.
We also commend Jives Media for their dedication and innovation; they ensure to present new ideas to clients depending on every milestone they achieve.
One client we talked to said that Jives Media practises excellent transparency by providing constant updates and monthly reports. This convinced the client on how effective the company was in delivering results.
Having said that, the agency has to improve their response time for clients. If inquiries are not answered in a timely manner, having positive comments about transparency is insufficient in our opinion.
Unfortunately, it took about 2 months for the agency to respond to our request for a quote through email.
Nonetheless, Jives Media has onsite and 24/7 services, so you may go right to their location conveniently.
In terms of prices, the agency is on the expensive side with an average starting price of $1,000. Their services can go as high as $10,000 to $50,000.
We also think that Jives Media’s website could be better. We found it overwhelming because it has a lot of text content and long scroll features
Using additional web pages and drop-down menus in a smart way would help them make a cleaner website that would be more likely to bring in customers.
Pros
- Has serviced over 16,000 customers worldwide
- Consistently recognised by leading marketing platforms
- Transparent in delivering results
- Innovative and localised strategies
- 24/7 support
- Online and onsite services available
Cons
- Expensive services
- Customer response time is slow at times
- Website could be more visually appealing
Customer Reviews
They took time to learn about my company’s targets and expectations
“Even how little I spent a meeting with the Jives Media marketing team, I was amazed at how I have learned so much regarding marketing ads in my business. Jay took time to learn about my company’s targets and expectations. I can’t thank them enough for making my business evolve into what it is now!” —Kriste S.
Incredible Google ads management and search engine optimization
“Jives Media accomplished the job incredibly by advertising our company’s goals through Google ads and search engine optimization. We worked closely to achieve the project. It was a fantastic experience working with this team!” —Deborah Greene
5. World Famous Marketing
| EXPERTISE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Experience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Reputation | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| TRANSPARENCY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Results | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Analytics and metrics | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CUSTOMISATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FEES(A higher score means better value) | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| COMMUNICATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
World Famous Marketing promotes themselves as a digital marketing company that provides the best solutions to small and medium-sized businesses when it comes to online presence.
The agency promotes a 4-step process: identifying business goals, research and planning, execution, and monitoring.
We like how clients can learn about World Famous Marketing’s tactics right then and there when they visit the agency’s website.
The agency possesses an in-depth understanding of the industry as they prioritise personalised solutions that fit client needs.
A former client whom we chatted with mentioned how the agency’s attention to details, which helped deliver optimal results and higher quality work even on a budget.
This made their ranking on keywords jump to a higher position than their previous.
In terms of providing results, World Famous Marketing gives reports weekly to monthly, depending on the client’s requirements.
These reports provide progress of their marketing efforts, title optimisation, and the next steps they would be taking.
As we see it, the agency offers somewhat pricey fees for their services. They charge 25% of your spend, with a minimum amount of $1000.
Nonetheless, they do give free quotations and consultations.
We tried to get a free quote via their contact form, and to our pleasant surprise, we received a response within minutes! What an incredible response time!
Some clients, however, find it inconvenient that the agency does not have onsite services.
In spite of that, World Famous Marketing provides post-service delivery to keep clients up to date with their ongoing projects. This includes 24/7 support in case of issues and problems that clients may encounter.
Pros
- In-depth understanding of the industry
- Weekly to monthly reports
- Prioritises personalised solutions
- Attentive to details
- Free quotes and consultations
- Fast customer response time
- Post-service delivery
- 24/7 support
Cons
- Services are quite pricey
- No onsite services
Customer Reviews
Reliable and excellent digital marketing services
“World Famous is undoubtedly the most reliable digital marketing company in Toronto. They are excellent in SEO, PPC and social media management. We are gaining traction in the market after they started work on our business.” —Shelly Hoover
The agency helped us penetrate the market deeper
“WFM [World Famous Marketing] has boosted our SEM campaign and helped us penetrate the market deeper. We have experienced an almost 3-fold increase in traffic.” —Matthew Hirsh
FAQs on SEM Agencies in Toronto
There are a lot of SEM agencies in Toronto, but we’ve narrowed it down to those that stand out the most in terms of their services, expertise, and dedication to getting results. We hope our review helped narrow down your search!
For more digital marketing needs, you can read our review on the best digital marketing agencies in Toronto.
