Search Engine Land Awards 2023: Complete finalists list

NP Digital once again is leading the way in the ninth annual Search Engine Land Awards. The U.S. agency is a finalist in four categories in 2023, after being a finalist in seven categories last year and winner of three awards in 2022.

Two other agencies earning finalist status three times are:

• Block & Tam
• Stella Rising

Meanwhile, Comcast’s in-house PPC team is a two-time finalist in the 2023 Search Engine Land Awards, as are the following 13 agencies:

• Amsive Digital
• Big Flare
• DAC
• EvenDigit
• HigherVisibility
• Ignite Visibility
• Jordan Digital Marketing
• LocaliQ
• Rocket Agency
• smec
• Tombras
• Victorious
• Wpromote

The competition was once again stiff in nearly all of our categories.

All the winners of the 2023 Search Engine Land Awards will be revealed Monday, Oct. 17 – including the first winner of our all-new category, Best use of AI technology in search marketing.

Meet Search Engine Land 2023 award winners at SMX Next

We will be inviting some of the winners of this year’s awards to join us on Day 1 of SMX Next (Nov. 14). We’ll have two Ask Me Anything-style “Ask the Search Engine Land Award winners” panels – one on the SEO side, moderated by me, and one on the PPC side, moderated by Editor Nicola Agius.

If you haven’t yet, make sure to register for free for SMX Next.

The full list of finalists

Best use of AI technology in search marketing

• How Brainlabs quadrupled content output and tripled organic Share of Voice for Mars Petcare using AI
• Closed Loop – How Google’s AI Powered Bidding Drove International Growth for Calendly
• How Direct Agents Utilized Proprietary Technology To Supercharge Google Ads tCPA Bidding Algorithm & Decrease CPAs Up To 26%
• INFUSEmedia Demand Accelerator: a first-to-market and only real-time demand intelligence platform
• The perfect assist: How the Miami HEAT scored +70% revenue growth with smec’s AI-based Performance Max solution

Best overall PPC initiative – Small business

• LL Medico X Big Flare – Pushing the Limits of Performance Max
• EvenDigit – Indyvogue’s Mastery of Google Ads: A Remarkable Indian Saree Success Story with Unmatched Market Achievements
• From Awareness to Sales Surge: Filament Marketing’s Strategy Delivers 23.08% ROAS Boost for Udder Tech
• Red Online Marketing – Scaling-Up With PPC After Covid-19: 61% Revenue Growth With Performance-Based Budgets & Bidding
• Testing Without Guessing – How Transact delivered 68% more revenue for Nordbutiker via Shopping

Best overall PPC initiative – Enterprise

• On the Move: How 97th Floor Increased JK Moving’s Leads by 108%
• How ADM’s Multifaceted Approach Grew TSG’s Google Ads Profitability By 58% YoY
• CSAA Insurance Group & Deloitte Digital: Leveraging Paid Search to Drive Triple Digit Policy Growth at a More Cost-Efficient Rate YoY
• How First Page Fuels Under Armour’s 33% PPC Conversion Surge in Asia’s Athletic Apparel Market
• Mad Fish Digital Increases Revenue by 71.44% with Google Search Ads for Park City Lodging

Best commerce search marketing initiative – PPC

• Collective Measures – Transformative Paid Search Efforts Deliver Impressive Results
• Roots Network decreased the CAC with 49% while delivering the same amount of new customers with a multi-market strategy
• Salestube – Implementing and optimizing Performance Max campaigns – how we increased conversion value by 65%
• The perfect assist: How the Miami HEAT and smec scored +63 % revenue growth with smart Google Ads strategies
• How Thrive helped Branch Basics drive a 102% increase in YoY ROAS through strategic restructures, creative testing, and optimized media mix.

Best local search marketing initiative – PPC

• How Bold Orange Improved Store Visit Efficiency by 19% with a Tiered Local Search Strategy for 350 Red Wing Shoes Stores
• DAC & The Fresh Market – The anti-inflation recipe that brought customers back into the stores
• Power Play: EvenDigit Agency’s Game-Changing 193% Lead Amplification and 64% CPA Slashing for Language Academy via Google Ads
• How Ignite Visibility Increased QoQ Revenue 40% by Juggling Multiple Local Ad Campaigns to Create a Seamless Customer Journey
• Wiley University Services – Search Campaigns Focusing on Underserved Populations Boost Enrollment for the Alabama Community College System

Best B2B search marketing initiative – PPC

• Comcast Business Delivers 112% Higher ROAS & An 81% Lift in Conversions Using AI Bidding
• One Search Pro – From Pandemic to Recovery and 115% Growth for Ask Venue via Google Search Ads
• Stella Rising & Optimizely – Driving DXP Globally
• How Tinuiti Utilized Data Signals to Improve High-Value Leads for AppFolio by 81%

Best integration of search into omnichannel marketing

• Adept – How a Powerful SEO+PR Strategy Transformed Condado Tacos’ Organic Search By Double Digits in Months
• iProspect Canada – How we used Performance Max to Supercharge Holiday Foot Traffic
• Rocket Agency X LIV – Leads to Leases with Data-Driven Marketing
• Tombras & Orangetheory Fitness – Revolutionizing Reach: Full-Funnel Success with Innovative Funding
• Workshop Digital Inspires One Million Clicks For Love for Virginia Tourism

Best overall SEO initiative – Small business

• C-4 Analytics – Cadillac Dealer Earns Escalade IQ Leads & Reservations Through SEO
• Mickey Llew & Uniquely Creative – Getting Crafty with a Small Budget Leaves a Big Mark
• Mastering the SaaS SEO Game: Mikuláš Prokop & Kickresume’s Journey to 149% Organic Revenue Growth
• Dominating the Delta 8 and Cannabinoid space: How NP Digital increased awareness, traffic, and sales for Delta 8 Resellers
• Stella Rising & MaryRuth Organics: Maximizing Wellness Momentum

Best overall SEO initiative – Enterprise

• CB/I helps FIrst Citizens Bank Achieve Excellence in SEO
• Greenpark & Unilever – All Things Hair: Creating high-performance and engaging content at scale
• Rendering a leader in digital 3D solutions. How NP Digital increased Adobe Substance 3D non-branded traffic by 494%.
• How Razorfish increased Church & Dwight’s organic search market share by +129%
• How Nationwide & Reprise‘s SEO Strategy Drove Brand Awareness for Car Insurance into the Fast Lane and Delivered a 1,283% ROI

Best commerce search marketing initiative – SEO

• How Gen3 Marketing Achieved +357% Organic Landing Page Growth for Social Citizen”
• How LOCALiQ Helped Ultimate Gaming Paradise Achieve 600% YOY Revenue Growth with SEO
• Milestone Inc. Drives 64% Increase in Website Leads for Renault Américas
• Victorious – A Content Makeover Drives a 2,983% ROI for Tarte Cosmetics
• Victorious – The Gift That Keeps Giving: How SEO Content Helped Unboxme See a 234.43% Growth in Organic Search Traffic

Best local search marketing initiative – SEO

• Amsive Digital – Transforming Trust: A Journey from Doubt to Triumph in Local SEO for American Savings Bank
• HigherVisibility & HOTWORX – Fueling the Fire to Organic Growth
• Ignite Visibility: New Innovation in Local Video SEO Boosts 200+ Franchisee Call Conversions 63% From Organic Search in Just 7 Months and Increases SERP Video Rich Results by 1,282!
• How Infidigit Elevated Test Bookings by 266% for Orange Health Labs to Deliver A 7X healthier ROI via Local Search
• Mullis & Peake and Itineris: a localised SEO strategic approach for explosive growth: a ROI of 1,335%

Best B2B search marketing initiative – SEO

• Critical Mass – Nissan Business & Fleet: Helping Small Business Owners Find the Right Vehicle for the Job
• Jordan Digital Marketing: How Customer-First Content Helped Ocrolus Gobble Market Share in a Crowded Field
• How LOCALiQ Increased Its Conversions from Organic Search Traffic by 185% with SEO
• Menerva Digital Increased Proofpoint’s B2B Sales Pipeline by +$40.7 Million Via SEO
• Migration strategy for the win. How NP Digital leveraged SEO best practices to increase awareness and boost traffic for Verint.

Agency of the year – PPC

• Block & Tam & La Ligne – Solving 2023’s Top PPC Challenge: Over-reliance on Automation
• DAC & Bridgestone: Returning to Pre-Pandemic Performance
• Rocket Agency X LIV – Leads to Leases with Data-Driven Marketing
• Tombras: Connecting Data + Creativity for Business Results with Topic IQ
• How Wpromote transformed REEF’s paid search strategy to embrace PMax and increase revenue by 131%

Agency of the year – SEO

• Block & Tam & Oak Street Health – Bringing ecommerce and Omnichannel tactics to the health industry, to drive exponential SEO growth for a leading Medicare provider
• HigherVisibility & HOTWORX – Fueling the Fire to Organic Growth
• Rendering a leader in digital 3D solutions. How NP Digital increased Adobe Substance 3D non-branded traffic by 494%.
• How the Stella Rising SEO Team Helped Raise the Profile of Persil® with Modern Consumers Via Organic Search
• How Wpromote helped Peacock build a dynamic search strategy to win big with The Traitors

In-house team of the year – PPC

• Comcast Search Team Accelerates AI-Driven Strategies That Improve Efficiencies by 15% Y/Y
• ServiceMaster Brands In-House Digital Ads team focuses on the ABCs to improve performance for their franchisees.
• Zenni Optical Takes PPC Management In-House: Team Drives 20% Increase in Revenue, 17% Increase in ROAS and turns around overall Business Revenue Trajectory

In-house team of the year – SEO

• DiscoverCars.com‘s Journey from 100k to 160k Monthly SEO Traffic through Innovative A/B Testing
• REA Group – High-performing SEO team keeps Australia’s market-leading property brands at the top of Google

Search Marketer of the Year

• Brodie Clark
• Erin Rooney Doland
• Pete Newman
• Stephan Stratz
• Nicolas Villeneuve

Small agency of the year – PPC

• Scaling New Heights: Recognizing Ace Digital Group Agency of The Year for Stellar PPC Campaign
• How Adcetera Reduced CPA by 71.9% — and Saved a Multi-Location Business
• Big Flare – In-House Strategies That Grow Ecommerce Stores
• Jets.com Soars to New Heights with Bullseye Strategy In the Cockpit
• How Jordan Digital Marketing drove Increased Scale and Efficiency for TrueCar through Early Beta Adoption and Multi-Phase Optimization

Small agency of the year – SEO

• How Conifr Surpassed Traffic Forecasts by 950% Within 10 Months
• Gordon Digital increases SV Partners key word visibility by over 23% in less than 12 months!
• How Growth Marketing Sweden Accelerated swedens biggest car dealer Riddermark Bil’s Revenue with a 100% Traffic Surge
• Sosemo – How content development, on-page optimization and link acquisition grew our client’s non-brand traffic by 1,077% YoY

A huge thank you to our judges

A much-deserved thank you to our awesome group of judges for the 2023 Search Engine Land Awards. Our panel of judges had the difficult assignment of selecting the best of the best from a large number of submissions. Thank you:

• Nicola Agius
• Holly Miller Anderson
• Brett Bodofsky
• Nicole Farley
• Brad Geddes
• Amy Hebdon
• Cory Henke
• Navah Hopkins
• Amanda Jordan
• Joseph Kerschbaum
• Melissa Liu
• Melissa Mackey
• Mordy Oberstein
• Sara Resnick
• Barry Schwartz
• Sara Taher
• Tess Voecks
• Eric Wu