GRAPEVINE (TX) – Ascend Marketing, a marketing services company specializing in customer engagement, announced today that it has been selected by The Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts to receive a 2017 W³ Award as well as a prestigious Davey Award for its work in the social media marketing space.

“We’re excited about the awards and very appreciative of the acknowledgment. This was a great collective effort between our team and our client partners at Verizon Business Markets” said Rich Herbst, the managing director of Ascend. “Social media marketing is clearly an essential ingredient within the overall marketing mix. We drive ourselves to not only do powerful social media work, but also to integrate social efforts into a smart overarching customer engagement program.”

In creating this successful campaign, Ascend analyzed primary and secondary data to determine what kind of content resonates best with the Verizon Business Markets’ audience. In addition to historical data and industry best practices, we examined a survey of over 9,000 Small Business Rewards (SBR) members, who are participating in the Verizon loyalty program. Kobie Marketing, a long-term partner of Verizon in the loyalty marketing field, administered the survey. The SBR members were asked what types of content would benefit them the most and other questions. Ascend analyzed the responses and used the information to guide its research efforts in terms of finding meaningful content. Ascend’s creative team then applied finishing touches with compelling copy and custom design for each piece of content, including creating unique inspirational quotes on behalf of Verizon.

“We found the right mix of content, with things like helpful tips and strategies for running a successful business as well as information on new technologies, trends, and events,” said Ekaterina Konovalova, Ascend’s Team Leader for Social Media Marketing. “Our formula was very successful.”

The results support that. Over the course of 2016, Ascend created 3,723 brand posts for Verizon Business Markets social handles. On average, the company shared 77 posts per month on each social media channel.

“By focusing on what is relevant and important to our customers, we were able to provide value and inspiration to Verizon Business Markets followers,” said Konovalova. “By the end of the year, engagement per posts exceeded the industry standard 7 times on Facebook, 4.5 times on LinkedIn, and 1.9 times on Twitter.”

Tumara Jordan, Mass Market Business Marketing Group Manager at Verizon, credited Ascend with a creating a “successful” strategy and execution of that strategy.

“Social Media is designed to create conversations and engagement,” said Jordan. “Ascend Marketing was successfully able to use the voice of the customer to curate and formulate more engaging content and create artwork that resonated with our small business followers on a more meaningful level. Illustrating that relevant content is truly king.”

About Ascend

Ascend Marketing is a TX-based company with offices in Grapevine and Austin. Ascend has established itself as an expert in the customer engagement arena, providing a range of services including data, digital marketing, creative services, and technology. Founded in 2004, Ascend employs over 50 professionals and services companies that range from well-funded startups to the Fortune 100. Its successful approach helped the company earn a spot this year in the Inc. 5000 as one of America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies.