What Blend Interactive does

Blend Interactive is an independent web agency founded in 2005 and headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, that provides strategy, design, and development services for complex, content-heavy websites. The firm specializes in .NET-based content management platforms, holding Platinum Partner status with both Optimizely (formerly Episerver, partnership since 2008) and Umbraco (since 2013), and a Solutions Partner agreement with Contentstack for headless implementations. Its service portfolio spans content strategy, UX and visual design, CMS implementation and migration, WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility, headless/composable architecture, development coaching, ongoing web operations, and an AI Strategy line introduced in 2024 to address generative search optimization.

The company's revenue model is project-based professional services sold through direct, consultative engagement to enterprise and mid-market clients, with no public pricing or SaaS product. Its primary verticals are healthcare, financial services, higher education, associations, and government, where clients require compliance-grade content management, accessibility, and long-lived platform support; named customers include Sanford Health, Avera Health, UNFCU, Cherry Bekaert, Mechanics Bank, Icertis, Midcontinent Communications, and the South Dakota Unified Judicial System. Notable technical capabilities include Azure AI Search and Solr implementations for knowledge retrieval, custom content models for regulated data, proprietary tools such as a token-replacement system for high-velocity regulatory content, and emergency cloud migrations executed in under three days. Blend is privately held by founders Karla Santi (CEO) and Joe Kepley (CTO), operates with approximately 20-30 employees, and serves clients across North America.

Name

Blend Interactive

Legal name

Blend Interactive, Inc.

Website

https://blendinteractive.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Blend Interactive is an independent web agency that delivers strategy, design, and development services for complex, content-heavy websites on Optimizely, Umbraco, and Contentstack, serving enterprise and mid-market clients in healthcare, financial services, higher education, associations, and government across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sioux Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Strategy and Consulting: Blend offers content strategy, information architecture, and discovery/research services to help organizations plan their web presence before building.
2. Design and Development Services: Full-service web design, front-end development, and CMS implementation services for long-lived, content-heavy sites.
3. CMS Migration Services: Migration services between platforms, cloud transitions, and major CMS version upgrades, including handling complex content transformations.
4. Development Coaching: Ongoing coaching and training for client development and content teams to work confidently in their CMS, including front-end and Optimizely development coaching.
5. Ongoing Support and Optimization: Long-running partnerships continuing past launch, covering support, optimization, and new feature development over multi-year periods.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Blend Interactive is a web strategy, design, and development agency that guides enterprise and mid-market organizations through complex, content-heavy website projects. Their offerings span content strategy and discovery, UX and visual design, .NET CMS implementation and migration (Optimizely, Umbraco, Contentstack), headless architecture, accessibility compliance, and ongoing support and optimization. Engagements range from initial discovery through multi-year support partnerships.

Product overview

Blend Interactive is an independent web agency offering strategy, design, and development services as a unified portfolio rather than a modular software platform. Their service offerings include Strategy, Design, Web Operations, Accessibility, Digital Optimization, .NET Development, Headless architecture, CMS Migration, Development Coaching, and AI Strategy. They specialize in complex content-heavy websites for healthcare, financial services, higher education, associations, and government sectors, primarily implementing on Optimizely and Umbraco CMS platforms as a Platinum Partner for both.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategy Web strategy and content strategy services including discovery, research, user experience planning, and roadmap development to guide organizations through complex web projects before any build work begins.
• Design User experience design, visual design, and front-end development services focused on usability, accessibility, and creating clear communication through consistent design systems.
• Web Operations Ongoing website support, maintenance, optimization, and governance services delivered as multi-year partnerships to help organizations manage their web presence after launch.
• Accessibility WCAG compliance implementation and accessibility design services ensuring websites meet standards including WCAG 2.2 AA, with multilingual support and inclusive design practices.
• Digital Optimization Website optimization services including design audits, performance tuning, and strategic improvements to extend the life and effectiveness of existing websites.
• .NET Development Backend development services using the .NET framework, specializing in Optimizely (formerly Episerver) and Umbraco CMS implementations for enterprise content platforms.
• Headless Headless and composable website architecture using Contentstack, Optimizely SaaS, and Umbraco Heartcore for projects requiring API-first content delivery and offline functionality.
• CMS Migration Content management system migration services including platform transitions (e.g., Ektron to Optimizely, WordPress to Umbraco), version upgrades, and cloud migrations with complete content mapping and redirect planning.
• Development Coaching Training and coaching services for in-house development and content teams to help them work confidently in their own CMS, including front-end development and Optimizely/Umbraco-specific training.
• AI Strategy Consulting services to help organizations prepare their content and website structure for AI search tools and generative AI assistants, including GEO readiness assessments and content optimization.

Quantifiable outcome

• Lighthouse accessibility score of 100 achieved for South Dakota Unified Judicial System website
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

AI capability7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Optimizely (formerly Episerver)coreTechnology or IntegrationBlend Interactive is a Platinum Solution Partner of Optimizely, having worked with the platform since 2008. They were named North American Partner of the Year in 2009 and have four certified developers on staff. The partnership involves CMS implementation, DXP migrations, cloud deployments, and custom integrations for enterprise clients.
• UmbracocoreTechnology or IntegrationBlend is a Platinum Partner of Umbraco with five certified developers on staff. They have been working with Umbraco since 2013 and are also a Contributing Platinum Partner, recognized for contributions to Umbraco's open-source project and community. They offer implementations across versions, including headless setups with Umbraco Heartcore.
• ContentstackcoreTechnology or IntegrationBlend Interactive is a Contentstack Solutions Partner, giving them access to an industry-leading headless CMS to offer alongside their other platform capabilities. Contentstack is used for headless and composable website implementations.
• Oz DigitalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOz Digital worked alongside Blend Interactive and Optimizely on the Florida Department of Emergency Management project, providing collaborative partnership during the emergency cloud migration.
• Lawrence & SchillerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency partnership where Lawrence & Schiller provided communication-focused design direction while Blend handled technical architecture and development for the South Dakota Department of Revenue Umbraco implementation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Velir: Digital agency specializing in Sitecore, Optimizely, and CMS implementations for enterprise clients. Most directly comparable peer given shared focus on .NET CMS platforms, similar size, and analogous enterprise client roster.
• Verndale: Digital experience agency with deep Sitecore, Optimizely, and Adobe expertise serving enterprise B2B and B2C clients. Comparable in CMS platform focus, vertical enterprise strategy, and managed services offerings.
• TA Digital: Digital transformation consultancy focused on CMS, ecommerce, and content platforms including Optimizely and Sitecore. Comparable in enterprise implementation services and partner-led delivery model.
• Phase2: .NET and CMS-focused digital agency with deep Sitecore and Optimizely experience serving nonprofit, association, and enterprise clients. Comparable in technology stack, vertical specialization, and agency size.
• Bluecadet: Digital experience agency specializing in content strategy, design, and CMS implementations for cultural, healthcare, and education clients. Comparable in design-forward, content-heavy, multi-platform approach.
• Brimit: .NET and CMS development agency with experience across Optimizely, Umbraco, and Sitecore. Comparable in technology specialization and project-based enterprise delivery model.
• Smith & Jones: B2B marketing agency combining brand strategy, web design, and CMS implementation for industrial and manufacturing clients. Comparable in agency-of-record model and integration of strategy with design and development.
• Adept Marketing: .NET-focused digital agency with deep Optimizely and Kentico expertise serving mid-market and enterprise clients. Comparable in platform specialization and full-service agency model.
• Elevate Digital: Optimizely-focused digital agency with Platinum-level expertise serving enterprise clients in healthcare, financial services, and B2B. Closely comparable on platform partnership status and vertical specialization.

Broad incumbents

• Perficient: Large public digital consultancy with broad enterprise services including CMS implementations across Optimizely, Sitecore, Adobe, and more. Serves as a broad incumbent competing on scale and breadth rather than Blend-style platform depth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/blendinteractive
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blend-interactive
• Instagraminstagram.com/blendinteractive
• Xx.com/blendtweets

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blend Interactive