What Silverback Strategies does

Silverback Strategies, Inc. is a privately held, Virginia-based digital performance marketing agency founded in 2007-2008 that serves mid-market and enterprise B2C brands across at least nine verticals, including higher education, financial services and insurance, home services, legal, healthcare, senior living, retail and eCommerce, nonprofit, and luxury hospitality. The firm operates an integrated three-pillar service platform: Paid Media (Paid Search, Paid Social, Performance Creative, Display, and Connected TV), Organic Media (SEO, Content Marketing, Technical SEO, and Social Search Optimization), and Measurement (Media Mix Modeling, Incrementality Testing, Conversion Rate Optimization, Google Analytics setup, and CRM Integration). Underlying technology centers on data-driven marketing analytics and optimization, leveraging machine-learning algorithms for media buying optimization, advanced media mix modeling, and incrementality testing methodologies designed to attribute marketing activity to revenue outcomes rather than vanity metrics. An add-on AI Search Optimization service addresses brand visibility within LLM-driven discovery surfaces such as ChatGPT.

The agency's commercial model is a professional services revenue stream built on project and retainer engagements, with quote-based pricing anchored to client media spend; the company offers free media audits to prospects spending over $50,000 per month on advertising, signaling a consultative, enterprise-oriented go-to-market motion. Distribution is primarily direct enterprise field sales concentrated in the U.S. domestic market, with a regional Virginia/DC Metro focus (Leesburg, VA headquarters and an Alexandria, VA address). The firm holds Premier-tier platform partnerships with Google and Meta plus Semrush Certified Agency Partner status, providing early access to beta features and dedicated partner support. Silverback reports approximately $500 million in cumulative managed media spend, a 73% average client Net Promoter Score, six consecutive years (2015-2020) on the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies list, and multiple workplace awards (Ad Age Best Places to Work in 2017 and 2022, DigiDay Top Boss and Washington Post Best Places to Work in 2021). Leadership comprises CEO and Founder Neil Welsh, President Andrew Nelson, and Vice President of SEO & Content Kurt Lambert, with Ben Johnson appointed Associate Director of SEO in May 2026. The firm has not disclosed any external funding rounds, acquisitions, or institutional investor ownership.

Name

Silverback Strategies

Legal name

Silverback Strategies, Inc.

Website

https://silverbackstrategies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Silverback Strategies is a Virginia-based digital performance marketing agency serving mid-market and enterprise B2C brands with integrated paid media, organic media, and measurement services, managing approximately $500M in media spend across at least nine verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Marketing Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Media Buying Agencies (541830)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Lead Generation & Demand Generation (B2B/B2C) (BPAFAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Programmatic Display & Retargeting (DSP) (MPAAACAE)

Keywords

• Performance marketing agency
• Paid media management
• Search engine optimization
• Marketing analytics services
• Media mix modeling

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Performance Marketing Agency Services: Full-service digital marketing agency providing paid media, SEO, content marketing, and measurement services on a project/retainer basis. Revenue is generated through professional services fees, media management fees, and performance-based engagements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Silverback Strategies is a full-service digital performance marketing agency that plans, executes, and measures paid media (paid search, paid social, performance creative, display, and connected TV), organic media (SEO and content marketing), and analytics/measurement (media mix modeling, incrementality testing, conversion rate optimization) for mid-market B2C brands. Engagements are sold on a professional services / retainer basis, with custom pricing scoped to the client's media spend and goals. Deliverables are aimed at proving incremental revenue impact to client leadership rather than vanity metrics.

Product overview

Silverback Strategies is a performance marketing agency that operates as a unified platform of interconnected marketing services for mid-sized B2C brands. The offering is organized around three core pillars: Paid Media (including Paid Search, Paid Social, Performance Creative, Display, and Connected TV), Organic Media (SEO, Content Marketing, and Technical SEO), and Measurement (Media Mix Modeling, Incrementality Testing, Conversion Rate Optimization, and Google Analytics Setup). The platform also includes an AI Search Optimization service to help brands optimize for discovery in AI-powered search results. Services are designed to work together, with measurement and analytics connecting paid and organic efforts to prove business impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Paid Media Services Full-funnel paid media management across paid search, paid social, performance creative, display advertising, and connected TV, designed to help mid-market B2C brands break through and deliver measurable business results.
• Organic Media Services (SEO and Content Marketing) Organic growth services including SEO management, content marketing, and technical SEO that move beyond rankings and traffic to drive meaningful business outcomes for mid-market B2C brands.
• Measurement Services Analytics and measurement services — including media mix modeling, incrementality testing, conversion rate optimization, Google Analytics setup, and CRM integration — designed to prove marketing's impact on business revenue through statistical testing and channel attribution.
• AI Search Optimization Service offering that helps brands increase visibility and revenue in AI-powered search results by optimizing for large language models and AI search platforms including ChatGPT.

Quantifiable outcome

• 44% more leads with 0% more spend (Meta campaign optimization)
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Meta Business PartnercoreTechnology or IntegrationPlatform partnership providing early access to Meta features, deeper insights into advertising algorithms, and priority support for campaign optimization and strategy development.
• Google Premier PartnercoreTechnology or IntegrationPremier partner status with Google providing access to beta features, dedicated support teams, and advanced training for search, display, YouTube, and shopping advertising capabilities.
• Semrush Certified Agency PartnercoreTechnology or IntegrationCertified partnership with Semrush providing SEO tools, competitor analysis, and keyword research capabilities to support client optimization strategies.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Power Digital Marketing: Mid-market performance marketing agency offering paid media, SEO, and content services to growth-stage and enterprise B2C brands. Directly comparable in service mix, target customer (mid-market consumer brands), and full-funnel approach.
• Tinuiti: Independent performance marketing agency focused on paid media, SEO, and analytics across retail, DTC, and B2C verticals. Comparable in mid-to-large client focus, channel-agnostic media buying, and emphasis on incrementality and measurement.
• PMG: Independent digital agency combining media, creative, and technology for major B2C brands. Directly comparable on data-driven media optimization, premium mid-market to enterprise positioning, and proprietary analytics tooling.
• Disruptive Advertising: Mid-market performance marketing agency providing paid search, paid social, SEO, and lifecycle marketing. Directly comparable in client segment (mid-market), service breadth (paid + organic + measurement), and emphasis on ROI proof.
• WebFX: Full-service digital marketing agency offering SEO, paid media, content, and web design to mid-market and enterprise clients. Comparable in service breadth, mid-market orientation, and long operating history with proprietary performance technology.
• Noble Studios: Independently owned digital agency offering strategy, creative, media, and analytics for mid-market brands. Directly comparable in independence, full-funnel service model, and focus on measurement-driven outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• iProspect: Global performance marketing agency within Dentsu, offering paid search, SEO, and content for enterprise clients. Overlaps significantly in paid media and SEO services but operates at much larger scale under a holding-company parent.
• Merkle: Large performance marketing and customer experience agency under Dentsu, offering media, analytics, and CRM. Comparable in measurement-led positioning and B2C mid-to-enterprise clients, but at significantly larger scale and with broader service portfolio.
• Razorfish: Digital agency within Publicis offering media, creative, and technology transformation for enterprise brands. Comparable in media buying and measurement capabilities but as part of a much larger holding-company portfolio.

Regional players

• Resolution Digital: Australian-based performance marketing agency offering paid media, SEO, and analytics. Comparable in service model and mid-market focus, but primarily serves Australia/New Zealand rather than the US mid-market segment Silverback targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/silverbackstrat
• Facebookfacebook.com/silverbackstrategies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/silverback-strategies
• Instagraminstagram.com/silverbackstrategies

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 Silverback Strategies