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Blue Compass

Full company profile

uuid000en3k

Namestring
Blue Compass
Legal namestring
Blue Compass
Websiteurl
bluecompass.com
Company typeenum
Private
Founded yearint
2007
Descriptiontext

Blue Compass is a privately held digital marketing and web development agency founded in 2007 by Drew Harden and headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. The firm provides a full-service digital offering spanning custom website design and development, SEO, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), search engine marketing, content marketing, social media marketing, digital branding, UX design, intranet solutions, and media buying. Its anchor technology is Slate CMS, a proprietary content management system with quarterly feature releases, SEO-first metadata tooling, accessibility features, image optimization, and a $300/year add-on analytics product; an entry-level variant, ProSite Essentials, extends Slate CMS to smaller customers.

The company's go-to-market is sales-led and direct, targeting a horizontal mix of Fortune 500 enterprises (Chevron, Sammons Financial Group), mid-market firms (Colonial Group, Lindsay Corporation), local and regional businesses (Des Moines International Airport, Grand View University, DMOS), and adjacent operating subsidiaries (West48 event space). Revenue is generated through project-based engagements and retainer agreements; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Distribution channels are direct sales and website-driven inbound, with no disclosed channel-partner program.

Blue Compass has expanded its product surface over time, launching ProSite Essentials, the U of Blue training program, GEO services, and integrations with OpenAI Ads Manager and Google Performance Max. The firm operates as an independent, bootstrapped company with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or external institutional investors, and is led by founder-CEO Drew Harden alongside a small management team including a Director of Digital Marketing and a Director of Business Development.

Short descriptiontext

Blue Compass is a privately held, West Des Moines-based digital marketing and web development agency founded in 2007, serving Fortune 500, mid-market, and local clients with custom website design, SEO, GEO, paid media, and proprietary Slate CMS technology.

Operating statusenum
Operating
Ownership categoryenum
Headcount rangeband
11–50
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersWest Des Moines, United States
HQ citystring
West Des Moines
HQ countrystring
United States
HQ regionstring
North America
Markets served

Serves global market

Offices1 record

Each record includes

City, Country, Type, Description, Source

Keyword5 values
digital marketing services, web design development, search engine optimization, content management systems, search engine marketing
Industry1 code
1Customer Experience (CX) & Voice of Customer (NPS/CSAT, Journey Research)
CodeMPAAALAHPrimaryYes
NAICS code2 codes
  • Advertising Agencies541810
  • Graphic Design Services541430
SIC code2 codes
  • Services-Advertising Agencies7311
  • Services-Advertising7310
Product category
Digital Marketing Services
GTM motion1 record

Each record includes

Type, Description, Source

Revenue model1 record
1Digital Marketing Services
TypeProfessional Services
Description

Professional services model providing custom web design, development, SEO, and digital marketing strategies. Revenue is generated through project-based engagements and retainer agreements with clients.

Marketing channels8 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Stage, Description, Source

Distribution channels3 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Scope, Target buyer, Description, Source

Cost components4 values
Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
GTM typeB2B
B2B
Offering typeServices
Services
Brand1 of 4 records shown
1Slate CMS
Description

SEO-first custom content management system built by Blue Compass for websites. Features include meta title/description editors, image optimization, WYSIWYG editor, auto-generated sitemaps, schema markup templates, and advanced security.

bluecompass.com
+3 more records
Core offering1 text field

Blue Compass provides custom website design and development services integrated with digital marketing strategies including SEO, SEM, content marketing, social media marketing, digital branding, UX design, and media buying. The agency builds sites on its proprietary Slate CMS platform, which is SEO-first, ADA-compliant, and updated quarterly with new features. Services are delivered on a project or retainer basis to enterprise, mid-market, and local businesses.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Quantifiable outcome1 value
  • 48% average increase in organic search traffic for clients
Product overview1 text field

Blue Compass offers a portfolio of digital marketing services anchored by Slate CMS, their proprietary SEO-optimized content management system. The core offering combines website design and development services with integrated digital marketing solutions including SEO, SEM, content marketing, and social media marketing. Slate CMS serves as the foundational platform with add-on tiers like ProSite Essentials for entry-level needs. Additional services include intranet solutions, digital branding, UX design, media buying, and training programs, all designed to work together as a unified digital marketing ecosystem.

Product and service12 records
1Slate CMS
CategoryContent Management System
2ProSite Essentials
CategoryWebsite Design and Development
3Website Design and Development
CategoryWebsite Design and Development
4Intranet Solutions
CategoryWeb Development
5SEO Services
CategorySearch Engine Optimization
6SEM Services
CategorySearch Engine Marketing
7Content Marketing
CategoryContent Marketing
8Social Media Marketing
CategorySocial Media Marketing
9Digital Branding
CategoryDigital Branding
10Digital Experience Design (UX)
CategoryUser Experience Design
11Media Buying
CategoryMedia Buying
12U of Blue Training Programs
CategoryTraining and Education
Scale indicator3 records

Each record includes

Type, Value, Description, Source

Recent move6 records

Each record includes

Date, Type, Title, Description, Source

Expansion highlight5 records

Each record includes

Type, Description

Peers10 records
1Lessing-Flynn
TypeDirect peer
Description

Des Moines full-service advertising and digital agency serving enterprise and mid-market accounts. Comparable size and service mix with strong regional client base.

2Two Rivers Marketing
TypeDirect peer
Description

Des Moines-based, full-service digital marketing agency of similar size serving enterprise and mid-market clients across multiple verticals. Direct local competitor with comparable service stack (web, SEO, content, branding).

3Strategic America
TypeDirect peer
Description

West Des Moines-headquartered integrated marketing agency with similar mix of web development, digital marketing, and media services for enterprise clients. Closest geographic peer.

4LRXD
TypeDirect peer
Description

Des Moines-based digital marketing and creative agency of comparable size offering web, SEO, branding, and content services. Directly overlapping customer base and service portfolio in the Iowa market.

5VML
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Kansas City-based global marketing agency with strong Midwest heritage offering enterprise-scale brand, digital, and commerce services. Larger incumbent that competes for the same Fortune 500 accounts Blue Compass serves.

6Bounteous
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Denver/Chicago-based digital experience agency with similar full-service web, SEO, and digital marketing capabilities at larger scale. Mid-market/enterprise competitor with stronger geographic reach.

7WebFX
TypeDirect peer
Description

Harrisburg, PA-based digital marketing agency of similar size with comparable SEO, web design, and content marketing offerings for mid-market and enterprise clients. Direct peer in agency business model and scale.

8Thrive Internet Marketing Agency
TypeDirect peer
Description

San Antonio-based full-service digital marketing agency of comparable size specializing in SEO, web design, and social media for mid-market and enterprise clients. Direct peer in service model and customer profile.

9Disruptive Advertising
TypeDirect peer
Description

Lehi, Utah-based digital marketing agency of similar scale focused on PPC, SEO, and web design for mid-market and enterprise clients. Comparable service mix and revenue tier.

10Ten Speed
TypeRegional player
Description

Iowa-based creative and digital marketing agency serving similar enterprise and mid-market clients in the Midwest with web, branding, and content services. Comparable regional peer.

Market position
Strengths5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Weaknesses5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Competitive moat3 records

Each record includes

Type, Details

Key risks6 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Key highlights6 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Named customers7 records

Each record includes

Name, Industry, Type, Use case, Source, UUID

Segment5 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Primary, Description, Pain point addressed, Use case, Source

Ideal customer profile3 records

Each record includes

Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
Yes
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

Integration4 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Description, Source

AI capability4 records

Each record includes

Type, Description, Source

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Feature1 record

Each record includes

Title, Differentiator, Description, Source

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
Profiles7 records

Each record includes

Name, Designation, Designation category, Overview, Profile commentary, Source

Subsidiaries1 record

Each record includes

Name, Acquired on, Relationship type, Type, Business focus

No data
Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

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

M&A

Each record includes

Name, Acquisition type, Announced date, Completed date, Status, Website, News

Investment

Each record includes

Name, Round, Announced date, Lead investor, Website, News

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

Blue Compass

Digital Marketing Servicesbluecompass.com

Blue Compass is a privately held, West Des Moines-based digital marketing and web development agency founded in 2007, serving Fortune 500, mid-market, and local clients with custom website design, SEO, GEO, paid media, and proprietary Slate CMS technology.

What Blue Compass does

Blue Compass is a privately held digital marketing and web development agency founded in 2007 by Drew Harden and headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. The firm provides a full-service digital offering spanning custom website design and development, SEO, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), search engine marketing, content marketing, social media marketing, digital branding, UX design, intranet solutions, and media buying. Its anchor technology is Slate CMS, a proprietary content management system with quarterly feature releases, SEO-first metadata tooling, accessibility features, image optimization, and a $300/year add-on analytics product; an entry-level variant, ProSite Essentials, extends Slate CMS to smaller customers.

The company's go-to-market is sales-led and direct, targeting a horizontal mix of Fortune 500 enterprises (Chevron, Sammons Financial Group), mid-market firms (Colonial Group, Lindsay Corporation), local and regional businesses (Des Moines International Airport, Grand View University, DMOS), and adjacent operating subsidiaries (West48 event space). Revenue is generated through project-based engagements and retainer agreements; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Distribution channels are direct sales and website-driven inbound, with no disclosed channel-partner program.

Blue Compass has expanded its product surface over time, launching ProSite Essentials, the U of Blue training program, GEO services, and integrations with OpenAI Ads Manager and Google Performance Max. The firm operates as an independent, bootstrapped company with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or external institutional investors, and is led by founder-CEO Drew Harden alongside a small management team including a Director of Digital Marketing and a Director of Business Development.

Blue Compass firmographics

Firmographics
Name
Blue Compass
Legal name
Blue Compass
Website
https://bluecompass.com
Company type
Private
Founded year
2007
Operating status
Operating
Headcount range
11–50 employees
Short description
Blue Compass is a privately held, West Des Moines-based digital marketing and web development agency founded in 2007, serving Fortune 500, mid-market, and local clients with custom website design, SEO, GEO, paid media, and proprietary Slate CMS technology.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Blue Compass industry classification

Industry
Product category
Digital Marketing Services
NAICS
Advertising Agencies (541810), Graphic Design Services (541430)
SIC
Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)
akta.pro primary industry
Customer Experience (CX) & Voice of Customer (NPS/CSAT, Journey Research) (MPAAALAH)

Keywords

  • Digital marketing services
  • Web design development
  • Search engine optimization
  • Content management systems
  • Search engine marketing

Where Blue Compass is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
West Des Moines
HQ country
United States
HQ region
North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

Blue Compass business model

Business model
GTM type
B2B
Offering type
Services
Cost components
Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

  1. Digital Marketing Services: Professional services model providing custom web design, development, SEO, and digital marketing strategies. Revenue is generated through project-based engagements and retainer agreements with clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Blue Compass product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Blue Compass provides custom website design and development services integrated with digital marketing strategies including SEO, SEM, content marketing, social media marketing, digital branding, UX design, and media buying. The agency builds sites on its proprietary Slate CMS platform, which is SEO-first, ADA-compliant, and updated quarterly with new features. Services are delivered on a project or retainer basis to enterprise, mid-market, and local businesses.

Product overview

Blue Compass offers a portfolio of digital marketing services anchored by Slate CMS, their proprietary SEO-optimized content management system. The core offering combines website design and development services with integrated digital marketing solutions including SEO, SEM, content marketing, and social media marketing. Slate CMS serves as the foundational platform with add-on tiers like ProSite Essentials for entry-level needs. Additional services include intranet solutions, digital branding, UX design, media buying, and training programs, all designed to work together as a unified digital marketing ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

  • Slate CMS: SEO-first custom content management system built by Blue Compass for websites. Features include meta title/description editors, image optimization, WYSIWYG editor, auto-generated sitemaps, schema markup templates, and advanced security.
  • ProSite Essentials
  • West48
  • U of Blue

Products and services

  • Slate CMS
  • ProSite Essentials
  • Website Design and Development
  • Intranet Solutions
  • SEO Services
  • SEM Services
  • Content Marketing
  • Social Media Marketing
  • Digital Branding
  • Digital Experience Design (UX)
  • Media Buying
  • U of Blue Training Programs

Quantifiable outcome

  • 48% average increase in organic search traffic for clients

Companies that use Blue Compass

Customer profile

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Blue Compass technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability4 records

Feature1 record

Blue Compass partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Blue Compass competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

  • Lessing-Flynn: Des Moines full-service advertising and digital agency serving enterprise and mid-market accounts. Comparable size and service mix with strong regional client base.
  • Two Rivers Marketing: Des Moines-based, full-service digital marketing agency of similar size serving enterprise and mid-market clients across multiple verticals. Direct local competitor with comparable service stack (web, SEO, content, branding).
  • Strategic America: West Des Moines-headquartered integrated marketing agency with similar mix of web development, digital marketing, and media services for enterprise clients. Closest geographic peer.
  • LRXD: Des Moines-based digital marketing and creative agency of comparable size offering web, SEO, branding, and content services. Directly overlapping customer base and service portfolio in the Iowa market.
  • WebFX: Harrisburg, PA-based digital marketing agency of similar size with comparable SEO, web design, and content marketing offerings for mid-market and enterprise clients. Direct peer in agency business model and scale.
  • Thrive Internet Marketing Agency: San Antonio-based full-service digital marketing agency of comparable size specializing in SEO, web design, and social media for mid-market and enterprise clients. Direct peer in service model and customer profile.
  • Disruptive Advertising: Lehi, Utah-based digital marketing agency of similar scale focused on PPC, SEO, and web design for mid-market and enterprise clients. Comparable service mix and revenue tier.

Broad incumbents

  • VML: Kansas City-based global marketing agency with strong Midwest heritage offering enterprise-scale brand, digital, and commerce services. Larger incumbent that competes for the same Fortune 500 accounts Blue Compass serves.
  • Bounteous: Denver/Chicago-based digital experience agency with similar full-service web, SEO, and digital marketing capabilities at larger scale. Mid-market/enterprise competitor with stronger geographic reach.

Regional players

  • Ten Speed: Iowa-based creative and digital marketing agency serving similar enterprise and mid-market clients in the Midwest with web, branding, and content services. Comparable regional peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Blue Compass social profiles

Digital presence

Blue Compass financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Blue Compass leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Blue Compass subsidiaries and ownership

Company hierarchy

Subsidiaries1 record

Blue Compass funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

Blue Compass M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Blue Compass

What does Blue Compass do?

Blue Compass provides custom website design and development services integrated with digital marketing strategies including SEO, SEM, content marketing, social media marketing, digital branding, UX design, and media buying. The agency builds sites on its proprietary Slate CMS platform, which is SEO-first, ADA-compliant, and updated quarterly with new features. Services are delivered on a project or retainer basis to enterprise, mid-market, and local businesses.

Is Blue Compass a public or private company?

Blue Compass is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.

When was Blue Compass founded?

Blue Compass was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is Blue Compass based?

Blue Compass is headquartered in West Des Moines, United States, in the North America region.

How does Blue Compass make money?

One revenue line is on record: digital Marketing Services.

Who are Blue Compass's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Lessing-Flynn, Two Rivers Marketing, Strategic America, LRXD, WebFX, Thrive Internet Marketing Agency and Disruptive Advertising. Broad incumbents are VML and Bounteous. Ten Speed is listed as a regional player.

Does Blue Compass have an API?

No public API is recorded for Blue Compass.

What industry is Blue Compass in?

Blue Compass's product category is Digital Marketing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAALAH, Customer Experience (CX) & Voice of Customer (NPS/CSAT, Journey Research). Its NAICS code is 541810 and its SIC code is 7311.

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