Human Bean

What Human Bean does

Human Bean Web Design is a privately held, founder-led digital marketing and web design agency headquartered in Neptune, New Jersey, with a secondary office in Rochester, New York. Founded by Torquato Tasso circa 1998, the firm operates with a 1-10 person team and focuses on small and mid-sized local businesses across Monmouth County and broader New Jersey, with selective work for larger regional and enterprise clients such as Novartis, Rutgers University, Ocean First Bank, and EKR Therapeutics.

The company's core technology stack is built on WordPress as the primary CMS, supplemented by WooCommerce and Magento for e-commerce projects (including Magento 1-to-2 migrations), Google Cloud hosting with Cloudflare CDN and SSL, and Mailchimp for email marketing delivery. The product portfolio centers on custom WordPress website design with conversion-path architecture, a tiered WordPress Maintenance offering (Basic, Basic+, Pro), and the flagship Website as a Service (WaaS) subscription. WaaS bundles custom design, hosting, security, CDN, weekly plugin/WordPress updates, unlimited content edits, and a full site rebuild every 24 months into a $250-$500/month recurring contract with typical 12-24 month commitments. Adjacent services include SEO and local SEO consulting, SEM and paid advertising on Google/Facebook/Instagram, social media marketing, branding and logo design, print and packaging design, video production, and bespoke web and mobile application development.

The business model combines recurring subscription revenue from WaaS and maintenance plans with project-based revenue from one-time website builds at $4,000-$10,000 and lumpy custom application engagements. The go-to-market is direct-to-SMB sales anchored by free website reviews and town-level local SEO pages throughout Monmouth County, complemented by an in-shore outsourcing channel serving other marketing and web development agencies seeking NJ-based development capacity. No external funding has been disclosed, and the firm remains bootstrapped and founder-controlled, with Lisa Emrich serving as Director of SEO, Social Media, and Email Marketing alongside the founder.

Name

Human Bean

Legal name

Human Bean Web Design

Website

https://humanbeanwebdesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Human Bean is a privately held, founder-led WordPress web design and digital marketing agency headquartered in Neptune, NJ, serving small and mid-sized local businesses across Monmouth County and New Jersey with website design, hosting, SEO, and a recurring Website as a Service subscription.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Asbury Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Website as a Service (WaaS): Monthly subscription model offering complete website management including design, hosting, security, maintenance, unlimited content updates, and new website every 24 months. Typical commitment 12-24 months.
2. Traditional Website Design: One-time website design and development projects for custom WordPress websites, eCommerce, and web applications
3. WordPress Maintenance Plans: Fixed-rate monthly maintenance plans (Basic, Basic+, Pro) covering updates, security, backups, and content changes. Hosting available separately from $19-50/month.
4. Digital Marketing Services: SEO consulting, local SEO, SEM, email marketing (Mailchimp), social media marketing, content marketing, and paid advertising services
5. Branding and Creative Services: Brand strategy, logo design, brand identity development, print design, product packaging, and video production services
6. Agency Outsourcing Partner Services: In-shore web development outsourcing for marketing agencies and web development companies, providing design and development capacity

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Human Bean (Human Bean Web Design) is a full-service digital marketing agency that designs and maintains WordPress websites for small businesses, anchored by its all-inclusive Website as a Service (WaaS) subscription bundling design, hosting, security, maintenance, and updates. It also delivers SEO/SEM, email marketing, branding, print design, video production, and custom web application development.

Product overview

Human Bean is a full-service digital marketing agency offering a portfolio of services anchored by WordPress website design and its all-inclusive Website as a Service (WaaS) subscription model. WaaS bundles custom WordPress design, hosting, maintenance, unlimited content updates, and a website refresh every 2 years into a monthly fee. Additional services include dedicated WordPress Maintenance plans (Basic, Basic+, Pro tiers), SEO/SEM, Email Marketing (via Mailchimp), Social Media Marketing, Paid Advertising (Google AdWords, Facebook, Instagram), Branding/Logo Design, Print Design Services, Custom Web Application Development, Video Production, and in-shore outsourcing for agencies. The company operates primarily in Monmouth County, NJ, and serves clients throughout New Jersey and beyond.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Website as a Service (WaaS): A subscription-based website management and hosting service offering custom design, hosting, security, unlimited updates, and a new website every 2 years for a monthly fee.

Products and services

• WordPress Website Design Custom WordPress website design service for small businesses, focused on lead generation, mobile-first design, fast performance, SEO-friendly structure, and clear conversion paths. Sites are built to guide visitors toward taking action.
• Website as a Service (WaaS) All-inclusive monthly subscription covering custom website design, hosting on Google Cloud with Cloudflare CDN and SSL, weekly maintenance and plugin updates, unlimited content updates, SEO best practices, and a brand-new website refresh every 24 months. Priced from $250 to $500/month with a 12-24 month typical partnership commitment.
• WordPress Maintenance Fixed-rate WordPress maintenance plans covering plugin/theme/WordPress updates, monthly backups, security scanning, database maintenance, content updates, and premium security software. Offered in Basic, Basic+, and Pro tiers, with hosting available separately from $19 to $50/month.
• SEO / SEM Services Search engine optimization and search engine marketing services including keyword research, on-page SEO, technical SEO, local SEO optimization, Google Business Profile optimization, SEO content strategy, link building, and analytics reporting. Uses white-hat organic SEO techniques following Google guidelines.
• Email Marketing Services Full-service email marketing agency using the Mailchimp platform. Services include tailored email strategy development, visually striking campaign design, contact list management, campaign scheduling, reporting and analysis, and ongoing optimization.
• Social Media Marketing Social media marketing services identifying the best platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) for B2C and B2B markets, helping businesses reach their target audience and stay connected with existing customers.
• Paid Advertising Paid advertising campaigns including Google AdWords, Facebook, and Instagram ads, designed to generate high-quality traffic and increase conversions with expert team support.
• Branding / Logo Design Brand strategy, brand identity, brand messaging, and logo design services. Develops plans based on behaviors, desires, and motivations that drive users, giving businesses a unique voice.
• Print Design Services Print collateral and marketing material design including business cards, product package design, signage, brochures, posters, trade show booths, magazine ads, and stickers.
• Custom Web Application Development Bespoke web app and iPhone app development for complex client needs, including database-driven applications, e-commerce platforms, and specialized functionality. Past projects include a web app connecting pharma sales reps, opinion leaders, and ER doctors with FaceTime integration, dose calculators, and document libraries.
• In-Shore Web Development (Agency Outsourcing) Web development outsourcing service for marketing agencies, offering affordable in-shore pricing (based in New Jersey), real-time communication without time zone barriers, face-to-face meetings, flexible pricing, and guaranteed satisfaction, with over 26 years of web experience.
• Video Production Video production services for clients, creating cool and effective videos at affordable rates.

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MailchimpcoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial Mailchimp integration partner for email marketing services. Provides certified email marketing platform access and expertise for client campaigns including strategy, design, list management, automation, and analytics reporting.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Squarespace: A major DIY website builder and hosting platform. Functions as a substitute to agency services for SMBs evaluating build vs. buy decisions against offerings like Human Bean's WaaS model.
• WebFX: A large, established digital marketing agency offering web design, SEO, and CRO services. Operates broadly across the same services as Human Bean but at much greater scale and national footprint.
• Wix: A leading DIY website builder platform. Represents the broad incumbents competing with agencies like Human Bean by enabling SMBs to build websites themselves, applying downward pressure on agency pricing power.

Direct peers

• SPINX Digital: A Los Angeles-based digital agency offering web design, development, SEO, and digital marketing. Closely aligned with Human Bean's full-service agency model and small-to-mid-market client focus.
• Maxburst: A New York-based e-commerce and web design agency specializing in WordPress, WooCommerce, and Magento. Directly comparable given Human Bean's WordPress/WooCommerce expertise and similar e-commerce migration work.
• KlientBoost: A digital marketing agency specializing in PPC, SEO, and conversion-focused web design. Comparable to Human Bean's lead-generation-oriented website approach and its bundled SEM/SEO services.
• Blue Corona: A digital marketing agency focused on web design, SEO, PPC, and analytics for SMBs. Comparable peer given shared SMB target market and emphasis on lead-generation performance marketing.
• SmartSites: A New Jersey-based digital agency offering web design, SEO, PPC, and digital marketing services. Strong direct peer given overlapping SMB focus, NJ geographic roots, and similar service portfolio including WordPress design and managed website services.
• Thrive Internet Marketing Agency: A full-service digital marketing agency delivering web design, SEO, social media, and PPC services. Comparable to Human Bean in offering integrated digital marketing services and recurring agency retainer relationships for SMBs.
• Lounge Lizard: A full-service web design and digital marketing agency headquartered in New York with a New Jersey office. Directly comparable to Human Bean in offering custom web design, SEO, branding, and digital marketing services to mid-market and enterprise clients, with similar WordPress and WooCommerce capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HumanBeanWebMarketing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/human-bean-web-design

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Human Bean