Andy Robson is the founder and Agency Director of SQUIDGY one of Newcastle's best-known digital marketing agencies. He's the perfect person for the job for the simple reason that he refers to himself as a 'digital marketing geek.'
SQUIDGY started in his bedroom over a decade ago. Things have changed a lot since then. Andy is now surrounded by a dedicated team of marketing experts who know how to get you, your product and/or your business noticed.
He’s a busy chap but we’ve managed to catch up with him and find what makes Andy Robson and SQUIDGY tick.
Did you always envisage a career in the Digital/Marketing?
No. It’s something I found my way into. In my late teens I started building websites and, by the time I reached my early twenties I started down the route to SEO. Because the digital landscape in marketing is always shifting, it’s what drew me in and has kept me there.
What has been your career path so far?
I dropped out of Uni just before I qualified as an IT teacher. I switched to being a Financial Advisor just in time for the 2008 credit crunch (great timing) and then became a Business Advisor which was invaluable. After that I headed out into the world of digital marketing.
What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced so far?
Managing growth. Knowing when to expand the team and how to maintain quality output during that expansion. Also, staying agile in a constantly evolving industry has been challenging but crucial. Balancing long-term strategy with shortterm client needs is a fine line to walk.
What is your greatest strength?
I’m naturally a problem solver. I love a puzzle and to me, digital marketing, in particular SEO, is just one giant puzzle. I’m also super detail orientated, so pulling something apart, figuring out how it works, what’s missing and putting it back together is what makes me tick. It serves you very well in SEO!
What are your future aspirations?
I want to continue growing SQUIDGY in a sustainable way. We have targets and goals, but at our core I’m focused on working with the right clients and the right people. I want to continue building a team that’s passionate about what they do and able to deliver sustainable, long term results for our clients.
How do you see your industry evolving in the next 10 years?
It’s impossible to ignore AI. I think for us in particular, I think there’s going to be more emphasis on understanding the impact we have and how that activity plays a part in the wider marketing journey. We need to educate clients on measuring the success of their activity as a helicopter view and not in the weeds, campaign by campaign or tactic by tactic.
How do you like to unwind?
Films. I try to watch at least one or two a week. I’ve tried other things but the way my mind works, if I think of something I have to research it, do it, or just note it down. Watching a film disconnects me from that, and more importantly my phone and laptop.
What has been your proudest achievement?
Beyond my two kids, building SQUIDGY from the ground up. Although I never intended to be an agency, I’m very proud that the reason we evolved from a freelancer to Agency is because people wanted to work with me, but there’s only so many hours in the day and it just made sense to bring people on board and form an Agency. We’ve grown a great team, built even stronger relationships with clients and far more importantly made a sustainable and measurable impact on their business. Seeing a business thrive because of the strategies we’ve implemented is always a proud moment.
Thanks Andy…good luck to you and your team at SQUIDGY.
If you’d like help with your digital marketing or just a chat to find out what it’s all about, here’s an idea. First of all, go onto their website www. squidgy.co where you’ll get a good idea of what they’re all about.
Another route would be to email hey@squidgy.co or give them a call on 0191 243 2632