It doesn't take long to realize that Kickbyte's approach to digital marketing is unique. With ideas brewing as continuously as their coffee, this proud Canadian startup is making a name for themselves by building much more than just websites.
Meeting first as colleagues at Telus, Kickbyte's co-founders Arkadiusz Gruszowski and Amy Yu decided to open up their own shop after accumulating over 40 years of combined experience and witnessing real shifts within the industry.
"Our focus is on connecting with people in a memorable and meaningful way," says co-founder Amy Yu.
It's all part of creating a more human experience.
"We recognize that the evolution of technology has put a deep strain on people's relationships," Yu explains. "That's why our focus is on how we can embrace these changes to reconnect people through authentic experiences."
The team agrees it's no longer about building websites that simply provide users with information about a brand. "One way we do this is to use storytelling methods to create a shared sense of community online," Gruszowski adds. Instead, this Edmonton office works diligently to create something much more valuable — an emotional connection.
"You want to experience something when you are interacting with a brand", says Yu. "You want to feel welcomed when you first land on a site. You want to feel understood as you navigate throughout it."
By leveraging cutting edge digital technologies, such as Sitecore and Coveo, Kickbyte is able to help their clients — which include Canadian Western Bank, the Government of Saskatchewan, the University of Regina and Alberta Distance Learning Centre—engage with their customers, citizens, and students in a more meaningful way.
Depending on the client, that could mean a personalized experience, intuitive navigation, or product and service recommendations based on the user's browsing history. "It's all part of creating a more human experience," Gruszowski says.
The same goes for the back-end too, he explains. "One thing we do that often gets left out is that we're not just focused on the end-user. It's also about the users enabling the end-user experience." That means designing in a way that is easy for clients to manage as well.
Yu describes their approach as making sure their solutions are not just beautiful on the outside, but also on the inside (or, in digital-speak, the back-end). What could be more human than that?
