Marketing Agency for Startups
Find what works with small tests, then put money behind it.
Softscotch is a marketing agency for startups that tests before it scales. We set up tracking from day one, run small, controlled experiments on search and social, and only put more budget behind what brings real customers.
How a marketing agency for startups helps you find what works
A startup has little money, no marketing history and a lot to prove. Spending on the wrong channel for three months can hurt. We help you get the message right, measure everything from the start and test one channel at a time before you scale.
Get the message right first
We help you explain the problem you solve in the words customers use. Clear positioning (how you describe what makes you different) makes every ad and page work harder.
See how we can help ↗Tracking from day one
Before any money is spent, we set up conversion tracking (recording sign-ups, demos and purchases) so every test gives you an answer you can trust.
See how we can help ↗Small, controlled ad tests
We test Google, Meta or LinkedIn ads with a set budget and a clear stop rule. If a test does not work, you lose a little, not a lot.
See how we can help ↗A landing page for each test
Each test gets its own page with one message and one action, so you learn which offer and audience work.
See how we can help ↗Search traffic that builds over time
SEO (search engine optimization) is slow to start, but it keeps working. We start early on topics where a new company can compete.
See how we can help ↗Emails that turn sign-ups into customers
A sign-up is not a customer yet. Welcome and onboarding emails help new users get value from your product and come back.
See how we can help ↗How startup marketing is different
Most agency playbooks are built for companies that already have customers, data and a known budget. Startups have none of these yet, so the plan needs to work differently.
No history to learn from
Established companies know which channels work. You do not yet. The first job is to learn quickly and cheaply, not to spend big on a guess.
Limited money and time
Every dollar comes from your runway (the months of cash you have left). Tests need small budgets, clear deadlines and a decision at the end.
Message before promotion
If people do not understand what you do, more ads will not fix it. We make the message clear before we pay to promote it.
Make the next step clear for early customers
Every page should ask for one main action: a sign-up, a waitlist join, a demo request or a first purchase. Too many choices make people leave. Software startups and consumer product startups need different steps, so we plan pages around the searches your customers actually use.
project tracking app for small teams
Someone searching for "project tracking app for small teams" should land on a page that answers that need. The page can show a product demo or photos and explain how to sign up, join a waitlist or make a first purchase.
- What the page explains
- A product demo or photos, plus your offer and a clear next step.
- What you may need to ask
- What they need it for, plus when they want to start.
- What to check next
- Sign-ups.
affordable alternative to enterprise CRM
Someone searching for "affordable alternative to enterprise CRM" should land on a page that answers that need. The page can show your founder story and explain how to sign up, join a waitlist or make a first purchase.
- What the page explains
- Your founder story, plus your offer and a clear next step.
- What you may need to ask
- How they heard about you, plus when they want to start.
- What to check next
- Activated customers.
eco-friendly cleaning products subscription
Someone searching for "eco-friendly cleaning products subscription" should land on a page that answers that need. The page can show early customer reviews and explain how to sign up, join a waitlist or make a first purchase.
- What the page explains
- Early customer reviews, plus your offer and a clear next step.
- What you may need to ask
- The plan or product they want, plus when they want to start.
- What to check next
- Paying customers.
These are example searches for software and consumer product startups. We research your market before choosing the pages and ads to build.
Build search traffic that keeps working
SEO for a startup is a long-term bet that pays off if you start early. A new website will not win the biggest searches in its first year, but it can win specific ones: a problem, a use case or a comparison. Results take months, and no one can promise a ranking.
Start small and specific.
A few pages that answer exact questions can bring your first steady stream of visitors. We grow from there, based on what brings sign-ups and sales.
- project tracking app for small teams
- affordable alternative to enterprise CRM
- eco-friendly cleaning products subscription
What we do to help you get found
We explain the work, make the agreed changes and check what happens after they go live.
Pick searches you can win
We look for searches with clear intent and weaker competition, where a new website has a real chance.
Pages for each problem and use case
One page per problem or use case, written in plain words, helps the right visitors find you and understand you fast.
Comparison and alternative pages
People often search for an alternative to an established tool or brand. Honest comparison pages meet them at that moment.
A sound technical setup
We make sure Google can find and read your pages from launch, with a clean site structure and fast loading on phones.
Show up in AI search answers
Tools like ChatGPT now suggest products. Clear, factual pages help them describe you correctly, though no one can promise a mention.
Grow what is working
We check which pages bring sign-ups, not just visits, and build more of what works. Our SaaS SEO service goes deeper for software startups.
Test paid ads with small, controlled budgets
Paid ads are the fastest way to learn what message and audience work, because results come in days, not months. The risk is spending too much before you know. We run small tests on Google, Meta (Facebook and Instagram) or LinkedIn, each with a set budget and a rule for when to stop.
What counts as a winning test?
We agree the goal before the test starts, such as a cost per sign-up or per first purchase that your business can afford.
If a test misses the goal, you still learn something. We write down what we learned and use it to plan the next test.
What we do with your ads
The ad, the page it opens and the next step need to work together.
Choose the right channel to test first
Google search suits products people already look for. Meta suits consumer products people discover while scrolling. LinkedIn suits business software sold by job title.
Set a budget and a stop rule
Before a test starts, we agree how much to spend, how long to run it and what result counts as a win. No open-ended spending.
Test one idea at a time
We change one thing per test, such as the message, the audience or the offer, so you know what made the difference.
Exclude the wrong people
We remove searches and audiences that will never buy, so a small budget goes further.
Judge by customers, not clicks
A cheap click means nothing if no one signs up or buys. We judge each test by the actions that matter to your business.
Scale only what works
When a test works, we increase the budget step by step and watch that results hold. If they drop, we slow down.
Examples of ads we could plan with you
These show how different searches can need different pages. We choose the actual ads after checking your offer, budget and the rules for your account.
project tracking app for small teams
What the page shows: the advertised offer, plus a product demo or photos.
What to ask: what they need it for, plus when they want to start.
What to check: ad costs and sign-ups.
affordable alternative to enterprise CRM
What the page shows: the advertised offer, plus your founder story.
What to ask: how they heard about you, plus when they want to start.
What to check: ad costs and activated customers.
eco-friendly cleaning products subscription
What the page shows: the advertised offer, plus early customer reviews.
What to ask: the plan or product they want, plus when they want to start.
What to check: ad costs and paying customers.
How we decide when a test has worked
A test is only useful if you know what you are testing and what result counts. Every test we run follows the same simple steps.
Ask one clear question
For example: does this message bring sign-ups from small teams at a cost we can afford?
Set the budget, time and goal
We agree how much to spend, how long to run it and the result that counts as a win, before it starts.
Decide and write it down
Keep it, change it or stop it. Each result goes into a simple test log so lessons are not lost.
Explain your product in words customers use
Founders often describe their product the way they built it. Customers want to know what it does for them. We help you rewrite your homepage and product pages around the customer's problem, and build a separate landing page for each test.
A landing page for each test
If you test two audiences, each gets a page that speaks to them. That way, the results tell you which audience and message work best.
- Say what it does in one line
The first screen should explain the problem you solve and who you solve it for, without jargon.
- Show the product
A short demo, screenshots or product photos help people understand faster than words alone.
- Answer the trust questions
Who is behind it, what early customers say and what happens if it is not right for them.
- One main action per page
A sign-up, waitlist, demo or purchase button that stands out. Keep forms as short as possible.
- Fast and easy on a phone
Many first visits come from social ads on a phone. Slow or clumsy pages waste ad money.
- Every action is recorded
We test that each sign-up, demo request or order is tracked, so tests give real answers.
Give people reasons to trust a new company
People are careful with companies they have never heard of. A clear founder story, a real product demo and honest early reviews help them feel safe trying you. We help you gather and use these, with facts you approve.
Ads built for testing
We make a small set of ad versions, each testing one clear idea, so you learn which message and image bring customers.
- A clear message for the people you want to reach
- Images and words that fit the ad format
- A small test with a result we agree to check
Founder story, demos and early reviews
We help you tell why you started, show the product working and collect honest feedback from early users, with their permission.
- Photos or examples that match the work you offer
- Checks that the facts are right and the material can be used
- Simple captions that explain what someone is seeing
Follow one early customer from first click to sign-up
Here is how one early customer might find a new product, try it and become a paying user, and what we set up at each step.
They see a test ad
A team lead sees a small test ad on LinkedIn about a problem they have. The click is tracked to the ad and the message they saw.
They land and sign up
The landing page repeats the ad's message, shows a short demo and asks for one thing: a free sign-up. The sign-up is recorded.
They get value and pay
Welcome emails help them set up and use the product. When they upgrade to a paid plan, the report shows which ad and page started it.
Turn sign-ups into active customers
Many startups pay for sign-ups and then lose them in the first week. Good follow-up helps new users get value fast. This is where small improvements often make a big difference to what you pay for each real customer.
Welcome and onboarding emails
A short series of emails that helps new users take the first important steps in your product, at the right time.
Simple CRM basics
A CRM (a system to keep track of customers and leads) so demo requests and sales leads reach the right founder or salesperson quickly.
Win back quiet users
Gentle reminders for people who signed up but stopped using the product, plus a way to learn why they left. Messages follow each person's contact choices.
What to spend on at each stage
What makes sense depends on where you are. Here is what we usually focus on, and what we suggest you skip, at each stage.
Pre-launch
Do: sharpen the message, build a simple website and waitlist page, set up tracking and start a few SEO pages. Skip: large ad budgets before you have a product to sell.
First customers
Do: run small ad tests, build a landing page per test, start onboarding emails and gather early reviews. Skip: running every channel at once.
Scaling
Do: put more budget behind proven channels, grow SEO, improve conversion rates and add new channels one at a time. Skip: scaling a channel before its results hold.
Our fee and your ad spend are always separate. We quote after a review, based on your stage and the work you need.
Clear startup marketing work you can see
You get a written plan and the work we agree to deliver, with clear notes on what is done, what needs your input and what comes next.
A positioning and message plan
Who your best early customers are, the problem you solve for them and the words to use on your pages and ads.
Tracking setup
Analytics and conversion tracking for sign-ups, demos and purchases, tested before any ad money is spent.
A test plan
The channels, audiences and messages to test, with a budget, a time limit and a success goal for each.
Landing pages and website fixes
A landing page for each test and clear updates to your homepage and product pages.
Onboarding emails
Welcome and onboarding emails that help new users get value and come back.
Test reports
What each test cost, what it brought and what we learned, in plain words you can share with your team or investors.
When you are ready for more
Start with the core work above. Add these when your stage and budget call for them. The last three link to related industry pages.
Growth strategy
A clear plan for which channels to test, in what order and why.
Growth strategy ↗Fractional CMO
Part-time senior marketing leadership before you hire a full-time head of marketing.
Fractional CMO ↗Conversion tracking
Accurate tracking of sign-ups, demos and purchases across your tools.
Conversion tracking ↗PPC management
Ongoing management of your Google and other pay-per-click ads.
PPC management ↗Meta ads
Facebook and Instagram ads for consumer products and apps.
Meta ads ↗SaaS SEO
Search work built for software startups.
SaaS SEO ↗Website design
A new website that explains your product clearly from day one.
Website design ↗Brand identity
A logo, colors and fonts that make a new company look trustworthy.
Brand identity ↗CRO and A/B testing
Testing page changes to turn more visitors into customers.
CRO and testing ↗SaaS companies
Marketing for software sold on trials, demos and subscriptions.
SaaS marketing ↗Ecommerce brands
Marketing for consumer products sold online.
Ecommerce marketing ↗B2B companies
Marketing for companies that sell to other businesses.
B2B marketing ↗Work behind the numbers
These figures cover our work across clients and industries. They show scale, not a promise of what any one company will get.
2,140+ keywords
Search terms we have ranked on the first page of Google for our clients.
$12M+ in ad spend
Advertising budgets we have managed for clients across search and social platforms.
$28M+ in revenue
Revenue generated for our clients through the marketing we run.
87,200+ leads
Leads generated for our clients and passed to their teams.
Start with a review, then test over the first 12 weeks
Here is how the first three months usually work for a startup. Timing depends on your product, access to your tools and how quickly you can approve the work.
Set up tracking and plan the tests
We review your product, website and any past marketing, sharpen the message, set up tracking and agree the first tests.
- A review of what you have
- The first jobs and who handles them
- Checks that requests are recorded
Run the first small tests
We launch landing pages and small ad tests with set budgets and stop rules, and start the first onboarding emails.
- Changes to the first pages
- A small ad test where agreed
- Checks that replies reach the right team
Decide what to scale
We review what worked, stop what did not, put more budget behind the winners and plan the next round of tests.
- A review of results and costs
- Changes based on what we learned
- A clear plan for the next jobs
Start by sending your website and telling us what you want help with.
Know what is included before you agree
We do not sell fixed startup packages, because a pre-launch app and a funded consumer brand need very different things. After a review, we send a written proposal with the work, our fee, the timing and who does what.
What affects the cost
Your stage: pre-launch work is different from scaling a product that already sells.
Channels: how many channels we test and manage at once.
Build work: how many landing pages, emails and tracking fixes are needed.
Ad spend: paid to the ad platforms directly and always shown separately from our fee.
See what changed, and what to show investors
Your report shows what each test cost and what it brought, in numbers that matter to a startup. These are the same numbers investors and your board tend to ask about, so you can reuse them.
What your report shows
- Cost per sign-up and per customer
What you paid for each sign-up, each active user and each paying customer, by channel and test.
- Activation
How many sign-ups took the key first steps in your product, which shows whether you are attracting the right people.
- Payback
Roughly how long it takes for a customer's payments to cover what you spent to win them, where your data allows.
Early tests are small, so results can be noisy. We say when there is too little data to be sure.
Set up tracking before you spend on ads
Running ads without tracking is like testing with your eyes closed. These basics come first, so every dollar you spend teaches you something.
Analytics on every page
We set up website analytics so you can see where visitors come from and what they do.
Conversion tracking
Sign-ups, demo requests and purchases are recorded and sent back to the ad platforms, so they can learn too.
A simple CRM
Leads and customers are kept in one place, so you can see who became a paying customer.
How to choose a startup marketing agency
Whoever you hire, these questions help you avoid a long, expensive retainer that teaches you nothing.
Which channel would you test first?
A good answer explains why, based on your product and customers, not a standard package.
How will you measure quality?
Look for an answer about sign-ups, active users and paying customers, not clicks and likes.
What happens when a test fails?
Tests will fail sometimes. The agency should have a plan for learning from them and moving on.
Who manages our account?
Know who does the work each week and who you can call with a question.
How can we change or end the agreement?
Read the notice period and terms in the proposal before you sign.
Agency, freelancer or part-time CMO?
A freelancer suits one channel. An agency covers several. A fractional CMO sets direction. Many startups combine them.
Startup marketing questions
Clear answers about the work, the cost, timing and what we need from your team.
What is a startup marketing agency?
It is an agency, often called a digital marketing agency for startups, that helps new companies find their first customers and a repeatable way to grow. The focus is on clear messaging, tracking from day one and small tests, rather than large campaigns built for companies that already know what works.
How much should a startup budget for marketing?
It depends on your stage, your product and how fast you need answers. Pre-launch work can be small. Once you test ads, you need enough ad budget for each test to give a clear result. We do not publish fixed prices. After a review, we send a proposal with our fee and ad spend shown separately.
Do you work with pre-launch startups?
Yes. Before launch we can sharpen your message, build a simple website and waitlist page, set up tracking and start early SEO pages, so you launch with a way to measure what works.
Should we hire an agency, a freelancer or an in-house marketer?
A freelancer is often good for one channel. An agency covers several channels and tracking. An in-house marketer makes sense once you know what works. A part-time fractional CMO can set direction in between. Many startups combine these.
Which channel should a startup test first?
It depends on how people look for products like yours. If they already search for it, Google search ads are a good start. Consumer products often test well on Meta. Business software sold by job title may suit LinkedIn. We recommend one or two to start, not all.
Do startups need SEO this early?
Often, yes, but in a small way. SEO takes months to build, so a few well-chosen pages early on can bring steady visitors later. We keep it focused on searches a new website can realistically win.
Can you help with branding and positioning?
Yes. We help you describe the problem you solve and what makes you different, in words customers use. If you need a logo and visual identity, our brand identity service can help too.
What should we set up before spending on ads?
Website analytics, conversion tracking for sign-ups, demos or purchases, a landing page with one clear action and a simple way to keep track of leads. Without these, you cannot tell which ads are working.
What happens if we raise money and need to scale quickly?
We put more budget behind the channels that have already worked, add new channels one at a time and keep checking that results hold as spend grows. Your proposal can be updated as your needs change.
How long until we see results?
Ad tests can give early answers within a few weeks. SEO usually takes several months. A full picture, including how many sign-ups become paying customers, takes longer. We do not promise growth numbers, but we tell you what each test showed.
How do you decide when a test has worked?
Before each test, we agree the budget, the time limit and the result that counts as a win, such as a cost per sign-up your business can afford. At the end, we keep, change or stop it, and record what we learned.
What reports can we show investors?
Your report covers cost per sign-up, cost per paying customer, activation (how many sign-ups take key first steps) and, where data allows, payback time. These are the kinds of numbers investors often ask about, explained in plain words.
No questions match. Try a different word or choose all questions.
More ways we can help
Before you decide
Explore related industries
Let’s look at your startup together.
Send your website and tell us what you would like to improve. We will explain what we find and talk through the next useful steps with you.