Digital Natives. Small Business Focused. Minnesota-Based.
Blue Ox Websites & Marketing is based in Minnesota, with remote employees across Central Minnesota and the Twin Cities. We love helping small businesses, startups, and nonprofits get found online so they can spend less time worrying about their website or marketing and more time serving customers.
We’re dedicated to strengthening our local economies and communities, which calls for resilient businesses. Most of our team members stay with us for 8 years or more, not just because we build great websites, but also because we value learning, teamwork, remote work, and family.
What Drives Blue Ox
Mission
We build innovative websites and honest marketing strategies to help small businesses and nonprofits grow—and make a bigger impact in communities.
Vision
We’re here to grow alongside local small businesses and nonprofits, building lasting partnerships that help communities thrive.
Guiding Values
Creativity: Custom solutions, not cookie-cutter.
Reliability: We show up and follow through.
Approachability: No jargon, no gatekeeping.
Community: We grow with the businesses and nonprofits we support.
Remote First
At Blue Ox, we prioritize flexibility and choice while focusing on making meaningful connections with our coworkers and clients. While we’re primarily virtual and WFH, our teams meet in person a few times per year to celebrate accomplishments and brainstorm big, new ideas.
Benefits & Perks
Flexible PTO & Company Holidays
Prioritized work-life balance, with flexible PTO and 23-25 observed days off.
Family Planning
Paid family and medical leave, including for adoption.
Employer-Matching 401K
50-100% retirement matching.
Perks & Stipends
Monthly internet and equipment allowances to support remote work.
Learning & Development
Mentorship from senior team members, conferences, certifications, and online learning opportunities.
And More!
Meet the Blue Ox Team
Meet the team! We’re a small, local crew of real people who care about helping businesses succeed online.
Employees
Logan Gruber
ReFounder / Marketing Director
Base: Sauk Centre, Minnesota
Tenure: 2016
Katie Carlson
Designer / Developer
Base: St. Cloud, Minnesota
Tenure: 2015
Kelsey Meyer
Designer / Developer
Base: St. Joseph, Minnesota
Tenure: 2017
Jonathan Gamble
Writer / SEO
Base: Cottage Grove, Minnesota
Tenure: 2024
Zeineb Kadhkadhi
Social Media / Designer
Base: St. Cloud State University
Tenure: 2018
Jen Gruber
Social Media / Designer
Base: Sauk Centre, Minnesota
Tenure: 2024
Careers At Blue Ox
Application
4 Traits To Look For In An eCommerce Web Development Firm
/in eCommerce, SEO, Web Design, Web Hosting, Web Maintenance, Web SecurityWeb development is a complex process, and with eCommerce web development there are many more factors to take into account.
Instead of users coming to a website to learn about a service, then calling or emailing for more information or an appointment, an eCommerce site contains the entire sales process, and needs the requisite abilities and security to make sure the transaction goes through smoothly, quickly and safely.
eCommerce web development isn’t something you want to trust to just any web developer. A firm like ours can help you build a responsive, secure eCommerce website, so contact us for more information!
Let’s go over 4 traits you’ll want to look for in an eCommerce web development firm.
4 Traits To Look For In An eCommerce Web Development Firm
1. Responsive Web Design
When browsing the internet on your phone, you’ve likely searched for a product, clicked on a search result and been taken to a hard to navigate website. It might even take you to the home page instead of the product you were looking for!
These problems arise when a website isn’t designed to be responsive. An eCommerce web development firm will make one website which will react to whichever kind of device it is being viewed on rather than build a mobile and a desktop site.
2. Site Optimization
Statistics show that 40% of users will abandon a website which takes more than 3 seconds to load. This is especially true for mobile users, who make up nearly ¼ of all eCommerce sales.
In order to keep those customers on your site you’ll want to optimize it to run as quickly as possible by using an eCommerce web development firm. This is not only on the ‘back-end’, but also in the way information, pages and menus are organized and displayed.
3. Search
It’s important to make sure your eCommerce web development firm knows the importance of having a search function on your website. 30% of visitors to eCommerce sites use the search function to find the products they need.
The firm should also be able to employ ‘faceted search’, where users can sort results by color, size, price, manufacturer, etc.
4. Security
All eCommerce web development firms should make sure the sites they build support SSL to encrypt information. This is true not only for credit card and other payment information but also personal information like addresses, phone numbers, emails, etc.
After internalizing these 4 traits, you’ll be able to find a great eCommerce web development firm to work with. Be sure to contact us if you’d like more information about eCommerce websites, or are ready to create or reimagine yours!
5 Ways To Get Better PPC Services By Having A Google Partner
/in Ads, SEOA big part of search engine marketing (SEM) is the pay-per-click, or PPC services a digital marketing firm can provide.
PPC services allow you to pay per click for good positioning on Google search results for certain keywords. PPC services can give your advertising a quick boost to get to the next level, whether you’re looking for sales, leads, or an increase in views/visits.
One recent study found that many small businesses waste 25% of their PPC budgets due to misunderstanding of keywords and other search engine marketing issues. That’s why it’s important to work with a certified Google Partner like Cohlab.
Being a Google Partner means we are trained in various Google advertising methods, including PPC services, and have access to expert help from Google employees anytime we need it, to make sure we deliver the results you’re looking for. Having a Google Partner can greatly impact the effectiveness of your SEM, saving you money in the long term.
5 Ways To Get Better PPC Services By Having A Google Partner
1. Certified Analysts And Account Managers
In order to achieve Google Partner status, a digital marketing firm needs to have employees who are Google certified actively managing clients PPC services. Google keeps track of these certifications on their Google Partner website, and ensures they are up-to-date and that the firm meets Google’s standards.
2. Masters Of AdWords Features
All Google Partner companies must manage a PPC services ad spend of at least $10,000 every 90 days.
Also, Google Partners need to be masters of AdWords and use them in a way which is profitable for their client. Some of the needed skills include:
3. Google-Quality Services
Google reviews a Google Partner’s client accounts to make sure they are giving clients the best PPC services through their quality score ranking. Google also looks at how long clients stay active with digital marketing firms to measure the quality of a Partner.
4. Quick Response
Many Google Partners, including Cohlab, have Google Representatives they can contact at any time a client has an issue without waiting in line.
If your AdWords campaigns are shut down, you’ll continue to lose out on sales until those campaigns are reactivated. Usually, it could take 3 days to address this issue, but with a Google Representative, it can be addressed nearly immediately.
5. Testing And Innovation
PPC services include split testing ads, or running to different versions of ads for the same purpose. Google Partners are required to split test ads to attract the greatest volume of customers to a client’s site.
5 Ways To Get Better PPC Services By Having A Google Partner
/in Ads, SEOA big part of search engine marketing (SEM) is the pay-per-click, or PPC services a digital marketing firm can provide.
PPC services allow you to pay per click for good positioning on Google search results for certain keywords. PPC services can give your advertising a quick boost to get to the next level, whether you’re looking for sales, leads, or an increase in views/visits.
One recent study found that many small businesses waste 25% of their PPC budgets due to misunderstanding of keywords and other search engine marketing issues. That’s why it’s important to work with a certified Google Partner like Cohlab.
Being a Google Partner means we are trained in various Google advertising methods, including PPC services, and have access to expert help from Google employees anytime we need it, to make sure we deliver the results you’re looking for. Having a Google Partner can greatly impact the effectiveness of your SEM, saving you money in the long term.
5 Ways To Get Better PPC Services By Having A Google Partner
1. Certified Analysts And Account Managers
In order to achieve Google Partner status, a digital marketing firm needs to have employees who are Google certified actively managing clients PPC services. Google keeps track of these certifications on their Google Partner website, and ensures they are up-to-date and that the firm meets Google’s standards.
2. Masters Of AdWords Features
All Google Partner companies must manage a PPC services ad spend of at least $10,000 every 90 days.
Also, Google Partners need to be masters of AdWords and use them in a way which is profitable for their client. Some of the needed skills include:
3. Google-Quality Services
Google reviews a Google Partner’s client accounts to make sure they are giving clients the best PPC services through their quality score ranking. Google also looks at how long clients stay active with digital marketing firms to measure the quality of a Partner.
4. Quick Response
Many Google Partners, including Cohlab, have Google Representatives they can contact at any time a client has an issue without waiting in line.
If your AdWords campaigns are shut down, you’ll continue to lose out on sales until those campaigns are reactivated. Usually, it could take 3 days to address this issue, but with a Google Representative, it can be addressed nearly immediately.
5. Testing And Innovation
PPC services include split testing ads, or running to different versions of ads for the same purpose. Google Partners are required to split test ads to attract the greatest volume of customers to a client’s site.