Leading Scottish digital marketing agency makes the move to employee ownership

Clean Digital puts trust in its people by putting them right at the heart of the business

Clean Digital, a leading digital marketing agency, has announced it has completed the move into employee ownership. From today 6 June the Leith-based agency’s 17 strong team are officially employee-owners and will have a significant and meaningful stake in the business.

The equity of the business has been placed into an Employee Ownership Trust with trustees charged with safeguarding the business on behalf of the company’s staff members. To make this happen, the owner has sold their shares to the trust, which will be paid for through company profits over a number of years.

Specialising in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, Clean Digital has been at the forefront of the Digital Marketing industry since 2012 – delivering bespoke PPC strategies that make campaigns more profitable.

Following the transition. Managing Director Rory Young will continue to lead the business alongside two newly appointed Board Directors, ensuring everything is running effectively from a top level. Rory joined the business in 2013 and managed it with his business partner, Rod Richmond, until 2020 when he took over as the sole business owner.

Rory Young said: “It’s been an exciting journey for us! After over a decade of success in the market, we’re thrilled to announce that Clean Digital is now fully employee owned. In recent years we have been focused on developing a long-term plan and importantly thinking about a fairer structure. Our business has performed incredibly well and continues to grow in the market, and we wanted to reward the hard work and commitment of our people. We pride ourselves on being an innovative, dynamic agency. Giving our staff transparency and reassurance moving forward, as well as placing them at the heart of the business was of utmost importance.

“An Employee Ownership Trust was right for us because it embodies our company culture, one where we all feel responsible for the business performance and success. Also, it reflects our long-held belief that the success of the company comes from having a brilliant, positively engaged team where everyone is personally invested and plays their part to ensure that we deliver.”

An employee ownership company shares its responsibilities and rewards with the wider team with no change in leadership or business location. Also, it has a positive impact on society by sustaining jobs in the local community, creating greater income equality and faster job creation.

The Clean Digital employees will be represented by two Trustee Directors, these Trustee Directors will be elected by every employee with at least six months service. To be up for nomination, they need to have been with the business for two years. Elected employees will be in place for one to three years but can also be in for consecutive terms.

Young continued: “We’re committed to investing in our people and the employee ownership model will provide long term stability for all colleagues, whose future has now been safeguarded. It’s a great way to reward staff, an attractive benefit for new talent and it helps to future proof the business with succession planning. Ultimately, we’re now putting our trust in the people that make this business what it is. They now have a real stake in the business, and we’re all very excited about this new era as we focus on our next phase of growth.”

Over the past two years, Clean Digital has experienced significant growth, with an average revenue increase of fifty five percent. This expansion has led to a rise in employee numbers, moving from 10 to 17, as the company continues to attract top talent. Moreover, Clean Digital has significantly enhanced their data and analytics offering, further solidifying its position as a leading PPC marketing agency in the industry.

Baxendale Employee Ownership, experts in employee ownership trusts and alternative ownership models, assisted in Clean Digital’s transition to an employee-owned company.

Ewan Hall, Director at Baxendale Employee Ownership, said: “Employee Ownership has been around for decades, but we have seen a real acceleration in the sector recently as more and more businesses become aware of it as an ownership option. In particular, we are seeing more businesses like Clean Digital and owners like Rory Young consider it earlier in their business’ development.

“Employee Ownership is not just for retiring owners coming to the end of their working lives; it also works for dynamic young businesses and founders who want a broader, fairer ownership structure that incentivises future success and recognises the collective effort that will support this.”

Clean Digital’s technical specialisation in PPC, combined with a holistic approach to data, delivers unparalleled results for its clients’ digital marketing endeavours. At its Edinburgh-based PPC agency, they expertly manage clients’ campaigns by crafting bespoke strategies that maximise profitability, while its dedicated Data & Analytics team ensures precise tracking and insightful reporting.

It works with some of the UK’s largest brands and is trusted by 100+ of the best companies in the world.  Fraser Smith, Head of Client Services, has been with the business since 2015.

Fraser commented: “Moving to being fully employee owned is incredibly exciting and opens up opportunities to share in Clean Digital’s success and to shape our futures by placing the lifeblood of any organisation, its employees, at the heart of every decision. We’ve seen incredible growth over the last few years and now boast our biggest and best team to date. Our continued success reflects our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional results for our clients while fostering a dynamic and innovative work environment. The move to being employee owned should only accelerate that growth and provide a haven for our team to thrive both professionally and personally.”

Clean Digital prides itself on a strong relationship with its clients such as Dobbies Garden Centre and Arden University, who they have supported with PPC advertising. The digital marketing agency believes becoming an employee-owned company will be beneficial to Clean Digital’s ongoing partnerships and help secure further business growth.

Louise Niven, Customer Director at Dobbies Garden Centres, said: “Clean Digital are very much an extension of our team, having supported on some of our biggest campaigns to-date with strong results delivered. This is an exciting step forward in their future, and we wish them all the best with this development.”

Arden University has praised Clean Digital for its move to an employee-owned business. Ronny Nilsson, Head of Demand Generation at Arden University, commented: “Working with Clean Digital has been a collaborative, rewarding experience, and their focus on innovation alongside a results-driven approach has significantly boosted our digital presence.

“Their move to become an employee-owned business is a reflection of their core values, ensuring that those who are closest to the work and who understand our needs most intimately are now at the heart of the decision-making process. We look forward to continuing our partnership during this exciting new chapter in Clean Digital’s journey.”

To find out more about Clean Digital and their track record in maximising client’s profit through PPC, not just revenue, bookings or leads, please go to cleandigital.co.uk