Manchester is full of amazing people, businesses, and things to see and do. Here at Manchester Young Professionals, we’re not exactly backwards in coming forwards when it comes to expressing our love of all things 0161 which is why we thought we’d start a series of blogs that look at some of the most interesting, innovative, and fun businesses in this great city.
So, to kick things off in this new ‘Get To Know’ series, we’re going to be getting to know full-service digital marketing agency, Embryo, which is a Manchester-based company located in the heart of the city. We’re going to be getting to know a bit more about them, what they do, and how their services have helped them become one of Manchester’s most prominent agencies.
Here at Manchester Young Professionals, we work hard to build and promote a diverse community of like-minded people in their 20s and 30s, if you’re one of these people and want to be a part of what we do, then feel free to have a look around our website and check out the events that we have taking place, virtually of course, in the coming weeks and months.
Learning More About Embryo
Who?
Embryo is a company that helps businesses across the UK sell more products and services by growing their online presence in a variety of different ways, as we’ll explain.
The company was founded in 2015 by Ross Green, current Managing Director, who knew that there was space in Manchester for a full-service digital marketing agency that could help companies of all sizes by offering expert, knowledge-led services. The business has 30+ staff and has grown rapidly in the last 12 months, as we head into the heart of 2021, the company expects to grow further and continue to help more and more businesses promote themselves online.
What?
The company is made up of several departments – SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), Content, PPC (Pay Per Click), Digital PR, Operations, Social Media, and Sales. All the departments have their specialist skills and services, the Content team, for instance, spend their days writing copy for Embryo’s clients and their websites. Similarly, the PPC team will work on creating paid advertisements that appear in Google, and other search engines, for specific search terms. All the departments will at some point work together to help complete goals and campaign objectives.
When?
Founded, as we mentioned, in 2015, Embryo is like most businesses in that it operates Monday to Friday during typical business hours – 9-5.
Where?
The business operates in the centre of Manchester and works in an office on Portland Street, which is just off Oxford Road and right near St Peter’s Square, and Manchester Central Library. They moved there in 2020 after previously working in an office near Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
Why?
The ‘Why?’ can be answered by Embryo’s four core values – Togetherness, Curiosity, Innovation and Focus. These four core values drive Embryo forward and help them make good on one of their statements: “Our curiosity is what allows us to understand the problems brands face.”
To learn more about why we spoke to Charlie who works in the Content Department and has done so since he joined Embryo in March 2020. We asked him why Embryo is around, to which he said: “There are so many businesses out there with brilliant products and services that can bring genuine value to people’s lives and, through our cutting-edge services, we can ensure that their brand and company are promoted as much as possible.
“Hearing or seeing that a client of ours is doing well as a direct result of our services, be it through content that has been optimised to target a keyword, or because of an amazing new website, is a feeling that never gets old.
“We’ve kicked off Q1 brilliantly and are super excited about what the rest of the year holds for Embryo, and for our home city of Manchester.”
Why Community Is Important To Embryo
Being situated in the heart of Manchester means that Embryo is part of a community of thriving SME and tech businesses. The business works hard to ensure it uses its presence to do good. One example is their work last year with LGBTQ+ charity, akt, they organised a fundraiser and raffle to raise money for this vital charity that does so much good work for young people who have been left homeless after coming out to family members. In addition, they have partnered with mental health charity Mind and are working alongside them in 2021 to promote their work, and raise money.
Community, however, is a word that has a dual meaning, to Embryo at least. While their work in the wider Manchester area is important, to them, it’s just as vital to cultivate a community within the business. This need has been accelerated during lockdown and Covid-19, as Embryo has morphed into an almost virtual business, for the time being at least. How do they do this, then? Well, daily company-wide meetings at 5 pm are a key component, as are individual department meetings that occur in the morning. These meetings act as bookends to the day and ensure that each and every team member feels part of the business. There are also dedicated channels where team members can praise others and empower people during what is a very difficult time. While no substitute for real-life human interaction, the value that these things have is high and a key way that Embryo has managed to thrive during the pandemic.
Got A Business That You Want Us To Get To Know? Get In Touch!
If you own a business in Manchester, be it a professional services company such as an Embryo, or something completely different, and want to feature in our ‘Get To Know’ series, then please get in touch with us here at Manchester Young Professionals. We love discovering new people and businesses that make Manchester great and would be delighted to let our readers and members get to know you a bit better. Keep your eyes peeled for the next in this exciting series!
