A year of giving back to move forward… The Search Seven way

How a strong focus on balancing purpose with profit has seen Search Seven end 2024 on a real high!

Rewind the clock 12 months, and Search Seven – the search marketing agency for social good – had just lost two big client contracts, weeks after recruiting two new people, placing them in a tough position financially.

CEO, Gavin Willis goes on to say, “Just like during COVID, when times get tough, that’s when your values get truly tested.”

“Instead of battening down the hatches, we invested heavily in our team, seeing seven promotions and pay increases across the entire agency. We committed to a brand-new website, brand proposition work, and a brand refresh, and continued to focus heavily on our charity commitments of hosting events that can unite the community and give back.”

Throughout the year, Gavin has spoken at several events about the importance of balancing purpose with profit, saying “If you can focus on your people and what you stand for, everything else will take care of itself.”

“For us, we wanted to keep delivering for our team, our clients, our partner agencies, and of course, our community and the charities we strive to support.”

On Thursday 5th December, Gavin won the highly commended award, in the CEO of the Year category at the Sussex Business Awards, recognising his leadership and commitment to using Search Seven as a vehicle for driving positive change.

Speaking of this recognition, Gavin says “My role as the CEO is to be the ambassador for the agency, to spread the word about the great work we do for our clients, our fantastic team, and of course, our events and what we stand for as an agency – yet it is the team that are the unsung heroes, the engine room that keeps things ticking over, and it is them that help make my vision a reality, in all that they do – they deserve great praise in what we continue to achieve.”

At the start of 2024, Search Seven won the Community Contribution award at the Gatwick Business Diamond Awards – another landmark trophy for the agency – and another testament to how they go above and beyond to engage their team to support the wider community.

2024 has been a record-breaking year for Search Seven with not only the highest amount of team promotions in one year – announcing a new Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer as part of the new roles – but it is also the best year they have had in terms of fundraising, helping to raise and donate £26,000 to charity.

If we were to include activity from October 2023, this would bring the total to over £40,000 raised in 14 months. This began with our first-ever Search Seven Charity Ball back in October 2023, followed by the Back 2 School Charity Event at Shelter Hall in October this year, which raised an incredible £13,000 for charity – the highest amount ever raised at a Search Seven event.

It has also been the best year in terms of leads generated for the agency, with the last few months seeing a surge of leads close, helping them end the year strongly, and resurrecting a recruitment drive as they enter the New Year with a hunger for growth and continuing to be a force for good..

They end 2024 by launching their first-ever CSR e-book ‘#CSR7 – Balancing Purpose with Profit’, which will be available to download for free from the website on December 16th featuring top tips for engaging your team, supporting your community, and boosting your business through charity fundraising with the motto of ‘giving back to move forward’ the overarching message for others to take on board.

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on LinkedIn to keep up to date on all things CSR, PPC, and SEO. Here’s to a great 2025 for Search Seven and long may they continue to be a force for good and lead the way in what it takes to be a business for good.