Digital growth experts, The SEO Works, is doubling its office space in Sheffield city centre, creating new jobs for the region as part of aggressive expansion plans.
The SEO Works has signed a lease on 8,600 sq ft office space at Fountain Precinct, one of Sheffield’s most iconic central office buildings, situated next to Sheffield City Hall at Barker’s Pool.
With 74 employees, award winning The SEO Works specialises in SEO, PPC, web and paid social advertising and has clients including Decathlon, Rab, Mondaine, Weldricks Pharmacy, the NHS and Denby Pottery.
The team, which was recently voted ‘SEO Agency of the Year’ at the UK Digital Growth Awards, will move from its current 3,788 sq ft base on Scotland Street to its new third floor home complete with open plan offices, meeting rooms and break-out areas for its growing team.
The SEO Works Managing Director, Ben Foster said: “This is an exciting move for us. We had outgrown our current space, having hired 18 staff in the last six months, and have further plans to recruit more this year.
“Having seen rapid growth, award wins and an increasing status within the industry, we wanted a flagship office that matched the agency we have become.
“The move was driven by two factors. The first was all about confirming our confidence in office-based working as a hub, and then secondly, seeing the value of the space and using it to its maximum.
“We are now offering a hybrid working style where staff have the flexibility to work from home and from the office on days of their choice. During the last year remote working has been possible, but still the office is important.
“It is crucial to our culture, how staff work and where ideas are born, better developed and delivered. The new office represents a centre for collaboration and our culture.”
The company also hopes to open an apprentice academy by the end of the year with the aim of recruiting ten apprentices across their departments.
The eight-storey, 100,000 sq ft Fountain Precinct premises has recently undergone a £3.5m refurbishment programme managed by the building consultancy team at Knight Frank for owners Aegon Asset Management.
Improvements have included new landscaping, upgrades to the spacious entrance reception, a collaborative Work Lounge with informal and cafe-style meeting spaces and external terrace, plus newly refurbished offices with air conditioning and LED lighting. A new retail/restaurant unit has also been constructed.
Peter Whiteley, Partner and Head of the Sheffield office of Knight Frank, added: “Fountain Precinct has always had strong appeal to businesses being positioned next to the City Hall at Barkers Pool, yards from the Heart of the City and new retail developments, the legal quarter and close for shopping at Fargate, The Moor and Division Street.
“These offices fit The SEO Works’ style of business and reinforces the critical relationship they want to have with their employees and clients.”
Ric Tsang, Fund Manager at Aegon Asset Management said: “Fountain Precinct has always been an attractive office building, not least due to its prime city centre location. The SEO Works’ space increase is testament to the success of the recent refurbishment works undertaken which have ensured that the building continues to be fit for the future.”
Fountain Precinct’s other occupiers include Handlesbanken, Harrison Goddard Foote, Rider Levett Bucknall, Quidco and 3Squared.
