An Interview with Daniel Thompson, Co-Founder of Salt Water Digital

Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business?

Daniel Thompson: My partner and I started in 2011 by building niche websites. We would rank them on search engines, place affiliate links, and earn commissions. By 2014, we pivoted to working with local businesses. Initially, we focused on SEO, but quickly realized that effective SEO required a strong web development team. At the same time, clients began asking about Google Ads, so we naturally evolved to include that as a core offering.

Great Companies: What are the various services provided by Salt Water Digital?

Daniel Thompson: We specialize in three main areas:

1. Web Design & Web Management

2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

3. Google Ads

We occasionally take on Facebook advertising projects, but our primary expertise lies in the above three. Most local businesses we work with need at least two of those services to thrive online.

Great Companies: What makes Salt Water Digital different from hundreds of other similar service providers?

Daniel Thompson: I believe our company’s size is a key advantage. We’re small enough to offer personalized service and great value, but experienced enough to deliver excellent results.

My business partner and I have over a decade of hands-on experience with SEO and Google Ads. Our lead web designer has been with us for over eight years and brings exceptional talent to the table. Unlike larger agencies, where junior staff often handle campaigns, we remain personally involved in every project.

We also strike a balance that most freelancers struggle with. Our team of 12 works closely together, so clients don’t have to worry about reliability or inflated costs.

Great Companies: What were the struggles and challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?

Daniel Thompson: Two main challenges stand out:

1. Getting Clients: In the early days, building our client base from scratch was tough. Today, most of our leads come from SEO and referrals—both of which took time and consistent effort to develop.

   • SEO is a long-term game. It’s improved year over year as we’ve refined our strategy.

   • Referrals come from delivering real value, offering competitive pricing, and building long-term relationships.

2. Maintaining Quality at Scale:As agencies grow, the quality often drops when owners step away from day-to-day work. We avoided this by deliberately not trying to become a massive agency. We prefer sustainable, quality-focused growth.

Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does five years down the line look like for Salt Water Digital?

Daniel Thompson: Over the last two years, we doubled in size each year. Now, our focus has shifted from aggressive growth to building a lean, efficient, and client-focused business. We aim to be a company that consistently delivers great results and fosters a healthy, collaborative culture for our team.

Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Daniel Thompson: Salt Water Digital began as a side hustle. We were experimenting with affiliate marketing when we landed our first client. Honestly, I never expected it to turn into my full-time career.

My advice? Just get started. Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Dive in, stay curious, and keep learning. The rest will follow.

Website : saltwaterdigital.com