At Manchester Digital, we like to interview our members to find out a bit more about what they do and their work in the Greater Manchester digital and technology sphere. This week, we're speaking with Managing Director, Jack Oddy from Soap Media.
Soap offers a wide range of digital services. Can you elaborate on your core strengths and how you differentiate yourselves from other agencies in the Manchester market?
When you compare top digital agencies, the variance between their service delivery and the talents of their team is separated by a percentage point. And, while many of these top agencies describe themselves as holistic or consultative, we take these principles to the next level.
What truly sets us apart is our ability to integrate external market factors and industry-specific nuances into our strategic thinking. We don't just deliver services in isolation; we create marketing and web strategies that consider the broader context of our partners' business landscapes. Each element—whether it's a campaign, service, or task—works cohesively with the others.
We believe that our approach makes complex strategies more understandable and actionable for our clients. It’s about creating a transparent and honest relationship, where we guide our clients through every decision. If a client wants to pursue a specific service to achieve a desired outcome, but we believe a different approach would be more effective, we’ll have that conversation and explain our rationale.
Taking this collaborative approach allows us to lay a foundation of trust and openness which ultimately underpins every decision we make. As custodians of their business, our clients know they can trust us implicitly to support them in reaching their digital goals.
Data-driven marketing is crucial for success. How does Soap leverage data and analytics to drive results for clients?

The digital landscape has evolved rapidly over the last few years, and privacy and consent are now the nucleus around which marketers have to function. Prior to this, in our opinion, our industry had reached a point of metric overkill, often losing the value of what we were tracking and instead just tracking as much as possible.
This increase in data privacy concerns has led to the rise of modelled insights, which may not reflect internal numbers. Instead, marketers have to think more carefully about which data points to monitor, determining the ones deemed most important and valuable to clients.
The advanced custom dashboards we have in place for our clients help us use strategies to import first-party data back into our ad platforms, unifying verified results alongside in-platform data. This empowers our delivery teams to be fully informed as they take action.
In practice, this means that when we observe a trend or anomaly through our dashboards, we can adjust our strategies proactively. For example, if data reveals a drop in engagement from a particular segment, we can swiftly implement targeted campaigns or adjust our approach to address the issue. This agility and precision in leveraging data directly contribute to achieving our clients’ objectives and maximizing their return on investment.
Ultimately, our commitment to integrating detailed data analysis with strategic decision-making enables us to deliver more effective and results-oriented marketing solutions, helping our clients thrive in a competitive landscape.
Can you share a specific example of a successful campaign that demonstrates Soap's expertise in a particular area of digital marketing (e.g., SEO, PPC, social media)?
One specific example that comes to mind is our PPC work with Ideal4Finance. When they approached us, they had live PPC campaigns but lacked the in-house expertise to maximise their ROI. We started our activity by analysing their existing data, competitive landscape, and market trends, to uncover key opportunities and form the basis of our strategy.
One crucial finding we uncovered was the lack of relevance in their original landing pages, leading to high user bounce rates. We addressed this by creating campaign-specific landing pages which enhanced ad relevance and significantly improved their Quality Score. Comprehensive keyword research also allowed us to filter out low-intent traffic and ensure ad spend was focused on the most relevant prospects.
Another key decision we made was to utilise Broad Match keywords when Google revamped its Broad Match algorithm in 2021. By carefully monitoring the rollout with the help of our data scientist, we ensured budget efficiency, leading to substantial growth in conversions. This success allowed us to scale the campaign further, with Ideal4Finance breaking new PPC records almost every month.
Playing a central role in supporting this long-term growth is the personalised dashboard. Packed with real-time data, strategically segmented for macro and micro-level insights, it’s enabled us to gain a much deeper understanding of overall performance and wider campaign impacts.
During our initial PPC activity back in 2022, we achieved a 40% increase in conversion rate, a 27% decrease in the cost of conversions, and a 71% increase in conversions overall. Our more recent efforts have also allowed us to keep growing their account, and since the start of 2024, we’ve achieved a further 9% increase in conversion rate, a 59% increase in conversions, and a 26% increase in revenue from leads.
How do you see the future of digital marketing evolving? What trends or technologies are you most excited about?
One aspect of digital marketing that we’re particularly excited about is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The AI market has been growing exponentially and is expected to exceed $190 billion by 2025. So far, we’ve really enjoyed not only implementing AI into our own day-to-day lives but also witnessing how other businesses are using it.
Beyond automating repetitive tasks, AI is unlocking deeper insights and allowing marketers to implement data-driven decisions that were previously unimaginable. Its value lies in how thoughtfully it’s integrated into specific service areas, and paired with human expertise, to create innovative and effective strategies.
However, while AI offers immense potential in our industry, it’s not a cure-all. The challenge lies in understanding where AI can genuinely enhance strategy and execution, and how brands can adapt to its rapid advancements.
Another major trend on the horizon is Google’s decision to stop the removal of third-party cookies. Although this might be seen as a good thing for the unprepared, we still believe it’s crucial not to rely on cookies for marketing visibility. With around 70% of consumers actively blocking cookies, it’s clear that the industry must evolve. The shift away from cookies will push brands to innovate in how they track and report on digital marketing efforts, leading to new norms in the industry.
As a Manchester-based agency, how do you contribute to the growth of the city's digital ecosystem? What partnerships or initiatives are you involved in?
As a Manchester-based agency, we are committed to contributing to the growth of the city's digital ecosystem by actively seeking partnerships with local brands and charities. Recently, we had the pleasure of working with Manchester Foundation Trust, a rewarding project that allowed us to give back to our community. This experience has inspired us to pursue more opportunities with Manchester and North West-based brands that share our values.
We’re also excited about our involvement with Manchester Digital and DigitalHER, which are helping us deepen our connection to the local digital landscape and support the community.
Looking ahead, we are enthusiastic about an upcoming initiative where we will be engaging with local educational programs to help shape the future digital talent in Manchester. By nurturing and mentoring young people in the digital space, we aim to contribute to their growth and development, ensuring a strong and innovative future for the city’s digital ecosystem. Stay tuned for more details as we continue to invest in Manchester’s vibrant digital community.
Thank you Joseph! Learn more about Soap Media here
