FAQ - Fortress Consulting - Frequently Asked Questions

What types of companies does Fortress work with?

Our portfolio reflects a diverse clientele in terms of size, services, and industry. We’ve worked with billion-dollar corporations, smaller upstart businesses, and medium-sized companies. No matter their size, we strive to work with companies who are as committed to strategy and results as we are.

How Long Will it Take for my Website to be Built?

Our timelines are determined by the size and scope of each individual project. After a kickoff meeting, these details will be set in stone and communicated to the client clearly. Efficiency is a two-way street, so we expect that our clients will provide us with the necessary assets we need in order to keep our deliverables on track.

How Much Does a Typical Project Cost?

Fortress provides custom solutions for each client. This means pricing is determined on a custom basis as well. There are no cookie-cutter, drag-and-drop methods that we use for our clients because we believe in creating an original strategy each time around.

What Are Fortress’ Core Services?

We are proud to offer a broad range of services. These services, ranging from social media to SEO to logo design and many more, can be placed into three core phases or categories. These are branding, web, and marketing.

Where is Fortress Based?

The Fortress headquarters is located in Chicago, but we have clients across the country. We see our office as the best place for internal and external collaboration to happen, so we have a large percentage of Chicago-based clients. Thankfully, with Zoom and other video communication platforms, our long-distance clients are able to feel like they are right there in the room with us, and we love having a large geographic radius of collaboration.

What Makes Fortress Different?

Fortress is client-success obsessed; relentlessly creative; always adaptable; and we have adopted a family-first mentality with everything we do. Additionally, we are a multicultural, multigenerational agency and this layered diversity is a key strength of ours.

Who are Fortress’ Partners?

We’ve been able to partner with several organizations that help us strategically advance our mission of changing our clients’ lives by transforming their brands. A few of these are Google, Hubspot, WordPress, and AWS.

Does Fortress Only Offer Digital Marketing?

Fortress is a digital-focused agency, but we’ve orchestrated award-winning ad campaigns in a variety of mediums, from TV ads, to billboard design, and more.

How much does it cost to hire a marketing agency?

There is no set average cost for hiring a marketing agency because there are a variety of factors that go into determining the total. Total costs fluctuate depending on variables that include:

Pricing models: Monthly, project-based, hourly, and percentage of ad spend are common pricing models.
Service(s) requested: SEO, social media management, pay-per-click, content management, website design, and branding all have different price points.
Scope of work: The complexity and amount of work requested from the agency.
Agency size and expertise: Boutique agencies will often be more affordable, with larger, full-service agencies tending to average higher rates.

How to find the right marketing agency?

When selecting a marketing agency to hire, it is important to have a clear vision of the results you want to achieve. Some indicators to help you choose the right marketing agency include:

Define your scope and objectives: Plan out your specific goals for hiring an agency, as well as the budget you can afford.
Look at track record: Look at case studies, analyze an agency’s signature services, and verify the validity and success of their work.
Check reviews: Read through existing reviews for an agency and pay attention to possible red flags.
Analyze the partnership possibility: Meet the team, try out their communication style, and verify details regarding daily work on your account before hiring.

Is SEO dead or evolving in 2026?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is just as necessary in 2026, as it evolves to fit into a changing market, with various reasons that it is as important as ever. These include:

Information retrieval is still being handled mainly by traditional search engines, such as Google, Microsoft Bing, and Yahoo.
AI tools get their information from original sources found on the web, highlighting the importance of strong SEO to encourage sources to be cited.
Many users still prefer to find their information directly from original sources instead of AI overviews and searches.

Is it worth using a marketing agency?

It is worth using a marketing agency if you are not experiencing high levels of traffic on your website, consistent and steady growth, or do not have time to dedicate to marketing your brand. Benefits of using a marketing agency include:

It removes the stress of writing content for your website.
You are supplied with a clear plan of growth, helping you to stay on track and reach your goals.
There is more free time for you to focus on other aspects of your brand.

How do I know if my digital marketing agency is legit?

There are various ways to determine if a digital marketing agency is legit or not, with the main element being that legitimate marketing takes time and strategy. Some other factors confirming an agency is legit include:

Realistic promises that do not make wild, overnight success claims, since reputable agencies take time to implement a winning strategy.
Their social media accounts are active and up to date.
They are clear and upfront about how they will get your brand to the spot you want, without hiding behind jargon or vague generalizations.
They show team members’ faces and bios on their “About Us” page.

Is AI replacing web design?

No, AI is not replacing web designers, but is working to transform both their workflows and marketing approaches. Some reasons why include:

AI is empowering web designers to utilize the resource to speed up their development process.
Strategy and conversion have become some of the main focuses of web designers, as they lean into strategist roles to align the site with brand goals.
AI-generated websites often lack the depth that web designers are capable of integrating into their websites.

What is the 3-second rule in website design?

The 3-second rule states that you have 3 seconds when a user first visits your website for them to decide whether to stay or not. Some reasons why these first few seconds are important include:

The average attention span is quite short, with audiences forming an opinion on your website in under 5 seconds.
Having a lazy or confusing website can cause audiences to leave and not return.
Embedding clear navigation and a call to action on the first page of your website encourages audiences to move through the website intuitively.
The instant clarity that is provided when clutter is removed promotes engagement.

Which is the most successful marketing tactic?

Some of the most successful marketing tactics rely on an “omnipresence” approach, which aims to make your brand feel “everywhere,” and includes both Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and social media marketing. Taking a closer look at some of these:

Content and omnipresence marketing focus on being visible in multiple places, prioritizing high-quality, genuine content.
SEO helps ensure that your business lands in optimal places in search engines, increasing visibility.
Paid media, when used strategically, helps to accelerate sales and generate a higher level of traffic to your website.

Will AI replace digital marketers?

No, AI will not completely take the place of digital marketers, but it does play an important role in reshaping the industry. Some ways that AI and digital marketers work together include:

AI algorithms have been able to step in for more manual tasks and reporting needs, such as budget pacing, simple data entry, and report-building.
Humans are still indispensable in the business context, as AI lacks empathy and human connection, something that is essential for digital marketing.
Digital marketers are becoming more versed in utilizing different algorithms, allowing for the integration of AI in traditional marketing.

What do marketing agencies actually do?

Marketing agencies' main purpose is to help build businesses in multiple ways, often by starting at the center, which is their website. Some of the core functions of marketing agencies include:

Strategy and research: These include analyzing competitors, creating actionable growth plans, and setting goals for their clients.
Digital marketing and advertising: These include Search Engine Optimization (SEO), paid ads, and automated campaigns, such as email and SMS marketing.
Social media management: This includes creating content online, helping brands to build organic growth.
Data tracking: This includes analyzing data trends and measuring campaign performances, as well as creating strategies to achieve optimal exposure and engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions

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