Rob VanDette

OPTIMIZING BUSINESSES ONE CLICK AT A TIME

By Robbyn Moore

Photos by Dawn Townsend Photography & Design

Internet marketing is the perfect industry for Rob VanDette because it fuses together his knowledge in technology, his drive for creativity and his passion for working with people.

While finishing up his business degree at Hope College, Rob acquired website design experience through personal efforts, which inspired him to start his own internet marketing company. Three weeks after graduation, Rob formed his first limited liability company and gained his first client. “It quickly dawned on me that this was my dream career, and I was good at it,” Rob recalled. “So I stuck with it, and here I am today, 11 years later, owning my own business and loving what I do!”

Affordable Website Specialists provides custom website design, search engine optimization (SEO), social media management and Google Ads pay-perclick management. They have been in business since 2009 and have clients not only in Michigan but also across the world. With all of its employees located in Southeast Michigan, the company takes great pride in keeping small business jobs in the state.

Through cutting-edge internet marketing strategies, the team lives by the motto “turning viewers into customers.” Their personalized attention to treat each customer like family is a hallmark that has kept businesses coming back and referrals coming in. “By design, we aren’t a giant firm,” Rob said. “It has always been our intention to offer value and savings to our customers while also providing excellent, personal service.”

SEO is often a service that appeals to real estate agents since it’s highly important to show up on the first page for the Google search term “real estate agent” for local areas. “Real estate professionals can greatly benefit from our services,” Rob explained. “Most likely, potential homebuyers are doing their searches online and gathering information about the real estate market. We can set up real estate agents with their own customized websites, manage their social media accounts to increase their client base and promote their listings.”

Rob’s greatest satisfaction is knowing that his customers are getting more business, more calls and more leads because of their increased website traffic and standout presence on social media. “It’s fun to create a ‘buzz’ and watch our clients’ accounts grow. It’s an honor to have such a critical role in getting our clients more sales and, ultimately, improving their lives as a result,” Rob said. “Having a business owner tell me that they are having a record year, thanks to our internet marketing services, makes everything I do worthwhile!”

Throughout the years, Rob has seen a great deal of things change in his industry. “When I first started out in 2009, websites were the main focus, but now we also offer social media SEO management such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, as well as online ad management,” he said. “Since the internet is where most people are doing their search for products and services, we switched to offering full-service internet marketing to accommodate the increase in demand.”

Rob has always been an outdoorsy guy. His favorite hobbies include fishing, hunting, gardening and spending time on the lake swimming, boating or snowmobiling. He’s very close with his family, who are known for their stellar cookouts.

For Rob, success is the ability to make a living while doing what he loves. “I really love what I do, and I feel very fortunate to live out my dreams every day; I think my customers can see the passion in my work,” he said. Rob also shared that his commitment to his clients is at the top of his priority list. “I want to be remembered as a people person and a man of character who was dedicated to his work and clients and, of course, as an excellent internet marketer,” Rob concluded.

For more information about Affordable Website Specialists, call 248-770-8408, or visit awspecialists.com.

Rob VanDette, Affordable Website Specialists - Partner Spotlight