Managed service provider Datapipe was recognized among analysts but unknown to the industry at large. The company’s managed hosting services and data centers were among the best on the market. Its customer-centric approach was also unique to the cloud space. But when it came to the battle for share of voice, Datapipe was losing to its major competitors.
Datapipe looked to INK, with our roots in enterprise and cloud technology, for an integrated strategy to catapult its brand to the next level. Spoiler alert: it worked.
INK took the time to understand our company, services, and differentiators and got our voice heard in a field crowded with big, household names.
Rich Dolan
Senior Vice President of Marketing, Datapipe
Standing Out in a Crowded Market
In the early days of cloud adoption, businesses faced the challenge of reconciling legacy technology with the nuances of the cloud. Datapipe was one of the first providers to turn this challenge into an opportunity. The company wanted to educate and help enterprises overcome initial cloud skepticism and risk.
Datapipe had the expertise and customer base to show the market the cloud’s value. It also had a unique advantage among a crowded field of voices in being one of the first to work with enterprises. Datapipe’s background proved it was a pioneer capable of paving the way for the rest of the enterprise industry. What INK needed to do was turn this expertise into compelling content.
Thought Leadership Amplified
INK’s multi-faceted plan aimed to strengthen Datapipe’s voice in the industry and its partner programs. Because enterprise customers are people too, our goal was to personalize the Datapipe brand and make it more engaging. We worked with Datapipe’s experts to identify topics that went beyond the expected subject matter.
These insights allowed us to make cloud technology more relatable. INK took over the Datapipe blog and created posts around cultural events like March Madness. Incorporating cultural references illustrated the cloud’s wide impact. Refreshing the blog and positioning Datapipe as a thought leader also helped build a platform on which to amplify its partners, like AWS. At the time the company was acquired, Datapipe’s blog had become a top industry resource.
From Little-Known to Well-Known to Acquired
Taking Datapipe from little-known to well-known didn’t happen overnight. Our relationships with Datapipe’s industry experts was integral to the success of the content program. They ensured we were abreast of the fast-changing market and the needs and interests of Datapipe’s enterprise customers and partners. Datapipe’s average monthly blog views more than doubled with INK’s help. The improved content led to more engaged readers and industry recognition.
In the fall of 2017, Datapipe reached its ultimate goal when industry competitor Rackspace purchased the company, in part for its share of voice in the enterprise cloud space. Industry and technology media covered the acquisition extensively, and there was now no questioning who Datapipe was at this point: a respected leader.
