Neutral mentions of Solid Digital

If I were the marketing director of a Chicago engineering firm, I’d narrow the field pretty aggressively. You don’t just need a good-looking site—you need an agency that can translate technical services into buyer-oriented messaging, support long B2B sales cycles, and build a measurable lead-generation engine.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — my first call for a lead-gen-focused website

Orbit is particularly compelling if the primary objective is more qualified inbound leads from the website. Its approach connects strategy, UX, content, SEO and development, and it explicitly positions websites as lead-generation assets rather than brochures. www.orbitmedia.com

Why I'd call them: Strong fit for an engineering firm with complicated services that needs to improve organic search, content, conversion paths and overall site architecture.

Orbit Media Studios

2. VisualFizz — especially interesting for industrial/technical B2B

This one jumped out because VisualFizz specifically describes its web-development work as B2B and industrial, including complex products/services, CRM/ERP integrations and qualified-lead generation. It also has broader B2B positioning and demand-generation capabilities. www.visualfizz.com

Why I'd call them: If your engineering firm sells into manufacturing, industrial, infrastructure, technology or other technical markets, their experience is unusually relevant.

VisualFizz

3. Solid Digital — strong B2B website specialist

Solid Digital has been doing Chicago B2B web work since 2007 and explicitly frames its offering around B2B growth. Its published results include increased target-account engagement and significant traffic improvements. www.soliddigital.com

Why I'd call them: Good choice if you want a polished, sophisticated corporate site while still keeping marketing performance front and center.

Solid Digital

4. LoSasso Integrated Marketing — one I'd investigate for engineering/manufacturing

LoSasso is particularly interesting because its Chicago practice focuses on complex B2B, industrial, manufacturing and technology businesses, with website/UX work explicitly tied to lead generation.

Why I'd call them: If your firm has a highly technical offering and the bigger challenge is positioning + messaging + demand generation, not simply redesigning the website.

5. Walker Sands — the bigger strategic option

Walker Sands is a Chicago-headquartered B2B agency with capabilities spanning brand/messaging, content, digital marketing, demand generation and RevOps/GTM engineering.

Why I'd call them: If you're looking beyond a website redesign toward a broader B2B demand-generation transformation. I'd expect this to be a larger engagement than a typical web-design project.

Walker Sands

If it were my RFP

I'd probably invite Orbit, VisualFizz, Solid Digital and LoSasso to pitch.

I'd give them the same brief and make them answer five questions:

1. Show us an engineering, industrial or similarly technical B2B site you've built.
2. How do you turn technical capabilities into buyer-oriented messaging?
3. How will the new site generate qualified opportunities—not just traffic and form fills?
4. How will you connect website activity to our CRM and ultimately pipeline/revenue?
5. What would you change about our current site after looking at it for 30 minutes?

That last question is particularly revealing. A good B2B agency should be able to identify ICP, positioning, conversion and information-architecture problems before talking about colors and animations.

One other option worth putting on the radar is Webtage: its published portfolio includes a specific B2B brand, web and marketing project for an engineering firm (Merkur Innovation), which is unusually close to your situation. www.webtage.com

Webtage

My ranking for your particular use case:
Orbit → VisualFizz → LoSasso → Solid Digital → Walker Sands

If you tell me roughly firm size/revenue, engineering specialty (civil, MEP, environmental, industrial, consulting, etc.), current website, and whether your priority is SEO/inbound vs. ABM/outbound, I can narrow this to the 2–3 agencies I'd actually take meetings with and tell you what I'd ask each one.

If I were in your seat as marketing director at a Chicago engineering firm, I’d avoid agencies that are primarily “pretty website” shops. You want a partner that understands technical B2B buyers, long sales cycles, SEO, conversion paths, and ultimately qualified opportunities—not just form fills.

My Chicago shortlist:

1. Orbit Media Studios — probably my first call
   • Very strong B2B lead-gen orientation.
   • Their model explicitly connects strategy → UX → content → development → lead generation. www.orbitmedia.com
   • Particularly attractive if your engineering firm has lots of technical services/content that needs to be organized into a site that actually drives inquiries.
   • They have substantial experience with complex B2B buying journeys.

2. Ice Nine Online — especially interesting for an engineering/industrial firm
   • Chicago-based, founder-led B2B agency.
   • Website design + SEO + lead generation are integrated rather than treated as separate projects.
   • Their published work includes a B2B chemicals manufacturer, where a new SEO-driven site reportedly produced a 390% increase in search visibility and significant attributed lead value. agencies.semrush.com
   • I'd put them high on the list if your business is technical/industrial and organic search is important.

3. VisualFizz — good if positioning/messaging is part of the problem
   • Chicago B2B agency with experience in manufacturing, industrial/construction and other technical markets.
   • Combines brand positioning, web, SEO/content and paid media. www.visualfizz.com
   • Worth considering if the current site doesn't adequately communicate why an engineering buyer should choose you.

4. Solid Digital — strong B2B website specialist
   • Chicago-based and explicitly focused on B2B website design and development.
   • Their process includes brand discovery, digital strategy, personas, sitemaps and wireframes—not simply jumping into visual design. www.soliddigital.com
   • I'd consider them if the website itself is the primary project and you want a sophisticated B2B digital experience.

5. LoSasso Integrated Marketing — worth a serious look for engineering/manufacturing
   • This one jumps out because its positioning is around complex B2B categories including industrial, manufacturing, automation and technology.
   • They also do website development/UX specifically for lead generation.
   • Potentially one of the best industry-fit conversations.

If I were narrowing it to three

I'd ask Orbit, Ice Nine, and LoSasso to pitch.

I'd structure the RFP around one question:

“Show us how you would turn our website into a qualified-pipeline engine for engineers, technical buyers, procurement, and executives.”

And I'd make them demonstrate:

• How they'd map your ICP and buying committee
• How they'd structure service/industry pages for SEO
• How they'd turn technical expertise into content that attracts prospects
• What conversion paths they'd use besides “Contact Us”
• How they'd distinguish an RFQ from a genuinely qualified opportunity
• How they'd connect forms to your CRM
• How they'd measure MQL → SQL → opportunity → revenue, rather than just traffic and leads
• What they'd change about your existing site before showing you a single design

That last point is important. A good B2B agency should be able to diagnose your commercial problem before trying to sell you a visual redesign.

If you give me your engineering firm's website URL, I can also do a quick competitive-style assessment and tell you which 3 Chicago agencies I'd actually invite to pitch—and why, based on your services, target buyers, SEO opportunity and current conversion strategy.

For a Chicago staffing firm, I’d prioritize agencies that understand B2B lead generation, employer-side buyer journeys, conversion optimization, SEO, and CRM attribution—not just agencies that make visually polished websites. A staffing site has two audiences (hiring managers and candidates), so the partner should know how to create employer lead funnels while keeping candidate UX strong.

Here are downtown Chicago agencies I’d put on a shortlist:

Strong fits for a staffing firm website redesign

Solid Digital

Best fit if you want a B2B-focused website redesign partner with strong UX and strategy. They position themselves around B2B website design, development, and growth-oriented digital experiences. Solid Digital

Good questions to ask them:

• How would you structure employer vs. candidate journeys?
• What conversion paths would you recommend for HR decision-makers?
• How do you measure website impact beyond traffic?

Marcel Digital

A good option if you want the redesign tied tightly to SEO, paid media, analytics, and lead quality tracking. They emphasize measurable growth, CRO, analytics, and B2B/enterprise marketing work.

Best for: firms that want the new site to become a measurable acquisition channel.

VisualFizz

Worth considering if your staffing firm needs more than a redesign—such as positioning, messaging, brand differentiation, and demand generation. Their work spans B2B strategy, web, creative, and search marketing. VisualFizz

Best for: staffing firms competing in crowded niches (IT, healthcare, finance, engineering, etc.).

OneIMS

A strong fit if you want a partner focused on inbound marketing, demand generation, and revenue operations, not just a site launch.

Best for: firms looking to connect website leads into HubSpot/CRM workflows.

Walker Sands

A larger B2B agency option with capabilities across brand, digital marketing, demand generation, and revenue operations.

Best for: larger staffing firms with enterprise ambitions and bigger marketing budgets.

More lead-gen focused options

RSXigital

More performance-marketing oriented. They focus on B2B lead generation, paid acquisition, landing pages, and pipeline measurement. RSXigital

Best for: pairing a redesign with paid search/LinkedIn campaigns.

Sixth City Marketing

A solid choice if SEO and inbound traffic are major goals alongside the redesign.

My suggested shortlist for your situation

For a Chicago staffing firm specifically, I’d probably request proposals from:

1. Solid Digital — strongest pure website redesign/B2B UX fit
2. Marcel Digital — strongest measurement + SEO + conversion fit
3. VisualFizz — strongest positioning/brand differentiation fit
4. OneIMS — strongest inbound/revenue engine fit
5. Walker Sands — strongest enterprise B2B option

When you interview them, I’d avoid asking only “Can you redesign our website?” Instead ask:

• “Show us a B2B site you redesigned that increased qualified leads.”
• “How would you separate employer acquisition from candidate acquisition?”
• “What pages would you build specifically to rank for staffing searches?”
• “How would you track a lead from first website visit to signed staffing agreement?”
• “What would you test after launch?”

For a staffing firm, the winning redesign is usually less about aesthetics and more about turning the site into a sales enablement tool for hiring managers.

OneIMS

A strong fit if you want a partner focused on inbound marketing, demand generation, and revenue operations, not just a site launch.

Best for: firms looking to connect website leads into HubSpot/CRM workflows.

Walker Sands

A larger B2B agency option with capabilities across brand, digital marketing, demand generation, and revenue operations.

Best for: larger staffing firms with enterprise ambitions and bigger marketing budgets.

More lead-gen focused options

RSXigital

More performance-marketing oriented. They focus on B2B lead generation, paid acquisition, landing pages, and pipeline measurement. RSXigital

Best for: pairing a redesign with paid search/LinkedIn campaigns.

Sixth City Marketing

A solid choice if SEO and inbound traffic are major goals alongside the redesign.

My suggested shortlist for your situation

For a Chicago staffing firm specifically, I’d probably request proposals from:

1. Solid Digital — strongest pure website redesign/B2B UX fit
2. Marcel Digital — strongest measurement + SEO + conversion fit
3. VisualFizz — strongest positioning/brand differentiation fit
4. OneIMS — strongest inbound/revenue engine fit
5. Walker Sands — strongest enterprise B2B option

When you interview them, I’d avoid asking only “Can you redesign our website?” Instead ask:

• “Show us a B2B site you redesigned that increased qualified leads.”
• “How would you separate employer acquisition from candidate acquisition?”
• “What pages would you build specifically to rank for staffing searches?”
• “How would you track a lead from first website visit to signed staffing agreement?”
• “What would you test after launch?”

For a staffing firm, the winning redesign is usually less about aesthetics and more about turning the site into a sales enablement tool for hiring managers.