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INBOUND MARKETING EXCELLENCE

Fourth Edition | 2018

Gavriella SchusterForeword

We are living through a period of digital change like the world has never seen. Some are calling it the Fourth Industrial Revolution – a time when digital technology is fundamentally changing the way we live, work and interact with each other. The digital race is on, and those who capitalise on the opportunity will pull out ahead of the pack, exceed the expectations of customers and accelerate their growth in market.

It is time to be bold and loud. In order to cut through all the competition and the noise, our partners that have started their digital transformation journey have found success being strategic and persistent in how they communicate to customers and potential clients. I’ve been very impressed by the way Microso� Partners have embraced content and inbound marketing to spread their messages.

The content marketing examples in this report show how organizations are positioning themselves as thought leaders and industry experts, which strengthens their relationships with customers. I think you’ll find this report very helpful. It breaks down digital marketing motions into measurable results, by independently ranking Microso� Partners on three vital channels: website, blog and social media platforms. The report showcases the best marketing going on in Microso�’s partner channel, and celebrates the hard work of the teams using inbound and content marketing to engage their audiences and provide real value and insight.

Gavriella SchusterCorporate Vice President, Worldwide Channels and Programs at Microso�

TOP 50 | 02

Contents

03 | TOP 50

04Welcome

From Chris Wright , Founder

05About us

What we do

07Ke y f indings

Insights into the report data

12Partners 1-10

Who topped the 2018 l ist?

23An inter vie w with Mitchel l Feldman

The CDO of RedPixie

26Partners 11-30

Our ranking continues

37The Partner Network in numbers

How partners are driv ing digital transformation

39How we ranked partners

Our approach and the tools we used

40Partners 31-50

We complete the Top 50

46Partners 51-250

Read the extended l ist

Chris WrightWelcome

TOP 50 | 04

Welcome to the fourth annual edition of Fi�y Five and Five’s Inbound Marketing Excellence Top 50 report.

It is the role of marketers to move alongside the rapid advancements of technology and the enterprise. The e�orts we’ve seen from Microso� Partners this year have matched and even surpassed the wider industry for innovation and excellence. Check out our key findings on pages 7-11 to dig a little deeper into the data of this year’s results.

As in previous years, we want to celebrate the partners that have helped to raise the bar; not just in terms of inbound marketing, but in strengthening their customer relationships. Everyone featured in this report, from the top spot through to 250, should be extremely proud of their inclusion.

The team here at Fi�y Five and Five has worked tirelessly to create a report that not only highlights and ranks partner marketing e�orts, but also acts as a guide for those wanting to improve.

I would also like to thank Mitchell Feldman at RedPixie for sharing his expertise with us on what makes for great content marketing.

I hope you find this year’s report valuable and use the advice and guidance within to drive your marketing forward in the future.

Chris WrightFounderFi�y Five and Five

Located in Central London, Fi�y Five and Five is a global digital marketing agency dedicated to Microso� Partners.

Founded by Chris Wright, a former IT consultant with over 12 years’ experience working with Microso� Partners, we are a rapidly expanding group of marketers, writers, web and graphic designers and data analysts.

Our client base extends far and wide, from pioneering start-ups to global corporations. Each comes to us with a unique set of challenges that we form a specialist team around to help improve their marketing. What makes us unique is our innate understanding of the Microso� ecosystem, combined with marketing expertise to bring you tangible results, fast.

About us

As experts in the Microso� Partner Network, we are always impressed by the work of partners who continue to re-invent the way the world uses Microso� products, and are paving the way in digital transformation.

We make it our life’s work to help companies communicate more e�ectively, reach new audiences and drive leads through the following services: ▪ Website design and build ▪ Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) ▪ Campaign management ▪ Marketing automation ▪ Social media management ▪ Content marketing ▪ Strategy, insights and research

Fi�y Five and Five

05 | TOP 50

Whether it’s thought-provoking blog posts, informative whitepapers, SEO-driven web content or social engagement, we know how to adapt content to specific audiences. We’ve spent years immersed in the Microso� culture, which is why we choose to work exclusively with partners. Over time we’ve developed an intimate understanding of the di�erent types of Microso� consumer, which we consider an invaluable asset when it comes to broadcasting a business’s market di�erentiation.

We can help you

Speak to one of our fr iendly team to f ind out i f we can help your company be more successful with digital marketing. We work with partners of al l s izes across the globe on projects big and small .

hello@fi�yfiveandfive.com

TOP 50 | 06

Another year, another competitive Top 50. For the 2018 edit ion of our Inbound Marketing Excellence report , we’ve increased the number of Microso� Partners analysed. This year we looked at 39,000 companies – a 56% increase from 2017. With this, we have seen the standards soar, as well as the competit ion increase.

This year, the average di�erence between each placement was 2.18. To put this in perspective, the di�erence between 4th and 5th, for example, could be that extra second it takes for your website to load or the di�erence between writ ing one blog a week and writ ing two. A small change can have a real impact in such a closely-fought competit ion.

How do the scores compare to last year?

The 2018 website scores have increased on average by 4.3%. The social scores have increased by 4.1% and, while the blog scores haven’t increased from last year, the spread of results has narrowed, i .e. the di�erence between each company’s blog score is even closer than last year.

Year

2016

2017

2018

Average Placement Di�erence

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0

Key findings The state of inbound marketingThe state of inbound marketing

07 | TOP 50

A huge improvement in website quality

Our data shows a signif icant increase in website scores – the average score this year was 72. We found four common trends across the best performing websites: freshness of content , social interest , incoming l inks and website speed.

Social interest

Our data shows just how essential i t is for companies to be actively engaged in social platforms. 96% of the Top 50 have a Facebook account and 100% have a Twitter account .

Having a social media account may not necessari ly increase your website score directly but having a structured social sel l ing approach across platforms wil l help improve your v is ibi l i ty onl ine. This is demonstrated below as, among the Top 50, there’s a s ignif icant relat ionship between social impact score (which includes the amount of t imes that people l ike and share website content) and the overal l success of the website.

Top 50 17467

1892

694050

3408263

+823% -391%

Ranking Number of sites that shared the

website link

Website world popularity

ranking

Average

% di�erence from average to Top 50

Incoming l inks

Incoming l inks is another big influencer. This includes the amount of t imes a website l ink has been shared and how many di�erent companies have shared your l inks. Incoming l inks can impact considerably on website popularity. The more websites that are sharing your content , the greater your popularity wil l be.

The table on the r ight , demonstrates that the Top 50 website l inks are being shared by 9.23 t imes more sites. I f you can reach more people with your content , then you increase the chance of them sharing your posts, and wil l improve tra�ic to your website.

Ove

rall

web

site

sco

re

Social impact score

8.4

8.2

8

7.8

7.6

0 5 10

7.4

TOP 50 | 08

Freshness of content

Freshness (or how frequently you update your website) is a ke y predictor for a high website score. The table below demonstrates a consistent di�erence between the Top 50 and the average. The Top 50 post ne w content 5.58 t imes more than the average. Ideal ly, you want to be updating your website with ne w content on a weekly basis . Up-to-date content creates a posit ive impression of your s ite and gives audiences a reason to vis it more o�en.

2016 Top 50Average

Top 50Average

4.615.4

4.621.0

Top 50Average

5.027.9

Year Ranking Frequency of posts (days)

2017

2018

Blogging is key to inbound marketing

Readabil ity

Readabil ity is another influencer. Our results show that the average readabil ity score for blogs is 57 (10 to 12th grade reading level) , while the top score is 60 (8th and 9th grade reading level) . The Top 50 Flesch Reading Ease score has increased by 7.5% since 2017, meaning that readers are leaning towards simpler, easier-to-read blogs. Make sure you’re not getting too technical , as this could put your readers o�.

Days between posts

One of the biggest predictors of a high blog score is days between posts. Through the years, the Top 50 blogging frequency has remained relatively stable: an average of ever y 4-5 days. In 2018, the Top 50 are posting almost three t imes as frequently as the average. Ideally you want to be posting on a weekly basis to maintain blog popularity.

Top

50

15.4

Aver

age

Top

50

Aver

age

Top

50

Aver

age

2016

2017

25

20

15

10

5

0 20185

14

4.64.6

21

09 | TOP 50

Day

s B

etw

een

Post

s

Yearly Comparison

Word count

When it comes to word count, the magic number appears to be around 800-1000 words per blog, while the average post blogs with around 500-600 words. This year’s Top 50 use 82% more words per blog than the average.

Images

A big block of writing can be daunting for the readers, and images are a great way to break up text, so your audience isn’t drowning in words. From 2016-2018, we can see that the Top 50 blogs have featured between 2-3 images per blog.

56%56%The increase in

companies from 2017

2016 Top 50Average

Top 50Average

878552

970573

Top 50Average

975535

Ranking Words per blogs

2017

2018

2016 Top 50Average

Top 50Average

3.21.99

2.431.9

Top 50Average

3.851.3

Ranking Number of images per blog

2017

2018

39,00039,000The amount of companies we

looked at in 2018

TOP 50 | 10

1st Rackspace

Cloudera

97

92

BMC So�ware 91

Ranking Score

2nd

3rd

Which partners stood out for each channel?

The placings in the report are based on a weighted average of web, blog and social scores.We feel this gives a good balance of 'digital marketing' e�ectiveness. But which partners stand out for their individual channel e�orts? Who topped the web rankings, placed highest for their blog, and won the race for social dominance? Let's f ind out with a look at the Top 5 partners per channel.

Website SocialBlog

11 | TOP 50

PEI 914th

Nutanix 905th

1st harmon.ie

Blue Star

80

75

Binary Tree 75

Ranking Score

2nd

3rd

PDQ 734th

RedPixie 735th

1st SQS

Rackspace

80

79

Veeam 79

Ranking Score

2nd

3rd

Flexential 794th

OnRamp 785th

PARTNERS1 TO 10

Rackspace p13Veeam p14Nintex p15Nuix p16Imper va p17OnRamp p18AvePoint p19BetterCloud p20RedPixie p21Sharegate p22

The companies listed here practice the very best inbound marketing techniques across their websites, blogging output and social activity.

TOP 50 | 12

79/10079/100Website

Rackspace 01Founded in 1999, Rackspace is one of the world’s leading managed cloud providers. With 3,000+ dedicated hosting engineers and 2500+ Microso� certi f ications worldwide, Rackspace has worked closely with Microso� since 2001, o�ering unparalleled expertise in today’s multi-cloud world. Five-t ime Hosting Partner of the Year, Rackspace’s results-driven approach to customer support is at the core of what it does and sets it apart .

A social presence that simply blew away the competition

Talk about making a perfect entrance! Rackspace has s imply blown away the rest of the competit ion, debuting at the top of 2018’s Inbound Marketing Excel lence report . In fact , in a highly competit ive year, the di�erence between 1st and 2nd is greater than that between 2nd and 10th. So, what sets Rackspace so far out in f ront?

An excel lent website achie ved a high score across al l our cr i ter ia, but what real ly makes the di�erence for Rackspace, is i ts unparal leled social media score. 97/100 is a historic al l - t ime high score in the Top 50. The ke y to this is Rackspace’s immense fol lowing on Twitter and Facebook . As Rackspace upholds incredibly high standards for customer ser vice, i t ’s no surprise to see the organisation using social channels to reach out to i ts customers with insightful and engaging content .

Our Verdict

San Antonia, TX, USA

@Rackspace

rackspace.com

67/10067/100Blog

97/10097/100Social

13 | TOP 50

In a remarkable year for new entries in the Top 50, Veeam enters our l ist in second posit ion. A website score of 79 highl ights just how well optimised i ts onl ine presence is for marketing purposes – in part icular, i ts optimisation for social media. The website is heavi ly shared, extremely well l inked to and scored exceptionally wel l for i ts Twitter and Facebook inf luence. The fact that there was only one website score that was higher than Veeam’s emphasises just how good it is .

Veeam also scored highly on social media – i ts Twitter and Facebook fol lowings were as high as any other Microso� Partner on the l ist . What’s more, Veeam creates content across their social channels that is regularly shared, whether that is an insightful thought leadership or the latest ne ws from its wel l -attended e vents.

Our Verdict

Veeam 02A global leader in Intelligent Data Management, Veeam has been pioneering how companies manage, access and make use of their data since 2006. Veeam has more than 294,000 customers and over 55,000 partners worldwide. The organisation’s Hyper-Availabil ity Platform is the latest in its

ground-breaking approaches to data management .

A new entry in second place

Boston, MA, USA

@Veeam

veeam.com

TOP 50 | 14

79/10079/100Website

63/10063/100Blog

88/10088/100Social

75/10075/100Website

Nintex03Nintex, founded in 2006, is the world’s leader in intel l igent process automation ( IPA) with more than 7,500 enterprise cl ients and 1,700 partners in 90 countries around the world. Nintex’s cloud platform, Nintex Workflow Cloud, gives organisations the tools to quickly and easily automate, orchestrate and optimise workflows and processes and speed up digital transformation.

An improvement in social pushes Nintex up one place

This year, Nintex jumps up one place into 3rd position. Achieving a solid performance in all categories, Nintex can put its rise in the rankings down to an improved social media score. Through its social channels, Nintex reaches out to its target audience with an inspired mix of thought leadership, insight, news and events, and webinars that never fail to engage.

Recently, Nintex has refreshed the messaging on its homepage, o�ering whitepapers and blog content that really demonstrates the extent of Nintex’s thought leadership. Clear and consistent messaging across its website, blog and social presence helps establish the Nintex brand. Nintex’s website also scores well for its quick load time, its accessibility and its optimisation for sharing across social.

Our Verdict

Bellevue, Wa, USA

@Nintex

nintex.com

69/10069/100Blog

81/10081/100Social

15 | TOP 50

79/10079/100Social

2017’s standout partner in our Inbound Marketing Excellence report , Nuix, moves down three places from 1st to 4th. With so much competition and 39,000 partners to compete against , the team at Nuix can remain proud of its position this year and keep their heads held high. Nuix’s digital marketing e�orts continue to impress us. In particular, a new website design with a bold homepage and easy-to-use navigation, makes a big impression.

A drop in its blog score mirrors a trend across the board this year. Elsewhere, Nuix achieve a f ine score for social media presence – a sl ight improvement on last year. This is down to the variety of content shared on Twitter, including news, events, infographics, videos and case studies on a range of relevant topics.

Our Verdict77/10077/100

Website

68/10068/100Blog

Nuix 04Founded in 2000, Nuix help customers solve complex data and cybersecurity challenges. Built to understand the DNA of data at an enormous scale, Nuix’s solutions enable customers to analyse and make sense of huge quantit ies of information. Although originating in Austral ia, Nuix is now headquartered in the United States and has more than 400 employees and a network of partners

across 60 countries.

Another high position rewards outstanding digital marketing

Herndon, VA, USA

@nuix

nuix.com

TOP 50 | 16

Imperva05Imperva is a leading provider of security solutions for companies looking to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals in an increasingly complex cybersecurity landscape. Founded in 2002, Imper va has over 5,200 customers and more than 500 partners in 100+ countries worldwide. Imper va is committed to protecting what they see as mattering most : data and applications.

Social media ace surges up the Top 50

A 24 place surge up the rankings drives Imper va into 5th place in this year’s Top 50. Imper va deser ves i ts posit ion up there with the el i te of Microso� Partners due to a sol id al l -round performance; although, we must highl ight i ts website and pick out an exceptional social media score.

Imper va’s high social media score is largely due to i ts astronomical number of fol lowers, with the social team reaching out to i ts 110k fol lowers with numerous posts dai ly. These posts are o�en useful t ips and hints for i ts customers, while at the same t ime, the y display thought leadership and expert ise in Imper va’s special ist area. Imper va’s website score is boosted by i ts optimisation for sharing, including i ts s ignif icant Twitter inf luence and Facebook fol lowing.

Our Verdict

Redwood Shores, CA, USA

@Imperva

imperva.com

67/10067/100Blog

84/10084/100Social

17 | TOP 50

75/10075/100Website

67/10067/100Blog

A sensational 128-place ascent into the Top 10, marks OnRamp out as one of the big movers in our Inbound Marketing Excel lence report in 2018. OnRamp ranked part icularly wel l for i ts website, which scored highly on i ts accessibi l i ty and technology, i .e . how well i t is bui lt . Quick to load and with an excel lent search faci l i ty, the OnRamp website makes l i fe easy for i ts v is itors at e ver y avai lable opportunity – an exceptional customer experience.

On social , OnRamp posts regularly, l inking to i ts own blog as wel l as to respected publications. These posts are tai lored to i ts target audience, talking directly to the healthcare, f inancial and education sectors. L ike many other partners this year, OnRamp’s blog hasn’t performed as well as i ts website or social . Posting ne w blogs more frequently should rect i fy this .

Our Verdict

OnRamp 06OnRamp is a datacentre services provider, focused on high security, compliance and hybrid hosting. I ts mission is to provide its customers with f lexible solutions that maintain the security and compliance of their infrastructure. Founded in 1994, OnRamp has always put security at the core of ever ything it does and special ises in providing solutions for the healthcare, f inancial and education

sectors.

A website that puts customer experience first

Austin, TX, USA

@onrampaccess

onr.com

TOP 50 | 18

77/10077/100Social

78/10078/100Website

74/10074/100Website

AvePoint07Over 15 years, AvePoint has become one of the major players in SharePoint and O�ice 365 content migration. The company also provides tools for SharePoint management and security to ensure any environment is kept secure. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Jersey City, NJ, AvePoint has over 15,000 customers and 5 mil l ion cloud users worldwide. I ts mission is to be a catalyst for digital transformation.

Into the top 10 with all-round excellence

With an improvement in its score for both blogging and social media, AvePoint makes a giant leap for ward into the heart of our Top 10. With such close competit ion at the top of our Inbound Marketing Excel lence Top 50, a 7-place r ise is an impressive achie vement . The ke y to AvePoint’s success in digital marketing is i ts integration of content across al l i ts marketing touchpoints. Whether i t ’s on the website, social media or the blog i tsel f, i ts target audience is ne ver far away from informative and useful content .

AvePoint takes an almost playful approach to social media, though one which ne ver shirks f rom packing an informative punch. Combining i ts insightful content with a variety of i l lustrat ions, photographs and video content – and a great use of colour – AvePoint br ings i ts social presence to l i fe .

Our Verdict

Jersey City, NJ, USA

@AvePoint_Inc

avepoint.com

70/10070/100Blog

19 | TOP 50

79/10079/100Social

78/10078/100Social

Just creeping into the Top 10 last year, BetterCloud has gone one (or two) better this t ime around by reaching 8th place. BetterCloud has cemented its place in 2018’s Top 10 through a highly intuit ive website, bui lt and optimised with digital marketing in mind – i t is extremely well l inked to and heavi ly shared on social media. I t ’s therefore unsurpris ing to see an outstanding social media presence, with regular posts about the cloud, expert opinion and the latest company ne ws.

An improvement in i ts blog would push BetterCloud e ven higher next year; although its score of 69 is above average and it can be lauded for i ts regular output . Working on the readabil i ty of i ts posts may be the f inal piece in the puzzle – always a tr icky feat when writ ing about technology.

Our Verdict

BetterCloud 08BetterCloud is a SaaS Operations Management platform, helping businesses manage the enormous number of cloud-based apps they use ever y day. BetterCloud has over 2,500 customers in 60+ countries and as businesses engage in digital transformation and become ever more rel iant on digital tools, BetterCloud makes sure ever ything runs smoothly by applying best practice

management and security policies across SaaS applications.

A consistent approach across website and social

New York, NY, USA

@BetterCloud

bettercloud.com

TOP 50 | 20

74/10074/100Website

69/10069/100Blog

79/10079/100Social

69/10069/100Website

RedPixie09Founded in 2010, RedPixie is one of the largest cloud special ists in Europe. Based in London, RedPixie special ises in building and managing Azure hybrid solutions for cl ients in f inancial ser vices, insurance and healthcare, including KPMG and Hiscox. RedPixie has now been acquired by Hewlett Packard Enterprise – another company that features high up in our report , although not as high as its new acquisit ion.

Engaging its specialist audience through high quality content

Moving up thirteen places, RedPixie breaks in to the Top 10 for the f i rst t ime. From 89th place in 2016 to 9th place in 2018. A fantast ic achie vement and extraordinar y r ise for the team at RedPixie.

In this year’s report , RedPixie real ly stands out for i ts blogging output and its social presence. By regularly posting a mixture of i ts own content ( f rom its consistently engaging blog ) and content f rom renowned industr y experts , i ts social feed is always a useful source of the latest info for i ts target audience. This has resulted in growing a highly engaged fol lowing. As already hinted at , RedPixie’s blog is a fountain of knowledge for i ts customers. Can the y maintain their posit ion next year, now the y are part of HPE?

Our Verdict

London, UK

@RedPixie

redpixie.com

73/10073/100Blog

21 | TOP 50

67/10067/100Blog

75/10075/100Website

78/10078/100Social

You can always count on Sharegate to feature near the top of our Top 50 report , having reached the summit twice before. This year, Sharegate make the Top 10 once again, with an impressive improvement in i ts social media score. With consistent and regular social posts on the topic of digital transformation, Sharegate stands out for br inging a human touch and a sense of humour to the world of B2B technology.

With a skate ramp and co�ee bar in the o�ice, Sharegate seems l ike a fun place to work – and this sense of fun, personal ity and adventure permeates i ts digital marketing across al l channels. Sharegate put the people behind the products at the forefront of i ts digital marketing, which creates an engaging and fr iendly v ibe.

Our Verdict

Sharegate 10Based in Montreal, the team at Sharegate are migration experts having helped thousands of organisations move to the cloud. Sharegate has been a key f igure in making the digital workplace a reality, by helping businesses gain visibi l i ty and control over their O�ice 365 and SharePoint environments. Growing from f ive employees in 2009 to 110+ today, Sharegate is a fast-growing

company with a global reach.

A personal, human touch makes Sharegate perennial contenders

Montreal, QC, USA

@sharegatetools

en.share-gate.com

TOP 50 | 22

Mitchell FeldmanChief Digital O�icer, RedPixie

Last year, RedPixie scored the fi�h-highest blog in the whole Top 50 report. In 2018 they’ve continued to climb up the rankings. So, what’s the secret to their inbound marketing success? We interviewed Mitchell Feldman – Chief Digital O�icer at RedPixie – to see how they go about putting together such a strong marketing strategy.

As we were putting the finishing touches to this year's report, RedPixie announced they had been acquired by HPE. It made sense to keep them in the report, separately to HPE, for this year. In the interview Mitchell touches on the acquisition, specifically how the RedPixie market machine will integrate with HPE, and what both sides can learn.

RedPixieInterview with an expert

London, UK

@RedPixie

redpixie.com

We spend a lot of time perfecting our brand and voice. We want to wow the

customer at every turn. To do that takes time and hard work

23 | TOP 50

Perhaps we should start with a brief background of RedPixie and what you provide your customers?

RedPixie are a ‘born in the cloud’ managed ser vices provider that focuses primari ly on the f inancial ser vices and insurance markets.

Your blog score in last year’s report was very high – fi�h overall – what do you put that success down to?

We put our success down to the time we spend understanding who our audience is, the type of content they consume and how they want to consume it , i.e. the kind of media they prefer. That could mean videos, blogs, whitepapers, etc. But it also means understanding our personas at a very micro-level – understanding that, depending on who we are targeting, some prefer stats and proofs points, while others prefer more conceptual thought leadership content.

What RedPixie does is quite specific. Was it easy for you to determine your target audience for the content you produce?

We know who our target audience is and how big that addressable market is. We’ve been lucky in that because we are vertically aligned. This means that our marketing has been much more e�icient and laser-focused because we know exactly who we are talking to and typically why we are talking to them. And consequentially it’s easier to get our messaging on point .

Do you have a process for generating new content? Our typical process involves making sure our marketing department spend enough t ime with the sales team to understand what they are talking about with their customers – joining up both the sales and marketing elements so that we al l understand exactly what we’re doing. Creating content together has been a major part of our success. I t ’s about getting stories

from the f ield; stories that are relevant to the business cl imate and to what our customers are experiencing. I t ’s using these components to come up with ideas for content that helps us a lot .

What we try to implement into the business is that everyone is responsible for marketing – the whole company – that’s part of our secret sauce if you like. Another part is making the company a social enterprise. We gamify a lot of the behaviours we want to encourage in the business. For example, we measure our sta� on their social selling index (SSI) – the algorithm that LinkedIn use to measure social engagement. By gamifying that and creating a leader board, we encourage our employees to be socially active, and that has a knock-on to the amount of business we are doing, as well as extending the reach of our brand.

What role does social media have in the current Microso� Partner landscape?

I would say as much as 15% of our inbound enquiries comes from social media. And we can demonstrate at least two opportunities that have brought us more than £500,000 of business as a direct result of a social posting.

How important do you think consistency in style and delivery of content is?

Absolutely vital . There needs to be a consistent tone of voice. A big part of my job is to act as guardian of the brand – the quality of output , from the design of a graphic to the grammar in a blog post , must be of the highest quality. We know that the equity of our brand is directly related to the quality of our output . The higher the quality of the brand, the higher the quality of customers we win, al l of which leads to better engagements and outcomes.

Continue »

TOP 50 | 24

25 | TOP 50

How strict is your content strategy and is it di�icult to stick to?

One of the biggest challenges we have, along with probably ever y other partner, is producing content . Getting people to write content in the business is a challenge. We f ind that we have to become inter viewers and create the content for them – but it ’s okay because people l ike to talk .

Our content strategy is largely f ixed. We have key areas that we aim for – the big rocks. But we’re young enough and nimble enough as a business to change our strategy i f we need to, we have that capabil ity.

RedPixie has recently been bought by Hewlett Packard Enterprise. How do you see the challenge of running e�ective marketing now that you are part of a much bigger organisation? We are like the shiny new toy within HPE. They are looking at some of our capabilities and bringing them into their own marketing processes. They certainly have a very sizable machine. Unlike RedPixie, HPE have the

unenviable task of tr ying to talk to ever yone – practically ever y vertical and customer. So, during the integration they are tr ying to keep all the good sauce, the good elements that we have built up. I t ’s going to be a challenge but we’re both up for it . They realise that there is a new way of marketing and wil l be receptive to new ideas, which is great for ever yone.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d recommend for a Microso� Partner that wants to improve its inbound marketing?

We’re ver y lucky in that in the business we have several individuals who are big advocates of marketing. I t ’s ver y hard for a business i f they don’t have someone internally to support marketing and to drive it . Anyone who is serious about using marketing to take their business to the next level needs to have a senior marketing person internally.

As you might have seen by now, RedPixie came into this year's report at an impressive number 10 (they ranked in 22nd last year, and in 89 back in 2016). I f you haven't read their profi le yet , check out page 21 for the ful l details . There you wil l f ind our analysis of their marketing channels and get a f lavour for what

is needed to break into the upper echelons of our report .

I t wil l be extremely interesting to see how the marketing magic at RedPixie influences HPE (who, as Mitchell himself states above, have a di�icult job in talking to a much broader audience). We look for ward to next year's report to

see the results.

PARTNERS11 TO 30Pensar IT Management p27Lieberman So�ware p27harmon.ie p28Pyramid Analytics p28LogRhythm p29Flexential p29Axon p30Binar y Tree p30ENow So�ware p31Agile IT p31PDQ p32Catapult Systems p32Metalogix p33BMC So�ware p33SQS p34Xperience Group p34Neudesic p35HPE p35Nutanix p36Hitachi Solutions US p36

TOP 50 | 26

11 Pensar IT ManagementLondon, UK pensar.co.uk @Pensar_IT

Pensar provides 24/7 IT outsourcing services to businesses in the marketing, advertising, PR and financial services sectors. With a focus on the cloud, security, mobile telephony, hosting, o�ice relocation and more, Pensar helps its clients cut costs, improve productivity and tighten security.

Pensar is a great example of how a consistent approach to inbound marketing across its website, blog and social media can work wonders. With a blog that regularly features pieces on the issues that matter to its target audience, e.g. GDPR, Pensar knows how to reach out to the right people and make an impact. What’s more, Pensar is the third highest new entry in this year’s Top 50.

Our VerdictOur Verdict

68/100Website

79/100Social

73/100Blog

12 Lieberman So�ware Los Angeles, CA, USA liebso�.com @Liebso�

Since 1978, Lieberman So�ware has been one of the most important players in cybersecurity. Serving more than 1,800 enterprise customers and protecting the identities of more than one billion people, it’s well and truly an authority on cybersecurity solutions. Lieberman So�ware has recently been acquired by Bomgar.

Lieberman So�ware has scored strongly on its website, with excellent design and clear, concise copy leading to an excellent user experience for its website visitors. Its social media output is as consistent and engaging as ever. However, since last year, its fantastic Identity Week blog has been folded into the corporate blog of its new parent company, Bomgar, which seems to have led to a drop in its blogging score.


77/100Website

74/100Social

66/100Blog

27 | TOP 50

13 harmon.ie Boston, MA, USA harmon.ie @Teamharmonie

harmon.ie provides solutions that place humans at the centre of the digital workplace. By bringing SharePoint and O�ice365 into Outlook, harmon.ie helps knowledge workers find the information needed to get their work done. harmon.ie is at the forefront of applying artificial intelligence to the workplace, combatting information and app overload.

Every year, we are impressed with harmon.ie’s inbound marketing e�orts. This is particularly true of their blogging output. In fact, harmon.ie has scored the highest for blogging in this year’s Top 50. harmon.ie’s content across its blog, social, eBooks, whitepapers and regular webinars, is of a consistent high quality and well and truly positions the business as pioneers and thought leaders.


62/100Website

75/100Social

80/100Blog

14 Pyramid AnalyticsAmsterdam, NL pyramidanalytics.com @PyramidAnalytic

Pyramid Analytics is a recognised innovator in business analytics, helping users create illuminating analytic content with its Pyramid 2018 solution. Pyramid 2018 is the next generation of self-service analytics and gives data leaders a powerful set of tools to facilitate innovation with data.

Rising 71 places in the Top 50 report, Pyramid Analytics has made huge inroads in its digital marketing e�orts during the last twelve months. This is particularly due to regular, consistent posts on both its blog and on social media. Pyramid Analytics uses its blog to reach out to its targeted audience with useful content about the world of data analytics – an approach that clearly seems to be working.


69/100Website

74/100Social

73/100Blog

TOP 50 | 28

15 LogRhythmBoulder, CO, USA @LogRhythmlogrhythm.com

LogRhythm is a global leader in security information and event management (SIEM), providing innovative solutions to help businesses improve their cybersecurity. Recognised as a leader by Gartner, Forester and many others, LogRhythm can now add its presence in the Top 50 to an ever-growing list of accomplishments.

LogRhythm is another new entry at the top end of this year’s report. An e�ective and engaging social media presence has propelled LogRhythm to 15th place. Not only do we greatly admire LogRhythm’s ability to unpack the o�en-complex world of cybersecurity for its audience, but we also applaud its commitment to staying on top of all the latest developments in such a fast-moving landscape.


73/100Website

78/100Social

67/100Blog

16 FlexentialDenver, CO, USA @flexentialflexential.com

Flexential takes a personal approach to IT infrastructure by putting its customers at the centre of everything it does. The organisation focuses on building trusted relationships on top of delivering a comprehensive suite of hybrid IT solutions. Flexential has 41 world-class data centres across the US.

In August 2017, Peak 10 and ViaWest joined forces and rebranded as Flexential. So although Flexential is technically a new entry in the Top 50 report, its previous incarnations have featured in the past. In fact, last year we labelled Peak 10 “a partner to look out for”, as it featured in 48th position. Flexential’s appearance at number 16 and its strong website score shows it has continued this trend.


79/100Website

77/100Social

60/100Blog

29 | TOP 50

17 AxonMacclesfield, UK axon-it .com @axonit

Founded in 2001, Axon was originally set up to be a single-source IT solutions company before being reborn in the cloud in 2011. Axon was the first company in the North West of England to achieve Microso� Gold Cloud Competency – an impressive feat.

With a solid score of 70 for both its blog and its website, Axon has shown a master y of imbuing personality into its inbound marketing e�orts. From its humorous take on the ‘meet our team’ page to its consistently interesting and informative blog, Axon knows how to tel l a stor y and catch an audience’s attention. This is demonstrated nowhere more so than in its engaging social media output .


70/100Website

75/100Social

70/100Blog

18 Binary TreeKendall Park, NJ, USA binarytree.com @BinaryTreeInc

Binary Tree has been in the game of transformation since 1993. The organisation has transformed more than 8,000 global clients and 42 million users, including 7.5 million users to O�ice 365. Binary Tree is headquartered in New York and with o�ices in France, Germany, Singapore, Sweden and the UK.

Another year, another admirable performance from Binar y Tree in our Top 50 report . A�er a huge rise in our rankings last year, Binar y Tree moved up another three places into 18th. As we did in 2017, we have to praise the organisation for its blog, which continues to be characterised by consistent posting, relevant stories and deep product and industr y knowlegde – the blog has achieved an even higher score this year.


68/100Website

69/100Social

75/100Blog

TOP 50 | 30

19 ENow So�wareAliso Viejo, CA, USA enowso�ware.com @ENowConsulting

ENow So�ware specialises in tools aimed at supporting administrators, including application performance and end user experience monitoring for the Microso� cloud, hybrid and on-premise technologies. ENow So�ware has over 300 customers in more than 130 countries, such as Wendy’s, Facebook and Barclays.

ENow So�ware rises seven places in this year’s report, achieving admirable scores across all three of our criteria. This is down to a smart, clean website with engaging web copy, regular blogging output, a humourous streak on social media, including occasional GIFs and an array of visually-appealing images to accompany links to consistently informative posts.


70/100Website

72/100Social

71/100Blog

20 Agile ITSan Diego, CA, USA agileit .com @Agile_IT

Agile IT is a cloud-f irst IT ser vices provider and four-t ime Microso� Cloud Partner of the Year. From cloud migration to management , Agile IT provides a host of business-focused ser vices to a wide range of industries, including education, corporate, government and non-profit customers.

Agile IT has earned an 11-place r ise this t ime around. Once again, we applaud Agile IT’s highly active social presence, as well as a blog that focuses on being an informative hub of valuable content . Another nice touch is the personal approach to its ‘about us’ page on the website, which not only outl ines the company’s values, but even has a page dedicated to its employees’ dogs.


68/100Website

77/100Social

70/100Blog

31 | TOP 50

21 PDQSalt Lake City, UT, USA pdq.com @admarsenal

PDQ.com (formerly Admin Arsenal) o�ers a systems management solution for the SMB market . This o�ering comes in two products: PDQ Deploy and PDQ Inventor y. A number of high profi le organisations use PDQ.com's products, such as Disney, HBO and Coca Cola.

Ranked at 102 last year, PDQ.com has risen 81 places this year. This is largely because of its website, which is refreshingly clear, gets right to the point and isn’t afraid to display a bit of personality and humour. For instance, a mockumentar y-style ‘about us’ video shows the team enjoying themselves at work. A l ittle work on its social output and PDQ.com could be a contender for the Top 10.


76/100Website

55/100Social

73/100Blog

22 Catapult SystemsAustin, TX, USA catapultsystems.com @CatapultSystems

Catapult Systems is a global modern digital solutions and services company focusing on emerging and business-critical technologies. A 2016 Microso� Partner of the Year (US), Catapult is regularly recognised for its commitment to expertise in a range of industries, from energy to manufacturing to healthcare.

Catapult moves up 21 places in this year’s report . This is due to its regular and consistent output and messaging across its website, social and blog. Last year, i t was Catapult ’s social that caught our attention. The same can be said this year, although it has also impressed with improved scores for its website and blog. The blog is a fantastic source of content , both informative and engaging.


69/100Website

74/100Social

70/100Blog

TOP 50 | 32

23 MetalogixWashington, DC, USA metalogix.com @metalogix

Metalogix helps businesses move, manage and protect collaboration content, including both SharePoint and O�ice 365. It o�ers a range of products to extend and enhance out-of-the-box capabilities. With over 200,000 happy customers and a 97% customer satisfaction rate, Metalogix is a key player in this space.

Another year, another high social score for Metalogix. This, coupled with a slight improvement in its website score, has helped Metalogix move up two places. Metalogix has been a regular feature in our Top 50 over the years, so it’s no surprise to see another solid performance. As always, clear, concise and engaging messaging across all its channels serves to complement its content migration and management solutions.


73/100Website

77/100Social

63/100Blog

24 BMC So�wareHouston, TX, USA bmc.com @bmcso�ware

BMC So�ware helps businesses to transform and compete in the digital world. With 35 years of expertise and experience, more than 10,000 customers worldwide, 6,000 employees in 30 countries, and 470 patents granted or pending, BMC So�ware is a global leader in innovative so�ware solutions.

BMC So�ware is a new entry in this year’s report, largely thanks to an engaging social presence, one which mixes informative content with company news and events. Seeing the BMC team out and about, picking up awards and hosting major industry events adds a flair of personality to their posts which has garnered an impressive following. In fact, it is the second highest score for social in the Top 50.


69/100Website

91/100Social

60/100Blog

33 | TOP 50

25 SQSCologne, Germany sqs.com @SQS_GROUP

SQS has defined its aim as “transforming the world through quality”. Trusted by organisations across the globe, SQS helps businesses navigate the world of digital change. Founded in 1982, SQS has grown to become a leading quality assurance specialist for IT services.

Congratulations to SQS for the best website in this year’s Top 50. A website score of 80 puts SQS out in front and is the reason the organisation has r isen 15 places. SQS’s website is marked out for how well i t is built and its accessibil ity. The website is shared o�en on social and is extremely well l inked to. I t ’s perhaps no surprise that SQS’s social score has also improved.


80/100Website

69/100Social

60/100Blog

26 Xperience GroupNationwide, UK xperience-group.com @Xperiencegroup

Xperience Group has four group businesses operating across the UK, including DMC So�ware (16th in 2017’s report) , with o�ices in Lisburn, Glasgow and Peterborough. Founded in 1969, Xperience Group has a histor y of innovation and is now a leader in helping businesses f ind the r ight CRM and ERP solutions to suit their processes.

With a wide range of solutions and ser vices, i t can be hard for some partners to display and explain al l that it o�ers on its website. This is not the case with Xperience Group, which has managed to remain clear and concise with its web copy at al l t imes. I ts blog contains some great content ; however, more frequent and regular posts would improve its score in that area.


70/100Website

72/100Social

68/100Blog

TOP 50 | 34

27 Neudesic Irvine, CA, USA neudesic.com @Neudesic

Neudesic delivers cloud and data-driven solutions for digital innovation. In its ‘2018 Technology Vision’, Neudesic says that its focus in 2018 is on helping businesses use the cloud to their competit ive advantage, call ing it the great equalizer. Neudesic is a former Microso� Partner of the Year in several di�erent categories.

Neudesic continues its meteoric r ise up our Inbound Marketing Excellence report . A�er moving from 208th place in 2016 to 39th last year, Neudesic has now jumped up another twelve places. This year, i t seems to be its website that has been the main driver. A site that is well optimised for sharing and is extremely well l inked to has led to an improved score.


71/100Website

72/100Social

67/100Blog

28 HPEGlobal hpe.com @hpe

The IT giant Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) grew out of Hewlett Packard in 2015. Based in Palo Alto, Cali fornia HPE is at the forefront of digital transformation, f inding innovative solutions to help businesses succeed. Projects include the partnership with Tottenham Hotspur F.C. to build the world’s most connected sports arena.

This is Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s f irst appearance in our Top 50. The organisation’s social output is one of the best in our rankings, due to its r ich, engaging content and enormous fol lowing on Twit-ter. Due to the massive scale of the projects Hewlett Packard Enterprise works on and the fact that these are largely in the public eye, i ts social team is never short of amazing stories to post .


70/100Website

88/100Social

60/100Blog

35 | TOP 50

29 NutanixSan Jose, CA, USA nutanix.com @nutanix

Founded in 2009, Nutanix is a global leader in datacentre infrastructure – leveraging the power of some of the world’s most advanced datacentres. Nutanix’s solutions are built on hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) technology, enabling IT teams to build and operate powerful multi-cloud architectures.

Last year Nutanix achieved the highest score for social media. Although the crown l ies elsewhere this year, the team at Nutanix could be forgiven for feel ing unlucky, because its social score has gone up again. Nutanix has a huge Twitter fol lowing that regularly engages and interacts with its posts – a great example for any partner to fol low i f they want to know how to make a splash with social .


72/100Website

89/100Social

57/100Blog

30 Hitachi Solutions USGlobal us.hitachi-solutions.com @HitachiSolUS

Hitachi Solutions US provides intel l igent business applications across a range of industries, from healthcare to banking to construction and more. The organisation is recognised for its excellence in providing Microso� Dynamics 365 solutions and has been Microso� Partner of the Year Winner more than 30 t imes.

A significant 22-place rise for Hitachi Solutions US this year is no doubt down to clear and consistent messaging across its marketing e�orts. Hitachi Solutions US’s popular website achieved a particularly high score for accessibility. The organisation regularly posts on social media to promote events and to share blog and video content. Building up the Twitter following would be the next step in improving its social score.


72/100Website

73/100Social

65/100Blog

TOP 50 | 36

37 | TOP 50

The business world is currently experiencing a major transformation generated by cloud computing. The Internet of Things, AI, big data, etc. are all part of a massive opportunity to change and improve how customers do business. The pace of innovation is speeding up – we are working in a current environment where swi� modernisation and speed to market are key to success. To be able to handle the pace of change, partners need to support their clients in both tech and cultural changes.

Microso� Partner’s

number around

375,000

Over 95% of Microso�'s

revenue flows through

the channel

For ever y $1 that

Microso� earns, their

partners make $8.70

Exploring the Microso� Partner marketing landscape

Why are partners at the centre of digital transformation?

Where are Microso� Partners from?

Microso� benefits from their partners and their

partners benefit from Microso� by using various tools and

training systems that MS provide

500+ Employees

100-499 Employees

10-99 Employees

1-9 Employees

110,274 13,680

CompTIA further segments the channel

data by employee size:

1,388 160

2.7% - South Asia

5.3% - Middle East

6.6% - Asia Pacific2.7% - Other

5.8% - Central and Eastern Europe42.8% - Western Europe

29% - North America

5.1% - South America

80% of technology

companies on

the Forbes 100

Best Mid-Cap

Stocks l ist

More than 50% of

technology companies

on the Fortune 100

Fastest-Growing

Companies l ist

TOP 50 | 38

17.5% general internet research

18.6%

MS partner network

The majority of partners either

use the MSP network or general

internet research to learn

marketing best practices:

To have an a�ect partners need to make themselves heard

Partners that have started their digital transformation journey have found success being strategic and persistent in how they communicate

to customers and potential clientsGavriella Schuster

CVP, Worldwide Channels and Programs at Microso�

14% spend

$100,000-250,000

15% spend

$25001-100,000

21% spend

up to $25000

30% of partners do

not have a sales and/or

marketing budget

75% believe MS's marketing

resources save time to market

and on marketing budgets

33% lack the understanding

in how to use MS’s marketing

resources to their advantage.

68% wil l take advantage of

marketing training in the next

year

53%

Lack of resources or budgets

33%

Confusion over role and responsibil it ies

32% Dysfunction and friction over priorities across the company

30%

Organizational inabil ity to adapt

30%

Lack of training in new marketing skil ls

Issues that are holding back partners’ marketing The first step to better

marketing is knowing where you are and where

you want to go

I f you think your organisation could benefit from

a more cohesive marketing strategy, there are

plenty of examples in this report of Microso�

Partners who are using the power of inbound

marketing to great e�ect .

To test your digital marketing channels and get

actionable feedback today, why not tr y Maya

now? Go to tr ymaya.com and get your free score.

How we ranked partnersCalculating the Top 50 data

Blog

Maya trymaya.com

Website

Sitebeam sitebeam.net

Social

Kredkred.com

We have studied the digital marketing e�orts of tens of thousands of partners around the world to present 2018’s Top 50. Our l ist is made up of the companies who, we believe, have shown true inbound marketing excellence.

The longlist

Anyone who is an o�icial Microso� Partner is el igible to be in our report , though we do exclude companies that are partners only by ver y tenuous association or that are not involved in the B2B enterprise space. We also exclude some companies who, despite it being factually accurate, do not define themselves as Microso� Partners. In total our init ial long l ist was comprised of over 39,000 companies (a 56% increase on last year) .

How we ranked the partners

To reduce this l ist to a manageable number for further analysis, we removed all companies that did not have a functioning website, a val id blog or a l ive Twitter account . This saw our l ist drop below 30,000 individual companies.

We then began scoring Twitter accounts and blogs, removing companies that fel l below our designated cut-o� point for this stage. Of those remaining (upwards of 10,000), we tested their websites. This gave us our shortl ist of just over 1000 companies, of which the top 250 made it into the 2018 report .

Disclaimer

While we make the best e�orts, i t is not possible to include or test ever y single el igible company across the globe for this report . I f you think your company has been missed, get

in touch with us (hello@fi�yfiveandfive.com) and we can include you in the next edit ion.

Al l information pertaining to this report - developed, printed and posted by Fi�y Five and Five - represent the independent opinion of Fi�y Five and Five, and is derived by virtue

of Fi�y Five and Five's independent judgment , analysis, and subjective / objective criteria.

While ever y e�ort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the data in this report , Fi�y Five and Five is not responsible for, nor does it make guarantees based on the information

presented, or any inference that could be drawn from them.

The tools we used

As with previous years we used 3 tools to analyse the data.

39 | TOP 50

PARTNERS31 TO 50Qorus p41Dimension Data p41DataStax p41Mimecast p41Barracuda Networks p42Hitachi Solutions UK p42Accuso� p42ProSymmetr y p42Coll igo p43Beezy p43Applied Innovations p43Modality p43BlueStar p44Excella p44Micromine p44Arkardin p44TekLinks p45Magenic p45Unily p45Kofax p45

TOP 50 | 40

31 QorusBellevue, Wa, USA

@qorusdocs

qorusdocs.com

69/100Website 69/100Social70/100Blog

32 Dimension DataGlobal

@dimensiondata

dimensiondata.com

Dimension Data provides a wide range of IT services aimed at accelerating digital business. A global powerhouse, the organisation employs over 28,000 employees across 47 countries on five continents. A highly engaging and consistent social presence never fails to inspire and has pushed Dimension Data up our rankings once again.


33 DataStaxGlobal

@datastax

datastax.com

A new entry in the Top 50, DataStax provides data management to enable companies to thrive in a customer-centric and data-driven economy. Listing Netflix, Adobe and eBay among its customers, DataStax helps the world’s most innovative companies rethink their technology infrastructure to put data at the heart of their organisation.


34 MimecastLondon, UK

@Mimecast

mimecast.com

Since 2003, Mimecast has been dedicated to making email safer, by providing security, archiving and continuity services in the cloud. Originally founded in London but now with 1,000+ employees in 10 o�ices around the world, Mimecast protects companies from cyberattacks, data leaks, malware and spam on a truly global scale.


Qorus helps companies create business-critical documents accurately and e�iciently. Qorus runs on Microso� Azure and integrates with Microso� O�ice to provide powerful and intuitive content management solutions. A consistent performance across website, blog and social gives Qorus a strong position in this year’s report.

41 | TOP 50

35 Barracuda NetworksCampbell, CA, USA

@barracuda

barracuda.com

Barracuda Networks provides an impressive range of powerful yet easy-to-use and a�ordable IT solutions for security and storage. Based in Silicon Valley, Barracuda has established a global network of 1000+ employees across o�ices in 15 countries. A high social score reflects a dedication to sharing the latest news in cybersecurity.


36 Hitachi Solutions UKLondon, UK

@hitachisoleu

hitachi-solutions.co.uk

Hitachi Solutions UK provides intelligent business applications across a wide range of industries, from banking to fire services and more. As the UK subsidiary of the giant Japanese multinational, they focus on Microso� Dynamics 365 solutions and complementary technologies, aligning themselves with the industries they specialise in.


37 Accuso�Tampa, FL, USA

@accuso�

accuso�.com

Accuso� has over 25 years’ experience in the document and content management space, delivering a robust portfolio of document and imaging tools for developers, built using patented technology. An impressive website and a healthy social media following are the backbone of solid inbound marketing strategy.


38 ProSymmetryCleveland, OH, USA

@ProSymmetry

prosymmetry.com

ProSymmetry is an innovative global leader in the resource management space. Tempus Resource, its flagship product, was chosen as a Gartner Cool Vendor 2016 and continues to make a name for itself around the world. Consistent blogging and insightful thought leadership has achieved an impressive 71-place surge in our rankings.


TOP 50 | 42

39 ColligoVancouver, BC, USA

@colligo

colligo.com

Colligo helps organisations increase the value of their information assets. With a focus on solutions for SharePoint and O�ice 365, Colligo empowers organisations to do more with the content created and shared by their employees. More than 5000 organisations in 55 countries use Colligo for mobile collaboration and content management.


40 BeezySan Francisco, CA, USA

@followbeezy

beezy.net

Beezy provides digital workplace solutions built upon O�ice 365 and SharePoint. Founded in 2011 and located in Silicon Valley, Beezy is dedicated to making organisations more productive, connected, social and happy. This year Beezy has risen 15 places due to a steady improvement in its website and blog scores.


41 Applied InnovationsUSA

@appliedi

appliedi.net

Although a new entry in our report, Applied Innovations is no rookie in the Microso� Partner world. A recognised industry leader, Applied Innovations has been helping businesses succeed in the cloud since 1999. A comprehensive and user-friendly website and an engaging social media presence bring it into the Top 50.


42 ModalityGlobal

@modalitysystems

modality.com

Jumping up an impressive 88 places, Modality makes a welcome return to the Top 50. Based in St Albans, UK, Modality helps businesses unlock the power of collaboration with Microso� tools, such as Microso� Teams. Modality is a 2017 Microso� Communications Partner of the Year Finalist (and winner in 2016).


43 | TOP 50

43 Blue Star Michiana, MI, USA

@bluestaritpro

bluestarpro.com

Blue Star delivers IT consulting and managed services in the Michiana region of the US. Founded in 2004, Blue Star o�ers a friendly, collaborative service steeped in professional excellence. A low social score was more than made up for by a consistent blogging output on a wide range of technology news.


44 Excella Washington, DC, USA

@ExcellaCo

excella.com

Excella’s growing team of 280+ employees provide solutions for a wide range of industries including hospitality, travel, education and healthcare. Defining themselves as ‘technologists’, Excella’s focus lies in the pursuit of transforming bold ideas into elegant technology solutions – another great new entry in our Top 50 report.


45 MicromineGlobal

@micromine

micromine.com

Micromine is a leading global provider of innovative so�ware solutions for the mining industry. Founded in Western Australia in 1986, Micromine can now be found in 18 of the world’s mining capitals. Micromine provides solutions for the entire mining process, from geological exploration to resource estimation and 3D mine design.


46 ArkadinGlobal

@ArkadinServices

arkadin.co.uk

Arkadin is a global collaboration services provider, o�ering a range of audio, web and video solutions. With a presence in 33 countries and covering 19 languages, Arkadin is spread over 53 o�ices in strategic locations to understand the ins and outs of di�erent cultures and achieve a truly global perspective.


TOP 50 | 44

47 TekLinksBirmingham, AL, USA

@TekLinks

Teklinks.com

TekLinks is a nationally recognised and award-winning IT solutions company that provides managed services, cloud services and value-added resale. A�er jumping up a whopping 78 places this year, TekLinks can add this achievement in inbound marketing excellence to its growing list of accolades and industry recognition.


48 MagenicUSA

@magenic

magenic.com

At Magenic, it’s all about speed. The team at Magenic help businesses employ the right digital strategies, the right processes and the right technology to get products to market at lightning pace. Founded in 1995, Magenic is another new entry that we are pleased to welcome to the Top 50.


49 UnilyGlobal

@WeAreUnily

unily.com

Unily is the powerful intranet-as-a-service from BrightStarr, a SharePoint consultancy. Unily combines a rich intranet platform with dedicated customer success services to provide a winning solution. Its visually arresting website and engaging blog have helped move Unily up 14 places to take the penultimate spot in the Top 50.


50 KofaxIrvine, CA, USA

@kofax

kofax.com

Kofax is a leading supplier of so�ware and solutions to automate business processes and has 1,600+ employees in 30 countries. A new entry this year, Kofax makes up the final place in the Top 50 due to an e�ective social media presence and output.


45 | TOP 50

PARTNERS51 TO 250

TOP 50 | 46

Such is the quality of digital marketing in the Microso� Partner Network that, as we did in 2017, we have included here a long list of positions 51-250. These companies should be extremely proud to feature in our report, especially when considering we looked at over 39,000 companies in total.

Logikos

VirtaMove

risual

M-brain

SADA Systems

Sparkhound Inc.

PowerPivotPro

IES

Kaseya

Enhanso�

M-Files Inc.

Cloudera

Centric Consulting LLC

Nasuni

Rencore

SWC

BP Logix

Okta Inc.

Palmetto Technology Group

DocuSign Inc.

Automated Intelligence

ISAAC Intelligence

BrightWork

PEI

CodeTwo

Netwoven Inc

Redspire

Cloud Technology Partners

CED Solutions LLC

Advanced Business Solutions

Symmetry Corporation

RES So�ware

MessageOps

BitTitan

StorageCra�

5152535455565758596061626364656667686970717273747576777879808182838485

72

70

60

73

74

71

65

66

74

73

74

60

72

74

65

73

70

70

60

78

71

70

74

68

78

76

60

72

74

73

71

60

75

71

67

72

60

70

60

56

63

62

63

53

63

53

59

53

53

63

57

60

53

70

56

60

65

53

50

53

56

69

54

53

60

57

63

53

53

56

46

73

73

67

73

64

77

73

77

59

76

92

80

75

73

69

68

82

68

60

66

58

73

91

65

63

68

74

72

60

69

78

68

76

77

62

60

68

72

75

60

62

72

69

66

71

65

72

67

74

70

71

73

62

72

71

60

74

70

74

77

74

66

66

68

70

71

69

60

78

66

66

63

59

53

66

59

67

56

63

53

60

60

60

50

57

63

50

63

50

53

67

50

53

56

66

60

55

69

60

60

63

60

63

50

Valo

OakTree

DynaSis

Fingent Corporation

Dexter & Chaney LLC

CPS

Quick Base

Puryear IT

NetGain Technologies

True North

Redweb

Wortell

TimeSheet Reporter

iCepts Technology Group

Welocalize

Applied Information Sciences

Eclipse So�ware

CyberArk

Aptify

Attunity

AgileThought

Bonzai

Creative Virtual

Scribe So�ware

Moraware

Plesk

Dolbey

Infragistics Inc

Actionspace

Versus Technology Inc

Portnox

Bison Grid

Trivalent Group

CME Group

CloudBerry Lab

8687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120

Partners# Partners#

67

71

61

60

66

70

80

44

72

64

74

71

57

67

73

67

53

75

71

77

73

67

73

75

61

35

53

79

50

64

60

52

62

73

63

Partners51 - 250

47 | TOP 50

Partners# Partners#

Pure Storage Inc.

Cogmotive

ACI

Cristie So�ware

Pythian

PowerObjects

Ronco Communications

CMIT Solutions

igroup

Specops So�ware

UruIT

Phoenix TS

10Pearls

Ensyst

m-hance

Aegex

KME Systems

AKA Enterprise Solutions

1E

Bamboo Solutions

Locus Technologies

PAR Technology Corp

Anegis

ComputerSupport.com

Kintone

eimagine

ESP Projects

Litera Microsystems

PAIT Group

CallTower

Summa

LAN Infotech

Dasher Technologies

Maureen Data Systems

Ellipse Solutions LLC

121122123124125126127128129130131132133134135136137138139140141142143144145146147148149150151152153154155

To-Increase

Content and Code

enTouch

PremierPoint Solutions

Money Tree So�ware

MindTouch Inc

ProserveIT

Zunesis Inc.

Frontline Technologies Group

Newgrove

Axicom

Aras

Retail Management Solutions

Adaware

Flevy

KippsDeSanto & Co

Systemagic

MXOtech Inc.

PICS ITech

BrightMove Inc.

QBurst

K2

AAJ Technologies

Bold Technologies

Continuity Centers

Carolinas IT

Assistance so�ware

Hyperfish

EastBanc Technologies

TimeXtender

Senturus Inc

eLogic Learning

Briteskies

KnowledgeLake Inc

VectorVest Inc.

156157158159160161162163164165166167168169170171172173174175176177178179180181182183184185186187188189190

Partners51 - 250

54

60

71

73

70

78

72

65

68

72

71

74

72

67

61

68

71

68

65

62

70

72

68

75

68

73

63

70

65

60

60

70

69

70

74

63

67

50

50

50

43

60

57

60

53

53

53

53

60

60

60

63

56

54

60

56

54

53

53

60

50

63

56

63

60

63

57

53

63

50

85

65

77

72

78

76

54

74

62

67

69

63

67

63

75

61

49

68

78

72

64

64

74

60

59

69

63

63

59

75

69

61

71

49

67

74

55

69

64

70

65

70

67

56

71

68

65

68

60

58

68

60

72

71

72

71

72

73

74

68

67

66

59

62

45

68

67

54

57

75

50

67

60

63

60

53

59

60

70

50

53

56

53

60

59

60

60

67

57

50

53

46

53

50

57

60

60

61

60

71

57

56

67

60

63

66

70

56

60

54

78

56

60

62

71

71

71

71

73

79

57

73

35

57

68

64

76

60

64

62

58

59

71

67

79

61

65

69

77

35

TOP 50 | 48

Tintri

Arke Systems LLC

DCSL So�ware Ltd

Linedata

Phocas Ltd

Dynavistics Inc

Networking Computing Group Inc

Khaos Control

Intelligent Technologies Inc

Sharp Notions LLC

Connotate

Nebraska Global

KnowledgeWave

Cipher Systems LLC

Quadrotech Solutions

NTConnections

Majesco

Clear Measure Inc.

Datameer

OBT

Taylor Digital

EPMA

Applied Systems

Web Full Circle

Invenias Limited

NIC Inc.

Cornerstone OnDemand

RICS So�ware Inc

KMS Technology

LinkPoint360

Ortho2

Kinetix Solutions

IronCAD

Cadence Design Systems Inc.

Magnitude So�ware Inc

191192193194195196197198199200201202203204205206207208209210211212213214215216217218219220221222223224225

78

50

77

63

71

61

60

66

65

72

71

70

71

74

66

62

70

70

60

65

69

64

60

65

61

60

46

67

71

71

66

60

73

62

74

60

69

53

60

53

57

5.3

53

53

53

50

53

53

53

60

53

47

53

53

53

60

53

56

57

60

56

64

53

50

53

60

67

53

53

47

34

72

50

64

62

74

84

72

74

60

68

63

61

55

57

79

75

63

83

72

50

74

76

63

65

75

87

67

65

59

55

53

54

76

64

68

69

69

58

73

71

68

50

71

60

67

68

69

65

68

59

69

78

64

64

65

63

58

78

64

50

46

58

64

50

60

50

60

47

60

53

50

66

57

63

60

50

44

53

53

53

54

57

53

56

eFileCabinet

KanBo

O*NET Resource Center

AssureSign LLC

ATG-IT

Trisotech

CAL Business Solutions Inc

Basho Technologies

eOne Solutions

KSM Consulting

Cima Solutions Group

FMT Consultants

Computer Troubleshooters

MyITpros

Golden Helix

Carlson So�ware

Coleman University

Kreischer Miller

Adage Technologies

Red Hot Penny

Bravura Solutions Limited

Blue Horseshoe Solutions Inc

Intergen

Accelebrate

Perspecuity

226227228229230231232233234235236237238239240241242243244245246247248249250

Partners# Partners#

70

76

52

62

60

43

69

85

69

65

65

69

35

60

42

66

66

60

70

70

68

70

74

41

63

Partners51 - 250

49 | TOP 50

Contact information +44 (0)20 3743 7897

www.fi�yfiveandfive.com

hello@fi�yfiveandfive.com

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