Setsail Marketing
B Corp growth agency running paid ads, SEO/GEO and websites for owner-led firms
- Founded
- 2016
- Team size
- 11-50
- Headquarters
- Vancouver, Canada
- Hourly rate
- $100–$149/hr
- Avg. cost
- PPC packages from $2,400/mo; performance marketing from $4,375/mo (Clutch)
Overview
About Setsail Marketing
Setsail is a Vancouver digital marketing agency founded in 2016 by Jason Atakhanov, with a 30+ person in-house team and a US office in Oregon. It sells a research-led Growth Strategy first, then executes paid media, SEO/GEO, websites and creative for trades, ecommerce and public-sector clients.
Setsail Marketing grew out of a small Vancouver studio that Jason Atakhanov started in 2016. A decade on, the firm reports more than 500 past clients, a 30+ person in-house staff and a US office in Beaverton, Oregon. In October 2025 Tom Cheddadi, who previously built and sold BuddyBoss, joined as co-owner and strategic advisor. Setsail is also a certified B Corp, which is uncommon among Vancouver marketing agencies.
Engagements start with a paid Growth Strategy: customer research, targets and a channel plan, with the deposit credited if the client continues. The same strategists then oversee delivery across paid ads, SEO and GEO, websites, email, social, video and CRO, and the plan is revisited at least every 90 days with projected-versus-actual reporting. Clutch lists PPC packages from $2,400 a month and performance marketing from $4,375, and the agency prices in Canadian dollars on fixed-scope or month-to-month terms.
The client list mixes trades and ecommerce with public bodies. Setsail names BC Hydro, Walmart Canada, Metro Vancouver, the City of Coquitlam and the State of Colorado, and publishes case studies such as Pear Tree Camps (577% ROI in 67 days, per the agency) and New Horizons Staffing (292 applications in 30 days). On Clutch, 2025 reviewers praised efficiency and responsiveness, while one camp operator rated the work 4.5 and said results were modest after a late launch and slow setup.
For a buyer, the appeal is a mid-sized Vancouver SEO and paid media agency that keeps everything in-house and documents its plan up front. The caveats are a small pool of independent reviews and an emphasis on lead generation, which suits trades and DTC brands more than complex B2B sales cycles.
What they do
Services
- Paid advertising (Google, Meta)
- SEO and GEO
- Website design and development
- Email marketing
- Social media marketing
- Video and photo production
- Branding and graphic design
- Conversion rate optimization and tracking
- Cold outbound
Specializations
Industries served
Ideal client
Who they help
Owner-led companies in Canada and the US, especially trades, builders, ecommerce brands and municipalities, that want a strategy-first agency handling ads, SEO and the website in-house.
Pros & cons
Pros
- All work done by a 30+ person in-house team, no subcontractors (per agency)
- Certified B Corp with Google Partner and Meta Business Partner status
- Published packages on Clutch give a clear starting price
- Public-sector references including BC Hydro, City of Coquitlam and State of Colorado
- Active 2025–2026 research output and recent 2025 Clutch reviews
Cons
- Only four Clutch reviews, so independent proof is thin for its size
- One 2025 reviewer said results fell short of expectations and setup took too long
- Paid-ads-first culture may suit lead-gen better than long-cycle B2B content
Pricing
Notable clients
Awards & recognition
- Certified B Corporation
- Google Partner
- Meta Business Partner
Common questions
FAQ
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What services does Setsail Marketing offer?
Setsail Marketing offers Paid advertising (Google, Meta), SEO and GEO, Website design and development, Email marketing, Social media marketing, Video and photo production, and more.
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Where is Setsail Marketing based?
Setsail Marketing is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada and works with clients remotely worldwide, with additional offices in Beaverton, OR, United States.
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How much does Setsail Marketing cost?
Setsail Marketing operates on a mixed model, with an hourly rate of $100–$149/hr, a minimum engagement of $1,000, typical costs of PPC packages from $2,400/mo; performance marketing from $4,375/mo (Clutch).
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Who is Setsail Marketing best for?
Owner-led companies in Canada and the US, especially trades, builders, ecommerce brands and municipalities, that want a strategy-first agency handling ads, SEO and the website in-house.
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What industries does Setsail Marketing serve?
Setsail Marketing serves clients in Construction and home builders, Trades and home services, eCommerce and e-bikes, Automotive, Real estate, Professional services, among others.
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How big is Setsail Marketing and when was it founded?
Setsail Marketing was founded in 2016 and has a team of 11-50 people.
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How do I contact Setsail Marketing?
You can visit www.setsail.ca, or email team@setsail.ca, or call (604) 484-0651.
Editor’s take
Good for owner-led SMBs and trades businesses that want a structured plan and one in-house team for ads, SEO and web. Enterprises needing deep content or PR should look elsewhere.
