FAQ
Not ready for human contact yet? We're here to answer your questions.
- 01
I hate agencies.
First, that's not even a question, so we're already off to a weird start. Second, us too, honestly.
We're a studio, not an agency. The distinction is that agencies are made up of complex layers of services, teams and overhead. Ownership, pride and depth become almost impossible to manage. Add in high bill rates, turnover and side quests of intern programs and chili cook-offs, and you start to wonder if they exist more themselves than for your brand and your customers. A black hole of work requests and time tracking. Who owns the agency? Will you ever meet them? Can they even contribute? Is the person that worked on that campaign you liked even still there? If you ask them these questions, expect a large bill rounded up to 30 minute increments.
We answer those questions with focus, experience and an ownership team that will apply everything they know to your work. Here, curiosity and deep understanding get translated into speed, results and value. Add in a culture of innovation, balance and obsessiveness, and you'll feel the difference. We understand the cost of money and how to earn it.
Moving on to an actual question...
- 02
Where did the name come from?
To us, Northern Ground means ambition with foundation; risk with pragmatism; adventure with practicality. But honestly, it doesn't mean too too much.
- 03
Accepting new clients?
Yes, we're continually evaluating and onboarding new clients. 2025 is a tremendous growth year for us. You can text/call Ryan at 414-651-6050 to talk about how we can fit.
- 04
How do you charge?
We step through a series of scope definers and then lock in a fixed bid project, in most cases. We're an experienced shop so pay is on par with performance. For most projects we can submit a high-level quote within 24 hours. We bill T&M for some work including complex dev or bug hunting in third-party code. If you are asking these questions, just drop us a note.
- 05
What are you best at?
Large-scale, complex digital projects with a balance of strategy, user experience, design and code. Our ears perk up when we hear things like new tech, lots of integrations or what might feel like an impossible timeline. We like that stuff.
- 06
What's with all the icons?
Designed and animated by us, we call them Moving Parts and you should check out our growing collection. Follow us on social for the merch drop. Somewhat serious.
- 07
What else do you do?
At times we let our best clients twist our arms to produce content, even full full branding projects, in context of our digital work. When clients trust us with their brand and appreciate our design sensibilities, they often ask for more. If we can't help, we'll send you to people we trust. We also make a nice espresso.
- 08
What don't you do?
Ongoing SEO and PPC, media buys, PR, comms and most traditional ad agency stuff. But, we partner well and understand that large projects require close collaboration with AORs, PR firms, social shops, integrators, 3PLs, hardware vendors, cobblers, etc. We bolt-on to your agency partners while giving you the specialization your project demands.
- 09
Do you only work on the web?
Web is just one channel, we're multi-platform. We build for mobile, interactive retail, IoT, custom apps, and fully embedded hardware systems. If you can think it up, we probably have some code to start with. We build software for healthcare companies, live event experiences for auto makers and mobile apps for fintech firms.
- 10
We're having issues with website accessibility. Can you help? Do you guarantee compliance?
Yes we can help and no we don't guarantee compliance, no one can. There are no laws outlining what compliance means. There is no perfect tool, score or cheap plugin. There are however guidelines from WCAG that you should strive towards. If someone is promising you compliance, they aren’t being honest. Compliance is a process that is both art and science. We are an experienced accessibility firm. We use a combination of designers, developers and paid/open tools to audit, prioritize and improve accessibility over time. We work to make our site and our client sites as accessible as possible.
- 11
What's with all the plants?
We like plants.
- 12
Is Northern Ground big enough to do our thing?
We can likely output more than you need. Think of us as one integrated project team. We're built lean on purpose and it works. Large companies know that small, agile teams can have huge impact. No gaps, no filler, no speed bumps. Contact us if you need to decrease your time to market and while creating things that stand out.
- 13
Are you hiring?
Not really? If we are, we're loud about it. But we always enjoy connecting with talented people that care deeply about their trade. If we're not hiring for your role, we're pretty good connectors and we have a reputation for going out of our way to help industry folks get jobs.
- 14
Interested in small projects?
Define small.
- 15
How do I get on the list for the Halloween Party?
First, make sure you are up for it.
- 16
Do you rent your space for shoots?
Yes! Brands, agencies and creatives have rented our renovated church for dozens of shoots over the years. Our clients enjoy the use of our space anytime. Reserve the space today!
- 17
Who actually reads FAQ pages anymore?
Seems like you do, weirdo.
Have a question we didn't answer? Stop stalling.