Small business spotlight: PSquared Digital maximizes digital maze

Think back, if you can, a generation or so ago when the local cable company was advertising its soon-to-come upgrades.

“Digital,” the woman in the ad said, almost seductively. Not many of us knew then the vast changes that siren call had in store.

Now, of course, we do. Peter Platt was at the cusp back then, in those seemingly prehistoric days before the internet took over the world. Platt built a dot-com website for DuPont in 1993. Now, he’s the founder and CEO of PSquared Digital, a Brighton-based company that focuses on digital strategies for businesses.

“I’ve been in digital forever,” Platt said. “Most companies don’t know how it applies to their business. We help them understand where it fits. Our tagline is ‘accountable digital.’ ”

Businesses might be apt to try new apps to stay relevant, Platt said, whether they’re beneficial to the company or not. By now, most everyone knows about Facebook and Twitter. But what about so many of the others?

“A lot of people in the industry focus on the cool, new technology. We try to focus on the business aspect and how does digital fit in,” Platt said. “If you’re a manufacturer, you probably don’t need a picture page. We’re aligning the right things with your business.”

PSquared Digital handles all aspects dealing with digital marketing: working on a business’ website, search-engine marketing, social media, banner ads and more. Platt said PSquared has a heavy emphasis on analytics.

The small but growing company is split evenly between an “activation” team and an “engagement” team. Typical clients include business-to-business ventures both technologically focused and on the manufacturing side, financial institutions like banks and advertising agencies. “We’re their digital arm,” Platt said.

If you’re wondering how the company got its name, look no further than its founder’s initials. “I’ve signed my name for years as ‘P squared,’ ” he said. (When you have those initials, he added with a chuckle, you learn at an early age to adjust accordingly.)

Platt graduated from Ithaca College in 1986 with a degree focused on advertising and went to work for various advertising firms before starting his own company. It was during his time at one of those agencies that he helped develop the DuPont website — but Platt wanted to do more.

“Agencies are great at creative design, but a lot of them don’t focus on client results, as we do, with great creative design,” he said. “Most businesses want people to transact with them. It’s all about sales and driving business. In the digital space, there was a void there ... Your digital presence has an impact across the board. At the end of the day, we’re about helping consumers decide what products to buy. It’s about inspiring people and helping people.”

If you do remember the old “Digital” campaign that the cable company used, you probably have a much better understanding now about it. And if you’re still trying to figure out how best to maximize the potentials, that’s where companies like PSquared Digital come in.

Alan Morrell is a Rochester-based freelance writer.

PSquared Digital

Founded: 2011.

Location: 95 Allens Creek Road, Brighton.

Executives: Peter Platt, CEO.

Employees: 7.

Website:www.psquareddigital.com.