Upthrust Inc. Review: A Mixed Bag of Highs and Lows in Growth Marketing

Introduction

Upthrust Inc. is an award-winning growth marketing agency based in Austin, specializing in brand building, customer acquisition, strategy, and design. Their team of marketers, designers, and strategists helps businesses of all sizes achieve their goals through LinkedIn ads, email marketing, Google Ads, and landing page optimization.

With a focus on service, partnership, and ambition, Upthrust promises to deliver data-driven results—but do they live up to the hype? Let’s dive into real customer experiences to uncover the pros, cons, and overall effectiveness of their services.

Pros: What Upthrust Does Well

1. Strong Business Understanding & Strategy

Several clients praised Upthrust for deeply understanding their business model before executing campaigns.

"They took the time to comprehend our core services and products thoroughly. Most agencies just want to start spending money, but Upthrust actually learned our business first."

This strategic approach has led to better-targeted campaigns and higher-quality leads.

2. Cost Optimization & Lead Generation

Some clients reported significant improvements in cost per lead (CPL):

• LinkedIn Ads: Reduced CPL to $354
• Email Marketing: Achieved $100 per lead
• Google Ads: Increased budget spending by 35% (though results varied)

"Our cost per demo book calls has been almost reduced to half, and we’re happy with the quality of demos."

3. Responsive & Proactive Communication

Clients appreciated quick responses and transparent updates, especially through Zoom and email.

"They’re the most prompt and proactive agency we’ve worked with. We always felt in the loop."

4. Strong ROI in Some Campaigns

One client saw:

• ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) of 2.5X
• 30–38 qualified leads per week
• Conversion rates boosted by 234%

"They helped us rank 21 products on Google’s first page and increased email revenue significantly."

Cons: Where Upthrust Falls Short

1. Inconsistent Campaign Performance

While some campaigns succeeded, others underperformed drastically:

• Google Ads:
  • CTR dropped by 30%
  • CPL increased by 32%
  • Pipeline reduced by 50% at higher costs
• LinkedIn Ads:
  • $1,000 spent with only 3 MQLs (Marketing Qualified Leads) and 0 SQLs (Sales Qualified Leads)
• Landing Pages:
  • Conversion rates worsened by 50%
  • CPL increased by ~300%

"They claimed they’d improve metrics by 70%, but instead, they worsened them by 50%."

2. Poor Project Management & Delays

Several clients reported chaotic workflows:

• No clear status updates
• Tasks went live without approval
• Missed deadlines
• Transitioning from ClickUp to Notion caused disorganization

"Project management was a complete mess. No visibility—we had to follow up manually on everything."

3. Subpar Creative Quality & Mistakes

Clients noted basic errors in ad creatives:

• Blurry/grainy visuals
• Copy mistakes
• Forgotten tracking pixels (impacting retargeting)

"We had to point out basic errors that should’ve been caught in quality checks."

4. Inexperienced Team Members

Some clients felt misled by false progress reports:

• Junior team members gave incorrect updates
• Lack of expertise in execution

"They need to hire a better, more experienced team."

Final Verdict: Is Upthrust Worth It?

Strengths

✔ Deep business understanding
✔ Cost-effective lead generation (when campaigns work)
✔ Responsive communication
✔ Strong ROI in successful cases

Weaknesses

❌ Inconsistent campaign performance
❌ Disorganized project management
❌ Creative quality issues
❌ Some inexperienced team members

Who Should Hire Upthrust?

• Businesses that need strategic marketing insights
• Companies willing to oversee execution closely
• Brands looking for cost-per-lead optimization (with patience for trial and error)

Who Should Avoid Upthrust?

• Startups needing flawless execution from day one
• Businesses that can’t afford campaign inconsistencies
• Clients who expect hands-off project management

The Bottom Line

Upthrust has high potential but inconsistent execution. If you’re willing to work closely with them and manage expectations, they can deliver strong results. However, if you need a flawless, experienced team from the start, you might want to explore other options.

Would we recommend them? Cautiously yes—but only if you’re prepared for some growing pains.