Summary
Alysse Asaro introduced Ben Elkins, CEO of Utah Broadband and AirBeam, to discuss their interconnection, digital marketing in the internet space, and investment opportunities. Ben Elkins detailed AirBeam’s focus on providing high-speed fiber internet to underserved rural areas, including the mobile home park industry, and explained that he also leads Utah Broadband, which is owned by Boston Omaha, alongside Infoss and Fiberfast Homes. The participants discussed the strategic need for AirBeam and Utah Broadband to differentiate themselves from larger competitors by offering high-quality, personalized service and being highly strategic with their digital marketing, SEO, and targeted social media efforts, while Alysse Asaro contrasted her agency, Rossman’s, selective partnership model with traditional agency practices.
Takeaways
• Ben Elkins shared his background, noting he was recruited four years ago to grow AirBeam after 20 years in the telecom industry.
• AirBeam focuses on delivering high-speed fiber internet to underserved rural areas, with a strong presence in mobile home parks in Maricopa and Pinal Counties.
• The company expanded fiber-to-the-home service in towns like Arizona City and Florence, upgrading customers from dial-up or DSL to gig-speed internet.
• Due to AirBeam’s success, Elkins was asked to lead Utah Broadband, part of Boston Omaha’s portfolio of four ISP companies.
• AirBeam and Utah Broadband differentiate themselves by serving rural markets avoided by large ISPs and by offering personalized customer service.
• Competing with major providers requires highly strategic digital marketing, including careful SEO keyword management, data fencing, and daily performance monitoring.
• AI-driven SEO currently makes up about 20% of their marketing spend, while traditional Google SEO still drives the majority of traffic.
• Social media efforts focus on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn, aligning with a customer base whose median age is around 58.
• Both Elkins and Asaro emphasized customer-first service, 24/7 live support, and selective agency partnerships that prioritize long-term fit and ROI over quick, generic marketing plans.