Marketing advice for small businesses
Plain-English guides on Google Ads, SEO, local search, websites and social media. Everything here comes from the accounts I manage day to day for SMEs with small budgets, so it is practical, honest and free of jargon.
The question I get asked most
If you only read one guide, make it this one. It will tell you where your first pound of marketing budget should go.
Google Ads or SEO: Which Should a Small Business Do First?
It is the question I am asked most by small business owners. The honest answer is that it depends on how quickly you need enquiries and how long you are prepared to wait for cheaper ones. Here is how to decide.
Read the guideTen guides. No jargon. No fluff.
Filter by topic, or browse the lot. Every guide is written for business owners, not marketers.
Google Ads for Small Businesses: How to Make a Small Budget Work
How small businesses can make Google Ads work on a modest budget: tight targeting, negative keywords, proper tracking and realistic timescales.
SEO for Small Businesses: Where to Start When You Are Up Against Bigger Names
A practical SEO guide for small businesses: fix the technical basics, build the right pages, write useful content and earn local links.
Google Business Profile: The Free Local SEO Tool Most Small Businesses Underuse
How to optimise your Google Business Profile to appear in the Google Maps top three: categories, reviews, photos, consistency and what to avoid.
What a Small Business Website Actually Needs to Win Enquiries
What makes a small business website turn visitors into enquiries: clear messaging, trust signals, mobile speed, working forms and the right platform.
Social Media for Small Businesses: A Realistic Plan Without a Marketing Team
A realistic social media plan for small businesses: choose the right platforms, use four content pillars, plan monthly and measure what matters.
Google Ads or SEO: Which Should a Small Business Do First?
Should a small business start with Google Ads or SEO? A plain-English comparison of cost, speed and control, and the order I recommend for most.
Local Services Ads: Are They Worth It for UK Small Businesses?
How Google Local Services Ads work in the UK: pay-per-lead pricing, eligibility, verification, ranking factors and how they compare with Search ads.
How Much Should a Small Business Spend on Marketing?
How to set a small business marketing budget by working back from customer value, not a percentage rule, with a worked example and red flags to avoid.
Are Your Enquiries Actually Being Tracked? Conversion Tracking for Small Businesses
How small businesses should track enquiries from forms, calls, WhatsApp and bookings using GA4, Google Tag Manager and Google Ads, plus common failures.
Freelancer or Agency: Who Should a Small Business Hire for Marketing?
Should a small business hire a marketing freelancer or an agency? An honest comparison, the questions to ask and the red flags to watch for.
Pick the goal that fits you
Three short reading lists, depending on what you need from your marketing right now.
I need enquiries now
You want the phone ringing in weeks, not months.
I want to be found locally
You want to show up when people nearby search for what you do.
I am planning my marketing
You are working out where to spend and who to trust with it.
Advice from the person doing the work
Get a straight answer about your marketing
Book a free 30 minute consultation with me directly. I will look at your business and tell you honestly what I would do first, whether or not we end up working together.