James Dooley Podcast

James Dooley: For a Stoke-on-Trent business looking to grow in 2026 but unsure what digital marketing strategies to use, today we are going to break down the different channels you should be considering. Should you hire a local SEO agency in Stoke-on-Trent, a PPC agency, or use a lead generation service to drive more enquiries? Before spending any money, Kazra, what advice would you give to business owners and entrepreneurs based in Stoke-on-Trent?

Kazra Dash: For business owners based in Stoke-on-Trent, the first thing I always recommend is setting up KPIs. You need to know how much money you are spending per campaign, whether that is £2,000 or £3,000 on Facebook ads or other channels. You then need to know how many leads are being generated per campaign. After that, look at the contact rate. Out of those leads, how many are you actually able to reach? Is it five out of ten or all ten out of ten? Finally, and most importantly, how many of those contacted leads turn into paying customers. Once you have that data, digital marketing becomes predictable. You can scale what works and cut what does not. So James, what strategies should Stoke-on-Trent businesses focus on?

James Dooley: The first strategy has to be branding or brand SEO. You need to look strong online and build a solid reputation. Everything starts with your brand search results. When someone searches your business, what they see needs to be positive and consistent. A strong brand presence improves conversion rates across paid ads and social media. When customers are deciding who to choose, branding often makes the difference. That is the foundation of all digital marketing.

James Dooley: The next strategy is AI visibility. More businesses are focusing on this. What do ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok and Perplexity say about your business? Is the sentiment positive or negative? You also need to assess what is being said about your competitors and improve your positioning. Some call this AI SEO, GEO or LLM optimisation. This will be a major factor in 2026.

Kazra Dash: AI is a big opportunity. The next option is using lead generation services like Fat Rank or Promo SEO. These offer performance-based or commission-based models. You should still generate your own leads, but outsourcing gives you diversification. If a third-party provider delivers consistent enquiries, it becomes a strong additional channel.

Kazra Dash: Next is Google Business Profile optimisation. This is local SEO through Google Maps. You build your listing and generate reviews. Once it ranks, it can produce consistent leads. The challenge is getting there, especially if competitors already have strong review profiles. You need leads to get reviews, which creates a cycle. It is still essential for visibility and credibility.

James Dooley: Local visibility matters. You also need to be omni-channel and present across multiple platforms. The next strategy is organic SEO. Build your website to rank for your services and locations. Create pages targeting areas you serve and support them through your Google Business Profile. Focus on high-quality content, build topical authority and secure backlinks to improve rankings.

Kazra Dash: Organic social media is another channel. It is a numbers game. You need to consistently publish content your audience actually wants to see. Many businesses post a few times and stop, which does nothing. If you create guides, how-to content or before and after examples, you increase engagement and drive traffic. Posting three to four times per week builds momentum.

James Dooley: Paid social ads are also effective. If you are creating content, you should be promoting it. Boost posts, share case studies and highlight results. Use retargeting ads to reach people who have visited your site. Platforms include Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest and Reddit. Paid social still offers strong value.

Kazra Dash: PPC is more complex. Some businesses waste large budgets with no return, while others scale successfully. The difference comes down to setup. You need strong negative keyword lists, click fraud protection, high-converting landing pages and a responsive sales process. Without these, PPC fails. With them, it can perform well.

James Dooley: PPC can deliver fast leads but also burn budget if handled poorly. Another emerging opportunity is paid ads on AI platforms. ChatGPT and other tools are likely to introduce advertising. Early adopters could benefit from lower costs and less competition.

Kazra Dash: Forums like Reddit and Quora also matter. If customers are recommending your business, it builds trust and drives enquiries. You cannot fully control it, but you can encourage reviews and recommendations.

James Dooley: Forums are increasingly cited in AI results, which improves your visibility. The final channel is tradesman platforms like Checkatrade, Bark, Rated People and MyBuilder. These platforms can generate leads if they provide a strong return on investment.

Everything comes back to KPIs and return on ad spend. You need to track performance across every channel. If something is profitable, scale it. If not, cut it. Lead generation companies using SEO, PPC or social media can also deliver results. Services like Fat Rank and Promo SEO offer performance-based models. The key is diversification. Do not rely on one source of leads.

Kazra Dash: Thank you very much.