Fatrank Podcast

James Dooley: If you’re a company based in Middlesbrough and looking at what strategies you should be using in 2026 to grow your digital marketing efforts, you might be wondering whether you should team up with a Middlesbrough-based SEO agency, a PPC agency in Middlesbrough, or a freelance lead generation company that can generate more enquiries for your business. Before you spend any money on marketing, Kazra, what advice would you give to business owners and entrepreneurs in Middlesbrough?

Kazra Dash: For Middlesbrough-based business owners, the biggest thing I would recommend is setting up KPIs. You need to know exactly how much money you’re spending on each marketing channel. You also need to understand how many leads are being generated from SEO, Facebook ads, PPC and any other channels you are using.

Kazra Dash: From those leads, you then need to track the contact rate. Are you reaching 10 out of 10 leads, or only two or five out of 10? Finally, you need to know how many of those contacted leads actually convert into paying customers. Once you have those figures, digital marketing becomes predictable because you can scale what works and cut what doesn’t.

James Dooley: For Middlesbrough businesses, the first strategy has to be branding or brand SEO. You need to make sure you look strong online and have a solid reputation. Everything starts with a positive search engine results page for your brand.

James Dooley: When your branding is right, it improves conversion rates across paid ads and social media because people trust what they see when they search for you. Branding is the foundation of all digital marketing.

Kazra Dash: The next strategy is AI visibility. More businesses are starting to look at this. What do ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok and Perplexity say about your brand? Is it positive or negative? You also need to look at what they say about your competitors and improve your positioning.

Kazra Dash: Some people call it AI SEO, GEO or LLM optimisation. Whatever the name, it will be a major factor in 2026 and beyond.

James Dooley: Another option is working with performance-based lead generation companies like Fat Rank or Promo SEO. They offer commission-based models for UK businesses looking to grow.

James Dooley: You should generate your own leads, but outsourcing part of your lead flow creates diversification. That reduces risk and gives you more consistent enquiries.

Kazra Dash: Next is Google Business Profile optimisation. This is local SEO through Google Maps. You need to build your profile and generate reviews.

Kazra Dash: The benefit is consistent leads once you rank. The challenge is getting there if competitors already have a large number of reviews. It becomes a cycle where you need leads to get reviews and reviews to get leads.

James Dooley: If you operate locally, you need to be visible on maps. You also need an omnichannel approach.

James Dooley: Organic SEO is another key strategy. You should build your website to rank for your services and locations. That includes creating service pages and supporting content.

James Dooley: Strong content, topical authority and backlinks drive rankings because search engines reward relevance and authority.

Kazra Dash: Organic social media is also important. It works as a numbers game. Posting a few times a year will not generate leads.

Kazra Dash: You need consistent content such as how-to guides, case studies and before-and-after examples. Posting three to four times a week increases visibility because more content creates more entry points for potential customers.

James Dooley: Paid social ads build on that. If you are already creating content, you should boost it with a small budget.

James Dooley: You can promote case studies, reviews and awards. Retargeting ads also work well because they re-engage visitors who have already shown interest.

James Dooley: Platforms include Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and even Reddit. Paid social remains underused, so it offers strong opportunity.

Kazra Dash: PPC is another major channel, but it has mixed results. Some businesses spend large budgets with no return, while others scale massively.

Kazra Dash: The difference comes down to setup. You need strong negative keyword lists, click fraud protection, high-converting landing pages and a responsive sales process.

Kazra Dash: If those elements are in place, PPC works. If not, it wastes money quickly.

James Dooley: There are pros and cons. PPC can generate leads instantly, but poor setup leads to wasted spend.

James Dooley: Looking ahead, paid ads on AI platforms could become important. ChatGPT, Claude and others may introduce advertising options.

James Dooley: Early adopters will benefit because lower competition leads to cheaper enquiries.

Kazra Dash: You should also consider forums like Reddit and Quora. These platforms can generate brand mentions and recommendations.

Kazra Dash: While you cannot fully control them, encouraging customers to leave reviews and recommend your business increases visibility and trust.

James Dooley: These platforms are also being cited in AI results, which links back to AI visibility. Positive mentions improve how your brand appears in AI-generated answers.

James Dooley: Finally, tradesman platforms such as Checkatrade, Bark, Rated People and MyBuilder can generate leads.

James Dooley: Like all marketing, you need to track KPIs and return on ad spend. If a platform delivers profit, you scale it.

James Dooley: Lead generation companies can also provide volume through SEO, PPC or social. If they deliver a positive return, they are worth using.

James Dooley: The key point is diversification. Relying on one source creates risk, while multiple channels create stability and growth.

James Dooley: Make sure you explore services like Fat Rank and Promo SEO as part of your 2026 strategy.

James Dooley: Thank you very much, Kazra.