Fatrank Podcast

James Dooley: If you are a company based in Aberdeen and looking to grow in 2026 using digital marketing strategies, you might be unsure whether to work with an Aberdeen-based SEO agency, a PPC company in Aberdeen, or a freelance lead generation service. Before spending any money, Kazra, what advice would you give to business owners and entrepreneurs in Aberdeen?

Kazra Dash: The number one thing Aberdeen-based business owners need to do is set up KPIs before spending anything. You need to know how much money you are spending on each marketing channel.

Kazra Dash: You also need to know how many leads are being generated from that spend. That could be 10, 50 or 100 leads, but you must understand where those leads are coming from.

Kazra Dash: Next, you need to track your contact rate. Are you reaching five out of 10 leads or all 10 out of 10? Finally, you need to measure how many of those contacted leads turn into paying customers.

Kazra Dash: Once you have these numbers, digital marketing becomes predictable because you can scale what works and switch off what does not.

James Dooley: For Aberdeen businesses, the first strategy is branding or brand SEO. You need to look strong online and build a solid reputation.

James Dooley: Everything starts with your search engine results page. When your branding is consistent and positive, it improves conversion rates across paid ads and social media because people trust your business.

James Dooley: Branding is the foundation of all digital marketing strategies.

Kazra Dash: The next strategy is AI visibility. More businesses are focusing on this. You need to know what platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok and Perplexity say about your brand.

Kazra Dash: You also need to understand what they say about your competitors and improve your positioning. This area is often called AI SEO, GEO or LLM optimisation, and it will only grow in importance.

James Dooley: Another option is using performance-based lead generation services like Fat Rank or Promo SEO. These operate on a commission basis for UK businesses.

James Dooley: You should still generate your own leads, but outsourcing part of your pipeline creates diversification and reduces risk.

Kazra Dash: Google Business Profile is another key strategy. This is local SEO through Google Maps where you build your profile and generate reviews.

Kazra Dash: The benefit is consistent leads once you rank. The challenge is building enough reviews to compete, especially if competitors already have a strong presence.

James Dooley: If you are a local business, you need to be visible on maps. You also need to be present across multiple channels.

James Dooley: Organic SEO is essential. You should build service pages targeting your locations and create supporting content to increase visibility.

James Dooley: Strong content, topical authority and backlinks improve rankings because search engines reward relevant and trusted websites.

Kazra Dash: Organic social media is another important channel. It works as a numbers game.

Kazra Dash: Posting occasionally will not generate leads. You need consistent content such as guides, how-to posts and before-and-after examples. Posting three to four times per week increases reach because more content creates more visibility.

James Dooley: Paid social ads support that strategy. 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 Reddit. Paid social is still underused, so it presents strong opportunities.

Kazra Dash: PPC is another major channel, but it can be hit or miss.

Kazra Dash: Some businesses spend large budgets with no return, while others scale quickly. The difference is in the setup.

Kazra Dash: You need negative keyword lists, click fraud protection, strong landing pages and a responsive sales process. Without these, PPC will fail.

James Dooley: PPC can deliver instant leads, but poor execution leads to wasted spend.

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

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

Kazra Dash: Forums like Reddit and Quora are also valuable. These platforms can generate brand mentions and recommendations.

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

James Dooley: These platforms are also referenced in AI results, which strengthens your AI visibility.

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

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

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

James Dooley: The key is diversification. Relying on one channel creates risk, while multiple channels create stability.

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.