SEO FAQs

Jon Richardson • October 16, 2021

What You Need to Know About Search Engine Optimisation Before You Start Paying An SEO Agency!

Affordable SEO for small businesses in Christchurch , New Forest

Running your own business may be your ultimate goal, but simply opening the doors to the world is not enough to secure a regular stream of customers. Even though online marketing and online businesses and shops have been around for decades, it is only within the past few years that many businesses began utilizing the option and investing heavily in SEO and getting their online business off the ground. If you are among the many, who are beginning to realize the importance of Search Engine Optimisation and what it can do for your business, read our SEO advice before hiring an agency. 

Can SEO be affordable for small businesses?

Most large corporations devote entire departments to their SEO needs or contract out to the top-rated SEO companies. They pay substantial monthly costs to ensure their page stays at the very top of any possible search related to their company’s products or services. This avenue is costly, and investing in SEO in this way will cost you at least £500 each month or more. However, Search Engine Optimisation is not just for big businesses willing to spend big bucks. 


There are affordable SEO options available to you

Firstly, you can do it yourself. You can take lots of actions to drive more traffic to your website that does not require any technical knowledge. Updating the content, both the copy (text) and the images on your website, will benefit your rankings as search engines like Google will reward you for new content.


There are tools that help with optimizing your website to appear higher in search results. Two of my favourites are BrightLocal and SE Ranking. However, while they are simple to use at a basic level, they require a significant investment in time to understand how to get the most out of them.


Read the article I wrote for the FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) online publication, the FirstVoice, outlining 7 ways you can drive traffic to your website.


One of the reasons that SEO agencies charge significant amounts of money is that conducting regular SEO activities is quite time-consuming. Unfortunately, this is also one of the main reasons that small business owners are, by definition, very busy and just don’t have time.


Finding an affordable SEO consultancy is possible but difficult. However, it is worth the effort. An affordable

SEO Package will help you find the right balance between necessities for your search rankings and your budgetary concerns. An SEO agency will want to help a small business grow to new heights. As that business sees the benefits of the increased traffic that comes with ranking higher on Google, they will likely increase their SEO package size and ultimately generate the SEO company more revenue. It is the symbiotic circle of online marketing. 


Should I Go for the Largest SEO Agency

Simply put, No!  The size of the company you choose for your SEO services should not be a factor in your decision to use them. Bigger is not always better. The larger the agency, the busier their schedule is, and they may not be able to devote the time necessary to ensure your SEO is managed correctly. Large companies can sometimes only spend time on those willing to pay for high premiums, so if you are merely going on size, you can waste a lot of time, money, and effort in the process. 


The better option is to do your own research. Check a local web designer or web design agency in your local area to find the best and most affordable websites and SEO services. Local agencies will also know the most effective geographic keywords to help optimize your search. For example, suppose you are a plumber in Christchurch and are looking for more high-value clients in The New Forest. In that case, a local SEO consultant will know to build in keywords targeting Brockenhurst and Lymington, where there are more affluent potential customers.


Local agencies are also seeking growth for their own company and will invest more time and effort into every site they manage. Look for agencies with excellent ratings and customer service skills. Contact the SEO agency directly and see what packages they offer and how they interact with customers. 

Is Local SEO Important?

One of the problems many small to medium businesses have is the lack of localised SEO. If you are an online shop or consultancy, finding ways to bring in new customers from across the country or even other parts of the world may be necessary. However, for most services businesses such as tradespeople or hospitality companies, the focus is more on local customers.


Neglecting your local SEO can be a big mistake. Out-of-town visitors to your area may need to find the location of your business and information about it. Visitors often type in phrases such as “hotels near me” or “where to eat locally,” and if your local SEO is not up to par, they will be unable to find your business. You want to ensure these areas are effectively covered to have a blanket SEO effect over the entire scope of your business. 

SEO is All the Same, Right?

Every business has a specific niche or business genre they fit into, even within their own industry. A bar catering for 18 to 24-year-olds is very different from a high-end gastropub. No two businesses are identical. Marketing your business in the best possible manner for your ideal customers is the only way to reach them and keep them coming back for more. Identifying your perfect customer can be difficult, but it is an important exercise. You can read my previous blog on how to identify your ideal customer here.


Certain SEO practices seem to work across the board. For instance, both a real estate agency and car sales company would require a blog of some sort on their site, but what types of blogs they invest in would be substantially different. Therefore, when choosing an SEO agency for your SMB, investing in one that will account for your individual needs is vital as your SEO strategy needs to be tailored around your specific business. 



Conclusion

You have a lot to think about when it comes to running your business. What supplies you need, budgets, labour, energy costs, leasing or owning a space. The list is never-ending, and it is easy to think of SEO as non-essential or put it on the back burner while you invest in other portions of the business. However, Search Engine Optimisation is how your business reaches your potential customers. The right SEO agency performing the best SEO practices for your business is how you grow.


There are really only 3 things to consider when choosing an SEO agency to improve your rankings and grow your business:


Firstly, Is the product right for you?  If you have an online presence then the answer to this question is a definite yes!


Secondly, is the price right and does it offer value for money?  Speak to local SEO agencies and consultants, explain your goals and ask for a tailored package that fits your budget.  You can always increase it later as the customers come flooding in.


Finally, can you work with the person providing the the service.  This is probably the only one of these questions that isn't negotiable.  Meet the prospective SEO consultants in person and trust your gut feelings.

About Overt Digital Media

Overt Digital Media are a full service digital marketing agency based in Christchurch, Dorset, just on the edge of The New Forest.  We help small and medium size business owners get more leads and sales from the internet.  

We specialise in building great websites that convert more visitors in to leads and provide a range of affordable search engine optimisation services.

If your website isn't providing enough leads for you are looking to take your business to the next level then please get in touch for a free consultation or marketing audit
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How to immediately respond to every lead and get more customers

By Jon Richardson • April 11, 2026
Let’s be honest: you’re probably tough to contact That’s not a criticism. It just means you’re successful. Whether you’re a solicitor in Christchurch, a high-end salon owner in Bournemouth, or a trade specialist in the New Forest, you’re busy, in meetings, on-site, and focused on the work that keeps your business running. Here’s the issue: while you’re focused on your work, you’re missing new opportunities. When a contact form goes unread for hours, or a call goes to voicemail, you’ve effectively lost that lead you have worked so hard for. In today’s world, the fastest responder wins—not just the one who offers the best service. If you slow your sales process, you could lose leads before you even speak with them. The Brutal Reality of "Speed to Lead" People expect quick answers. If someone in Bournemouth needs a service at 7:35 PM on a Saturday, they want their problem solved right away or at least to know that someone will help as soon as possible. Your chances of converting a lead drop by 80% if you wait more than ten minutes to respond. By the time you finish a coffee or a client call, your lead may already have contacted someone else. If you’re not the first to answer or reply, you risk losing out. Today’s customers see slow responses as unreliable. If you take two days to respond to a quote request, they might think the whole job will take much longer. The Manual Bottleneck: Why You Are the Problem Most business owners we meet at Overt Digital Media value their personal touch. They like to answer emails themselves and to be the voice on the phone. But this approach may slow your growth. Think about your current process: A potential customer fills out a form on your website. An email notification lands in your inbox (among 50 other emails). You see it 45 minutes later while grabbing lunch. You tell yourself, "I'll reply when I get back to the office." You get back to the office, get distracted by an urgent issue, and finally reply at 6:00 PM. By 6:00 PM, that lead has already booked a consultation with another s eo agency in Christchurch or a different local provider who has a system in place to catch them instantly. Manually following up is tiring and inconsistent. It often makes you switch tasks, breaking your focus and lowering productivity. You end up doing admin work for free and missing out on income. Enter the 24/7 Gatekeeper: The AI Receptionist The most common problem is missing phone calls. You might be on another call, driving, or simply taking a break from work. Voicemail rarely works for leads. Fewer than one in ten people leave messages; most just hang up and call someone else. This is where an AI Receptionist comes in. Unlike a traditional answering service, which just takes a name and number. An AI receptionist can actually handle the inquiry. It can answer questions, qualify leads, and even book an appointment directly in your calendar. Picture a client calling your business at midnight. Instead of no going through to voicemail, they reach an intelligent assistant who answers their questions and books a meeting for Monday morning. You wake up to a full calendar, and your client feels confident. This is how you stay ahead without answering every call yourself. Book a demonstration of our AI Receptionist

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Stop Paying for Marketing That Doesn't Work: A Simple Guide to Getting More Enquiries We have all been there, £2000 spent and no calls! You hand over thousands of pounds to someone who promises to "get your website to the top of Google." A few months pass. Maybe you get a fancy report every month. But when you check your phone? Silence. No calls. No enquiries. No new customers walking through the door. It's the single most frustrating problem facing small business owners. You're working flat out, doing a brilliant job for your customers, but the marketing side feels like throwing money into a black hole. The truth is, most marketing doesn't fail because it's poorly done. It fails because it's not focused on the right goal, i.e. making your phone ring. Why Your Marketing Budget Disappears Without Results Let's be honest about what usually happens when small businesses try to market themselves. Someone sells you on Facebook ads. You spend £50 a day for a month. You get hundreds of clicks, maybe thousands of "impressions" (whatever those are). The report looks impressive. But you can count the actual enquiries on one hand, and half of them are time-wasters. Or maybe you paid for a fancy website redesign. It looks gorgeous. Your mate said it's "really professional." But six months later, you're still getting the same trickle of enquiries you had before. The issue isn't that these things never work. The real problem is they're often sold as if they're the whole answer, when they're just part of the bigger picture. You don't just need more website visitors; you need more people calling you or filling out your contact form. ​ Most marketing agencies make their money from monthly retainers and big upfront fees. They're incentivised to keep you paying, not necessarily to get you results. That's not a conspiracy theory: it's just the way the industry works. What Actually Brings In Enquiries (Without Breaking the Bank) Now, let's look at what actually works for real businesses serving real customers. Make It Stupidly Easy to Find You When someone searches "plumber near me" or "accountant in Bournemouth," you want to show up. Not necessarily with a paid ad: with a proper listing that shows you're local, legitimate, and available. Your Google Business Profile is free. Completely free. Yet most small businesses either don't claim it or leave it half-finished. Make sure yours has: Your actual phone number (not just a contact form) Current opening hours Recent photos of your work or premises Responses to any reviews, good or bad This one step brings in more quality enquiries than most paid ads, because people searching are already interested in your services. You're not interrupting them; you're providing the answer they need.

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By Jon Richardson • December 7, 2025
Struggling for leads? 10 quick SEO secrets, UK agencies don't want you to know. Your competitors are getting all the leads while you're struggling to get noticed online. Sound familiar? Here's the truth most digital marketing agencies in Christchurch don't want you to discover: local SEO isn't rocket science, and you don't need a computer science degree to make it work. Most agencies overcomplicate things on purpose – it keeps you dependent on their services. But the reality is that small tweaks to how you present your business online can dramatically increase the number of local customers finding and choosing you over your competition. Let's break down the exact strategies that work, explained in plain English. Secret #1: Stop Fighting for "Plumber" – Win "Emergency Plumber Christchurch" Instead Forget trying to rank for broad terms like "plumber" or "electrician." You're competing against every business in the UK for those keywords. Instead, focus on what people actually type when they need your services urgently. Think like your customers. When someone's toilet is overflowing at 2am, they're not searching for "plumber." They're typing "emergency plumber near me" or "24 hour plumber in Christchurch, Dorset." What to do right now: Make a list of your services, then add your suburb or area to each one. Use these phrases naturally throughout your website content, especially on your main pages. Secret #2: Create Landing Pages for Each Area You Serve This is where most small businesses miss out on massive opportunities. Instead of one generic "Services" page, create separate pages for each suburb or area you work in. For example, if you're a carpet cleaner, don't just have one page about carpet cleaning. Create: "Carpet Cleaning in Highcliffe" "Carpet Cleaning in Christchurch" "Carpet Cleaning in Burton" What to do right now: Pick your top 3 service areas and create dedicated pages for each. Include local landmarks, mention the specific challenges customers in that area face, and use photos from actual jobs in those neighbourhoods. Secret #3: Your Google Business Profile is Your Secret Weapon Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is often the first thing potential customers see. Yet most businesses treat it like an afterthought. Here's what separates the businesses getting calls from those being ignored: Post updates at least once a week Respond to every review within 24 hours Upload new photos monthly Keep your opening hours religiously up to date Use the "Products" section to showcase your key services What to do right now: Log into your Google Business Profile today. Check every detail is correct, upload 5 new photos, and write a post about a recent job or customer success story. 

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