In the digital marketing industry, staying on top of the latest product launches and service developments is an absolute necessity. Businesses that keep up with these latest industry trends are more likely to remain competitive, deliver innovative solutions, and maintain strong client relationships.

But beyond the business benefits, attending industry events and staying informed also play a vital role in staff motivation and wellbeing. Here's why keeping up with digital marketing trends is essential for our team and our clients.

1. Enhancing Knowledge and Expertise

Digital marketing is a fast-paced industry where new tools, algorithms, and strategies emerge regularly. Staying updated on the latest developments ensures that we continue to offer cutting-edge solutions to clients.

Whether it's new SEO techniques, emerging social media platforms, or advancements in AI-driven marketing, staying informed means we remain relevant and competitive.

Attending industry events, webinars, and conferences allows us to gain first-hand insights from industry leaders, network with other professionals, and bring back fresh ideas to implement at The Digital Stride.

This continuous learning cycle keeps us at the forefront of innovation, ensuring that our clients receive the most effective and up-to-date marketing strategies.

2. Boosting Team Motivation

Attending events and training sessions to invest in professional development demonstrates that we value our team's growth.

Networking events, workshops, and conferences provide a break from the daily routine, allowing us to explore new perspectives, share experiences, and fuel our passion for digital marketing.

The excitement of learning something new or meeting industry experts can have a lasting impact on team morale and job satisfaction.

3. Strengthening Client Trust and Satisfaction

Clients rely on The Digital Stride to provide expert guidance and innovative strategies that drive results. When your marketing agency is well-informed and up-to-date with the latest trends, it can offer forward-thinking solutions that align with evolving market demands. 

By showcasing knowledge gained from industry events, such as introducing fresh marketing approaches or utilising new tools, clients can see tangible evidence that we're being proactive in adapting to industry changes.

4. Gaining a Competitive Advantage

In an industry as dynamic as digital marketing, agencies that fail to adapt risk falling behind. Staying up to date with industry trends gives us a strategic advantage over competitors who are slower to adopt new practices.

This allows us to experiment with emerging technologies, refine strategies, and differentiate our services in the marketplace to help our clients grow faster, and it’s this commitment to innovation that ensures that our clients receive the best possible solutions, strengthening our reputation and long-term client relationships.

Elevate Your Business With The Digital Stride

By continuously learning and attending industry events, we can gain a wealth of knowledge, enhance our services, and keep our team engaged and motivated all at the same time.

Being known as an agency that embraces change and innovation dovetails with our Stride Methodology and informs the way we approach everything we do.

We believe that investing in education, networking, and industry events is an investment in the future of The Digital Stride and our clients. Stay informed, stay competitive, and watch your business thrive!

Upcoming Events in Digital Marketing

Here’s a selection of industry events taking place in March and April. For more local events, keep an eye on LinkedIn and sign up for local co-working centres, which often host networking events, socials, and talks.

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The Marketing Meetup Conference

📆 Date: March 20, 2025
📍 Location: London, UK

‍Overview: Focused on educating and connecting marketers with kindness, The Marketing Meetup is hosting its first-ever conference in London. This event promises a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, featuring prominent global marketing figures.

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brightonSEO

📆 Date: April 10-11, 2025
📍 Location: Brighton, UK

‍Overview: A renowned conference for SEO professionals, brightonSEO offers deep dives into the latest SEO trends and practices. It's an excellent opportunity to gain up-to-date insights on search engine optimisation strategies and network with fellow digital marketing professionals.

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App Promotion Summit

📆 Date: April 24, 2025
📍 Location: London, UK

Overview: This summit is a premier event for app developers, mobile marketers, and growth professionals. It offers actionable insights on app growth, user acquisition, retention, and monetisation strategies through keynotes, workshops, and case studies.

Advertising Week Europe

📆 Date: April 1-3, 2025
📍 Location: London, UK

Overview: A premier event for marketing, advertising, and technology professionals, Advertising Week Europe features seminars, workshops, and networking opportunities with industry leaders. 

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Google Ads is a powerful platform for driving leads and sales, but its effectiveness depends heavily on the accuracy of your conversion tracking. Smart Bidding, which uses machine learning to optimise bids in real-time, relies on historical conversion data to make informed decisions. If this data is inaccurate, the entire bidding strategy can be compromised, leading to wasted budget, a drop in performance, and a prolonged recovery period once the issue is fixed.

In this blog, we’ll explore why tracking accuracy is critical and how incorrect data can impact your campaign performance using a real-world example.

The Impact of Incorrect Conversion Tracking

One of our clients recently experienced the damaging effects of incorrect tracking. Due to a tracking amendment by someone in their technical web team, all conversions—including secondary conversions like free guide downloads—were mistakenly recorded under the website enquiry category. This error inflated the number of ‘Primary’ conversions between the two dates in the graph below, confusing Google’s algorithm.

Instead of prioritising high-value website enquiries, the system started treating guide downloads (which are typically secondary conversions) as equally valuable. As a result, Smart Bidding shifted its strategy to focus on these easier-to-obtain conversions, leading to an artificial spike in the number of reported conversions. This is shown clearly in the dramatic jump between the two arrows in the tracking data.

What Happens When the Issue is Fixed?

After we identified and helped the client’s team resolve the tracking issue, Google’s algorithm got confused. The sudden decrease in the number of important (primary) conversions it was seeing negatively impacted performance as it tried to figure things out again. Essentially, we had transitioned from a high volume of inaccurate conversions to a smaller volume of correct conversions.

Even after three weeks of accurate data, Google’s algorithm had not fully recovered to its pre-issue performance. This is a critical lesson for any advertiser—incorrect conversion tracking can derail your campaigns, and fixing the problem doesn’t immediately restore previous performance levels. It takes time for Smart Bidding to recalibrate and regain efficiency.

Key Takeaways: Why Tracking Accuracy is Critical

1. Google’s Algorithm Learns From Your Data – If you feed Google incorrect data, it will optimise for the wrong actions, wasting your budget on conversions that do not drive real business value.
   
   
2. Short-Term Errors Have Long-Term Consequences – Even if an issue is resolved quickly, Google Ads will take time to recover. Three weeks after fixing the error in our client’s account, performance had still not returned to normal.
   
   
3. Regular Audits Prevent Costly Mistakes – Setting up conversion tracking correctly at the start isn’t enough. Regularly audit your account to ensure there haven’t been any unintended changes that could be skewing data.
   
   
4. Primary vs. Secondary Conversions Matter – Make sure Google Ads understands which conversions drive actual business impact. Treating secondary conversions as primary ones can shift the focus of your campaigns and reduce lead quality.
   
   

Steps to Ensure Your Conversion Tracking is Accurate

To prevent issues like this from happening, here are some steps to follow:

• Check Your Conversion Settings – Ensure that only the most valuable actions (e.g., sales, lead form submissions) are set as ‘Primary’ conversions in Google Ads.
• Use Google Tag Manager (GTM) for Better Control – GTM allows you to manage your conversion tracking centrally and reduce the risk of misconfigurations.
• Verify Data in Google Analytics – Cross-check your Google Ads conversions with Google Analytics goals to identify discrepancies.
• Conduct Regular Tracking Audits – Make it a habit to review your tracking setup monthly to detect any issues before they cause major disruptions.
• Review Proposed Client Amendments – Ask your clients to run any amendments to conversion tracking or Google Tag Manager changes past you first, so you can assess the potential impact on Google Ads.

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Final Thoughts

Conversion tracking accuracy is not just a technical necessity—it directly impacts the effectiveness of your Google Ads campaigns. A single mistake can send your Smart Bidding strategy in the wrong direction, leading to a prolonged recovery period even after fixing the issue.

If you’re running Google Ads campaigns, take the time to review your tracking setup today. Ensuring accuracy will protect your budget, improve lead quality, and help Google’s algorithm work for you—not against you.

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If you need an audit of your conversion tracking and/or would like to attract better quality leads and customers with Google Ads, give our friendly team a call us on 01926 358200 or complete our enquiry form.‍

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A well-structured content marketing strategy is the foundation of a successful digital presence. It ensures that your content aligns with your business objectives, resonates with your audience, and drives conversions. In this guide, we’ll explore the essential elements of an effective content marketing strategy. 

Gaining knowledge 

Gaining knowledge is crucial for a content marketing strategy because it ensures that your efforts are effective, relevant, and aligned with audience needs. The following are important factors to consider:

Customer research

Researching and learning about your customers is important for driving the right kind of traffic to your website. Consider creating a customer avatar canvas to create a clear, detailed profile of your ideal customer. A customer avatar canvas could include the following about your customers: 

• Demographic information
• Interests
• Frustrations and fears
• Wants and aspirations 
• Key purchase drivers. 

Self-analysis

Self-analysis is important for developing content that attracts traffic because it helps identify strengths and weaknesses, refine your strategy, and ensure consistency across your content. Consider creating a self-analysis worksheet which records the following: 

• Analyse Your Best Performing Content: Identify which pieces attract the most traffic and engagement.
• Assess Best Performing Content Types: Determine if blogs, videos, podcasts, or guides work best for your audience.
• Examine Best Performing Keywords: Review SEO data to see which keywords bring the most visitors.
• Evaluate Current Content Categorisation: Check if your website structure makes it easy for users to find information.

Another useful approach is to make a list of admired brands to gain inspiration from their content strategies.

Competitor research

Competitor research is important because it helps you understand what works, discover gaps in the market, and enhance your content strategy by learning from others in your industry. Steps for competitor research:

• Identify competitors and analyse their content strategy.
• Review their best-performing blog posts, videos, and other content formats.
• Study their SEO strategies, keyword usage, and backlink profiles.
• Assess their social media engagement and content distribution methods.
  
  

Market Research

Market research is important because it helps identify audience needs, stay ahead of trends, and benchmark your content’s performance against industry standards. Steps for conducting market research:

• Analyse industry reports and customer surveys.
• Utilise social listening tools to monitor conversations.
• Assess Google Trends and search behaviour patterns.
  
  

SEO and Keyword Research

SEO and keyword research are crucial for driving traffic and converting leads because they help optimise content to rank higher on search engines, attract the right audience, and align with user intent, increasing visibility and engagement. Steps for conducting SEO and keyword research:

• Competitor Research: Identify which keywords competitors rank for and how they structure their content.
• Market Research: Use keyword research tools (Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush) to find high-volume, low-competition keywords.
• Look at Search Volume: Focus on keywords with strong search demand and relevance to your audience.
• Content Planning: Create a structured content calendar based on keyword findings.
• Content Production: Develop high-quality, informative, and engaging content.
  
  • Written Content: Blog posts, case studies, whitepapers.
  • Video Content: Tutorials, explainers, behind-the-scenes footage.
  • Podcast Content: Expert interviews, discussions, storytelling.
• Optimise for SEO: Ensure content includes meta descriptions, alt tags, internal linking, and optimised page titles to improve CTR and search rankings.

Understanding Content Marketing Strategy

Content marketing provides an opportunity to build brand awareness, engage audiences, and drive customer actions. Every piece of content must serve a clear purpose - whether to educate, entertain, or inspire. A structured approach, such as a Content Purpose Designator Tool, helps categorise content based on its primary goal - awareness, engagement, conversion, or retention. Themes unify your content strategy, ensuring coherence in messaging and branding, while the Core Message Canvas helps businesses refine their primary messaging.

Structuring and Categorising Your Content

Content can be distributed across various platforms, including blogs, social media, email, video, and podcasts. A Platform Type Calculator can help businesses determine the best channels based on their audience demographics and content goals. Content structure is crucial, with headlines, subheadings, bullet points, and visuals enhancing readability. Categorising content into macro (large-scale campaigns) and micro (daily posts, short videos) allows for a diversified yet cohesive strategy. A Macro & Micro Spreadsheet ensures strategic alignment and efficient planning.

Content assets fall into three categories:

• Series: Recurring content, such as podcast episodes.
• Pillars: Foundational, evergreen content.
• Support: Complementary content that enhances pillars. Tracking content assets in a spreadsheet helps maintain organisation and strategic deployment.

Planning, Producing, and Optimising Content

A strong creative direction ensures content is distinctive and engaging. Clearly defined campaign objectives - such as brand awareness, lead generation, or customer retention - guide content creation and measurement. A structured template like the Content Blueprint ensures that all content efforts align with broader marketing goals.

Content production involves identifying content creators, managing contributors, and ensuring quality. Authority Analysis Spreadsheets help assess expertise, while a Content Production Schedule keeps content production organised and timely. Optimisation enhances performance through SEO, readability improvements, and multimedia enhancements.

Releasing content strategically aligns with the customer journey, ensuring relevance and impact. Businesses should leverage tools to assess content profitability and performance reports to measure engagement and conversions.

Exploring Different Content Formats

Written content remains essential for SEO, thought leadership, and detailed information sharing. Blogs, email newsletters, and e-books are key platforms, while articles, case studies, and whitepapers cater to different audience needs. Frequency, topic generation, and repurposing strategies should be carefully considered.

Video content is an engaging medium that boosts visibility and audience engagement. Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram offer great opportunities, with explainer videos, testimonials, and tutorials catering to different goals. Repurposing strategies such as extracting clips, creating GIFs, and transcribing videos extend their usefulness.

Podcast content provides an intimate way to engage audiences. Formats include interviews, solo episodes, and panel discussions. Repurposing content through transcriptions, social media snippets, and blog summaries maximises impact.

Measuring and Improving Content Performance

Evaluating campaign performance ensures continuous improvement. Return on Investment (ROI) measures the effectiveness of content efforts, and a structured estimator helps businesses assess profitability. Performance reports provide insights into engagement, conversions, and overall impact, guiding future content strategies.

Developing Content that Converts Visitors into Customers

Once traffic is attracted to your site, the next step is conversion optimisation. Here’s how:

Analysis and Optimisation

• User Intent Matching: Ensure content aligns with different buyer journey stages (awareness, consideration, decision).
• Compelling CTAs (Calls to Action): Include clear, persuasive CTAs to guide users towards conversion (e.g., sign-ups, purchases, consultations).
• Lead Magnets: Offer free resources such as eBooks, webinars, or templates in exchange for email sign-ups.
• Landing Page Optimisation: Create high-converting landing pages with persuasive copy and clear navigation.
• Trust Signals: Incorporate testimonials, case studies, and user-generated content to build credibility.
• A/B Testing: Experiment with different headlines, formats, and CTAs to determine what resonates best with your audience.

By following these steps, you can create a content marketing strategy that not only attracts visitors but turns them into loyal customers.

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In today’s competitive digital landscape, paid advertising is a cornerstone of successful marketing strategies. Whether using Google Ads, Bing Ads, or social media platforms like Meta (Facebook and Instagram), businesses must constantly optimise campaigns to ensure the best return on investment (ROI). This article provides practical advice to enhance your paid advertising efforts, focusing on targeting, bidding, and ad copy to maximise efficiency and results.

Understanding ROI in Paid Advertising

ROI (Return on Investment) is a key metric in paid advertising, measuring the revenue generated compared to the amount spent. It provides valuable insight into the financial success of your campaigns. For advertisers, maximising ROI means refining strategies to ensure every pound spent generates meaningful returns. This requires strategic planning, continuous optimisation, and leveraging the unique features of each platform.

Without optimisation, Ad campaigns can quickly become a drain on resources, with irrelevant clicks, high costs, and poor conversion rates eating into your budget. By following the strategies outlined in this article, you can ensure your spending is focused on high-value opportunities, driving meaningful results and safeguarding your advertising investment.

Optimising Google Ads PPC Campaigns

Google Ads remains one of the most powerful platforms for paid advertising, offering extensive reach, high intent and advanced targeting capabilities. Here are essential strategies for success:

Targeting the Right Audience

• Use keyword match types (broad match, phrase match, and exact match) to control how your ads trigger. For instance, broad match captures wider audiences, while exact match focuses on precise user intent, enabling you to balance reach and relevance.

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• Add negative keywords to prevent ads appearing in irrelevant searches, saving your budget for high-quality traffic.
• Implement audience segmentation to target specific user groups, such as in-market audiences (actively searching for products/services like yours) or custom audiences based on website visits or email lists.

Smart Bidding Strategies

• Leverage Google’s Smart Bidding tools, such as Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) and Maximise Conversions, to optimise bidding automatically. Smart bidding uses Google AI to show ads to the users who are most likely to complete a conversion action on your website.

Campaign Setting Not to Overlook

• Use Ad Schedules to display ads during peak performance times, based on historical data, to improve efficiency.
• Use location settings to focus on areas most relevant to your business. For example, target specific cities or regions where your customers are most likely to convert.
• Ensure you’re targeting people physically present in your target locations, not just those interested in them, especially if your offering only applies to the locations you are targeting. 
• Evaluate whether including Google’s search partners or display network aligns with your goals, as these can either expand your reach or dilute performance if not carefully monitored.

Creating Effective Ad Copy

• Write benefit-driven, clear headlines that communicate value directly. For example, instead of “Affordable Shoes”, use “Top Running Shoes Under £50”.
• Include strong calls-to-action (CTAs) to encourage user interaction, such as “Shop Now” or “Get Your Free Quote”.
• Use ad extensions (like sitelinks, callouts, or structured snippets) to provide additional information and increase engagement.

Improving Landing Page Relevance

• Ensure your landing pages align with ad messaging to maintain consistency and user trust.
• Optimise for mobile devices, as most users access ads through mobile platforms.
• Use A/B testing on landing page designs to identify the highest-converting versions. For example, experiment with varying the placement and colour of call-to-action (CTA) buttons to see which configuration drives the most conversions. Additionally, try testing alternative layouts or different visual elements, such as images or videos, to understand what resonates most with your audience.

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‍Enhancing ROI with Bing Ads PPC Campaigns

Bing Ads offers unique advantages, such as a lower cost-per-click (CPC) and less competition, making it an excellent addition to your advertising strategy.

Audience Targeting and Demographics

• Leverage Bing’s robust demographic targeting, such as age, gender, and device preferences.
• Use LinkedIn profile targeting to reach professionals based on industry or job roles, ideal for B2B campaigns.

Importing and Refining Campaigns

• Use Bing’s Google Ads import tool to replicate successful campaigns, saving time and effort in creating new ads from scratch. However, it’s important to monitor these campaigns closely, as platforms can perform differently. Bing’s audience may respond differently to ad copy or bidding strategies, so ongoing adjustments are necessary to achieve optimal results.

Optimising for Bing-Specific Features

• Employ ad customisers to dynamically update ads based on user searches.
• Test different bidding strategies, like Enhanced CPC, Maximise Conversions or Maximise Clicks, to find what delivers the best ROI for your market.

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Driving ROI with Meta (Facebook and Instagram) Ads

Meta’s platforms excel at reaching highly targeted audiences with engaging ad formats. Here’s how to get the best results:

Selecting the Correct Campaign Objective

Choosing the correct campaign objective is the first step to success on Meta. Whether you aim to build brand awareness, drive traffic, or boost sales, your campaign objective directly influences Meta’s bidding strategies and optimisation processes. For instance, selecting 'Sales' as the objective focuses on driving purchases, while 'Traffic' prioritises sending users to your website. Aligning the campaign objective with your business goals ensures that your ad spend is directed toward generating the desired results.

Precise Audience Targeting

• Create Custom Audiences to retarget existing customers, website visitors, or email subscribers.
• Use Lookalike Audiences to find new users who share traits with your best customers.
• Refine targeting further with demographic, interest-based, and behavioural filters to reach highly specific groups. For example, you could target users interested in specific hobbies like cycling or cooking, or focus on behavioural traits such as frequent online shoppers or users who have recently interacted with similar products. This level of specificity ensures your ads are reaching the right audience with tailored messaging.

Compelling Ad Creative

• Ensure you have high-quality visuals and videos to grab attention in crowded feeds. Tailor content to platform-specific formats, such as vertical videos for Stories or carousel ads for product showcases. Creative content can be budget-friendly and still effectively engage your audience and drive results. Examples include customer reviews, unboxings, or graphic carousels. 

Effective Budgeting and Bidding

• Use Campaign Budget Optimisation (CBO) to distribute budgets dynamically across top-performing ad sets.
• Experiment with bidding strategies, such as Cost Cap or Bid Cap, to control spending without sacrificing performance.

Continuous Analytics and Testing

• Conduct A/B testing on creatives, audience segments, and CTAs to refine campaigns over time.
• Use Meta’s Ad Manager to monitor performance metrics and allocate budgets to the highest-performing ads. Key metrics to monitor include:some text
  • Click-Through Rate (CTR) to gauge ad engagement.
  • Cost Per Click (CPC) to ensure budget efficiency.
  • Conversion Rate to measure the effectiveness of driving desired actions.
  • Frequency to avoid ad fatigue.
  • ROAS to evaluate the profitability of your campaigns.

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Cross-Platform Strategies for Maximising ROI 

Retargeting and Sequential Campaigns

• Use retargeting to engage users who interacted with your ads or website but did not convert. Ad sequencing can guide them through the purchase journey step by step.

Consistent Messaging

• Maintain consistent branding and messaging across platforms to build trust and reinforce your brand identity.

Performance Monitoring

• Track critical metrics like CTR, CPC, conversion rates, and ROAS using tools such as Google Analytics, Microsoft Clarity, and Meta Pixel. This helps identify strengths and areas for improvement.

Embracing AI Tools

• Get the most out of your budget using tools like Google’s Performance Max or Meta’s Advantage+. Set up alerts for performance anomalies to ensure timely responses to any issues.

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Conclusion

Maximising ROI with paid advertising campaigns requires a mix of strategic planning, creative execution, and continuous refinement. By applying best practices across Google Ads, Bing Ads, and Meta platforms, businesses can achieve exceptional results while staying efficient with their budgets. Remember, the digital landscape is ever-evolving, and staying adaptive is key to long-term success.

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How The Digital Stride Can Help

At The Digital Stride, we specialise in helping businesses like yours unlock the full potential of paid advertising. Our team of PPC experts has a proven track record of delivering results across Google Ads, Bing Ads, and Meta platforms. Whether you’re struggling to manage your campaigns, optimise your ROI, or simply don’t have the time to stay on top of the latest trends, we’re here to help.

With tailored strategies, cutting-edge tools, and a commitment to your success, we ensure every pound of your advertising budget is spent wisely. From keyword research and ad copy creation to bidding strategies and optimisations, we handle every aspect of your PPC campaigns with precision and care.

Ready to take your paid advertising to the next level? Contact us today to discuss how we can help your business thrive.

Enquire Now

Get in touch. Let’s work together to achieve your advertising goals and maximise your ROI.

What is Voice Search Optimisation?

Voice search optimisation is the process of tailoring your website’s content and structure to improve its visibility and performance in voice search results.

Unlike traditional searches, voice queries rely on natural language and conversational phrasing. By adapting your website to cater for this, you improve your chances of being featured in voice search results, ultimately driving more traffic and improving user engagement.

Why Voice Search Matters

Growing Popularity

Voice search is no longer a novelty, it’s mainstream. Nearly 60% of consumers aged 25 - 34 use voice search daily, and this trend is only set to grow. By 2028, the voice assistant market is expected to gain over 20 million new users, with a projected global value of nearly £25 billion by 2033. As consumer behaviour increasingly favours voice-activated interactions, businesses must adapt.

Competitive Edge

Websites optimised for voice search are primed to capture attention, drive traffic and convert visitors into customers. Voice search optimisation isn’t just a technical tweak, it’s a strategy to stay ahead of competitors.

How Does Voice Search Differ from Text Search?

Conversational Language

Unlike text searches, voice queries are conversational and natural. For example, someone might type, “best outdoor activities in Leamington Spa,” but they’ll say, “Alexa, what are some fun things to do outdoors in Leamington Spa?” Your content should reflect this conversational tone to match user intent.

Longer and Specific Queries

Voice searches tend to be longer and more detailed. Instead of typing “men’s shoes,” a voice search user might say, “Find brown men’s shoes for sale, size 10, under £50.” This shift reinforces the importance of optimising for long-tail keywords and natural phrases.

Key Strategies for Voice Search Optimisation

Adopt a Conversational Tone

Tailor your content to sound conversational and approachable. Avoid overly formal language and (once again!) use long-tail keywords that mirror how people speak. Think about the questions your audience might ask and address them directly.

Focus on Local SEO

Many voice searches involve local intent, such as “Where’s the nearest coffee shop?” To capture this audience you can:

• Optimise your Google Business Profile.
• Include location specific keywords in your content.
• Maintain consistent NAP (name, address, phone number) information across directories.

Ensure Mobile-Friendliness

Most voice searches occur on mobile devices, so your website must be responsive and user-friendly. Simplify navigation, minimise content clutter and ensure your design adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes.

Aim for Featured Snippets

Voice assistants often pull answers directly from featured snippets. The image below was from a voice search asking “what are the coffee shops near me.” 

To increase your chances of being featured on these snippets you can:

• Use clear headings and subheadings.
• Answer common questions concisely.
• Implement schema markup to help search engines understand your content.

Improve Website Speed

Fast-loading pages are crucial for both traditional and voice search. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to assess your site’s speed and make improvements, aiming for load times under two seconds.

Target Question Keywords

Voice search queries typically start with “who,” “what,” “when,” “where” or “how.” Create content that directly answers these questions. Adding a Frequently Asked Questions section can be particularly effective.

Leverage Structured Data

Implement schema markup to enhance your content’s readability for search engines. Structured data helps your site stand out in search results, increasing visibility and voice search compatibility.

The Business Benefits of Voice Search

Boost Brand Awareness

Appearing in voice search results amplifies your reach and visibility, connecting you with a broader audience. This can drive more traffic to your site and foster brand recognition.

Enhance Customer Experience

Voice search offers a hands-free, seamless way for users to find information and interact with your business. By optimising for this technology, you’re catering to modern customer expectations and delivering a superior experience.

Final Thoughts 

Voice search is becoming a pivotal aspect of digital marketing. By adopting conversational content, prioritising mobile and local optimisation and leveraging tools like schema markup, you can position your website to thrive. 

Need More Information?

To learn more about how The Digital Stride can elevate your business in the voice-first era, contact us or enquire today. 

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Google’s algorithm updates often create ripples across the digital landscape, and November 2024 has been no exception. As we approach the third week of the November Google Core Update, there’s been notable movement in search rankings. In this blog we breakdown what’s been happening and what it could mean for your website.

Early Movements: November 13–14

The initial stirrings of the update were observed around November 13 and 14. However, this activity was relatively subdued, with only minor ranking shifts noted across the web. These early movements are typical of Google’s updates, often serving as precursors to more substantial changes.

Significant Volatility: November 16 and Beyond

By November 16, the update appeared to gain momentum. Websites across various industries reported noticeable fluctuations, with some experiencing significant increases or drops in visibility. This period marked a clear spike in Google search ranking volatility, indicating that the algorithm was rolling out changes more aggressively.

The heightened activity lasted a few days, capturing the attention of the SEO community. Many speculated on the nature of these changes, discussing possible impacts on content quality, backlink strategies, and site performance.

Calm in the Second Week

As the update progressed into its second week, the volatility seemed to stabilise. Ranking shifts became less dramatic, and the digital landscape settled into a period of relative calm. This phase is often seen as the algorithm "testing" and adjusting its tweaks, allowing webmasters to assess the initial impact.

Spikes in the Third Week

Just as things seemed to be levelling out, Search Engine Round Table reported a fresh surge in ranking fluctuations during the third week of the update. These spikes suggest that the rollout is ongoing, with Google continuing to fine-tune its algorithm.

What Does This Mean for Your Website?

Core updates often prioritise quality, relevance, and user experience. If your rankings have been affected, here are some key takeaways:

• Focus on Content Quality: Ensure your content is original, well-researched, and provides genuine value to your audience.
• E-E-A-T Compliance: Emphasise Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). Build credibility through accurate information and authoritative sources.
• Technical Optimisation: Check for issues like slow loading times, mobile usability problems, or broken links that could impact your ranking.
• Monitor Analytics: Use tools like Google Search Console to track changes in traffic, impressions, and keyword performance.

Looking Ahead

While core updates can be challenging, they also present opportunities to improve your site and adapt to evolving SEO best practices. The November update is still unfolding, and its long-term impact will become clearer in the coming weeks. 

At The Digital Stride, we specialise in helping businesses adapt to algorithm changes and drive consistent growth through tailored SEO strategies. Get in touch and see how our team can support you through a core algorithm update.

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Google Ads is one of the most powerful tools to help businesses grow, especially when managed by a certified Google Partner like The Digital Stride. From 7th November 2024, Google started rolling out an updated ad credit offer exclusively for brand-new Google Ads accounts, offering up to £1,200 in ad credits. The new offer caters to various budgets, helping companies kickstart their advertising campaigns with maximum return.

As a Google Partner with over 20 years of experience, we can help you make the most of this offer, so let’s look at the new options to boost your business.

The New Ad Credit Options

Google’s latest ad credit offer introduces three tiers designed to suit different levels of investment:

• Option A: £400 in ad credit when you spend £400
• Option B: £800 in ad credit when you spend £1,200
• Option C: £1,200 in ad credit when you spend £2,400

This offer is exclusive to brand-new Google Ads accounts when you make the qualifying spend over a 60-day period and is only available when working with Google Partners like us. 

This new approach offers more flexibility to businesses and allows you to choose a level that best aligns with your marketing budgets and growth goals. It also replaces the previous single-tier structure, under which businesses were only eligible for £400 in ad credit regardless if they spent in excess of £400. Now, with three distinct options, you have the flexibility to choose an investment level that best aligns with your advertising ambitions.

So, What’s The Catch?‍

If you’re a business looking to take advantage of this offer, then you must adhere to the following three conditions:

1. Your account has no other promotions applied.
2. Your account is billed to a country with Google Partners promotional offers.
3. You are an advertiser who is new to Google Ads.

And that’s it. 

As a Google Partner, we have a monthly cap on the number of new accounts eligible for promotional codes, calculated as a percentage of the rolling monthly ad spend through our manager account. However, with our high ad spend, this cap is more than sufficient, so any new enquiries can benefit from the promotion without concern.

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Why Work with a Google Partner like The Digital Stride?‍

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As a Google Partner, The Digital Stride is qualified to set up and manage your Google Ads campaigns and is uniquely positioned to offer this exclusive ad credit. This offer is limited to accounts created under a Google Partner, so businesses that join forces with us can access valuable ad credits that would otherwise be unavailable.

The Google Partner status represents a commitment to quality backed by industry expertise and advanced Google Ads certifications. By working with us, you’ll benefit from a meticulously designed PPC campaign that aligns with Google’s best practices and incorporates advanced strategies tailored specifically to your goals. With our experience and resources, we can launch your campaign efficiently and deliver a higher return on investment.

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Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Start with Google Ads

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With this new ad credit structure, there’s no better time to launch a Google Ads campaign through The Digital Stride. Whether you’re starting up and looking to make a splash in your industry or an established business ready to expand your digital footprint, these offers make Google Ads more accessible than ever.

We understand that digital advertising can feel overwhelming, which is why we’re here to take the stress off your shoulders. As a trusted Google Partner, we manage all aspects of your Google Ads campaign, from account setup and strategy development to ongoing management and optimisation. Our goal is to ensure you see results quickly and get the most out of every ad pound you spend.

In the world of digital marketing, email campaigns remain one of the most effective ways to connect with your audience. At The Digital Stride, we run numerous campaigns across various industries, always striving to deliver the best results for our clients. 

We’ve seen some incredible results; one of our current client campaigns experiences an open rate of 57.8% and a click rate of 12.5%, compared with industry averages of 34.6% and 2.79% respectively! And this isn’t just a one-off - we’ve sent almost a quarter of a million emails in this campaign!

This shows that with the right approach, email marketing can truly thrive. Below are some of our most effective strategies for 2025, based on the latest trends in the industry.

1. Personalisation Beyond First Names

While including the recipient's first name is a good start, true personalisation goes beyond that. In 2025, it’s about tailoring the entire email experience. Segment your lists by behaviour, preferences, and past interactions. Use dynamic content to present offers or articles that are relevant to each subscriber. The more aligned your content is with your audience’s interests, the better your open and click rates will be.

Personalisation can also extend to timing. By analysing when your subscribers are most likely to open emails, you can schedule campaigns to land at just the right moment. A well-timed email feels like it’s arriving at the perfect moment rather than another generic newsletter hitting the inbox.

2. Mobile-First Design

Let’s be honest, most of us design our emails while sitting at a desktop computer and then send a test to ourselves to make sure it works properly. And when it does, we’re happy and schedule it to go out. But have we tested it on a mobile device to make sure it works accurately there?

Mobile devices are the primary source for email opens, so optimising for mobile is a must. Emails that don’t display correctly on smartphones are often deleted within seconds. For higher engagement, ensure your email campaigns are fully responsive, with clear, large fonts, easy-to-tap buttons, and concise, compelling copy.

A single-column layout works best for mobile, allowing content to flow naturally and making it easy for subscribers to scroll through. Don’t forget about the importance of load speed - use optimised images to reduce email loading times, as slow-loading emails are often abandoned.

3. A/B Testing to Refine Strategy

A/B testing is one of the core practices we use to refine and perfect our email campaigns. It’s crucial to continuously test elements such as subject lines, call-to-action (CTA) buttons, images, and email layouts. Even subtle changes can significantly improve engagement metrics. If we’re sending out an email marketing campaign to a large audience, we never do it all in one go. We’ll segment the audience down and test things like subject lines to see if we can get a better open rate as we progress through the campaign.

4. Interactive Elements

Incorporating interactive elements into your emails is another way to enhance your click-through rate. Features such as polls, surveys, or even product carousels embedded in the email allow subscribers to engage directly without leaving their inbox. These elements encourage higher levels of interaction, giving you more insight into your audience while also making your emails more engaging and fun.

While you can’t add a video to an email, you can create a short gif with a play button - this makes it look like a video and can encourage a click to a landing page that is designed to convert.

5. Compelling CTAs and Minimalism

Too much information can overwhelm recipients, resulting in lower engagement. Instead, focus on delivering a clear message with a single, compelling call to action (CTA). By keeping your email design clean and uncluttered, you make it easy for subscribers to focus on your key message and the action you want them to take.

Ensure your CTA stands out visually. Use contrasting colours, bold fonts, or buttons to draw attention. The wording of the CTA is equally important - phrases like "Get Started," "Discover More," or "Unlock Now" are more effective than generic terms like "Click Here."

6. Nurturing Through Automation

One key area we see growth in is email automation. Platforms like Klaviyo and Campaign Monitor make it easy to automate sequences based on customer actions, ensuring the right message is delivered at the right time. Whether it’s a welcome series for new subscribers or re-engagement emails for lapsed customers, automation helps keep your audience engaged without overwhelming them with irrelevant content.

In Summary

Email marketing remains a crucial channel for driving engagement and building relationships. At The Digital Stride, we’re proud to help clients navigate this ever-evolving space, consistently delivering campaigns that outperform industry standards. By focusing on personalisation, mobile optimisation, A/B testing, interactive elements, and automated nurturing, businesses can expect to see impressive and improved results from their email marketing efforts.

If you’re ready to take your email marketing to the next level, contact us at The Digital Stride, and let’s explore how we can optimise your campaigns for higher engagement in 2025 and beyond.

As we’re planning for the new year ahead, it's the perfect time to take a good look at your marketing plans.

A big part of that is making sure you’ve got a solid marketing budget in place to meet your 2025 targets. Even the most creative campaigns won’t hit the mark if they’re not backed by smart financial planning. 

To really grow your business and generate more customers, it’s key to align your marketing budget with your bigger business goals. By working closely with your marketing agency and sharing your 2025 goals, you can make your budget work smarter, not harder.

Why Your Marketing Budget is a Must for Growth

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Putting Your Resources to Good Use:  A well thought out budget helps you focus your marketing activities that give you the best results, whether that’s through Pay Per Click (PPC), Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Social Media or Email Marketing.

With a budget in place, you can avoid overspending on channels that aren’t helping you reach your goals and make sure you’re fueling the ones that do.

Keeping Track of Performance: Having a set budget makes it much easier for you to track your performance against your spending, allowing you to see what’s helping you reach your goals and what isn’t.

This means you’ll know exactly which areas of your marketing are getting a return on investment, allowing you to make more informed decisions about your spending.

Aligning with Your Big Picture: Your marketing budget shouldn’t just cover what you’re doing now, it’s got to support your long-term goals too.

Budgeting for your long-term goals, such as increasing marketing share, brand awareness or even reaching specific revenue targets, will give you peace of mind that you’re heading in the right direction for the future.

Working Smarter with Your Marketing Agency

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Share the Vision: As a marketing agency, we can help you reach your goals and targets, but we need to know what they are first.

Whether you’re rolling out new products or exploring new markets, sharing your plans and goals with us will ensure your marketing plan lines up with your goals.

Stay Flexible: Sticking to a budget is important, but it’s also smart to allow for flexibility. You never know when an opportunity, such as a trending topic or useful customer feedback, might be a perfect addition to your current marketing.

Having a budget for this allows you to shift your spending quickly and can help you jump on those opportunities ahead of any competitors.

Set Clear Goals: Agree on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) from the start. Whether you’re aiming for more leads, customers or growth, having clear goals in place means you’ll know exactly how well your campaigns are performing based on your specific goals and targets.

Keep the Conversation Going: Marketing trends shift, and customer behaviours change constantly. We have regular check-ins with all of our clients to ensure you can stay on top of what’s working in your industry, allowing us to adjust your campaigns to continually get the best results.

Setting a strategic marketing budget is a must if you want to see your business grow in 2025. By aligning your budget with your short—and long-term goals and staying in close communication with your marketing agency, you’ll ensure that you’ll get the most out of your budget and see the results you want.

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Welcome to our news and insights page where we'll be keeping you up to date with what we’ve been talking about, looking at, and using in the digital world.

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Each of the news and insights will showcase an interesting and/or useful trend, strategy or new technology that we’ve come across and we will share our learnings and how these can benefit our clients.

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So, whether you're a digital marketer looking for advice, a business owner looking to stay ahead of the curve, or someone simply curious about the latest in digital trends, you’ve found the right place.

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Here’s a sneak peek into what you can expect from our news and insights page.

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Digital Marketing Trends

Stay ahead of the competition with insights into the newest trends in digital marketing.

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We’ll cover everything from PPC and SEO best practices and social media strategies to content marketing and digital advertising.

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Cutting Edge Technology Updates

The digital landscape is constantly changing and new technologies are emerging every day.

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We’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest tech advancements including artificial intelligence, machine learning, virtual reality, and more.

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Industry Insights and Analysis

Gain valuable perspectives on various industries and how they are leveraging digital transformation to drive growth.

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We’ll explore case studies, industry reports, and expert opinions to give you a comprehensive understanding of the digital strategies that are making a difference in today’s business world.

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Innovation and Inspiration

Innovation is at the heart of digital progress. We’ll highlight the most innovative ideas and projects that are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

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We’ll also be using this space as a testing ground for new techniques and strategies to find out what works and doesn’t work to be able to keep providing our clients with tried and tested methods.

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Community and Engagement

We encourage you to engage with us through comments, discussions, and social media. 

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Your feedback and insights are invaluable, and we look forward to fostering a space where ideas can be shared and explored collaboratively.

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If you have anything you’d like us to find out more about, please let us know!

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Join Us on the Digital Journey

We invite you to join us as we explore the latest trends, uncover new insights, and celebrate the innovations that are transforming our lives.

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You can sign up to our newsletter to get sent the latest news and insights by enquiring through this form, as well as following our page on LinkedIn.

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