What the Accessibility Audit Taught Us About Our Own Website

What the Accessibility Audit Taught Us About Our Own Website

Taking your own medicine. Practising what we preach. Walking the walk. 

We’ve talked a lot about accessibility audits recently, how important they are for meeting the European Accessibility Act (coming / came into effect on 28th June 2025), and how they help SMEs identify issues that affect real users. But here’s the thing: no one is immune to these problems. Not even us.

It is a change that many organisations are still underprepared for, particularly small and medium-sized businesses without in-house accessibility expertise. That is why Brand Ambition and The Coders Guild have come together to offer a practical solution.

But, we couldn’t talk about digital and web accessibility without putting our own websites under a lens. We decided to run the same audit we offer to clients on our own Brand Ambition site, using Sitebulb as our accessibility tool. What we found was equal parts humbling and motivating.

Here’s what the process taught us — and why it led to the decision to rebuild our site from the ground up.

A Quick Refresher: Why Accessibility Matters

The European Accessibility Act will require all businesses that offer digital products or services to EU customers to comply with WCAG 2.1 AA standards. That means:

  • Clear navigation that works with a keyboard

  • Visual content that screen readers can interpret

  • Colours and contrast that support low-vision users

  • No reliance on mouse-only actions or inaccessible forms

The logic is simple: your website should work for everyone. But the execution is where most teams struggle and that includes experienced digital agencies.

Sitebulb: What We Used and Why

We used Sitebulb for our audit. It’s a powerful tool we use for all of our free audits in partnership with The Coders Guild. It provides a structured breakdown of accessibility issues based on the WCAG framework.

Strengths:

  • Visual reports with prioritised issues

  • Clear alignment with EAA and WCAG 2.1 standards

  • Integrates SEO and accessibility concerns in a single crawl

Limitations:

  • Doesn’t capture manual testing issues like keyboard navigation flow or real screen reader behaviour

  • Can flag false positives that still need human interpretation

  • Needs a trained eye to translate technical alerts into practical fixes

In short, Sitebulb is a fantastic tool but it’s only as effective as the action you take after reading the results.

Our Audit Results: Not as Perfect as We Hoped

Our overall accessibility score came in at 83. That’s not disastrous, but it’s not where we want to be either.

Here are the key issues flagged:

  • Critical: Missing alt text on 42 percent of images
    This means screen reader users would get no context or meaning from our visual elements. That’s a major experience blocker.

  • Critical: Buttons without discernible text on 41 percent of pages
    Users relying on assistive tech would not know where buttons lead, making key interactions inaccessible.

  • High: 100 percent of links lacked discernible text
    Every link must make sense out of context. Ours did not. For example, “Click here” is meaningless on its own.

  • High: Contrast issues on nearly 8 percent of content
    Low colour contrast meant some text was harder to read for low-vision users. This affects usability and perception of brand polish.

At first glance, these sound like quick fixes. But we quickly realised the scale and root of the problem.

Image of the Sitebulb Audit

Breaking Down the Recommendations

Yes, we could go through and patch up each issue. Add alt text here, relabel a few buttons there, tweak colour contrast. But that approach would miss the bigger point.

These issues weren’t just mistakes. They were symptoms of deeper gaps in how we design and build:

  • Templates that didn’t prioritise accessibility from the start

  • Assumptions about user journeys that didn’t consider non-visual users

  • Inconsistent content workflows that left accessibility out of QA

Our internal processes weren’t broken — but they weren’t built with accessibility in mind either. That’s when we had to make a bigger decision.

Our Conclusion: Time to Rebuild

Rather than retrofitting fixes into a structure that wasn’t designed for accessibility, we’ve decided to rebuild our site from scratch.

This time:

  • Accessibility will be part of every design, development and content decision

  • We’ll use semantic HTML and proper structure as standard

  • Contrast, alt text, keyboard navigation, and mobile performance will be tested continuously

  • The new site will be audited by a third party for an independent check

It’s not a small job. But it is the right one.

Final Thought

If you’re reading this thinking your site might have the same issues it probably does. And that’s not a criticism. It’s the reality for most teams who built without accessibility in their foundation.

The good news? You don’t have to get everything right overnight.

Start with an audit. Take stock. Decide if you need to fix, rebuild, or train your team. We’re doing all three.

And if you want help getting started, our partnership with The Coders Guild is designed exactly for this. Practical support. No hard sell. Real impact.

Let’s make digital better. For everyone.

What the Accessibility Audit Taught Us About Our Own Website

Free WCAG Accessibility Audit and Funded Team Training

Future-Proof Your Website with a joint initiative from Brand Ambition and The Coders Guild, supporting businesses with practical accessibility and training.

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into force on 28th June 2025. If your business offers digital products or services to customers in the EU, you will need to meet a new set of legally binding accessibility standards.

It is a change that many organisations are still underprepared for, particularly small and medium-sized businesses without in-house accessibility expertise. That is why Brand Ambition and The Coders Guild have come together to offer a practical solution.

We are offering free WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility audits using Sitebulb, a leading tool in the industry. Alongside that, The Coders Guild is providing funded training to help internal teams embed accessibility into their day-to-day work.

This is not a sales hook. It is real support, delivered by professionals who care about making the digital world more inclusive, and who know that most SMEs need more than a checklist to make lasting progress.

Why Accessibility Cannot Wait

Let’s be clear. Accessibility is not a nice-to-have. It is a fundamental part of a functioning digital experience. The numbers speak for themselves:

  • One in five people in the UK lives with a disability

  • 69 percent of disabled users abandon websites that are not accessible

  • UK retailers lost £17.1 billion last year due to inaccessible websites

Even putting legal risk aside, that is a massive commercial opportunity being missed. If your checkout flow does not work without a mouse, or your content cannot be read by screen readers, you are not just losing compliance. You are losing customers.

What Is Included in the Audit

Our audits are carried out using Sitebulb, a robust accessibility and SEO auditing platform. But this is not an automated scan and a templated PDF. It is an expert-led review that includes:

  • A detailed accessibility audit against WCAG 2.1 AA standards

  • A prioritised remediation report showing what matters and why

  • A 30-minute 1-to-1 consultancy session with a Brand Ambition expert

  • A clear action plan that fits your platform, team and commercial goals

We are focusing this support on UK-based SMEs, digital teams, and organisations preparing for EAA compliance.

A Real-World Example: The Coders Guild

One of our earliest audits was for The Coders Guild’s own website. Despite being built with accessibility in mind, the Sitebulb audit uncovered several issues, including:

  • Missing alt text on key images

  • Form fields lacking associated labels

  • Low contrast text on nearly half of pages audited

All of these issues created potential barriers for users. None of them required a rebuild. And all were resolved through straightforward fixes that have since improved usability for every visitor.

This is the value of an expert audit. It surfaces what is easy to overlook, gives you confidence in your next steps, and helps you address accessibility issues before they become legal liabilities or conversion blockers.

The Coders Guild’s Role: Building In-House Capability

After the audit, The Coders Guild can help your team take it further. They offer funded training that equips developers, designers and content teams to:

  • Understand accessibility principles

  • Identify and avoid common mistakes

  • Build inclusive practices into everyday delivery

This is not about hiring an external agency to patch things up. It is about giving your team the skills to design and build accessibly by default.

Crispin Read, CEO of The Coders Guild, puts it simply:
“This is not about fixing today’s issues. It is about helping teams gain the confidence to make accessibility part of what they do, every day.”

What our own Accessibility Audit taught us

Accessibility Helps SEO Too

Many of the issues we flag during audits are also harmful to search performance. Missing headings, unlabeled buttons, broken structure — all of these can confuse users and search engines alike.

When you fix accessibility, you often fix your SEO in the process. That means better visibility, stronger engagement, and improved conversion rates. It is one of the most overlooked double wins in digital.

Beyond the Audit

Even after your site reaches WCAG AA compliance, the work is not done.

Accessibility is an ongoing commitment, not a one-off project. The Coders Guild’s training ensures your team does not just fix problems found today, but understands how to design and build accessibly by default moving forward. That means better user experience, fewer future regressions, and reduced long-term risk.

Even if a developer can fix what the audit identifies today, that doesn’t mean they have the ongoing skills to:

  • Build accessibly by default on future pages

  • Keep up with evolving accessibility standards

  • Test beyond automation (e.g. screen reader behaviours, keyboard-only flow)

Fixing issues isn’t the same as preventing them. Without training, many devs unknowingly reintroduce the same problems in future sprints.

Who Should Apply

This initiative is ideal for:

  • SMEs selling products or services online

  • Teams preparing for the 28th June EAA deadline

  • Digital marketers and product leads under pressure to improve UX

  • Businesses that want support without a sales agenda

We are prioritising organisations that want to take genuine action, not just meet the bare minimum. Spaces are limited and audits will be delivered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Ready to Take the First Step?

We are offering these audits free of charge throughout June and July 2025. They are carried out by digital experts, supported by training from The Coders Guild, and designed to give you a clear and manageable path forward.

This is your opportunity to address accessibility before it becomes urgent.

Apply now to secure your free audit and begin building a more inclusive digital platform.

Let’s get it done right, and let’s get it done together.

UK SMEs: Are You Ready for the European Accessibility Act?

UK SMEs: Are You Ready for the European Accessibility Act?

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into force on 28 June 2025, introducing new legal standards for the accessibility of digital products and services across the EU. And while the UK is no longer a member of the EU, the implications for UK businesses are clear: if you sell to EU customers, your digital platforms need to comply.

This article explores what that really means and the accessibility enhancements most UK websites are still missing.

What Does the European Accessibility Act (EAA) Require?

The EAA aims to ensure that digital goods and services are accessible to people with disabilities. It applies to a wide range of industries, including:

  • E-commerce
  • Financial services
  • Transport and ticketing platforms
  • Telecommunication services
  • E-books and related software

To comply, most organisations will need to meet the WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards — a globally recognised benchmark for accessibility that’s built around four key principles:

  • Perceivable
  • Operable
  • Understandable
  • Robust

For a full breakdown of the EAA requirements, see the European Commission’s summary and this Accessibility Guidelines overview.

To help clarify what’s involved, here are three lesser-known but important WCAG 2.1 Level AA requirements that many websites miss:

  • Form Instructions and Error Identification (3.3.2): Users must be clearly informed about required fields, input formats, and how to correct mistakes. Many sites fail to offer meaningful guidance or accessible error alerts.
  • Focus Order (2.4.3): Users navigating via keyboard should encounter page elements in a logical sequence. Unexpected jumps or inconsistent focus order can make navigation confusing or impossible for those using assistive tech.
  • Resize Text Without Loss of Content or Functionality (1.4.4): Users must be able to increase text size up to 200% without needing horizontal scrolling or breaking layout. Many sites overlook this in fixed-width designs.

These requirements, while technical, are critical to ensuring full accessibility and are often flagged during detailed audits.

The Basics Most UK Sites Do Cover (But It’s Not Enough)

Over the past few years, more UK businesses have taken steps to improve accessibility, especially as public sector regulations raised awareness. Basic improvements typically include:

  • Adding descriptive alt text to images
  • Ensuring sufficient colour contrast (e.g. black on white)
  • Keyboard-navigable main menus
  • Mobile-responsive designs

These improvements are often where the effort ends — but these alone won’t meet EAA or WCAG 2.1 AA compliance. For instance:

  • Alt text is often used incorrectly (e.g. on decorative images or missing entirely)
  • Focus indicators are removed for visual style
  • Interactive elements like buttons and modals are not keyboard-accessible
  • Error messages aren’t announced by screen readers

A study by WebAIM in 2023 found that 96.3% of home pages still had detectable WCAG 2.1 failures even among sites that had implemented “basic” accessibility.

How to Audit Your Website for Accessibility

Auditing a site doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here’s how SMEs can get started using tools like Sitebulb:

  1. Run a Sitebulb Crawl using the accessibility hints and Lighthouse integration
  2. Review WCAG 2.1 suggestions, especially under forms, images, and links
  3. Flag and prioritise critical blockers — e.g. missing labels, low contrast, broken tab navigation
  4. Use screen reader emulators like NVDA (free) to test the actual user experience
  5. Check PDFs for tagging and logical structure using Adobe Acrobat Pro or PAC 3
  6. Test dynamic elements manually — like cart updates, popups, and live chat widgets

Commonly Overlooked Accessibility Enhancements

Here’s where many UK websites fall short, and where the EAA is likely to expose gaps:

Area Common Issues
Checkout Flows – Missing input labels
– Poor focus order
– No accessible validation/error handling
– No timeout alerts
Customer Support Channels – Inaccessible live chats
– No focus states
– No non-verbal alternatives
PDFs and Documents – Scanned or untagged PDFs
– No heading structure
– Missing alt text for images
Touch Targets – Buttons too small
– Poor spacing
– Difficult for users with motor impairments
Skip Links and Landmarks – No \”Skip to main content\”
– Missing ARIA landmarks like main, nav, footer
Dynamic Content Updates – Changes not announced to screen readers
– Live chat/cart updates not detectable
Multimedia – No closed captions
– Missing transcripts
– No audio descriptions for videos
Language & Readability – Missing lang attribute
– Overly complex text
– Poor readability for general users

For an e-commerce business, a fully compliant site would:

  • Offer fully accessible product filters and search (semantic HTML, proper labels)
  • Include checkout flows that meet WCAG criteria for form inputs, error handling, and keyboard navigation
  • Ensure all dynamic updates (e.g. cart changes) are announced to assistive technology
  • Offer transcripts and captions for all multimedia content
  • Provide downloadable documents (e.g. invoices, brochures) in accessible PDF format

Accessibility is also about user experience:

  • Faster load times
  • Clear, plain-language content
  • Inclusive visuals and mobile-first layouts

According to Scope’s 2023 Digital Accessibility Survey, 72% of disabled people in the UK face barriers when accessing online services, and over half abandon websites that are not accessible.

Too Busy for Accessibility? Here’s How to Delegate It Effectively

We get it you’re a Marketing Manager wearing ten hats, with limited time and a growing list of digital responsibilities. New legislation like the EAA might feel like just another thing to add to the pile.

But ignoring accessibility isn’t just a legal risk it could mean lost customers, lower SEO rankings, and reputational damage. The good news? You don’t have to tackle it alone.

Organisations like The Coders Guild offer specialised training and apprenticeship support that can embed an Accessibility Champion directly into your team. Whether it’s upskilling an existing employee or bringing in fresh talent, they help you:

  • Train someone internally to own accessibility and champion inclusive design
  • Demystify WCAG and EAA compliance without overloading your schedule
  • Create an ongoing culture of digital inclusion inside your marketing and dev teams

This is especially valuable for SMEs without dedicated UX or compliance teams because making accessibility part of your marketing DNA shouldn’t require a full department.

As Crispin Read, CEO of The Coders Guild, puts it: “Accessibility is no longer a specialist niche, it’s a fundamental skill every digital team needs. We’re here to help businesses build that capability from within, in a way that works for real-world constraints and budgets.”

Think of it like adding a future-proof mindset to your team. One that delivers better content, cleaner user journeys, and a more inclusive brand.

How Brand Ambition Can Help

At Brand Ambition, we work with SMEs to help them get ahead of the curve on accessibility:

  • Conducting WCAG-based audits tailored to your budget

  • Creating action plans based on priority, cost and impact

  • Building inclusive design into every new project

  • Supporting internal teams with checklists and training

Accessibility isn’t just a legal box to tick — it’s an opportunity to improve user experience, reach more customers, and show that your brand puts people first.

Conclusion

The EAA will bring digital accessibility into the spotlight and into law for any business selling into the EU. But the smartest businesses won’t wait to act.

If your checkout, customer support, or digital content still presents barriers, now’s the time to fix it.

Why 12-Week Marketing Plans Will Make You Wish You’d Started Sooner

Why 12-Week Marketing Plans Will Make You Wish You’d Started Sooner

Most SME marketing managers know the drill: too many channels, too few hours in the day, and a to-do list that reads more like a crisis log than a strategy. If you’re juggling SEO, PPC, content, PR, email, and social media with a tiny team (or solo), it’s time to hit reset.

Enter the 12-week integrated marketing plan — a smarter, more strategic way to run campaigns that gets real results, fast.

So… Why 12 Weeks?

It’s long enough to build momentum, but short enough to stay focused. Think of it as a sprint-sized strategy — one that aligns your entire team (however small) around a single theme, with measurable KPIs across every channel.

And here’s the kicker: it actually works.

The Stats That Matter:

  • Businesses using multi-channel campaigns outperform single-channel ones by 300% in campaign performance (Gartner).
  • Consistent messaging across platforms increases revenue by up to 23% (Forbes).
  • Agile marketers are 73% more productive and better at hitting KPIs (State of Agile Marketing Report).
  • A campaign run over 12 weeks by Logicalis generated £8 million in pipeline by aligning PR, content, email and landing pages.

What Does a 12-Week Plan Look Like?

Each 12-week campaign has:

  • One core message or theme that ties everything together.
  • A mapped customer journey aligned to channels: SEO for discoverability, PPC for intent, content for education, PR for trust, and email/social for nurturing.
  • Weekly sprints with clear actions, deadlines, and data reviews.
  • Content and creative that is repurposed across formats, saving time and cost.

You move away from ad hoc marketing and into strategic storytelling — across platforms, with purpose.

Why It Works (Especially in B2B SMEs)

For teams of 1–3 people, structure is power. A 12-week plan brings:

  • Clarity: Everyone knows what they’re doing and why.
  • Focus: You’re not spinning up five unrelated campaigns — you’re amplifying one.
  • Better Results: With channels working in sync, every blog, ad, email or social post reinforces the same message.
  • Real Attribution: Track what’s working and what’s noise — adjust as you go.

TL;DR – Here’s What to Do:

  1. Pick one business goal to focus on for the next 12 weeks.
  2. Build a campaign theme that supports that goal.
  3. Create one high-value content asset (e.g. guide, report, tool).
  4. Distribute it across channels: SEO, ads, email, PR, social, landing page.
  5. Hold weekly check-ins. Review what’s working. Tweak where needed.
  6. Finish strong. Debrief, report, repeat.

Final Word:
Marketing shouldn’t feel like you’re drowning in disconnected tasks. A 12-week integrated campaign brings structure, focus, and clarity — and when done right, it becomes the difference between simply doing marketing and generating measurable business growth.

Need help aligning your next 12-week campaign? Let’s talk.

How the Multi-Channel Approach Solves Traditional Multi-Agency Challenges

How the Multi-Channel Approach Solves Traditional Multi-Agency Challenges

In our previous blog, Why Multi-Channel Marketing Should Be Your 2025 Strategic Approach, we explored the transformative potential of integrating platforms like SEO, PPC, email marketing, and content creation into a unified multi-channel strategy. We highlighted how this approach engages prospects at every stage of the buyer’s journey, maximises ROI, and simplifies campaign management.

But let’s face it—moving from strategy to execution is where the real challenges arise. For SME marketing managers like Joanne, who often face tight budgets, conflicting advice from multiple agencies, and the pressure of ambitious growth targets, a multi-channel approach can feel overwhelming. These obstacles can derail even the best plans, leaving campaigns underperforming and managers overworked.

So, who is Joanne? She’s a marketing manager in a mid-sized SME with a £6 million turnover and a team of 40 staff. Her responsibilities include managing a marketing apprentice and a fragmented web of agencies handling everything from social media and SEO to PR and paid advertising. Despite a modest marketing budget of £95,430 (just 2% of revenue), Joanne has been tasked with doubling company revenue—a tall order for anyone.

This blog revisits Joanne’s challenges and shows how adopting a consolidated, multi-channel agency approach doesn’t just address these issues—it creates a more efficient, cost-effective, and impactful marketing system. Let’s explore how Joanne’s strategy evolved and the tangible benefits this approach delivers for SMEs like hers.

1. The Apprentice Problem:

Issue: The apprentice is ambitious but under-utilised, focusing mainly on social media and content without broader development opportunities.
Solution:

  • In a multi-channel approach, the apprentice gains exposure to integrated campaigns.
  • The unified content calendar allows them to work across SEO, PPC, and PR, enabling them to contribute to varied campaigns like creating blog posts that align with PPC ads or repurposing PR wins for social media.
  • With clear workflows, they can assist the digital agency directly, learning broader skills without being siloed.

2. The Paid Agency Budget Push:

Issue: The Paid Agency claims campaigns are “limited by budget” and pushes for trials across additional platforms like LinkedIn, Paid Social, and Bing.
Solution:

  • The multi-channel agency creates a strategic roadmap based on priority platforms that align with measurable objectives.
  • Instead of pushing ad spend across multiple platforms simultaneously, they optimise campaigns for high-performing channels first (e.g., LinkedIn and Google Ads).
  • Regular performance reviews ensure spend is aligned with ROI, reducing wasted budget.

3. Social Media Consultant’s Content Needs:

Issue: The Social Media Consultant requires a constant stream of high-quality content, images, and videos to run effective campaigns.
Solution:

  • The multi-channel approach centralises content production, with the agency creating assets that work across campaigns.
  • Blog content can be repurposed into social posts, infographics, and even paid ad creatives.
  • The digital agency collaborates with the consultant to align messaging, ensuring efficient use of resources and avoiding duplicated efforts.

4. SEO Freelancer’s Website Changes:

Issue: The SEO Freelancer needs website updates for technical performance but won’t handle coding. Hosting and Support charges for these tasks, calling them “Out of Scope.”
Solution:

  • The multi-channel agency includes technical SEO as part of the retainer, handling both on-site fixes and CMS updates without extra charges.
  • This eliminates delays and reduces costs, ensuring that SEO changes are implemented seamlessly.

5. PR Consultant and SEO Link Conflict:

Issue: The PR Consultant achieves strong media coverage but without backlinks, which the SEO freelancer insists are critical. Both avoid collaborating directly.
Solution:

  • The multi-channel agency integrates PR and SEO under one team. PR campaigns are designed to include link-building opportunities by targeting outlets likely to link back.
  • The agency’s outreach strategy ensures SEO objectives are met without PR compromising journalist relationships.

6. Senior Leadership’s Keyword Concerns:

Issue: The Senior Leadership Team highlights missing rankings for specific keywords they personally search for, creating unrealistic expectations for Joanne.
Solution:

  • The digital agency educates leadership on actual search behaviour with data-backed insights, showing how target audiences search differently.
  • They provide live dashboards tracking keyword rankings, traffic, and conversions, offering transparency and shifting focus from anecdotal searches to measurable success.
  • Campaigns are adjusted strategically based on audience intent rather than leadership preferences.

The Result: A Streamlined, Integrated Approach

By consolidating SEO, PPC, PR, and content creation into a multi-channel strategy, Joanne’s team:

  • Increases Efficiency: Collaboration between channels reduces duplication, ensuring each effort supports the overall campaign goals.
  • Cuts Costs: Eliminates fragmented agency fees and out-of-scope charges, reallocating budget toward impactful ad spend.
  • Improves ROI: Aligned strategies drive measurable results across all platforms, reducing inefficiencies and improving lead quality.
  • Reduces Stress: Joanne now deals with a unified account manager who oversees all campaigns, simplifying coordination and freeing up her time.

The multi-channel approach doesn’t just solve individual issues—it transforms Joanne’s marketing function into a cohesive, high-performing machine. Let me know if you’d like specific examples or case study additions!

How the Multi-Channel Approach Solves Traditional Multi-Agency Challenges

A Theoretical Reality: Multi-Channel Marketing vs The Multi-Agency Approach.

As we mentioned in our previous post, Multi-channel marketing combines strategies like SEO, PPC, email, and content marketing to create a unified customer experience across touchpoints. This approach helps SME B2B businesses engage prospects at every stage of the buyer’s journey. In this blog, we explore how to craft a cohesive multi-channel strategy, make it work on a tight budget, and measure its success effectively.

 

The Challenge: The Multi-Agency Model

Joanne is a marketing manager in a mid-sized SME. The company focuses on B2B Lead Generation. Traditionally the company has done well through Sales professionals, but as the company has reached a certain size, the Senior Leadership Team have invested in a marketing department over the last few years. 

The company has around 40 staff, 6 million turnover and Joanne has a marketing apprentice. 

Her marketing budget for the year is a generous 5% of the company revenue. Let’s be more realistic here, shall we. 

Joanne has been given 2%, had to beg for that and agree to some pretty high ROI targets, the budget also includes her apprentice at £24,570 per annum (Living Wage for 37.5 Hour Week in 2024/5  (non-london), because the company looks after its staff, even at Apprentice level.)

That leaves Joanne with a marketing budget of £95,430 for the year, but a target of doubling the company revenue.

At the moment, they have:

  • Social Media Consultant – £750 per month – £9,000 per year
  • SEO Freelancer – £1,200 per month – £14,400 per year
  • Paid Advertising Agency – £1,500 per month – £18,000 per year
  • Advertising Spend of £2,000 per month – £24,000 per year
  • PR Consultant – £1,200 per month – £14,400 per year
  • Website Hosting & Support – £600 per month – £7,200 per year
  • Designer – £800 per month – £9,600 per year

That’s a total of £96,600 per year or £8,050 per month. That leaves Joanne with minus £1,170 she will need to adjust the paid media spend during quiet times to accommodate, or accept a bit of a discrepancy.

Now, lucky for us Joanne, is pretty good at the strategic side, but the reporting is a bit of a mess, she has to work with four lead generation agencies all claiming a win on the same metrics. 

Other issues Joanne faces:

The Apprentice: Ambitious but under-supported, the apprentice focuses mainly on social media and content tasks. They work well with the Social Media Consultant but lack opportunities to expand their role.

The Paid Agency: Consistently claims campaigns are “limited by budget” and pushes to trial new channels like LinkedIn, Paid Social, and Bing.

The Social Media Consultant: Agrees with the Paid Agency on exploring Paid Social but requires a constant stream of content, including images and videos, to keep campaigns effective.

The SEO Freelancer: Regularly requests website changes for performance improvements but avoids coding tasks. The Hosting and Support provider charges extra for these changes, calling them “Out of Scope.”

The PR Consultant: Secures solid media coverage, but without backlinks. The SEO Freelancer argues this undermines SEO efforts but refuses to engage with journalists to avoid “stepping on toes.”

The Senior Leadership Team: Searches for specific keywords, comparing the company’s rankings to competitors, and sends weekly updates about missing ads or organic listings. Joanne explains that these keywords don’t match actual search behaviour but struggles to change perceptions.

Takeaway: While a multi-channel strategy can’t solve all challenges, it addresses many by improving alignment, streamlining efforts, and ensuring consistency across teams and campaigns.

 

The Solution: Multi-Channel Digital Agency Approach

Joanne decides to pivot to a multi-channel marketing strategy managed by two complementary agencies:

  1. A Lead Generation-Focused Digital Agency:
    • Handles SEO, PPC, and Digital PR to align messaging and ensure channel integration.
    • Includes technical website support as part of the retainer, eliminating out-of-scope charges from the hosting company.
  2. Social Media Consultant:
    • Maintains the successful relationship with Joanne’s apprentice, focusing on social growth and engagement.

This integrated approach eliminates the fragmentation and creates a unified strategy:

  • Aligned Campaigns: The SEO and PPC teams collaborate on shared goals, moving beyond bottom-of-funnel keywords to include brand awareness at the top of the funnel.
  • Repurposed Content: Blog posts and PR campaigns feed into paid social campaigns, while social media videos enrich the blog and on-site content.
  • Quarterly Campaigns: A structured calendar allows all activities—social, paid, and organic—to work cohesively toward clear objectives.

The SEO contract has also been negotiated to include Digital PR. They will also support with some Traditional Press Releases, when the company has news, but their focus is now on building links.

The PPC expert within the agency works closely with the SEO and PR team to create an Advertising approach. 

They are able to expand the campaign to focus not just on the bottom of the funnel converting phrases, but actually work Brand Awareness and Engagement at the Top of the Funnel, which is so important for B2B Lead Generation.

Joanne stuck with the Social Media Consultant, because the apprentice works so well with them, and ultimately they supported the growth in a different way. The new agency is keen to work with the Social Side so that they can align campaign messaging.

The content calendar now has a quarterly campaign approach, with a focus on key service lines. Most importantly this approach has allowed for the use of assets across the full campaign. 

  • The advertising creative supports the social campaign.
  • The content created supports the blog, the PR and the social campaigns.
  • The social media videos are used within the blog content.

 

The Results: A Cost-Effective Strategy

Joanne’s new strategy reallocates the budget for better efficiency:

  • Social Media Consultant: £750/month (£9,000/year)
  • End-to-End Digital Agency: £4,000/month (£48,000/year), including:
    • A 12-month strategy
    • Analytics setup and ad conversion tracking
    • Paid advertising across three platforms
    • Technical SEO audits and implementation
    • Content creation and digital PR
    • Design and web development support

This streamlined model reduces her total fixed costs to £57,000/year, leaving £38,430 for advertising spend—a 60% increase in media budget compared to the multi-agency model.

Key Benefits:

  1. Simplified Coordination: Weekly check-ins with an account manager replace the complex web of meetings across multiple agencies.
  2. Improved ROI: Integrated campaigns maximise returns by eliminating siloed strategies.
  3. Enhanced Reporting: A single dashboard provides clear insights into all campaigns, enabling smarter decision-making.

 

Conclusion: A 2025 Strategy for Success

Multi-channel marketing isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a smarter, more cohesive way for SME B2B businesses to achieve their goals. By consolidating services, aligning messaging, and optimising budgets, Joanne’s business is not only meeting its revenue targets but also setting the stage for sustainable growth.

If your SME faces similar challenges, a unified multi-channel approach could be the solution. Whether you’re managing limited budgets or struggling to align campaigns, a strategic shift can transform your results and simplify your role as a marketing manager.

Ready to explore how this could work for your business? Contact us today.

How the Multi-Channel Approach Solves Traditional Multi-Agency Challenges

Why Multi-Channel Marketing should be your 2025 Strategic Approach.

Multi-channel marketing combines strategies like SEO, PPC, email, and content marketing to create a unified customer experience across touchpoints. 

This approach helps SME B2B businesses engage prospects at every stage of the buyer’s journey.

 In this blog, we explore how to craft a cohesive multi-channel strategy, make it work on a tight budget, and measure its success effectively.

How to Build a Multi-Channel Marketing Strategy for B2B SMEs:

  1. Understand Your Audience: Map out your B2B buyer’s journey to identify key touchpoints (Awareness, Consideration, Decision).
  2. Choose the Right Channels: Focus on a mix of cost-effective platforms like SEO, email marketing, and PPC for targeted visibility.
  3. Create Cohesive Messaging: Align content, branding, and campaigns across channels for a seamless customer experience.
  4. Leverage Data: Use analytics tools like Google Analytics and LinkedIn Campaign Manager to track channel performance and ROI.
  5. Start Small, Scale Gradually: Begin with 2-3 channels (e.g., SEO, email, and PPC), and expand as your resources grow.
  6. Repurpose Content: Maximise ROI by turning blog posts into social media updates, email campaigns, or downloadable guides.
  7. Measure and Refine: Apply attribution models (e.g., last-click or linear) to identify which channels drive the most value and adjust your strategy accordingly.

In today’s competitive B2B landscape, relying on a single marketing channel isn’t just ineffective—it’s a missed opportunity. 

SME marketing managers are often tasked with achieving ambitious growth targets while juggling limited resources.

 A well-executed multi-channel strategy aligns your messaging across platforms, maximising ROI and creating meaningful connections with prospects. 

This blog offers actionable insights into building an effective multi-channel strategy, understanding the buyer’s journey, and tracking your success.

Bulls**t Jargon Detected 

To set the stage, let’s define some key terms and concepts:

  • Multi-Channel Marketing: Engaging customers across multiple platforms (SEO, email, PPC, social media) with consistent messaging to guide them through the buyer’s journey.
  • Attribution Models: Techniques like first-click, last-click, and linear attribution that determine which channels contribute most to a conversion.
  • Lead Nurturing: Delivering relevant, timely content to prospects to build trust and move them through the sales funnel.

Why it matters: According to a HubSpot study, 72% of consumers prefer an integrated marketing approach where messaging is consistent across channels.

The SME B2B Typical Issue

Many SME marketing managers face these challenges:

  • Over-reliance on one channel, such as PPC or email, leading to missed opportunities to connect with prospects at other touchpoints.
  • Inconsistent messaging across platforms that confuses potential customers.
  • A lack of clear ROI tracking, making it difficult to justify marketing spend.

Case Example: An SME invests heavily in Google Ads but fails to see returns because their website and landing pages aren’t optimised for conversions. 

Without complementary efforts like SEO or email retargeting, they miss out on nurturing leads who aren’t ready to convert immediately.

How Multi-Channel Can Help – Turning Marketing into Lead Generation

Multi-channel marketing addresses these issues by creating a cohesive, connected strategy:

  1. Channel Integration: Combine SEO for organic visibility with PPC for quick wins. For example, using PPC campaigns to test keywords before building long-term SEO strategies.
  2. Consistent Messaging: Align branding, tone, and content across PR, email, and ads to strengthen trust and recognition.
  3. Lead Nurturing: Pair email campaigns with remarketing ads to re-engage website visitors and prospects.

Example in Action: One of our clients, Neill Wine, transformed their revenue streams by combining local SEO, PR, and organic social media campaigns, achieving a 230% ROI within six months​

Is it perfect? No…

Just like all strategic approaches Multi-channel marketing isn’t a silver bullet, but it’s about taking a campaign idea and giving it as many opportunities to be seen and be effective as possible. 

What it does quite effectively is give you a short, medium and long-term approach, ensuring an overall better Return on Investment vs picking a single medium on its own. 

The obvious challenge is that the assumption is that you will spend more, because you’re engaging and relying on expertise across multiple channels (PPC, SEO, PR, Social, Content, Etc) as opposed to a single channel, but, if it is actually the case that you have separate agencies, freelancers and consultants across these different channels, then the likelihood is that a combined multi-channel marketing strategy may actually save you money.

Your paid advertising isn’t working hard enough – The Push-Pull Strategy

Your paid advertising isn’t working hard enough – The Push-Pull Strategy

When was the last time you shocked your Google Ads account by drastically reducing the budget on a well performing campaign?

Sounds insane? But so does pumping an increasing amount of money into an ad system designed to draw more money out of you. Every algorithm has a sweet spot between blindly throwing money in and getting something out and being made to “work harder”. Too afraid to touch anything in case it breaks is a typical agency approach on this one (just check out this facebook ad article as an example).

Google’s machine learning algorithms are built to optimise for specific goals, like clicks, conversions, or ROAS (Return on Ad Spend). However, they often work more efficiently under constraints that force them to prioritise high-quality traffic and convert at a higher rate. This is the core of the Brand Ambition Push-Pull Audience-Centric Funnel Strategy. (BAP-PACs for short) It’s about strategically manipulating Google’s algorithm to maximise ROI and improve lead generation, particularly in highly competitive markets and the results we get at comparatively tiny budgets are explosive.

The Mechanics of the Push-Pull Strategy

The Push-Pull Strategy leverages Google’s learning algorithm by first allowing a broad learning phase (“push”) and then compressing the budget to focus on high-performance keywords and ads (“pull”). This method ensures that your campaign is continuously optimised, reducing wasteful spend and driving better ROI.

1. Broad Learning Phase (“Push”)

Start by using broad match keywords and a diversified ad set to gather comprehensive data. This phase allows Google’s machine learning algorithms to explore a wide range of search queries and user behaviours, identifying which combinations perform best. The goal is to cast a wide net, gathering as much data as possible to feed into Google’s algorithms ​(Read more about this at Cobiro).

There is nothing more of putting than these messages from Google about Broad Match. They feel like a dishonest way of making you spend more money, but over the last couple of years, we have seen significant improvement over the relevancy of Broad Match adverts as the Google algorithm and language models as a whole has got smarter.

2. Budget Compression and Focused Targeting (“Pull”):

Once Google thinks it has got away with catching you into a broad match approach, and after sufficient data collection, reduce the budget and narrow the focus to high-performing keywords and audience segments.

This forces Google’s algorithm to prioritise quality over quantity, targeting the most relevant and high-intent searches, effectively making the algorithm “work harder” under tighter budget constraints ​(Marin Software discuss this and the reasons why here).

You can add more keywords, and more broad match phrases throughout a growth phrase and then repeat this process, continually pushing and pulling your marketing budget back for staged growth rather than just increasing the budget endlessly and not seeing the expected results.

3. Integrate Display and Remarketing Ads:

Use display ads to maintain brand visibility and attract new visitors. Then, deploy remarketing campaigns to re-engage users who have shown interest but haven’t converted. This approach helps refine your audience targeting and increases the likelihood of conversion by focusing on already-engaged users.

This article by ​Search Engine Land demonstrats how Global brands are thriving despite budget cuts as a result of the use of audience expansion and an insight led approach.

Why This Strategy Works: Evidence and Insights

You don’t need to be a Global Brand to take advantage of audience insights and algorithmic adaption. The tools Google provides are there to be manipulated and set-up regardless of the budget, but the trial and testing of the process, is the most important aspect. For brands that are spending £2k+ on Adwords every month, this strategy works and here are just some of the examples of clients we’ve worked with.

Algorithm Adaptation and Budget Compression:

Experiments and data from 2024 have shown that budget manipulation can significantly impact Google’s algorithm performance. By compressing the budget after an initial learning period, advertisers have observed improved performance metrics like CTR (Click-Through Rate) and CPA (Cost Per Acquisition). The algorithm, having gathered enough data, focuses more narrowly on high-converting opportunities, making each ad pound work harder​.

Leveraging Data for Dynamic Optimisation:

Google’s machine learning thrives on data diversity. The initial “push” phase provides a wide dataset from which the algorithm learns and predicts future behaviours. Once this data is available, refining the strategy with a “pull” approach ensures that only the most effective keywords and ad copies are retained. This continuous optimisation aligns with the principles of audience-centric funnel strategies, focusing on user intent and journey​. Read more about the Google Learning Phrase.

Enhanced Audience Engagement with Display and Remarketing:

By integrating display ads with remarketing efforts, the strategy capitalises on audience engagement across multiple touchpoints. Display ads help build awareness and attract broad audiences, while remarketing re-engages those who have interacted with your ads but have not yet converted. This multi-touchpoint strategy is particularly effective in maintaining engagement and driving conversions in both B2C and B2B contexts​.

Remember the goal for these type of campaigns is typically lead generation, so your display ads need to have a campaign approach. You should have a clear mix of Brand engagement and service level offering to vary the ads.

Applying the Strategy to Different Markets

B2C Example – Solar Energy Companies:

Start with broad keywords like “best solar panels” or “solar energy benefits.” Use display ads with attention-grabbing, billboard-style messaging to attract a wide audience. Once enough data is collected, compress the budget to focus on high-intent keywords and deploy remarketing ads targeting users who have visited pricing or FAQ pages but didn’t convert.

B2B Example – Professional Services:

Target keywords that reflect different stages of the buying process, such as “consulting firms in London” or “engineering solutions provider.” Use display ads on industry-specific websites to increase visibility among decision-makers. Implement remarketing campaigns to re-engage users who downloaded a whitepaper or attended a webinar but didn’t schedule a consultation.

The Trade-Off: Better Results Take More Time

You can start an exact match text campaign tomorrow and get the results you expect. Your only focus is on the quality & relevancy of the ads because you’re bidding on all the same keywords as your competitor. The limitations mean your cost per conversion is typically 25%-30% higher as a result of the CPC (cost per click) being more competitive and higher, but the results are initially more likely. This short-term view is often used for those looking for a quick fix or those not looking to squeeze every penny out of a pound, but we’re a Yorkshire company, so every penny counts.

Conclusion: Maximising Your Google Ads Potential

The Brand Ambition Push-Pull Audience-Centric Funnel Strategy (BAP-PACs) is a powerful method to optimise Google Ads performance by dynamically manipulating budgets and focusing on high-value audience segments. This approach leverages both Google’s machine learning capabilities and strategic ad placement to drive higher engagement and conversions. By making Google’s algorithm work “harder,” you can maximise ROI and achieve more effective lead generation, whether in B2C or B2B markets.

Comparison against alternative approaches

Feature Push-Pull Strategy Performance Max Campaign Smart Campaigns Exact Match Broad Match
Manual Control Over Targeting
Automated Bidding and Budgeting
Custom Keyword and Audience Segmentation
Cross-Channel Integration
Broad Learning and Data Gathering Phase
Dynamic Budget Compression and Focused Optimisation
Integration with Display and Remarketing
Real-Time AI Optimization
Cost Efficiency in Competitive Markets
High-Intent Keyword Focus
Broad Audience Reach
Best for High-Volume, Low-Touch Lead Generation
Flexibility in Ad Copy and Creative Customisation
Detailed Audience Insights and Reporting
Suitable for High-Intent, Low-Volume Lead Generation
Automated Creative and Bid Adjustments
Best for New Advertisers or Low Maintenance
Brand Ambition Announces Pedl Digitl as Our Strategic Web Delivery Partner

Brand Ambition Announces Pedl Digitl as Our Strategic Web Delivery Partner

At Brand Ambition, we are always striving to enhance our capabilities and deliver the highest quality services to our clients.

We are thrilled to announce our official partnership with Pedl Digitl as our strategic web delivery partner. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in our journey to provide comprehensive and innovative digital marketing solutions.

Enhancing Our Web Development Capabilities

The decision to partner with Pedl Digitl comes as part of our ongoing commitment to excellence and growth. Pedl Digitl brings a wealth of expertise in web development, helping us to create robust, functional, and beautifully designed websites that drive results.

This partnership enables us to expand our service offerings and deliver even more value to our clients.

 

SEO First™ Web Development

A Perfect Match for Our Values

At Brand Ambition, we prioritise innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction. Pedl Digitl shares these values, making them an ideal partner. Their dedication to pushing the boundaries of web development aligns perfectly with our mission to stay at the forefront of the digital marketing industry.

Success Stories and Shared Achievements

One of the standout success stories from our partnership is Sophie Wright, a talented web development apprentice who has been instrumental in our recent projects. Supported by The Coders Guild and funded through the Apprenticeship Levy by ASDA, Sophie has transitioned from a designer to a key player in our web development team. Her work, alongside Pedl Digitl, has contributed significantly to our 20% revenue growth this year.

Quotes from Our Leaders

 

As a growing SME, diversifying our skills and team has been crucial to our success. The team at Pedl Digitl are the best development team I’ve worked with, offering a fantastic set of standard deliverables.

Our clients have frequently commented on the efficiency of their customer service and the positive experience they’ve had with the Pedl team. This partnership has pushed the boundaries of what we thought possible, enabling us to create a new department while maintaining our core focus on SEO and customer service. I couldn’t be prouder of our achievements, and I’m excited to expand the department to include more apprentices in the coming months as a result of our growth.

Sam Raife

Managing Director, Brand Ambition

Working with Brand Ambition has been a highly rewarding experience. Their commitment to innovation and excellence aligns perfectly with our goals at Pedl Digitl. Collaborating on projects with Sophie and the rest of the team has allowed us to push the boundaries of web development and deliver exceptional results. It’s inspiring to see how our combined efforts have contributed to their significant revenue growth.

Additionally, our partnership with Brand Ambition, a leading SEO company, has allowed us to effectively synchronise our technical workflows and project management systems. This integration has enabled us to handle complex web architectures and high-load environments while ensuring optimal performance and search engine visibility.

By merging Brand Ambition’s SEO expertise with our advanced web development capabilities, we deliver robust, scalable solutions that meet stringent deadlines and exceed client expectations, setting new benchmarks in the industry.

Alen Mehic

Chief Technical Officer, Pedl Digitl

Looking Ahead

Our partnership with Pedl Digitl is set to bring numerous benefits to our clients, including enhanced website functionality, improved SEO performance, and innovative web solutions tailored to each client’s needs. We are excited to continue this journey, exploring new opportunities and achieving greater heights together.

We look forward to sharing more updates and success stories as our partnership with Pedl Digitl grows. Stay tuned for more exciting developments!

Get in Touch

Interested in seeing how our enhanced web development capabilities can help transform your business?

Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you achieve your digital marketing goals.

B2B Specialist Web Development

See how for one client we’ve already increased conversions by 94% and organic rankings by 300%