Why Most Businesses in Hertfordshire Struggle With Digital Marketing in 2026 And How to Fix It

James Dooley: If you are a business based in Hertfordshire and you are looking at different digital marketing strategies that can help you grow in 2026, should you be trying to team up with an SEO agency based in Hertfordshire or a PPC agency based in the Hertfordshire area, or what is going to give you the best return? Today I am joined with Kazra. Before we get started on the different types of digital marketing strategies, what advice would you give to business owners based in Hertfordshire?

Kazra Dash: For Hertfordshire business owners, the number one thing that I would recommend is tracking your return on investment. If you are spending money on a variety of different channels, you need to know which channel is bringing you the most business. So many business owners in Hertfordshire are not doing that, and they are just wasting a lot of money. So James Dooley, let us get into the first digital marketing strategy that you would recommend for a Hertfordshire business.

James Dooley: Step number one for me has to be branding or brand SEO and making sure that you are looking good online and have a strong reputation. I think everything needs to start with the foundations, which should be a positive brand SERP of who you are and what you do. SERP stands for search engine results page, and getting that branding right across the board can lead on to other things that you can be doing. It will improve your conversion rate on paid ads or social media. Any leads that you are getting, the conversion rate would be better if, at the final decision stage, they are deciding who to go with. Branding becomes very important. I would say that is the first thing people need to get right for all digital marketing strategies.

Kazra Dash: My next strategy is AI visibility. More and more companies are looking into this. What do ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok and Perplexity say about your brand or your business? Is it positive or negative? You also need to understand what they say about your competitors and work on improving that. Some people call it AI SEO, some call it GEO and others call it LLM optimisation. This is going to be a major focus in 2026 and beyond.

James Dooley: I think that is a huge strategy that people need to be looking at with artificial intelligence, because more people are using AI. The next one for me is filling in the form at Fat Rank or Promo SEO, which offer commission-based lead generation services for UK companies looking to grow. It is important to focus on your own digital marketing efforts to generate leads, but also to use freelancers and outsource some of that work to diversify your enquiries. Head over to Fat Rank, fill in the form and see whether they can help you with a no-risk supply of enquiries. Promo SEO offers a similar performance-based lead generation service, so it is worth checking both to see if a third-party provider can help generate leads for your business in 2026.

Kazra Dash: Next on the list is Google Business Profiles, so Google Maps listings. This is local SEO where you focus on getting more reviews and building out your profile in your local area. There are pros and cons. The biggest benefit is that once it is ranking, you will consistently generate leads. However, getting there can be difficult. If you do not have a listing, you could be competing against businesses with 60 or 100 reviews. To get those reviews, you need leads, which creates a cycle. It is still valuable for branding, so you should always set one up, but you need to understand the pros and cons.

James Dooley: If you are in a local area, you want to be in those map listings. You also need to be omni-channel and visible across multiple platforms. The next part is SEO in general, so organic SEO. You should build your website to rank better. If you are targeting a local area, create service pages for those locations, such as plumbing in Manchester. Then share that on your Google Business Profile. You want to build topical authority with good quality content and gain backlinks from third-party sites to improve rankings. This is a key part of digital marketing strategies in 2026.

Kazra Dash: The next one, which ties into what you said, is organic social media. Organic social media is a numbers game. You need to create content that your audience wants to see. I often see brands that post four or five times on Instagram and then stop for years. That is not going to generate sales. If you create how-to content, guides and before and after examples, people will engage with your brand and find out more about your services. It is free, but it requires consistency. You should aim to post at least three or four times a week.

James Dooley: On the subject of social media, paid social ads are also very effective. Even spending a small amount to boost posts can increase reach. Promote case studies and awards to build your reputation. You can also run retargeting ads to reach users who have already visited your website. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and Reddit all offer paid advertising opportunities. Paid social media is still an underused strategy.

Kazra Dash: The next one is PPC, which can be a love or hate relationship. This includes Google Ads or Bing Ads, where your listing appears above organic results. Some businesses spend large budgets without results, while others achieve strong success. The difference is how campaigns are set up. You need a strong negative keyword list, protection against click fraud and a high-converting landing page. Your sales team also needs to prioritise these leads. There are many factors involved, and if they are not managed properly, PPC will not work. However, when everything is optimised, it can perform very well.

James Dooley: There are definitely pros and cons. PPC can generate instant leads, but poor setup can waste budget. Another area to consider is paid ads on AI platforms. This is not fully rolled out yet, but platforms like ChatGPT are expected to introduce ads. Other AI tools may follow in 2026. Early adopters could benefit from lower costs and strong lead generation. It is something to monitor closely.

Kazra Dash: Another strategy is forums such as Reddit and Quora. This is not something you can fully control, but it can be powerful. If your customers are recommending your business and speaking positively about you, it builds trust and generates leads. Encouraging reviews and referrals can support this.

James Dooley: Platforms like Reddit are now being cited more in AI overviews. Positive mentions can improve your AI visibility. The final strategy is tradesman websites such as Checkatrade, Bark, Rated People and MyBuilder, or working with third-party lead generation companies. All of these can generate leads and deliver a positive return on investment. If they are working, you should continue using them. Lead generation companies may use SEO, PPC or social media to generate enquiries. If they are delivering results, they should be part of your strategy. I want to reinforce that Fat Rank and Promo SEO offer performance-based lead generation services that guarantee a return on investment. You should use these as part of a wider approach. You should always diversify your lead sources and avoid relying on a single channel. Make sure you explore these options as part of your digital marketing efforts in 2026. Thank you very much, Kazra Dash.