Which digital marketing channel should I start with?

In short: Start with your outcome and timeline. Need leads fast? Run PPC with focused landing pages and tracking. Want compounding growth? Invest in SEO + content over 3–6 months. If you have a list, add email/CRM from day one. Use social for visual categories and to fuel retargeting. Keep always-on retargeting.

SEO or Google Ads - what first?
If you need results in weeks, begin with Google Ads to capture existing demand, then reinvest learnings into SEO + content for durable growth.

What’s the best channel for a small budget?
Pick one outcome and go deep. For lead gen, focus on search ads with tight keywords and a strong offer, plus retargeting. Layer SEO basics (fast site, service pages).

Which channel works fastest for leads?
PPC search is fastest. Launch with exact-match, strong landing pages, and conversion tracking; expand once CAC is proven.

Which channel should a new business start with?
Baseline: a clear website, analytics/pixels, and one “now” channel (PPC) + one “compound” channel (SEO/content or email). Review and rebalance monthly.

Timelines & expectations

How long does SEO take to work?

Most businesses see meaningful SEO movement in 3–6 months; highly competitive niches or brand-new sites can take 6–12 months. Early signs (indexing, long-tail wins) often appear sooner, but durable rankings need consistent technical fixes, content, and links. Google’s guidance and large-scale studies support this timeframe.

How long does it take to design and build a website?

Timelines vary with scope and decision speed, but agency benchmarks are: 6–8 weeks for a standard 5–8 page site; 8–12 weeks for larger sites with custom sections/integrations; and 3+ months for complex or eCommerce builds.

When should I expect to see results from a new agency engagement?

1. PPC: Initial learnings in the first 1–2 weeks, then clearer trends after a few conversion cycles (platforms go through a “learning” phase).

2. SEO/Content: 3–6 months for meaningful gains; competitive terms often 6–12 months.

3. Email/CRM: Impact can be immediate once the flows and audience are live.

4. Paid Social: Faster reach; conversion stability after exiting learning.

Costs & Pricing

Retainer vs project pricing—what’s better?

Use retainers for ongoing growth (SEO/content/ads) and projects for defined outcomes (site launch, brand refresh). Many clients blend both.

What’s a typical contract length for retainers?

Commonly 3-6 months to learn, optimise and scale; longer for heavy content and SEO. We keep scope, KPIs, and cadence clear from the outset.

Results & Reporting

What KPIs should we track with a digital agency?

Start with business outcomes, then layer in a few efficiency and quality diagnostic signals.Outcome: qualified leads/sales and revenue or pipeline. Efficiency: CPA/CAC, ROAS or MER. Quality: conversion rate, click-through rate, and search term/lead quality. Agree on definitions up front and review weekly so decisions are data-led.

How will we measure marketing ROI?

ROI compares money in vs money out. We track revenue (or qualified pipeline) that marketing creates, then compare it to all costs (ad spend + our fees + tools). You’ll see what each channel returns, what to scale, and what to cut; all reported in a straightforward dashboard.

What does the first 90 days include?

A focused 30/60/90-day plan: set goals and tracking, launch quick-win campaigns, fix site basics, then double down on what works. You’ll receive weekly progress updates, clear metrics, and a 90-day results summary with a scale-up roadmap.

Full answer (skimmable):

• Days 0–30 (Set & Start): goals, access, tracking/analytics cleanup; quick-win PPC launch; SEO/site audit; offer + landing page basics.

• Days 31–60 (Test & Learn): A/B test ads/keywords/creatives; publish priority content; technical fixes; always-on retargeting; tighten targeting based on real conversions.

• Days 61–90 (Prove & Scale): shift budget to winners; expand keywords/audiences; build evergreen assets; tidy what’s not working; baseline ROI/ROAS and plan next quarter.

• Communication: weekly or fortnightly check-ins, and live dashboards that allows you to see progress at any time.