expertCoach - Ditto Digital

In this edition of expertCoach, we talk to Michelle Symonds, founder of UK-based digital marketing firm, Ditto Digital!

Please introduce yourself, your company, and what you do

Hello! My name is Michelle Symonds and I am the founder of Ditto Digital, we are an SEO & Digital Marketing Consultancy established in 2010 and we are based in Buckinghamshire. We are a small team delivering top-level SEO and digital marketing solutions, with expertise in Technical SEO, Data Analysis, and Conversion Rate Optimisation.

What do you believe in the current state of online marketing in the UK?

It is still a developing industry with different companies offering different levels and types of solutions. But as customers become better informed and more discerning, the quality of services provided should become more consistent.

What factors, do you believe are the most important in a successful SEO strategy?

There are a few different factors that you must keep in mind when constructing an SEO strategy. It's important to tailor the SEO strategy to the client and their individual needs because some SEO strategies work in certain industries but not in others. You should always monitor all the available data and make data-driven decisions, it is this data that can tell you if you need to adapt the SEO strategy and be more flexible in your approach. Finally, I would say that audits of on-page SEO should be taken frequently, at least every three months, to ensure that everything is up to date.

In your experience in digital marketing, what is one lesson that you have learned?

You can never rest on your laurels - competition is always an issue, you always have to keep an eye on your efforts and what you're doing, you have to stay hungry and desire to do better. As the saying goes - "You're either moving forward or backwards". Another important lesson to keep in mind is that every client is different, and every industry is different so solutions should be tailored to the client's needs and the nature of their industry.

Where do you feel the industry is heading in 2019 and what trends do you feel will become more/less important?

Conversion Rate Optimisation will become more important in 2019. Successful SEO solutions are driving more traffic to websites but there is a need to maximize leads and sales by converting more visitors into customers. I think mobile will also continue to grow in importance, especially due to the rise of mobile indexing. Websites should really focus on ensuring the best mobile user experience on their site as possible.