There was a time when agencies would throw out an advert for a product and just hope that it succeeded. It was hard to judge the success of one over another, so many went for a scattergun approach. In today’s digital world, that’s all changed. We are able to see exactly how many people see your Facebook advert or visit your latest blog or have connected through Instagram, and how many of those have bought a room, booked a table or bought a service. Performance marketing agencies like POSH are able to see exactly what works, and focus on your successes to bring more clients. Based in Scotland and serving all the UK, POSH Agency has your data at our fingertips. 

What is performance marketing?

Performance marketing is a type of online marketing and advertising where advertisers only pay when a certain type of action happens. This could be a click, a sale or a download. It’s all data-led, meaning it requires a focused strategy from the outset. Ultimately, we are able to measure your performance and aim to get you in front of a new audience. If you want to make a sale, we’ll help you get there.

Is POSH a performance marketing agency?

Yes we are! At POSH, we love data, and we love what we can do with it. The advantage of partnering with a specialist performance marketing agency like us is that not only do we create your website, but we manage the data too. This means from day one we can strategise about the best way forward with you, whilst testing all the different ideas and options we come up with until we find what works for you and your customers.

This way, we can save you time by only promoting ads which work, which also saves you money too!

How we work with you in digital insights

Our experienced team come with years of knowledge of the digital world, working with companies in the hospitality sector and beyond. We’ll meet you and talk to you in depth to understand you, your business and its needs. We’ll figure out how to best spend your budget for maximum return on investment, and then start building tangible results.

As we go, we’ll refine what works and jettison anything that isn’t up to scratch. Our data analysis keeps us ahead of the game, and ready to tackle all the challenges that come with online sales today. We’ll make sure your campaigns are winning ones. 

Use POSH for performance marketing

Digital competition is fierce, which is why you deserve to be in a trusted pair of hands. For years, POSH has led businesses to great highs online thanks to being one of the best performance marketing agencies around. With us in your corner, from web design to the sales funnel, we’ve got your back. Get in touch with Jenny today to understand more about how we can help you. 

The post What are performance marketing agencies? appeared first on POSH Agency.

Pros of ChatGPT

AI has become more sophisticated in its writing. It is able to knock up a 500 or 1,000 word blog in a matter of seconds. And, it’s free. You can sit at your desk and within five minutes have a fully written blog using any keywords you would like and upload it with a couple of images and boom, job done. And yes, AI can even generate the images for you, saving you even more time and money. 

Multiply that over the course of a day and you could be churning out thousands of words, very easily, without the need to do any research, editing or understanding of the topic yourself. For only a few pounds, you could probably find someone on Fiverr to do it for you whilst you enjoy a round of golf or some time in front of the TV. This will result in a consistent publishing schedule that will ensure your website is constantly refreshed with new content – a key aspect of being Google-friendly. 

ChatGPT can also create a variety of content types on a whim. From a funny blog post to a serious article, or from a LinkedIn post to Memorandum of Understanding, AI is versatile. Of course, it’s not just the finished product it produces. It can deliver outline strategies, article structures and even talk ideas out with you. Sometimes it feels like there’s nothing it can’t do!

Cons of ChatGPT

So we’ve established that AI can generate significant amounts of various content in very little time. However, it means if you’re doing that, then so are millions of people all over the world. Everyone is using the same regurgitated content on their sites and ultimately not producing anything new. How can you stand out? And what will make Google put you at the top of its organic search results over a competitor doing exactly the same?

Furthermore, it might even be making stuff up! “Hallucination” is a real problem where AI gets a bit confused and starts to make things up. If that’s then posted online, then other AI could pick it up, eventually spreading a load of nonsense. This will not reflect well on you or your business, and you will quickly lose the trust of your customers and Google. 

Without human oversight, ChatGPT productions can result in poorly written, poorly researched and sub-standard work. Online users are quickly becoming able to pick up on what was ‘written by a robot’, and may feel that ultimately if you can’t be bothered putting the time into your web content, why should they put in the time reading it? The same applies to Google – it much prefers text written by a human (and yes, it’s very good at detecting when it isn’t). 

For best results, use Human Intelligence!

Using ChatGPT for SEO has its place in digital marketing. However, it can’t do it on its own and needs a human  to make it useful. Whether that’s re-writing or proofreading, a person needs to see and be able to make any changes in advance of publication. Best of all, however, is a researched article or blog with accurate information and, if possible, some unique local insight to a place or activity that adds depth and simply doesn’t exist elsewhere online. Only people can do this – and POSH does it the best! That’s some of us up there, ready to get to work for you. Get in touch with us for more information on working together and helping you grow online. 

The post Using ChatGPT for SEO: pros and cons appeared first on POSH Agency.

A strategy-first approach to digital

There’s no point rushing into digital. In fact, the opposite is usually best. We will take time with you, one-on-one, to study you, your business and, importantly, your customer base. There’s no point advertising on Instagram if your target audience is on Tik-Tok. We’ll work out where your potential clients are, and only then will we began planning out the best ways to attract them.

We have many years of experience dealing with a range of clients, primarily in the hospitality arena. This means we already come equipped with background knowledge of what works, what is a waste of money and what is best for different types of business. 

Here’s a free tip – if you are looking to grow your business online, then organically developing your website takes time, but reaps rewards. You will need a digital strategy to make sure everything is in place before you start, and we’ll work with you to develop a personalised approach to encourage the growth you expect.

Creative thinking every step of the way

If you are looking for a refreshed, modern website, then POSH will do it all. We’ll design an eye-catching, mobile friendly site and complete it with SEO-optimised content with the aim for it to rank highly on Google searches. 

We’ll source images, and make sure the user journey is optimal. We can write engaging blogs to keep your website active and attract brand new customers, setting you up as a reliable and useful site. And we’ll do all of this creatively, engaging your audience from page 1. 

Scottish based, global reach

Headquartered in Scotland, we have a global outlook with clients across the country, whose customers come from all over the world. So if you are targeting local anglers to stay at your small lodge, or American tourists to use your hotel as a golfing base, we’ve got the background and strategies to help you target them. And everything in between, of course!

Happy customers

We’ve worked with so many happy customers in the past and their success is what keeps us going! Here are some testimonials from them. So if you’d like to POSH-up, get in touch with Jenny, founder of the best digital marketing agency in Scotland and let us develop your website, write your blogs and help you with your digital journey. 

The post POSH – the best digital marketing agency in Scotland appeared first on POSH Agency.

Where to start marketing?

Marketing a small business is hard. Seeing it thrive is infinitely harder, but here we are, 16 years later and POSH is still leading the way in developing eye-catching, SEO optimised websites for businesses across the country. 

Over the years, the strategies, tools, and approaches in digital marketing have undergone significant transformations. Social media has changed how we promote ourselves and our clients’ work, developing a new way of talking which simply didn’t exist 10 or 15 years ago.  In this blog post, we’ll delve into the top 3 lessons we have learned about marketing for small businesses and how these insights have shaped the way we approach every new commission today.

1. Embrace Digitalisation

Marketing used to be TV and newspaper led. Not any more. The rise of the digital era has revolutionised marketing for small businesses. It meant we could stand shoulder-to shoulder on the same platforms as the largest businesses like Coke, Apple and Disney. We could place adverts in places we knew our customers would be, and track how successful these ads were. Using Facebook, Instagram and TikTok has been crucial to allow small businesses to be heard above large corporations.

Find out more about our digital marketing services here.

Key lesson: Embrace change. Nothing stays the same for long, and if you aren’t at the forefront of new ways of doing things, you will be left behind playing catchup. 

2. Listen

No matter how big or small businesses are, you are always going to be dealing with a person. Whether that’s on the other end of the phone, over Teams or in person, you need to be able to make a connection. The best way to do this is to listen to what is being said, and ask questions.

Small businesses thrive on word of mouth, and this involves listening to customer feedback. When a customer gets great service, they are often keen to share this with their friends and family. This is the sort of marketing that money can’t buy! By being personable with everyone and listening to their needs, we can help ensure our business is the sort they will recommend.

Key lesson: When we listen, we can begin to see opportunities for marketing and business growth.

3. Content marketing drives results

There was a time when writing an online blog was seen as a hobby, like writing a diary. Today, blogs are a cornerstone of the web, and content marketing is crucial in pushing websites in front of the right set of eyes. 

Content marketing such as blog posts, videos, or social media content, providing valuable and relevant information to a target audience. It sets you up as a position of authority, making potential customers trust you which, in turn, increases the likelihood that they will buy from you. Good content also engages in search engine optimisation, which makes your search results appear high when someone Googles what you do. 

Find out more about our search engine optimisation services here.

Key lesson: Provide accessible, regular and relevant content to encourage new visitors to your site.

This time next year, Rodney…

We’ve learned plenty of lessons growing POSH and how to market a small business. But these three stand head and shoulders above the rest as being the basis for developing a successful enterprise. Embrace change, listen to clients and create worthwhile content. As an online marketing agency, by continuing following those lessons, we look forward to continue our growth for many more years to come. If you’d like to join us and hear more about how we can market your small business, get in touch with Jenny today.

The post How to market a small business appeared first on POSH Agency.

As 2023 draws to a close, we’ve seen many changes and developments in the Scottish hospitality industry over the year. Hospitality trends we have noticed include a rise in the need for digital marketing strategies to get businesses seen online, a rise in the number of people working whilst abroad and a definite increase in the number of people looking for eco holidays.

Here’s a rundown of what we’ve seen – and where we think 2024 will take us.

Travelling is happening again

After lockdowns and restrictions, we’re delighted that 2023 saw people travel in huge numbers around the world and here to Scotland. We saw a large rise in travellers from the USA as well as from across Europe. European travel had been weak since Brexit, but people are starting to come back to the UK from all across the continent again. 

One of the most interesting changes since COVID has been the rise in working travellers on ‘workations’. This is where people with remote jobs have realised that they don’t have to work from their kitchen or bedroom – they could do it from a beach or in a bar like at Kingsmills Hotel! Hotels and guest accommodation have similarly realised that to cater to this emerging market, they need to ensure their Wi-Fi is as fast as possible and accessible throughout their grounds. Additionally, guests like to find places to work where they can engage in online meetings without disturbing others. So locations that offer rooms to hire by the hour with screens and power sources are proving popular with this type of traveller. 

With remote working here to stay, ensuring your accommodation and services are appealing to these digital nomads is a good investment for the future.

The eco-travel market is on the rise

Furthermore, eco-travelling has come up the ranks in 2023. We’ve noticed that when faced with two similar holiday options, travellers will often choose the more expensive if it is eco friendly. This means it might be a location which is environmentally conscious, or offers carbon offsets. By pushing the environmental aspects of a venue – perhaps by not wasting unused food as seen at events at Venachar Lochside – businesses can increase their appeal to eco travellers. We can see this trend increasing over 2024 and beyond.

Make sure you have a digital marketing strategy

Long gone are the days when you could simply set up a website and expect customers to come pouring in. If you want to be seen online today, you need a digital strategy including SEO and marketing and 2023 has continued to prove that point. 

We continue to see a lot of traffic come from social media websites, so a strong presence on platforms like Facebook continue to be vital. A great example is Eagle Brae. Their social presence is more about the experience and getting potential customers to imagine how wonderful it would be to stay there. Whilst they still promote last minute breaks, it isn’t a hard sell because they have a high quality offer they know people will want. 

Having websites which are fully SEO optimised is also crucial. SEO or search engine optimisation is a way to construct a site so that search engines such as Google can easily find them and understand what your site is about. This means it can reliably deliver your site in search results to customers looking for your service. It’s no longer about ‘keyword stuffing’, but rather making sure your site is authoritative, up to date and relevant. By understanding the types of searches people do in your niche (for example caravan holidays, hot tub breaks, luxury event space etc), it’s possible to create pages to meet that need and so make yourself visible to a new audience. Stuckgowan Estates is a great example of a five-star accommodation experience which runs a beautifully SEO optimised website. 

Highlight free things to do

Even although people are going on holiday again, and are often willing to pay a little extra to make sure their hotel or self-catering meets their needs, people are still conscious of their overall budget. The cost of living will still be tight throughout 2024.

What we’ve found is that free things to do near an area can be a deciding factor when it comes to deciding on where to stay. We urge our clients to consider this when working on their websites. It could be anything from wild swimming in a loch to where to buy food for a picnic. Loch Lomond Waterfront have particularly embraced this strategy by highlighting the many free things to do around the area, and they are reaping the rewards. Offering itineraries for free days out is a slam dunk when it comes to high performing blogs. 

Open bookings in advance

People are planning their holidays much further in advance now than ever before, which means accommodations need to open up their bookings well into the future. 

It may be because people want to spread the cost for their holidays over a longer period, but we are finding that holiday bookings are coming in for up to a year or even two in advance. This means, as of 2023, we advise clients to open their bookings up to the end of 2025. Rates for Christmas and new year breaks need to be live at least six months before the season, and the same goes for Valentines Day offers, spring beaks and half term holidays. 

January is by far the biggest month of the year for bookings. By the end of December, websites need to have their last minute deals ready for 2024, as well as looking ahead to 2025 stays. 

Looking forward to another amazing year

2023 has been a fantastic year for our clients, and we hope to make 2024 even better! If you are looking for a marketing agency which specialises in hospitality digital marketing, then we would love to chat about helping you get to the next level. 

The post Scottish hospitality trends in 2023 appeared first on POSH Agency.

Glasgow is a bright, beautiful and booming city. With so many new businesses forming and existing companies growing, it’s a great time to think about how well your website is performing. Our POSH team have local knowledge of the area and our clients love that we can talk to them about how promoting the city can help develop their own business. Posh’s SEO services in Glasgow are one way to do just that.

SEO company in Glasgow

Search engine optimisation or SEO is all about making sure Google can read your website, understand what you do and serve up this information to those searching for it. A well optimised website means Google can trust that the information it offers to its customers is accurate and relevant. Our job is to make sure this happens and that you are at the top of the list. After all, have you ever searched on the second, third or fourth page of Google search results? No, neither have we.

Some companies want to target local people whilst others aim for tourists from across the world. There is so much opportunity in Glasgow that deciding on the best strategy can be difficult. This is where we come in and can help you find focus. By doing so, we can make sure your site targets your potential customers, increasing your online visibility. 

SEO is a long game and takes time to rise in the rankings. By working together in partnership with you, we can ensure we grow your site and enhance your SEO over time. 

Web design Glasgow

We use WordPress to design our websites. This is a creative tool which lets us create original and bespoke websites. Need an online shop? You’ve got it. Want to have a hotel booking system integrated? No problem. Whatever you need, we’ll find a way, and make sure users can navigate around it easily.

Our websites are all responsive and mobile friendly.  From mobiles to tablets to gaming PCs, your website is going to look fantastic on them all. 

SEO in Glasgow

If you’d like to find out a bit more about us, you can read more about our services here. When you are ready, get in touch online or give our friendly POSH team a call on 0141 278 6702

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Based in Scotland, our outpost in Edinburgh means we can feel the pulse of the city. This helps us to connect with the needs of our clients and their customers. By feeding in our local knowledge, we can create bespoke websites which will rank highly on Google search results. This is thanks to our proven SEO digital strategies. Our skills at website design in Edinburgh go hand in hand with our search engine optimisation knowledge. As such, we will create a powerful online marketing tool for your business.

So whether you want to capitalise (sorry) on Edinburgh’s historic architecture, promote the range of tourist attractions like Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile or Arthur’s Seat or even develop your site into a thought leader in finance and the economy, we are quite literally here to help in Edinburgh.

Search engine optimisation in Edinburgh

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a way in which we can let Google know what your website is about. This way, it can serve up your pages to its customers who are interested in doing business with you. A website with optimised SEO will regularly appear towards the top or organic search results.

Additionally, we can write engaging blogs for you. Blogs ensure your website is consistently updated with new and relevant content about your business. This way, you can connect with your potential customers a bit more and build trust.

Upgrade your existing site’s SEO with POSH

If you already have a website and are looking for it to be upgraded into one which has been optimised for search engines, then we can help. We will go through your pages and analyse the on-screen text, as well as how the site is coded. This way, we can improve your SEO. This will enhance your position on Google search results. 

WordPress web design Edinburgh

WordPress is a powerful web design tool. This is why here at POSH we use it to create your bespoke site. Throughout the design process, we will work with you as a partner to ensure everything is exactly how you want. Our high standards mean that we ensure every aspect of your website has the user in mind to ensure they can understand your business, and how they can buy from you. So as a result, you know you are going to get an original, built-from-scratch website which is exactly how you imagined it would look.

Our websites are all mobile friendly. They look just as great on an iPhone, iPad and Samsung mobiles as they do on a top of the range PC. Therefore wherever your target audience are, your website will look perfect.

SEO and website design in Edinburgh

If you’d like to find out a bit more about us, then you can read more about our services here. When you are ready, get in touch online. We are a marketing and SEO agency in Edinburgh so you can also give our friendly POSH team a call on 0131 215 1306. 

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Are you finding it hard to reach potential clients? Do you find that other newer businesses are poaching your work? Are you unsure how to stem the tide and improve your social media presence? Well don’t worry – we can help. People are increasingly relying on the first or second result from Google to find companies to work with. If you aren’t landing at the top of search results, you’re in trouble. Whether you are offering a place to stay on holiday or building and gardening services, having a solid online presence is no longer optional. It’s vital. The days of relying on handing out business cards to find new work are increasingly becoming a thing of the past. So if you are shouting “Help! My business is failing!” then here are some POSH ideas on how to turn it around. 

Customers need to see your website

Chances are if you are reading this, you’ve never really concerned yourself with online marketing. You’ve never had to – word of mouth and newspaper ads were probably all you needed. But these days, with the credit crunch and cost of living crisis, people are more savvy with their money. They only want to spend it on people that can trust, and one way to build trust is to have a comprehensive website. 

A good website means having a series of pages which show you know what you are talking about. You are experts in your field, so let’s make sure potential customers know this. That’s because doing so will make them more likely to hire you. There are plenty of ways you can set up your own website for free, but as with everything in life, you get what you pay for. A free website will not give you a personalised URL (that’s the www bit) nor will anyone tell you if it is working to pull in customers. 

A POSH website will ensure your website is professional and functional. All pages will be geared towards climbing high in Google searches whilst also being beautiful to look at and interesting to read. We’ll take the time to talk with you and understand what you’d like to promote and tell people. Our team will then write, add images and publish your website. Once you have an online presence, the hard work can begin.

Develop a professional social media presence

A good social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and increasingly TikTok is vital for every thriving business today. That’s because:

1. A good online presence builds trust in potential customers. They can see previous work, get to know your business and understand a bit more about who they are giving their money to.
2. You can use social media to drive people to your website, increasing the chances they might buy from you.
3. Social media is a great way to increase your reach and recognition. In addition to interesting and relevant content, you can run competitions to engage your audience.

Companies who understand the language of social media can turn that into paying customers. If you would like help in doing so, just drop us a line to start a chat.

Online advertising done correctly

You may have seen adverts on Facebook or Instagram. You may have scrolled past them without paying any attention. This is a sign that those adverts weren’t targeted and were a waste of money. If you advertise through us, we’ll make your money work hard for you.

POSH Agency specialises in paid advertising on search engines and social media platforms like Facebook Ads. This is a great way to get your message out about the services you offer. Want to promote a sale? Interested in telling people about your new website? Want to push your products at a specific seasonal time of year? This is where we come in to make sure all of this is taken care of. 

Advertising on social media is where a lot of younger companies spend their marketing budget. This is because 4.8 billion people around the world use social media. Chances are your next customer is one of them. Let us get you some leads to really turn your business around.

Build your digital marketing strategy with us

We know that people who run companies want to do just that – get on with their job. We agree, and think people work best when they focus on their specialities. That’s why we will work to bring together your own, personalised digital strategy to spot ways your business can grow online. We can see where people are engaging with you online, and how to capitalise on that. After we’ve analysed your online footprint, we’ll advise you on next steps and be with you all the way.

So if you are struggling with your business and looking for ways to get more customers online, then drop us a line today. We’ll happily have a no obligations chat with you, and see how we can help. You don’t have to be scared about entering the online marketing world, especially if you’ve got a POSH friend with you. Change “My business is failing. Help!”  to “My business is growing. Thank you! ”. 

The post Help! My business is failing! appeared first on POSH Agency.

Reclaiming ownership of your Facebook Business page

First, make sure that you haven’t been hacked, and this is why you have lost access to your page. If you think this may have happened, then you can report hacking attempts here.

If you have exhausted all other options, including contacting the person with current admin access if possible, then it’s time to get Facebook involved. You can contact them through their business help page. Alternatively, if you can still log into your personal Facebook page, try their support page here. 

There are going to be a few things you need to get ready. This is so you can prove you should have access to your page.

What you need to reclaim ownership

1) A copy of a valid government-issued photo ID. This could be a driver’s license or passport of the individual signing the statement. You can find the different types of identification Facebook accepts in the help centre.

2) A signed statement from a person with sufficient knowledge and authority on this matter. The statement should include all of the following:

a) A description of your relationship to the Page (including your authority to request a change from the person(s) managing the Page, as applicable);

b) The Page’s URL

c) The name of the current person(s) managing the page, as applicable, and the relationship of this person(s) to the Page; 

d) An explanation of your request. For example, has there has been a termination of the working and/or business relationship with the named person(s), as applicable;

e) All documentation supporting your request. This could be a business license or certificate of incorporation under the business page name to prove the applicant’s authority over the business.

f) The Facebook account or email address associated with the Facebook account that you wish to have added as the new page administrator;

g) A statement that the information you have provided is true and accurate. For example, “I declare under penalty of perjury that the information provided is true and accurate”. Your statement should include similar words.

What happens next?

Even after jumping through all these hoops, it does not guarantee that your request will be accepted. All the documents you supply will be reviewed by the relevant Facebook team. They will decide whether or not it will be accepted. 

Securing your account

So that is how to reclaim admin rights to a Facebook page. Once it is back up and running, it’s worthwhile taking the time to make sure it is secure. This includes ensuring you understand all the different types of roles available on Facebook pages and initiating two-factor authentication. And once you are set up again, read our tips on creating viral content for your social media channels. 

The post How to reclaim admin rights to a Facebook page appeared first on POSH Agency.

Here’s how we do it. 

POSH creative website design

Every website owner should ask themselves two important questions:

How does my website look?

How does my website perform?

Both are just as important as each other. Whilst your website should look great, it also needs to offer exceptional user experience. It’s true what they say: form follows function. 

Here at Posh Agency based in Scotland we offer creative design on your website, backed up 100% with insights into how it is performing from the minute it goes live. Our data will show you if the site is reaching your sales goals, what people are reading and where tweaks can improve people’s enjoyment of your pages. 

For example, we can analyse traffic to see what customers are looking for, and how easy it is for them to find it. We can then suggest ways of putting your most popular content front and centre, giving customers an easy route to make a purchase. 

We can also let you know where most of your traffic is coming from and work out why. From here, we can advise on ways to increase traffic to you, via for example Instagram, TikTok or offline print. 

Your website is an evolving tool at your disposal. By staying on top of the data, we can make sure it is working for you 24/7.

POSH creative website design & planning

At POSH, all creative site design happens from the ground up. That’s because a little bit of POSH planning goes a long way! Whilst working out what your site will look like, we need to know what you want your site to do. Want to sell online? Have an online booking service? Build a social wall? All of this and more? Then we’ll talk to you and get a solid understanding of what will make this site a success. Together, we’ll agree on a plan of action and keep you informed all the way.

We believe that the best websites are custom built. That’s because this way we can ensure that every line of code is tailored to your business needs. Everything is focused on you and your website vision. And the even better news is if you are on a budget, we can help provide you with a stunning website for less!

Our websites are built on WordPress, giving us a canvas on which we can do pretty much everything. From news sites to booking pages, whatever you are dreaming of we can make it a reality. Your website will be agile, giving you the ability to adapt as business needs change. It will thrive, and we’ll be here to keep it growing. We can monitor your website to make sure it is performing to the highest of standards and requirements.

POSH Communication for bespoke Website Design

Want to talk to us a bit more about how we can help with your website’s creative design and planning? Get in touch with POSH today and we can make sure you get what you need. Our founder, Jenny,  is an expert in all things website planning and design from PPC to SEO (and many other acronyms in between!). Click below to say hello. 

The post Bring some POSH creative website design into your life! appeared first on POSH Agency.

POSH Creative Website Design & Top Hotel Strategies

Our founder, Jenny Mills (nee Arnold), began the POSH Agency Ltd after years, working as a specialist hotel eCommerce manager for big brands such as Hilton and the Macdonald Hotel Group. So if you’re looking for a top hotel digital strategy, she is here to help. She joined forces with her hotel website designer, and sister, Jo, to provide hotel websites and hospitality solutions for BIG growth. And now, over 14 years on, they still work with many of their first clients – and we are happy for you to speak to them to find out why our relationships matter. You see, it’s all about results, returns and relationships to us. Yes, here are POSH our creative teams really care about your busienss.

So, POSH is creative, strategic and all about your online growth! We won’t let your brand stand still. Our Professional Online Solutions for Hospitality are tried and tested, engaged and connected, exciting and energetic. And this can be especially important now, in a post-Covid world, as you rebuild your hospitality business. So, come in, have a chat and let us show you how. 

POSH creative hotel websites

Are you a hotel looking for website design? A self-catering business in need of digital direction? Or a unique accommodation offering, the likes of which nobody has seen before, needing to be found? Whatever you are, you deserve to shine online. We like to take time with our clients to understand what makes them stand out. We are the top SEO agency in Scotland. Everyone does SEO, but not to the level we do! And that’s why our clients do so well, year after year. And that’s why immersing ourselves in your brand and telling your story really counts…

Our hospitality websites are vibrant and classy. Of course, they are all mobile responsive and designed completely around high quilaty SEO and Google Readability scoring. (SEO is Search Engine Optimisation – it’s how we make sure you show up on the front page of your customers’ Google results). 

The POSH Agency creative websites are built to ensure each visitor can navigate easily to the page they want. User experience is an often forgotten element of website design, but it is crucial to your success.

We believe that your website should reflect your personality. This means it could be playful with a cheeky sense of humour, or perhaps you want to promote a more serious and authoritative tone of voice. We’ll always speak to you beforehand and make sure we’re on the same page before a single word is written. Think of us as your marketing team – it’s just that we don’t share the same office.

POSH Agency delivers digital strategies

We’ll help you traverse the often confusing world of online marketing. From advising on Pay Per Click strategies to finding the best places to advertise online, we’ll put you in front of your target market. This could be anything from writing blogs to a YouTube advert or viral content on TikTok.

We care for brands and businesses as if they are our own. We care deeply for your business and work hard to ensure its success. Through making sure you have a great return on investment we can be with you as you grow. It’s a two-way street. We always report back on the latest stats so that we can make intelligent and strategic decisions together. 

Marketing Strategies

We also work to bring you in front of an offline audience too. Print marketing in newspapers and magazines can be one of the most cost-effective ways of getting your brand in front of your potential audience. We have advised companies on the best places to deliver advertising, and we can help with all aspects including the design and delivery. If you want to promote your beautiful hotel rooms or run a competition, then our marketing strategies will take you through the best ways to do so. 

The POSH Agency has helped brands in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness and beyond, ensuring the website, digital and print strategies align perfectly. We can call on the expertise of writers, designers, SEO specialists and digital gurus to ensure your vision is what you see on your website. 

So for POSH communications, POSH marketing and POSH promotion, get in touch today and be POSH with us! The POSH Agency’s creative team are waiting to help transform your brand!

Speak to us

POSH Agency founder Jenny is always on hand to have a chat and listen to what you need from a marketing agency like us. So get in touch today and discover how a POSH creative website design can increase your sales. 

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Google+ has long been a contemptuous topic among social media marketers. When Google’s attempt at social media was launched it reached its first 100 million users quicker than Facebook and Twitter. This caused some to call it the next best thing to happen to social media. SEOers also got excited about the possibility of it increasing search rankings. Because Google loves it when you actively use its products, right?

But whether or not this channel adds any weight to your online marketing efforts, social or otherwise, has always been up for debate. Die hard Google+ promoters believe the platform boosts your SEO efforts, while others categorically deny it.

The trouble started with studies like the one conducted by searchmetrics in 2013. It claimed social signals counted for 7 out of the top 8 factors correlated with search results. The study went on to indicate Google +1s carry more weight than engagement factors of other social platforms. At the same time, Moz did some research too. They found that “after Page Authority, a URL’s number of Google +1s is more highly correlated with search rankings than any other factor.” The signs were clear and all roads indicated this was a worthy social platform contender. It also looked like it packed an impressive SEO punch.

From Bad To Worse

In the midst of marketers jumping on the Google+ bandwagon, a few key factors were overlooked. Firstly, how did it hit the 100 million user mark as quickly as it did? Well, it was because marketers helped drive the sign up. Google bullied people into completing their Google+ profiles before they could access their Gmail accounts. Which means we were actively pushing out content to disengaged, inactive users. Secondly, in 2015 we chose to ignore Google’s repeated attempts to tell us “social signals do not directly influence your ranking”.

As there is no logical reason to dispel searchmetrics and Moz’s findings – they have the data to support their findings after all. Social media marketers have been erring on the side of caution ever since. Arguments could be made for the value of building social links back to your website. Or the fact that a social platform is in fact a link to your website and therefore it needs to be authoritative. Google+ very well could have contributed to improved rankings at some point in time. Probably around the time searchmetrics and Moz carried out their studies. It may still. Which is why we do just enough to keep our presence on the site known, despite very little engagement in return.

But amidst the online world, a growing contempt for Google+ has been brewing. The belief that Google+ was dead was only spurred on when they revamped their entire platform to be more engaging and user-friendly and no one noticed. And yet we still clung to the platform in fear of failing search rankings. With so much contradictory information out there, our relationship with Google+ continues to be a love/hate one. So to help shed some light on this controversial issue, we decided to put Google+ to the test for ourselves.

Making A Case For Google+

In October 2016, we decided to increase our efforts on Google+ for one of our clients. We chose the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness. To test the value of the platform as a social outlet, we created a number of Google+ Collections designed to streamline the content we shared.  We joined and actively contributed to Communities that shared common interests. We even started a Community of our own, and invited link-minded companies and individuals to join and contribute too.

To test the SEO value of the platform, we tracked where the Kingsmills Hotel ranked for key phrases at the start and end of the month.

Our Findings

In the entire month of October, we received one +1 from another die-hard Google+er trying to make the platform work.

Incidentally, they were also the only company to join our “Things to do in Inverness” Community.

After +1ing a photograph on a “Scotland photography” Community, the contributor reached out to us … on Facebook.

As for search results, the key Collections we created seemed to have little or no effect on search rankings. In fact, despite a big push for the term “things to do in Inverness” on Google+, we dropped 2 places in search rankings. The areas that did see improvements was the result of pages we refreshed and optimised on the website during October.

But the biggest indicator of Google+’s ineffectiveness for SEO? It was the massive decrease in social referral traffic we saw on Google Analytics in October. This was despite our increased Google+ efforts.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, we can now say that despite our best efforts, Google+ had no impact on our search rankings, social engagement or referral traffic. But before ruling out the platform for good, we would need to test the impact of stopping activity on the channel altogether.

We also need to consider other factors that could cause a decline in social referral traffic. Until then, the jury is still out on whether or not Google+ has any impact on our online marketing efforts.

As for content creation, we will continue to do our best to create engaging content for Google +. But without an engaged audience to receive it, the non-existent performance of Google+ is not something we will not be losing sleep over.

The post The Google+ Problem appeared first on POSH Agency.