Insites

How to scale your agency in the age of AI when your sales team doesn't understand what they're selling

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:53:00 GMT

Week three of onboarding. Your newest rep is in a mock pitch when a prospect asks how they'd help a dental practice show up in ChatGPT. Your rep pauses, reaches for the Semrush tab, scrolls through a dashboard she half-understands, and recovers with something vague about "local signals."

You're watching from across the room. She's not a bad rep. She's a good rep who doesn't understand what she's selling yet, and on your current onboarding path, she might not understand it for another three months.

If that feels familiar, this is for you.

Selling SEO isn't what it used to be

If you're thinking about how to scale your agency, you might think you need to hire more salespeople, train them on Semrush or Ahrefs, and hope that they eventually sound half as convincing as you. If that's how you've always done it, or if you've quietly assumed it's the only way, there is another.

Search is no longer Google-only. AI Overviews now appear above most commercial queries. ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity recommend businesses directly, often without ever sending a click to a website. If you're selling "SEO" the same way you did in 2023, you're selling yesterday's product.

Clients know what they don't know. Local business owners, the ones who used to nod politely when you mentioned backlinks, are now asking pointed questions about AI visibility. "How do I show up when someone asks ChatGPT for the best plumber in Leeds?" is a real question real prospects are asking. If your rep can't answer it, the deal moves down the road.

The talent market has tightened. Great salespeople are scarce. Great salespeople who also understand digital marketing are rarer still. Meanwhile, the cost of onboarding a new hire across a dozen tools has quietly become one of the biggest line items in your growth budget.

The upshot? Scaling your agency in 2026 is less about adding capacity and more about removing the reasons your team still needs you on every call.

Why your sales team doesn't understand what they're selling (and why that's not their fault)

When agency owners complain that their sales team doesn't understand what they're selling, the instinct is to blame hiring or training. Usually, it's neither.

The real issue is that the products we sell (local SEO, AIO, GEO, performance content, digital presence management) don't live in a single story. They live scattered across four different dashboards, two Chrome extensions, and a PDF template nobody updates.

Your sales team doesn't need more training on more tools. They need one clear narrative where they can walk into any meeting and confidently build trust.

That narrative has three stages:

Here's where your business shows up today , across Google, Maps, AI search, reviews, speed, and accessibility.
Here's where your competitors are ahead of you.
Here's what we'd do to close the gap.

If your sales team can deliver those three things in under ten minutes, inside the prospect's first call, you have a scalable sales motion.

"I currently sell media, but…" The hardest pivot in agency land

A quick detour, because this one comes up constantly.

If you currently sell media (print, radio, broadcast, directory listings, Yellow Pages) and you're trying to add digital and AI services, you already know this is the hardest pivot in the industry.

What we see work, again and again, is giving those reps a visual, colour-coded snapshot they can hand to a business owner in the first ten minutes of a meeting. Green means you're doing well here. Red means you're losing customers here. Yellow is where we'd start.

The pivot isn't about retraining sales teams into SEO analysts. It's about giving them a digital product that feels as concrete as the one they already know how to sell.

The five shifts that actually let you scale your sales at your agency

Here's what growing agencies are doing differently in 2026. Not all of it will apply. Pick the ones that match the bottleneck you're actually staring at.

1. Stop training reps on tools. Start giving them insight.

Semrush and Ahrefs are extraordinary products for practitioners. For a sales rep trying to explain to a dentist why their Google Business Profile is hurting them, they're overkill. Hundreds of features, most irrelevant to the conversation, all of them intimidating.

The agencies scaling fastest have replaced "tool training" with "insight delivery." Their reps don't navigate dashboards on live calls. They pull a single visual audit, walk the client through it, and let the report do 70% of the talking. Onboarding a new rep drops from three months to three days.

2. Lead every conversation with an audit, not a pitch.

This is the Gargle playbook, and it's the cleanest example we have of what scaling your sales at your agency actually looks like in practice. Gargle's team needed to grow without the traditional bottleneck of training every rep on complex SEO tools. They gave every rep the ability to run a full audit on a prospect's site before the first call, and to walk through colour-coded findings during it. As a result, Gargle doubled the size of their business using Insites.

3. Make AI visibility part of your core offer, today, not next quarter.

A year ago, "Can you help me rank in ChatGPT?" was a curious question. Today it's a buying question. If your agency doesn't have a clear, demonstrable answer, the one down the road does.

The practical move: add an AI visibility layer to your standard audit. Show the prospect exactly how ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity describe their business right now, or more often, how they don't.

4. Use AI to do the work that doesn't need a human.

Prospecting, list-building, first-touch emails, qualifying leads, summarising calls, drafting follow-ups. This is work agentic workflows now handle better than a junior BDR. Not because AI is smarter, but because it's relentless and free of the context-switching tax.

The leverage is pointing your sales team at the 20% of activities a human is still uniquely good at: building relationships, reading a room, and closing. Every hour you claw back from admin is an hour of pipeline.

5. Measure the thing that actually predicts scale.

Most agencies track activity: calls made, emails sent, demos booked. Those are input metrics, and they stop mattering the moment you're trying to scale.

The metric that matters is rep confidence . Or more precisely: the percentage of deals your reps close without needing you on the call. Track that number. Watch what happens when it moves from 20% to 60%. That's the moment your agency stops being a bottleneck and starts being a business.

The path forward for scaling your agency in 2026

Here's what growing agencies are doing differently in 2026. Not all of it will apply. Pick the ones that match the bottleneck you're actually staring at.

1. Stop training reps on tools. Start giving them insight.

2. Lead every conversation with an audit, not a pitch.

3. Make AI visibility part of your core offer, today, not next quarter.

A year ago, "Can you help me rank in ChatGPT?" was a curious question. Today it's a buying question. If your agency doesn't have a clear, demonstrable answer, the one down the road does.

The practical move: add an AI visibility layer to your standard audit. Show the prospect exactly how ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity describe their business right now, or more often, how they don't.

4. Use AI to do the work that doesn't need a human.

5. Measure the thing that actually predicts scale.

Most agencies track activity: calls made, emails sent, demos booked. Those are input metrics, and they stop mattering the moment you're trying to scale.

The 5 best lead generation tools for digital marketing providers

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:58:34 GMT

Why might you look for a lead generation tool?

If you're a digital marketing agency, you already know the hardest part isn't delivering results. It's getting prospects through the door.

The old "enter your URL, and we'll send you a free SEO report" approach? Most prospects have caught on. They submit their details, wait days, and when the response finally arrives it's often just a templated email pushing them to book a call. Not the personalised audit they were promised.

The agencies growing fastest have figured out that if you **give prospects real, personalised value upfront, they'll listen to what you’ve got to offer.** That means instantly showing them exactly where the gaps are in their online presence and letting the data start the conversation.

We've examined five of the most popular lead generation tools built for agencies to give you a no-nonsense comparison. We'll tell you what each does well, where they fall short, and **which one is right for your agency.**

So grab a coffee and let's cut through the noise.

Instant-value vs delayed-value lead generation

Before we dive in, it's worth understanding a key distinction.

I nstant-value tools deliver a personalised audit the moment a prospect submits their details. They see their results immediately, which builds trust and creates urgency because the gaps in their online presence are right there in front of them.

Delayed-value tools capture contact information, but the actual value comes later, if it comes at all. Some send a basic automated email. Others simply collect the lead for manual follow-up. The prospect doesn't get anything meaningful upfront, which means you're relying on follow-up speed and persuasion rather than letting the data do the selling.

Prospects who receive an instant, personalised audit are significantly more engaged and more likely to convert than those who are told, "We'll get back to you within 24 hours."

TL;DR? Here's a breakdown to save you time:

The full breakdown of each lead generation tool

1. Insites

Best for: Growing agencies and enterprise digital marketing providers that want to generate high-quality leads by offering prospects something genuinely personalised and valuable, instantly.

Insites lets you add a widget to your website or campaign landing page. Any prospect can run an audit and get instant, personalised results, presented in colour-coded scores that any local business owner can easily understand.

The real power is in the customisation. With the Audit Designer , you build a lead generation tool that reflects the exact services you sell. Running a campaign to upsell Google Ads? Design a streamlined audit that shows local businesses where they're ranking in SEO and Google right now, and how ads could help. Want a broader online health check? Include checks across website build, local listings, social media, accessibility, GEO, and more.

You can also add custom content blocks to the audit: testimonials, calls-to-action, service information, or pricing. Everything is white-labelled with your branding and colours. And when a prospect runs an audit, your sales rep gets notified instantly with their contact details and full results, so they can call while the prospect is still looking at their gaps.

Want to see what this looks like in practice? Here's an example of an audit!

Key features:

Instant personalised audits covering 70+ checks across SEO, local search, social media, ads, accessibility, AI visibility, and more, with a fully customisable Audit Designer so the widget matches the services you sell.
Custom content blocks and full white-labelling so you can add testimonials, CTAs, and service information within the audit, all under your branding, colours, and domain.
Instant sales team notifications with the prospect's contact details and complete audit results the moment they submit, plus CRM integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zapier.

Pricing: Enterprise and growth plans start from $299 per month. Free trials are available after a demo call.

Pros: Purpose-built for agencies selling to local SMBs, delivers instant personalised value that creates urgency, fully customisable to match your services, and backed by proven results.

Robin generated over 500 new leads per month and increased their average order value by 46% after implementing the Insites widget. FCR Media Belgium saw 10x higher conversion rates when prospects ran a free digital health check.

Cons: Not designed for freelancers or solo operators. Built for agencies with sales teams of 3 or more. No self-serve free tier; you'll need a demo call to get started.

2. SEOptimer

Best for: Freelancers and small-to-mid agencies who need an affordable, embeddable SEO audit widget for basic lead capture and white-label reporting.

SEOptimer is one of the most widely used embeddable audit tools on the market, with over 2,000 agencies using its lead generation widget. The setup is simple: copy and paste an HTML snippet into your website, and visitors can enter a URL to receive an SEO audit report in exchange for their contact details.

The widget is customisable in terms of styling (colours, fonts, layout, CSS), and reports can be white-labelled with your branding and delivered as PDFs. When a lead comes in, you're notified via email, and leads are stored in the SEOptimer dashboard, where you can search, sort, and export. SEOptimer performs over 100 checks across on-page SEO, performance, mobile responsiveness, usability, and security.

Key features:

Embeddable audit widget with copy-and-paste installation and fine-grained CSS customisation to match your website's look and feel
White-label PDF reports with your branding, logo, and colours, plus automated "thank you" emails sent to prospects with their report attached
Zapier integration for pushing leads and PDF reports to HubSpot, Salesforce, Slack, and 2,000+ other apps

Pricing : The White Label & Embedding plan starts at $59/month. A free trial is available.

Pros: Very affordable entry-level pricing, easy to set up, decent customisation for widget styling, and solid Zapier integration for CRM workflows.

Cons: Audits focus primarily on website SEO and technical factors, with limited coverage of local SEO, social media, or broader online presence. No ability to customise which checks appear in the report to match your services. No custom content blocks, testimonials, or CTAs within the audit experience.

3. My Web Audit

Best for: Small-to-mid agencies wanting visually impressive audit reports with embeddable lead widgets that span multiple service categories beyond just SEO.

My Web Audit positions itself as a tool for generating leads and closing deals through beautiful, actionable website audits. The platform offers lead widgets across several categories (website audits, SEO assessments, Google Business Profile insights, page speed reports, and accessibility checks) so you can target different prospect types with different entry points.

When a prospect submits their details, they're directed to an interactive lead magnet: a personalised, goal-oriented summary designed to encourage them to book a call for a more comprehensive audit. The reports themselves present recommendations in plain language rather than technical jargon.

Key features:

Multiple lead widget types covering website, SEO, GBP, accessibility, and page speed, so you can generate leads across different service lines from one platform
Interactive lead magnets that deliver a personalised preview of audit insights to prospects, with built-in email automation for follow-up nurture sequences
White-label capabilities across reports and widgets, with support for 8 languages for multi-market agencies

Pricing: Plans start from approximately $99/month for the Pro tier. Free trial available.

Pros: Beautiful, well-designed reports that impress prospects, multiple widget types covering different services, and built-in email automation saves time on follow-up.

Cons: Lead widgets deliver a "lead magnet preview" rather than a full instant audit, which can reduce the immediate trust-building effect. Reports assess individual URLs rather than a business's broader online presence. Some users report widget customisation options are more limited than expected.

4. WooRank

B est for: Digital marketing professionals and agencies who need an SEO audit tool with basic lead generation widget functionality as part of a broader site monitoring platform.

WooRank is primarily a comprehensive website SEO audit tool that includes a lead generation widget as part of its higher-tier plans. The widget allows visitors to run an SEO audit in exchange for their contact details, with results covering SEO, mobile, usability, and performance factors.

WooRank uses a simple colour-coded scoring system (0 to 100) that makes results easy to understand for non-technical prospects. The platform also includes 24/7 website monitoring with automated weekly reports and alerts, which adds value for ongoing client management beyond lead generation. Reports can be white-labelled and downloaded as branded PDFs.

Key features:

Embeddable SEO audit widget with colour-coded scoring (0 to 100) that's easy for non-technical prospects to understand
24/7 site monitoring with automated weekly reports and alerts, adding ongoing value beyond initial lead capture
Google integrations with Analytics, Search Console, and Ads for a connected view of prospect and client performance

Pricing: Plans start at $79.99/month (or $53.25/month billed annually). The lead generation widget and white-label features require the Premium plan at $199.99/month. A 14-day free trial is available.

Pros: Simple and intuitive interface, solid Google integrations, and 24/7 monitoring adds ongoing client value beyond lead capture.

Cons: The lead generation widget is a secondary feature, not the primary focus, so it lacks the depth of dedicated lead gen tools. White-label and embedding require the Premium plan at $199.99/month, making it expensive for lead generation alone. No custom content blocks, audit design flexibility, or instant sales team notifications.

5. SE Ranking

Best for: Agencies that want an all-in-one SEO platform with keyword tracking, competitor analysis, and client management, plus a basic lead generator widget as part of the package.

SE Ranking is a comprehensive SEO platform that includes a Lead Generator widget: an embeddable on-page SEO checker that lets website visitors analyse a URL and submit their contact details. It's one feature among many in a platform designed for agencies managing multiple SEO clients.

The widget is customisable in terms of appearance and can be embedded on your website. SE Ranking's broader toolkit includes keyword rank tracking, competitor analysis, site audits, backlink monitoring, and GBP management. For agencies already using SE Ranking for their SEO workflows, the Lead Generator is a convenient addition.

Key features:

Embeddable Lead Generator widget (on-page SEO checker) that captures prospect details and can be styled to match your website
Comprehensive SEO platform with keyword rank tracking, competitor analysis, backlink monitoring, and GBP management all in one place
White-label reports and custom client dashboards with flexible pricing that scales as your agency grows

Pricing: Starter plans for SE Ranking start from $44/month. Their Lead Generator widget is available on higher-tier plans. A 14-day free trial is available.

Pros: Excellent value if you already need a comprehensive SEO platform, strong local SEO tracking capabilities, and flexible pricing that scales with your agency.

Cons: The lead generator widget is basic compared to dedicated tools, running an on-page SEO check rather than a comprehensive online presence audit. Limited customisation of what the widget analyses. The broader platform's complexity can be overwhelming if lead generation is your primary goal.

Where do you go from here?

That depends on what kind of lead generation experience you want to offer your prospects.

If you're an agency with a sales team selling to local SMBs and you want to give prospects something genuinely personalised that creates urgency and builds trust from the very first interaction, Insites is purpose-built for that. Customise your audit to match the services you sell, add your own content blocks and CTAs, and deliver a fully white-labelled instant audit. Agencies like Robin have used this approach to generate over 500 new leads per month, and FCR Media Belgium saw 10x higher conversion rates on campaigns using the Insites widget.

If you're a freelancer or small agency on a tight budget and need a simple, affordable way to embed an audit form on your site, SEOptimer is a solid starting point at just $29/month.

If you're already invested in a broader SEO platform and want lead generation as an add-on to your existing workflow, WooRank or SE Ranking can extend what you already have.

The key takeaway? The agencies generating the most leads aren't the ones asking prospects to fill in a form and wait. They're the ones offering something personalised, instant, and genuinely useful, and letting the data start the conversation.

Ready to turn your website into a lead generation engine? If you're a digital marketing agency looking to generate more qualified leads by offering prospects instant, personalised audits that reflect your services, Insites might be your answer. Book a free demo to see how it works.

Happy lead generating! ��

The information in this comparison is correct as far as we can ascertain from public marketing materials as of March 2026. To notify us of a correction, please email support@insites.com

How agencies use a free white-label SEO audit tool to generate leads on autopilot

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:00:25 GMT

Your team knows how to deliver results for local businesses. The hard part has never been the work; it's keeping the pipeline full. Cold outreach, generic contact forms, SDRs burning through prospect lists with nothing to offer. You're spending time and budget chasing attention instead of earning it.

The agencies growing fastest right now have flipped that model. They're leading with value , offering prospects a free, personalised audit of their online presence, fully branded, delivered in seconds. The prospect gets something genuinely useful. The sales team gets a qualified lead with a full report attached. And it runs 24/7 without anyone on your team lifting a finger.

What is a local SEO audit, and why should your agency give them away for free?

You know what a local SEO audit covers. Listings, Google Business Profile, on-page SEO, site speed, reviews, and rankings. Your team runs them every day. The question isn't what it is, it’s why on earth you'd hand one to a prospect before they've even spoken to a rep.

Because it changes the entire sales dynamic.

A free audit gives a local business owner something tangible . Not a pitch deck or case study PDF they'll never open. An actual report about their business, with colour-coded scores showing exactly where they're strong and where they're losing ground. That's not a lead magnet, it's a conversation starter that pre-qualifies itself.

When your rep calls, they're not explaining why the prospect needs digital marketing. The report already did that. The conversation starts at "here's how we fix it", and that's a fundamentally different sales call with a fundamentally different close rate.

How a site audit widget for lead generation fills your pipeline 24/7

A site audit widget is a piece of embeddable code that sits on your website or landing page. A visitor enters their business URL, submits their contact details, and gets a branded report delivered to their inbox in seconds. Meanwhile, your sales team gets an instant notification with the prospect's details and a full copy of the results. That's the value exchange: they get a professional-grade health check of their online presence. You get a qualified lead with a clear reason to follow up.

Here's what the flow looks like when it's done properly:

Prospect sees a compelling offer: "Find out how your business ranks online, free." No commitment. No risk. Just something useful.
They submit their details and a branded audit runs in seconds. Not minutes. Not "we'll email you in 24 hours." The report hits their inbox while they're still on your page.
Your team gets notified instantly , via email or straight into your CRM. The lead arrives with the full audit attached, so your rep already knows their GBP score, their site speed issues, their local ranking gaps, their AI visibility. No discovery call needed.

That prospect didn't come through a cold email. They raised their hand. They've seen their scores. They're expecting the call. That's the kind of lead your reps actually want to work.

Real result: Robin , a digital marketing provider, generated 500 new leads per month after adding an Insites audit widget to their website. Leads flow straight into Salesforce, qualified and ready for a sales conversation.

Why a free white-label SEO audit tool outperforms every other lead magnet

Ebooks get downloaded and forgotten. Webinars attract tyre-kickers. A free SEO audit attracts a business owner who is actively thinking about their online presence and wants to know where they stand. That's the intent. That's quality at the top of the funnel.

And when it's white-labelled, the prospect never sees a third-party tool. They see your logo, your colours, your brand. The email comes from your domain. As far as they're concerned, you built this. That positions your agency as the expert from the very first touchpoint, before a rep has even picked up the phone.

Ebooks get downloaded and forgotten. Webinars attract tyre-kickers. A free SEO audit attracts business owners who are actively thinking about their online presence and want to know where they stand. That's the intent. That's quality at the top of the funnel.

Design the audit to match the services you sell

This is where it gets strategic. With the right tool, you're not stuck with a generic SEO score. You design the audit, the checks, the order, the weighting to mirror your service offering:

Local visibility and rankings. Where do they show up in the map pack? How do they compare to the competitors down the road?
Google Business Profile. Completeness, accuracy, review volume and sentiment. For most local businesses this is the single biggest lever, and they don't even know it's half-finished.
SEO health. Metadata, headings, backlinks, keyword performance, and mobile readiness. The fundamentals.
Website performance. Core Web Vitals, load speed, accessibility. If their site takes 6 seconds to load, that's not a technical finding; it's a revenue problem your rep can quantify on the call.
AI visibility. This is the one getting the biggest reaction right now. Is ChatGPT recommending them? Is Gemini aware they exist? Are they blocking AI crawlers without knowing it? Most local businesses have never considered this, making it a powerful door-opener for new services.

Sell websites? Lead with performance. Sell SEO? Lead with rankings. Pitching AI-readiness or GEO services? Lead with the AI checks. Every report becomes a natural conversation about what your agency delivers.

Insites tip: Growth plan customers can set up multiple widget configurations, one for your homepage, one for a paid ads landing page, one for an email campaign, each with different messaging, checks, and branding.

Local SEO audit tools for agencies: what makes Insites the right fit

You already have Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, or SEMrush in your stack. Those are delivery tools, built for practitioners doing deep technical work. They're not designed to sit on a landing page and generate leads, and they're not something you'd put in front of a local business owner.

Insites is built for the space between marketing and sales. It's designed to help your team attract, qualify, and convert local business prospects, not crawl a site for broken links. Here's what that looks like:

60-second audits covering SEO, local SEO, GBP, performance, social, accessibility, AI readiness, GDPR, and more. Over 70 checks, all customisable.
AI visibility checks most competitors don't offer: ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity recommendations, AI crawler access, FAQ schema, llms.txt. The check that's sparking the most prospect conversations right now.
Local Grid. A visual map showing where the business ranks across their area, with competitors plotted alongside. Nothing creates urgency like seeing a rival outranking you on a map.
Competitor comparison. Side-by-side against up to 3 local competitors. Turns the audit from a report into a story about why they need to act now.
Audit Designer. Drag and drop the checks, adjust the weighting, hide what's irrelevant. Your audit matches your services, not the other way around.
Full white-label. Logo, colours, email templates, widget interface. The prospect sees your brand at every step.
CRM integrations. Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho out of the box, plus webhooks and Zapier. Leads land in your pipeline with the audit attached, ready for your rep to call.

Where to deploy your free audit for maximum impact

The agencies getting the most from this aren't just putting the widget on their homepage and hoping for the best. They're deploying it across every channel:

Website. Swap the "Contact Us" form for a free audit CTA. You'll convert more visitors because you're offering value instead of asking for a favour.
Paid ads. Run Google or Meta campaigns, driving traffic to a dedicated landing page. "See where your business stands online, free." Zero-risk offer, high conversion rate.
Email campaigns. "Get a free audit of your online presence in 60 seconds." Send it to your prospect list. Works brilliantly for re-engagement campaigns targeting lapsed leads.
Social. Share it on LinkedIn. Useful content that gets genuine engagement, not polite likes.

Once it's live, it's evergreen . Leads come in whether you're actively running campaigns or not. It works at 2pm and 2am. It's the closest thing to passive lead generation that actually delivers quality, and it works just as well for agencies with 50 reps as it does for smaller digital marketing teams looking for a smarter way to get clients.

From cold outreach to warm conversations: the real shift

This is what actually changes for your sales floor. Instead of reps cold calling a list with nothing to offer, they're calling someone who:

Voluntarily submitted their details
Has already seen a report showing gaps in their online presence
Is expecting the call
Wants to know what to do about it

Your rep isn't pitching, they're advising. They've got the full audit in front of them. They can see the quick wins, the red flags, and the bigger opportunities. The prospect is listening, not screening.

That's the difference between pushing and pulling. Cold outreach pushes. A free audit pulls. And pulled leads in more closely at a significantly higher rate because the trust was already there before the phone rang.

Start generating leads while your team sleeps

Setting up the Insites audit widget takes minutes. Choose your checks, apply your branding, drop the code onto your page, and you're live. From there, every visitor who runs a report becomes a warm lead with a clear reason to follow up.

No more cold outreach with nothing to offer. No more generic contact forms. Give prospects something they actually want, a clear, branded picture of where their business stands online, and let the conversation start from there.

Want to see it in action? Book a demo , and we'll show you how agencies are using Insites to generate hundreds of qualified leads every month, without a single cold call.

The 8 best AI visibility and GEO auditing tools for digital marketing agencies

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 12:32:00 GMT

Why might you look for AI visibility and GEO auditing tools?

AI search engines like ChatGPT, Google's AI Overviews, Perplexity, and Gemini are changing how people find local businesses. Instead of scrolling through a list of blue links, users are asking AI assistants to recommend plumbers, restaurants, accountants and expecting instant, conversational answers.

The problem? Most traditional SEO auditing tools weren't built for this. They'll tell you how you rank on Google's page one, but they can't tell you whether ChatGPT even knows your client's business exists.

That's where AI visibility and GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) tools come in. But not all AI visibility tools are the same. Some are built for enterprise marketing teams who want to track brand mentions across every AI platform with detailed analytics dashboards. Others are designed to help sales teams quickly show local businesses where they're invisible in AI search and close deals faster.

We've spent time testing, trialling, and examining what each of the 8 best AI visibility and GEO auditing tools offer, to provide you with a no-nonsense breakdown. We'll tell you what they do well, where they fall short, and which one is right for your agency.

So grab a coffee and let's cut through the noise.

The two types of AI visibility tools and why it matters

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TL;DR? Here's a breakdown to save you time:

The full breakdown of each AI visibility tool

1. Insites

2. Conductor

3. Semrush One

4. Profound

5. Otterly.AI

6. Writesonic

7. Peec AI

8. Ahrefs (Brand Radar)

Best for: Growing agencies and enterprise digital marketing providers with sales teams that sell AI visibility solutions to local SMBs.

Insites audits any local business's AI visibility in 60 seconds and generates a clear, easy-to-understand report that sales reps can confidently present to prospects. Unlike enterprise tools that produce complex dashboards, Insites delivers simple, colour-coded scores and recommendations that anyone can understand.

Key features:

ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini visibility audits with accuracy assessment, sentiment analysis, and recommendation tracking
Citation source tracking showing exactly which directories and websites each AI platform references
AI-readiness checks for FAQ schema, llms.txt files, and crawler blocking
White-label capabilities and lead generation widget for seamless client delivery

Pricing: Plans depend on your specific needs. Free trials available after a demo call.

Pros: Purpose-built for sales conversations, multi-platform AI coverage, shows citation sources, 1:1 CSM support, and integrates with broader website auditing.

Cons: Not designed for historical trend analysis, fewer competitive benchmarking metrics than enterprise tools, and focused on local SMBs rather than global brands.

Best for: Enterprise marketing teams needing an end-to-end AEO/SEO platform with content creation, AI visibility tracking, and technical monitoring in one place.

Conductor combines Answer Engine Optimisation, traditional SEO, content creation, and website monitoring into one unified solution. It connects AI visibility tracking directly to content execution and includes MCP server integration for real-time ChatGPT insights.

Key features: AI Search Performance tracking across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and Claude; Writing Assistant for on-brand content; real-time website monitoring; competitive benchmarking.

Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing. Free trial available.

Pros: Most comprehensive end-to-end platform, 10+ years of unified website data, enterprise security with unlimited users.

Cons: Custom pricing with no public transparency, significant learning curve, overkill for local SMB sales.

Best for: Mid-market teams already using Semrush who want to add basic AI visibility tracking without switching platforms.

Semrush is primarily a traditional SEO platform that has added AI Overviews, tracking and share of voice metrics (Semrush One). If you're already invested in the Semrush ecosystem, the AI features offer convenient expansion alongside your existing SEO data.

Key features: AI Overviews tracking, share of voice analysis, question reports, and traffic analytics for LLM referrals.

Pricing: Plans start at $165.17/mont h. Custom enterprise pricing available.

Pros: Adds AI visibility to an established SEO platform, extensive educational resources, and a familiar interface for existing users.

Cons: AI features feel bolted-on rather than purpose-built, fragmented reports, and per-user licensing increases costs.

Best for: Enterprise teams needing deep AI citation tracking and competitive benchmarking across multiple AI platforms.

Profound specialises in tracking brand citations across answer engines with detailed competitor benchmarking. It reveals why specific content gets referenced over competitors and which user questions drive brand mentions.

Key features: Multi-platform tracking (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Claude), citation pattern analysis, competitor visibility benchmarking, query-level insights.

Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing. Starts around $499/month.

Pros: Comprehensive multi-platform tracking, deep citation analysis, trusted by enterprise players like MongoDB and Indeed.

Cons: No integrated content creation, premium pricing, not designed for sales conversations or local businesses.

Best for: Agencies and brands with a global or local focus needing detailed GEO audits and location-specific AI visibility tracking.

Otterly.AI evaluates websites across 25+ AI-visibility factors and provides prioritised fix lists. It simulates AI queries from different geographic locations, making it useful for both local and global brands.

Key features: Domain and URL audits across 25+ factors, location-based tracking, Brand Visibility Index, six-platform coverage including ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, Copilot, and Gemini.

Pricing: Various tiers available. Free account option for basic audits.

Pros: Comprehensive GEO audits, location-specific tracking, free tier available, used by 15,000+ marketing professionals.

Cons: More focused on auditing than ongoing monitoring, the interface can be complex, and there are limited white-label capabilities.

Best for: Content teams that want AI visibility tracking combined with AI content generation and optimisation tools.

Writesonic combines AI-powered content generation with visibility tracking. It helps teams see where they appear across AI platforms and gives them tools to create optimised content in one place.

Key features: Cross-engine visibility tracking (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Grok), AI content generation with AEO optimisation, geographic intelligence, AI Traffic Analytics.

Pricing: Plans start at $12/month. Enterprise pricing available.

Pros: Combines content creation with visibility tracking, affordable entry-level pricing, CMS integrations.

Cons: AI-generated content requires significant editing, basic tracking compared to dedicated platforms, no white-label capabilities.

Best for: Marketing teams wanting guidance on improving AI visibility alongside tracking capabilities.

Peec AI bridges the gap between tracking and action by providing specific recommendations for improving AI visibility. It shows how LLMs are framing your brand, not just mentioning it.

Key features: Brand mention tracking, sentiment analysis, citation recommendations, competitor benchmarking with share of voice metrics.

Pricing: Contact for pricing.

Pros: Actionable recommendations rather than just data, sentiment analysis for brand perception, and a user-friendly dashboard.

Cons: Recommendations require manual implementation, smaller platform coverage, not designed for sales teams or local businesses.

Best for: SEO professionals who need traditional SEO tools with emerging AI visibility features.

Ahrefs is a comprehensive SEO platform known for backlink analysis and keyword research. Their recent product, Brand Radar, has added entity tracking and featured snippet prediction, adding relevance for AI search.

Key features: Industry-leading backlink database, entity tracking for semantic search, snippet monitoring for AI Overviews, and comprehensive site audits.

Pricing: Plans start at $99/month. Enterprise pricing available.

Pros: Unmatched backlink database, excellent for traditional SEO alongside AI visibility, trusted by professional SEOs globally.

Cons: AI visibility features are secondary rather than purpose-built, expensive for basic AI visibility needs, and not designed for sales conversations.

Where do you go from here?

That depends on what you're trying to achieve.

If you're a digital marketing agency selling to local SMBs and need to show prospects if their content is structured and optimised for LLMs, tools like Insites are built specifically for that conversation. Simple scores, clear recommendations, and white-label capabilities mean your sales team can use them without becoming AI experts.

If you're an enterprise marketing team managing brand visibility across multiple AI platforms and need detailed analytics and content workflows, platforms like Conductor or Profound offer the depth you need.

If your marketing team are already invested in traditional SEO tools and want to add AI visibility without switching platforms, Semrush or Ahrefs can extend your existing workflow.

If you need to both track and create AI-optimised content, Writesonic combines both in one platform.

The key is matching the tool to your actual workflow. Enterprise analytics platforms are powerful, but they're overkill if you're trying to close deals with local plumbers and restaurants. Sales-focused tools are efficient for prospect conversations, but they won't give you the historical trend data a VP of Marketing needs for quarterly reports.

Ready to show local business clients exactly where they're losing customers in AI search? If you're a digital marketing agency with a sales team looking to close more deals by demonstrating AI visibility gaps, Insites might be your answer. Our AIO/GEO audit turns complex AI visibility into simple, actionable conversations that prospects understand. Book a free demo to see how it works.

Happy auditing! ��

The information in this comparison is correct as far as we can ascertain from public marketing materials as of February 2026. To notify us of a correction, please email support@insites.com

How to sell local SEO services: A complete guide for digital marketing providers and agencies

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:00:56 GMT

Selling local SEO isn't about showing graphs, charts, and complex data. What actually gets business owners interested is when you can show them how it affects their bottom line and give them a simple, visual demonstration of where they stand right now vs where they could be. A sales presentation that shows data in a language they understand creates urgency. That's what closes deals.

But a lot of organisations don't know how to sell local SEO effectively.

Maybe you've built your agency from scratch, selling websites or digital marketing, and now you're looking to scale but struggling to hire a sales team who understand what you do. Maybe you've got a sales team who cut their teeth on telesales, print ads, or directory listings, and now you're trying to move them into selling websites, SEO and AI optimisation. Or maybe you're a smaller agency that's great at doing SEO but struggles to explain its value to prospects who don't know a meta tag from a price tag.

Wherever you're starting from, the challenge is the same: how do you take something technical and make it compelling to a business owner who just wants more customers, whilst proving your value?

This guide breaks it down. You'll learn exactly what tools you need, how to structure your sales conversations, and how to present local SEO in a way that makes business owners want to buy without overwhelming them with jargon they don't care about.

What you need to sell local SEO services

T o sell local SEO effectively, you need three things:

A prospecting tool to find businesses that need help
An audit tool to show prospects what's wrong (and what's working)
A simple way to present findings that non-technical business owners understand

The mistake most agencies make is using client reporting tools for sales conversations. Tools like Google Analytics or Semrush are perfect for ongoing management, not for winning the deal.

Best tools for selling local SEO (comparison table)

Website and SEO audit and prospecting tools

Why tool choice matters for sales

Most agencies cobble together multiple tools; one for prospecting, another for audits, a third for reporting. That means jumping between platforms, copying data manually, and losing time you could spend selling.

Insites stands apart because it combines all three in one platform built specifically for sales teams. You can find prospects, run instant audits without needing client access, and present findings in a format business owners actually understand, all from one place. No stitching together screenshots from five different dashboards. The output uses simple green ticks and red crosses that any business owner can understand instantly.

BrightLocal and Whitespark are excellent for managing existing clients but assume you already have the relationship. Their dashboards are built for SEO professionals, not for explaining value to sceptical prospects.

Semrush and Moz provide deep technical data, but that depth becomes a liability in sales conversations. Business owners don't want to learn what domain authority means—they want to know why they're not getting phone calls.

Ranking Coach and marketgoo are designed for business owners to do SEO themselves, not for agencies to sell services. They're useful for DIY clients, but don't give you the sales-focused presentation you need to close deals.

Google Rank Checker tells you where a site ranks for specific keywords, but that's only one piece of the puzzle. Knowing a prospect ranks #8 for "plumber Manchester" doesn't help you explain their citation issues, review gaps, or website problems.

How to sell local SEO: step-by-step process

Step 1: Find prospects who need help

Look for local businesses with visible problems:

Incomplete or unclaimed Google Business Profiles
Websites that load slowly on mobile
Few or no recent reviews
Inconsistent business information across directories
Competitors ranking above them for obvious local searches

You can find these manually or use prospecting tools like Insites to scan businesses in bulk and identify the best outreach opportunities.

Step 2: Run an audit before you reach out

Never enter a sales conversation unprepared. Run a full audit covering:

Website performance (speed, mobile-friendliness, security)
Google Business Profile completeness and optimisation
Local citations (NAP consistency across directories)
Review profile (quantity, recency, ratings)
Social media presence
Competitor comparison

With Insites, this takes under two minutes and requires nothing from the prospect. All you need is their URL to run a quick audit, which you can even do live whilst on the sales call.

Step 3: Lead with what's working

Start every sales conversation by acknowledging what the business has done well. This builds rapport and shows you're not just there to criticise.

"Your Google reviews are solid—4.6 stars with recent activity. That's better than most of your competitors."

Step 4: Show the gaps (tied to outcomes)

Now show what's broken—but always connect it to something they care about:

Step 5: Prioritise the fixes

Business owners often become overwhelmed when they list everything at once. Pick the 2-3 issues that will make the biggest impact and present a clear order:

"Here's what I'd fix first: your Google Business Profile is missing your service areas and business hours, that's a quick win. Then we'd tackle your website speed. Then we'd build a system for getting more reviews consistently."

Step 6: Make the next step obvious

End with a specific proposal, not a vague "let me know if you're interested."

"I can have your Google Business Profile fully optimised by Friday and put together a 90-day plan for the rest. Want me to send over the proposal?"

What local business owners actually care about

Local business owners aren't buying SEO, they're buying outcomes:

More phone calls
More foot traffic
More customers finding them instead of competitors
Less money wasted on ads that don't work

Your entire sales conversation should connect technical fixes to these outcomes. If you can't explain why a fix matters in terms of customers and revenue, don't mention it in the sales conversation.

Common objections when selling local SEO and how to handle them

"I've been burned by SEO companies before"

"I hear that a lot. That's actually why I wanted to show you this audit first so you can see exactly what needs fixing and judge whether my recommendations make sense. Once I understand a little bit more about your business and the challenges you've had, I can send you over relevant case studies for work that we've done for other local businesses just like yours."

"How long until I see results?"

"Fixing the issues with your Google Business Profile this week will start helping immediately. Rankings take longer, usually 3-6 months for competitive terms, but playing the long game always works. We've helped over 500 businesses like yours that started in the same position you're in now. Whilst we might not have immediate results, we track everything monthly so you can see progress. Once Google starts recognising your credibility, and we optimise your content for keywords in your industry and location, it will become a snowball effect from there."

"Thank you for showing my weak spots. I might just do this myself"

"You could tackle some of this yourself. Google Business Profile updates are straightforward. But the citation cleanup across 40+ directories, the ongoing review management, the technical website fixes, and regular content optimisation? That's where most business owners run out of time. You're better off running your business."

"What makes you different from other agencies?"

Show, don't tell. The audit you've already shared does the heavy lifting — clear insights, prioritised actions, no jargon. That's your proof point. From there, bring in relevant case studies that mirror their current challenges and show how you've helped similar businesses rank higher and drive real revenue. Back it up with testimonials and any supporting materials that feel genuinely useful, based on what you uncovered in that first conversation.

Why Insites works for local SEO sales

Insites was built specifically for the sales conversation, not for deep dive reporting. Here's why sales teams love us:

No access required: Run audits on any business without asking for credentials. All you need is their URL and choose from 70+ checks in the audit that reflect the solutions you sell. You can walk into a meeting already knowing their situation.

Instant understanding: Green ticks and red crosses communicate immediately. Business owners don't need you to explain what the metrics mean.

Everything in one place: Website, GBP, citations, reviews, social, competitors—all in one audit. No jumping between five different tools to build a complete picture of their online presence.

Shareable, white-labelled reports: Add your brand logo, colours and content blocks to create the proposal. Send it instantly to prospects via a link or PDF, so they can review it at their own convenience.

Speed up your workflow with AI

Insites integrates directly with Claude and ChatGPT, so you can use AI to supercharge your entire sales process. Instead of clicking through dashboards, you can have a conversation.

Ask the AI to find businesses in a specific area or industry. Run audits on them without leaving the chat. Get instant summaries of what's wrong and what's working. Ask it to identify which prospects have the biggest gaps—and therefore the highest likelihood of converting.

Want to take it further? Use the AI to draft personalised outreach emails based on the audit findings. A message that says "I noticed your Google Business Profile is missing service areas and your main competitor has 3x more reviews" lands very differently than a generic "we do SEO" cold email.

It's prospecting, auditing, analysis, and outreach—all in one conversation. The agencies using this MCP workflow are moving faster than those still jumping between six different tabs.

Quick-start checklist: selling local SEO

Choose a prospect (start with businesses you already know or use locally)
Run a quick audit using Insites
Identify 2-3 priority issues to discuss
Prepare outcome-focused talking points for each issue
Book a 15-minute call or drop in
Lead with what's working, then show the gaps
Present a specific, prioritised recommendation that sells your solutions, not just individual products
Propose clear next steps with timeline and pricing
Share relevant case studies and marketing materials in your follow-up

Start winning more local SEO clients today

The gap between finding prospects and closing them comes down to one thing: can you communicate value before asking for commitment? Most SEO tools can't help you there. They're built for managing existing clients, not for winning new ones.

Insites bridges that gap. It gives your sales team everything they need to show prospects what's wrong, what's working, and exactly what to do about it, presented in a way that drives action.

Try an Insites AIO check for free to get a taste of our audit, and book a call to speak to our team to find out more!

How to rank in AI Overviews, and 4 ways to help local business clients optimise

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:27:15 GMT

If you're expanding from selling SEO solutions to AI optimisation, there are slightly different rules to follow for ranking in each AI engine. Staying up to date with AI optimisation across every platform is crucial right now because GEO is getting more popular by the day.

Previously, we broke down what it takes to rank in ChatGPT and AI Mode , but now we're covering AI Overviews. Why? Because, if you still search for a simple and short query about local businesses in Google like “lawyer near me”, you'll be presented with Google Maps first - so GBP optimisation is key for these types of search queries. But for users searching for questions relevant to local businesses, like “ who is the most affordable divorce lawyer in Southampton”, they are much more likely to be presented with an AI overview first that links to content on a business’s website or review sites.

Thanks to Ahrefs analysing millions of AI Overview responses, we finally have data on what's actually driving visibility in Google's AI search results.

Here's what you need to know to help your business clients show up in AI overviews.

Questions are the trigger and your clients should be answering them

AI Overviews don't always show up in Google. They're heavily weighted toward question-based searches.

The data shows AI Overviews appear in 57.9% of question queries compared to just 15.5% of non-question queries . Longer, more specific queries (7+ words) trigger AI Overviews 46.4% of the time , and reason” queries (i.e. “why” questions) come out on top at nearly 60% .

For local businesses, this is a massive opportunity. Think about what potential customers are actually asking: "Signs I need glasses", "What cafes near me have gluten-free cakes", "How much is teeth whitening in New Jersey”.

If your clients aren't creating content like blogs, landing pages and FAQs that directly answer popular questions, they're invisible to AI search.

Traditional SEO still matters, maybe more than ever

Here's the part that should reassure every Digital marketing provider still investing in SEO fundamentals: 76% of AI Overview citations also rank in the top 10 on Google . The median ranking for cited URLs? Position 2 .

Putting it simply, if your client isn't visible in traditional search for the same questions, they're unlikely to appear in AI Overviews either.

This means the local SEO work you're already doing (optimising Google Business Profiles, building local citations, improving on-page SEO content) directly feeds into AI visibility. The good news is, you're not starting from scratch; you're building on existing foundations.

Forget word count and focus on answering the question

Another interesting finding (although I’m not surprised) was that AI Overviews don't care how long a blog post is. There's virtually zero correlation between content length and AI citations.

What matters is how well the content answers the searcher's question and how quickly it gets to the point.

For local businesses, this is liberating. Your clients don't need 3,000-word guides. They need clear, direct answers to the questions their customers are actually asking.

What this means if you’re selling SEO and GEO/AIO

If you're selling SEO and digital marketing to local businesses, AI Overviews aren't a threat; they're a fantastic selling point.

Here's how to position this with clients and prospects:

1. Audit their question coverage. Use tools like Ahrefs and Semrush to find out what their customers are asking before they buy. Does your client's website answer those questions clearly and early in the content?

3. Focus on intent, not length. Help clients create focused content that answers specific questions rather than generic "guides" that try to cover everything. Try different formats. And see what works. I often see. A lot of listicles are coming up in AI overviews, maybe you do too?

4. Make sure they pass the E-E-A-T test. Google's AI Overviews favour content that demonstrates experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. For local businesses, this means showcasing real customer reviews, displaying credentials and certifications, keeping business information consistent across platforms, and making it clear who's behind the business. If your client can't prove they're a credible local option, AI won't recommend them.

5. Structure content for AI readability. AI systems need to understand and extract information quickly. Make sure your client's content uses clear heading hierarchies (H1, H2, H3), breaks up information with bullet points where appropriate, and includes structured data markup. Well-organised content that's easy for both humans and machines to scan is far more likely to get cited in AI Overviews.

Is your client showing up in AI search? Find out in seconds.

Before your next client call, run their website through our free AI checker .

You'll instantly see where they stand for AI readiness, if they're optimised for Gemini, and their reputation within ChatGPT. Then you'll have a concrete conversation starter about the gaps in their AI visibility.

The future of search is already here. Make sure your clients are ready for it.

Why does having an audit to show clients matter?

AI optimisation can feel very new and abstract to local business owners. They've heard of ChatGPT, maybe seen an AI Overview, but they don't understand why it matters for their business, or what they're supposed to do about it.

That's where having a clear, visual audit makes the difference. Instead of explaining the technicalities, you can show them exactly where they stand and where the gaps are. It turns a confusing topic into a concrete action plan.

Insites helps you do exactly that! We combine traditional SEO and AIO checks into sales-friendly reports that support your client conversations and give your sales team the confidence to sell AI visibility without needing to be technical experts.

If you're selling digital solutions but your sales team doesn’t understand tools like Ahrefs, talk to our team to find out more and to see how it works.

The 6 best local ranking grid tools: Insites Local Grid, Local Falcon, Places Scout, BrightLocal, Local Viking & Semrush

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:41:33 GMT

Why local ranking grid tools matter for your agency

If you've ever tried to explain local SEO performance to a client using spreadsheets and data tables, you know the struggle. Their eyes glaze over and you can tell they're not really getting it.

That's where local ranking grid tools come in. Also known as geo-grid trackers, local map rank trackers, or heatmap tools, these solutions visualise exactly how a business ranks across their service area. Instead of telling clients they rank #3 for "plumber near me," you can show them a colour-coded map revealing where they dominate and where they're invisible.

The concept is simple but powerful: Google's local rankings change based on the searcher's exact location. A business might rank #1 when someone searches from their doorstep but drop positions when just two streets away. Traditional rank trackers miss this entirely because they only check from one central point.

For agencies selling local SEO services to SMBs, these visual tools have become essential for closing sales because nothing creates urgency like showing a business owner their competitors ranking above them in their own neighbourhood.

But with several competing tools on the market, how do you choose the right one for your agency? We've done the research to compare the most popular options and help you make an informed decision.

Quick comparison at a glance

The full breakdown: How each tool stacks up

1. Insites Local Grid

Best for: Digital marketing agencies and sales teams selling local SEO services to businesses at scale.

Insites Local Grid is ideal if you're a growing agency that needs to quickly demonstrate local competitive positioning to prospects without requiring SEO expertise on your sales team. It's designed for selling, not just tracking.

What does Insites Local Grid do?

Insites Local Grid overlays a 5×5, 9x9 or 11x11 grid on any business location, showing exactly how they rank for target keywords across different points in their local area. What makes it different from standalone geo-grid tools is its integration into Insites' comprehensive audit platform, meaning you can show a prospect their local ranking alongside their SEO health, AI Visibility, GBP status, reviews, social presence, and more, all in one 60-second audit.

Key differentiators from other grid tools:

Auto-intelligence: Unlike tools that require you to manually select keywords, grid sizes, and radius, Insites automatically picks appropriate keywords and adjusts the grid radius based on local competition density. Urban areas get tighter grids and rural areas expand appropriately.
Sales-first design: The tool is built for sales teams to use confidently without deep SEO knowledge. Traffic light scoring and plain-language explanations mean any sales rep can walk a prospect through their local competitive position.
Integrated threat analysis: The companion competitor table automatically ranks nearby businesses by "threat level," showing exactly who's winning in each grid point. You can highlight specific competitors on the map for deeper analysis.
Part of a complete platform: Local Grid isn't a standalone tool; it's one feature within Insites' 70+ audit checks covering SEO, GBP, reviews, accessibility, speed, and more. This means you can generate a comprehensive prospect report, not just a geo-grid snapshot.

Features

Customisable view of the grid map: Colour-coded ranking positions across 25, 81 or 121 points surrounding the business location. Insites auto-detects a grid size based on the business location and competition, but you can also choose.
Automatic keyword selection: AI picks relevant local keywords based on the business's products and services.
Competitor threat table : Sortable list of all competitors within the grid, ranked by threat level, average position, coverage, distance, rating and GBP category.
Competitor highlighting: Choose any competitors to run a competitor analysis on.
Re-run tracking: Run grid tests over time to measure and prove improvement.
White-label reports: Fully branded PDF exports to match your agency's identity.

Pricing, pros and cons

Pricing: Plans depend on your specific needs and how many audits you will be running.

Free trial: Available after a demo call to determine your needs.

Pros

✅ Available as a standalone tool (no need to run a full audit)

✅ Automatic keyword and radius selection removes guesswork and saves time

✅ Designed for sales teams, not SEO specialists—anyone can present confidently

✅ Integrated into comprehensive 360° audit for complete prospect picture

✅ Threat-level competitor ranking creates immediate sales urgency

✅ 1:1 support with dedicated CSM included

Cons

❌ Not designed for deep technical SEO analysis, built for sales enablement

2. Local Falcon

3. Places Scout (Geo-Matrix Ranking Reports)

4. BrightLocal (Local Search Grid)

5. Local Viking (GeoGrid)

6. Semrush Map Rank Tracker

Best for: Agencies and SEO professionals who need flexible, detailed geo-grid tracking with maximum customisation options.

Local Falcon is the pioneer of local ranking grid tracking, having introduced the concept back in 2018. If you need a dedicated, best-in-class geo-grid tool with the most flexibility and advanced AI features, Local Falcon is the industry standard.

What does Local Falcon do?

Local Falcon provides a bird's-eye visualisation of local search rankings across any geographic area worldwide. It scans Google Maps rankings from precise coordinates, creating heatmaps that show exactly where a business is visible and where it disappears.

Key differentiators from other geo-grid tools:

Apple Maps & AI platforms: Beyond Google Maps, Local Falcon now scans Apple Maps and major AI search platforms (ChatGPT, Perplexity) to show visibility in AI-powered results.
Falcon AI: AI-powered analysis that doesn't just show you the data—it tells you why certain areas are underperforming and provides specific optimisation recommendations.
SoLV metric: Local Falcon's proprietary "Share of Local Voice" metric quantifies local visibility as a single number, making month-over-month comparisons straightforward.

Features

Ten grid sizes: 3×3, 5×5, 7×7, 9×9, 11×11, 13×13, 15×15, 17×17, 19×19, 21×21
Customisable radius and spacing: Set exact distance between grid points
Falcon AI analysis: AI-powered recommendations for improving weak grid areas
Competitor tracking: Add competitor locations and track their grids alongside yours
Historical comparisons: Side-by-side grid comparison to show improvement over time
SoLV (Share of Local Voice): Single visibility score for easy tracking
Apple Maps scanning: Track rankings on Apple Maps as well as Google
AI platform visibility: Scan ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI search platforms
Scheduled scans: Automate regular grid scans by keyword and location
White-label PDF exports: Branded reports for client delivery
API and integrations: Looker Studio, Zapier integrations for data workflows

Pricing, pros and cons

Pricing: Credit-based system: Starter from $24.99/month ( 7,500 credits)

Free trial: 100 free credits, 11 5×5 scans.

Pros

✅ Industry pioneer with the most mature, tested technology

✅ Maximum flexibility with ten grid sizes and custom spacing

✅ Falcon AI provides actionable recommendations, not just data

✅ SoLV metric simplifies performance tracking and client reporting

✅ Apple Maps and AI platform scanning future-proofs your tracking

Cons

❌ Credit-based pricing can become expensive for high-volume scanning

❌ Larger grids (11×11+) consume credits quickly (121+ credits per scan)

❌ Standalone tool, do you’ll need separate solutions for other SEO audits

❌ Steeper learning curve than sales-focused tools

❌ Credits expire monthly on monthly plans (annual credits roll over)

Best for: Enterprise brands and agencies needing comprehensive local SEO intelligence with advanced reporting and competitor analysis.

Places Scout has been in the local SEO space since 2011, and their Geo-Matrix Ranking Reports are part of a much larger suite of local SEO tools. If you want geo-grid tracking as part of a full-service local SEO platform with extensive data points, Places Scout delivers.

What does Places Scout do?

Places Scout provides automated local SEO analysis covering 400+ data points for any business. The Geo-Matrix Ranking Reports tool visualises geographic rankings on a customisable grid, with a standout feature being animated GIF exports that show ranking changes over time.

Key differentiators from other geo-grid tools:

Animated GIF exports: Create time-lapse visualisations showing how rankings have improved—incredibly powerful for monthly client reports and demonstrating ROI.
400+ data points: Geo-grid is just one component of an extensive local SEO analysis, including citations, reviews, GBP monitoring, and competitor intelligence.
White-label PDF reports: Full visual map view reports branded to your agency.
Part of Yext: Places Scout is now part of Yext's ecosystem, bringing enterprise-grade infrastructure and data accuracy.

Features

Animated GIF generator: Time-lapse visualisation of ranking changes (unique to Places Scout)
Competitor analysis: Deep competitive intelligence across rankings and profiles
Citation management: Track and manage business listings across directories
Reputation management: Monitor and respond to reviews across platforms
Organic + local tracking: Track both map pack and organic rankings

Pricing, pros and cons

Pr icing: Usage-based model (you pay for the reports you run).

Free trial: No free trial, but demos are available.

Pros

✅ Animated GIF exports are unmatched for visual client reporting

✅ 400+ data points provide comprehensive local SEO intelligence

✅ Excellent for enterprise brands managing multiple locations

✅ GMB change monitoring catches unauthorised profile edits

✅ Part of the broader Yext ecosystem with enterprise-grade data

✅ Highly praised customer support and responsiveness to feature requests

Cons

❌ Pricing not transparent, requires a custom quote

❌ No free trial to test before committing

❌ Higher barrier to entry than simpler tools

❌ May be overkill for agencies with straightforward geo-grid needs

❌ Limited third-party reviews make comparison difficult

Best for: Agencies already using BrightLocal for citation and review management who want geo-grid tracking integrated into their existing workflow.

BrightLocal is a leading force in local SEO, recognised for its expertise in citation building and reputation management. Their Local Search Grid adds geo-grid capability to their comprehensive platform.

What does BrightLocal Local Search Grid do?

BrightLocal Local Search Grid visualises how a business ranks across a geographic area while providing unique insight into why competitors are outranking you. The competition ranking factors feature analyses of the top factors contributing to rivals' rankings—helpful when explaining to clients what needs to improve.

Key differentiators from other geo-grid tools:

Competition ranking factors: Shows the most influential factors driving competitor rankings—not just where they rank, but why.
Integrated platform: Local Search Grid sits within BrightLocal's full suite, including citation tracking, review management, GBP audits, and more—no need for multiple subscriptions.
Affordable entry point: Included in plans starting at $39/month, making it accessible for smaller agencies.
Credits included in subscription: Each plan includes grid credits, avoiding the per-scan cost anxiety of pure credit systems.

Features

Up to 7×7 grid (49 points): Three preset sizes plus custom grid configurations
Flexible point spacing: Customise the distance between grid points
Competition ranking factors: Analyse why competitors rank where they do
Desktop and mobile rankings: Track both device types separately
Scheduled scans: Run reports weekly or monthly on autopilot
Up to 5 keywords per campaign: Track multiple keywords per location
Citation and review integration: See grid data alongside other local metrics
API access: Feed data into custom dashboards and reporting tools (higher plans)

Pricing, pros and cons

Pricing: Included in BrightLocal subscription plans from $39/month with 250 Grid Credits.

Free trial: 14 days with no credit card required.

Pros

✅ Excellent value when bundled with BrightLocal's other tools

✅ Affordable entry point for smaller agencies ($39/month)

✅ 14-day free trial with full access—no commitment

✅ Strong reputation management and citation tools in same platform

Cons

❌ Maximum 7×7 grid

❌ Credit system on top of subscription can become confusing

❌ Primarily useful if you need BrightLocal's other features, less compelling standalone

Best for: Agencies wanting comprehensive Google Business Profile management combined with geo-grid tracking in a single platform.

Local Viking offers a powerful combination of GBP management and GeoGrid tracking, making it attractive for agencies that want to manage listings, posts, reviews, AND track local rankings without juggling multiple tools.

What does Local Viking do?

Local Viking is primarily a Google Business Profile management platform with GeoGrid rank tracking built in. It allows you to manage multiple GBP listings from a single dashboard: scheduling posts, monitoring reviews, protecting listings from unauthorised edits, while also visualising local rankings across geographic areas.

Key differentiators from other geo-grid tools:

GBP management + geo-grid combined: Schedule posts, monitor reviews, bulk upload content, AND track rankings in one platform. No need for separate tools.
GBP Listing Locker: A unique feature that detects competitors or random users from making unauthorised edits to your clients' Google Business Profile categories and attributes.
Service Area Business support: The SAB mode works with businesses that don't display their address, which many geo-grid tools struggle with.

Features

GeoGrid Rank Tracker: Visualise rankings across geographic areas with Google Places API integration
Multiple grid sizes: Up to 15×15 grids available
Service Area Business mode: Track SABs without displayed addresses
GBP post scheduling: Schedule, automate, and bulk upload Google posts
Daisy chaining & spintax: Advanced posting features for content variation
Review monitoring: Get notifications and respond to reviews from one dashboard
GBP Listing Locker: Protect listings from unauthorised edits
Animated GIF exports: Time-lapse visualisations of ranking changes
Suspension alerts: Instant notification if a listing gets suspended
Insights comparison: Compare GBP insights across date ranges
White-label reporting: Branded reports for client delivery (Pro+ plans)
GeoGrid widget: Embed lead generation grids on your website (Pro+ plans)

Pricing, pros and cons

Pricing: Tiered plans starting from $39/month for 7,500 GeoGrid Credits

Annual billing offers two months free.

Free trial: Demo available; data retained even after plan cancellation.

Pros

✅ Excellent value—GBP management AND geo-grid tracking in one subscription

✅ GBP Listing Locker protects clients from unauthorised profile edits

✅ Service Area Business mode works where other tools fail

✅ Animated GIF exports impressive for client reporting

✅ Strong GBP posting features with scheduling, daisy chaining, and spintax

✅ Competitive pricing scales well for agencies managing many locations

✅ Responsive customer support with dedicated contact after demo

Cons

❌ GeoGrid is powerful, but clearly secondary to GBP management — ideal for agencies prioritising listing control over pure rank analysis

❌ Development focus is split between features—some users report geo-grid updates lag

❌ Can't schedule scans for specific times (only frequency and day of week)

❌ Limited independent third-party reviews compared to larger platforms

❌ Confusing mix of subscription + credits for some users

❌ Not available as standalone geo-grid tool—must buy full platform

Best for: Agencies and marketers already invested in the Semrush ecosystem who want geo-grid tracking integrated with their broader SEO toolkit.

Semrush is synonymous with SEO, and their Map Rank Tracker brings geo-grid local rank tracking into their world-class platform. If you're already paying for Semrush and want to add local visibility tracking without another subscription, this is the natural choice.

What does Semrush Map Rank Tracker do?

Semrush Map Rank Tracker monitors Google Maps rankings across a customisable grid, producing heatmap reports that show exactly where a business ranks for specified keywords. It integrates with Semrush's broader Local toolkit, including GBP optimisation, listing management, and review monitoring.

Key differentiators from other geo-grid tools:

Part of Semrush ecosystem: If you're already using Semrush for keyword research, site audits, competitor analysis, and content tools, adding local rank tracking keeps everything in one platform.
GBP AI Agent: AI-assisted GBP management features on higher-tier plans.
ZIP code level tracking: Beyond geo-grids, Semrush's Position Tracking tool monitors rankings at ZIP code level for complementary insights.

Features

Customisable grid maps: Set grid size and distance between points
Average Rank & Rank Distribution: Multiple metrics for performance analysis
AI keyword recommendations: Suggestions based on business type and location
Scheduled scans: Automate reports on your preferred frequency
Competitor tracking: Monitor up to 20 competitors per scan
Historical data: Track ranking changes over time
Integration with Semrush tools: Connect with Position Tracking, Site Audit, and more
GBP Optimisation integration: Manage listings alongside rank tracking
Review management: Monitor and respond to reviews in the same dashboard

Pricing, pros and cons

Pricing: Available as a standalone or part of Semrush Local plans.

Standalone Map Rank Tracker:

Basic: $30/month with 4,000 credits and 1 campaign
Extra credits: $5 per 1,000 credits
Extra campaigns: $10/month each

Free tier: 50 credits (enough for two 5×5 scans) with one campaign.

Pros

✅ Seamless integration with Semrush's world-class SEO toolkit

✅ Share of Voice metric provides meaningful visibility measurement

✅ AI keyword recommendations simplify campaign setup

✅ Can track up to 100 keywords per campaign

✅ GBP AI Agent automates listing optimisation (higher plans)

✅ Free tier available to test before committing

✅ Excellent for teams already paying for Semrush subscriptions

Cons

❌ Can become expensive—need Semrush base subscription + Local add-on for full features

❌ Credit-based system on top of per-location pricing is confusing

❌ Not a specialist geo-grid tool—less focused than Local Falcon

❌ Overkill if you only need local rank tracking without Semrush's broader features

❌ No third-party reviews specifically for Map Rank Tracker tool

❌ Scheduler only allows frequency + day selection, not specific times

How do you choose the right local ranking grid tool?

The best tool for your agency depends on your primary use case:

Choose Insites Local Grid if:

You're a sales-focused agency selling local SEO to local businesses at scale
Your sales team doesn't have deep SEO expertise but needs to present confidently
You want one comprehensive audit covering local rankings, SEO, GBP, reviews, AI-visibility and more
You value automatic configuration over manual setup for every scan
You're already interested in Insites' full platform capabilities

Choose Local Falcon if:

You need maximum flexibility in grid sizes and configurations
You want AI-powered recommendations for improving specific grid areas
You're a dedicated SEO professional doing technical local SEO work
You prefer a standalone geo-grid tool rather than a bundled platform

Choose Places Scout if:

You're an enterprise brand or agency managing many locations
Animated GIF exports for showing improvement over time are important
You need 400+ data points for comprehensive local SEO intelligence
You want GMB change monitoring to catch unauthorised profile edits
You have budget for custom enterprise pricing

Choose BrightLocal Local Search Grid if:

You're already using BrightLocal for citations and reviews
You want to understand why competitors rank (ranking factors analysis)
You need an affordable entry point ($39/month includes grid credits)
You prefer one platform subscription rather than multiple tools
A maximum 7×7 grid is sufficient for your needs

Choose Local Viking if:

You want GBP management AND geo-grid tracking in one platform
Protecting GBP listings from unauthorised edits is a priority
You manage Service Area Businesses that hide their addresses
You need animated GIF exports for impressive client reporting
You want strong value for agencies managing multiple locations

Choose Semrush Map Rank Tracker if:

You're already paying for Semrush and want to add local tracking
You need geo-grid integrated with keyword research, site audits, and content tools
Your team prefers one unified platform for all SEO work

Key questions to ask before choosing

Before committing to any tool, consider these questions:

1. What's your primary goal: sales or service delivery? If you're using geo-grids primarily to close deals, sales-focused tools like Insites make sense. If you're doing ongoing technical local SEO work, specialist tools like Local Falcon offer more depth.

2. What grid size do you actually need? A 5×5 grid (25 points) covers most SMB service areas adequately. If you're tracking large metropolitan markets, you'll want 9×9 or larger options.

4. Do you need a standalone geo-grid, or a full local SEO platform? Buying a dedicated geo-grid tool makes sense if that's your only need. But if you also need citation tracking, review management, GBP posting, and SEO auditing, a bundled platform offers better value.

5. Who will use the tool? If SEO specialists will run scans, advanced tools work well. If sales reps need to present to prospects, look for simple interfaces and automatic configuration.

6. Are you already paying for a platform that includes geo-grid? If you're using Semrush or BrightLocal, check whether geo-grid is included before buying another subscription.

Where do you go from here?

Local ranking grid tools have become essential for any agency serious about local SEO. Whether you're using them to close more sales, prove ROI to existing clients, or guide your optimisation strategy, the visual impact of a geo-grid is hard to beat.

To recap what we covered:

Insites Local Grid is ideal for sales teams selling to local businesses who want automatic configuration and integration with comprehensive audits
Local Falcon is the pioneer choice for maximum flexibility, AI recommendations, and technical depth
Places Scout delivers enterprise-grade intelligence with unique animated GIF exports
BrightLocal Local Search Grid offers great value for agencies already using BrightLocal's ecosystem
Local Viking combines GBP management with geo-grid tracking for excellent all-in-one value
Semrush Map Rank Tracker integrates local tracking into the world's leading SEO platform

Most of these tools offer free trials or demos, so there's no excuse not to test them yourself before committing. See which interface clicks with your workflow, which pricing model fits your volume, and which features actually get used.

Ready to show prospects exactly where they're losing local business to competitors? If you're a digital marketing agency looking to close more local SEO deals with visual proof that anyone can understand, Insites Local Grid might be your answer. Our platform turns website audits into sales conversations, helping your team sell with confidence and turn prospects into customers.

Book a demo with our team to see Local Grid in action alongside our full 70+ audit checks.

Happy auditing! ��

The Insites team

The information in this comparison is correct as far as we can ascertain from public marketing materials as of January 2026. To notify us of a correction, please email marketing@insites.com

Selling AI visibility: Show local business clients their ChatGPT performance in one clear overview

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 16:46:41 GMT

If you've been selling websites and SEO for any length of time, you've probably noticed a shift in your client conversations recently. More and more SMB owners are asking the same question: "How am I doing in ChatGPT?"

It's a fair question. AI-powered discovery is becoming mainstream, and your clients, like local plumbers, cafés, accountants, and electricians, are starting to wonder whether they're visible in this new space.

The problem? Until now, answering that question has been a manual, time-consuming process. Sure, you could spend 20 minutes asking ChatGPT questions about a business, but it's hard to know what to ask, what to look for, and whether the information you're seeing is even accurate. And where do you go from there? How do you turn those findings into a conversation about improvement and an opportunity to upsel l?

Turning the "we don't need a website" objection on its head

If you've heard the objection "we don't really need a website" from prospects, AI visibility now gives you a powerful new angle.

When ChatGPT recommends local businesses to users, it often cites sources to back up its answers. And guess where a significant portion of those citations come from? Business websites.

If your prospect doesn't have a website (or has one with thin, outdated content) ChatGPT simply has less to work with. That means fewer chances to be cited, recommended, or even mentioned.

Suddenly, a website isn't just a nice marketing channel; it ticks the box for the foundation for AI visibility.

This opens up natural conversations about web development and content writing services, framed not as legacy tactics, but as essential for staying visible in the AI era.

Introducing our latest version of the ChatGPT Test

Earlier this year, we launched the first version of our ChatGPT test, and the response from sales teams has been incredible. Reps have been using it to spark better conversations with SMB clients about AI visibility and to open doors for upselling solutions.

Now we've taken it further. Version 2 gives you a comprehensive view of how a business performs in ChatGPT, broken down into four key areas:

1. Awareness

Does ChatGPT even know your SMB client exists? Without a strong, structured online presence, consistent information and third-party mentions, a business becomes invisible to AI. Getting your customer’s business recognised by ChatGPT is crucial for gaining a competitive edge.

It's crucial for ChatGPT to know your business exists for relevance, accuracy, and competitive advantage, enabling it to provide specific insights, generate accurate content with citations, and help you stay visible as AI integrates into customer searches and internal workflows, preventing it from recommending competitors or giving outdated/generic answers. By having your data connected, it transforms from a general tool into a business-specific assistant, boosting productivity and decision-making.

2. Accuracy

Imagine if your prospect or client’s business is showing up in ChatGPT, but the information it gives is wrong! This part of the check looks at what information ChatGPT holds about a business—and if it’s correct or not. The accuracy score is out of 100, evaluating:

Business name
Phone number
Website URL
What ChatGPT thinks the business offers

The test cross-references this against the Insites audit to verify whether the information is actually correct, giving you a clear picture of any gaps or errors.

3. Reputation

When someone asks ChatGPT about a specific business (a branded search), what does it say? Does it present the business positively or negatively?

The reputation score tells you how ChatGPT perceives the business:

Very Positive
Positive
Negative
Very Negative

This insight can spark important conversations about online reputation management and how to shape the narrative around a brand with content marketing and review management.

4. Recommendation

Here's where it gets really interesting. When a user asks ChatGPT an unbranded search query like "recommend me plumbers in Derby" or "best cafes in Manchester" this checks looks to see if this business gets mentioned.

The recommendation score is out of 100, and it shows:

How often ChatGPT recommends this business for relevant searches
What position the business appears in (are they #1, or is a competitor taking the top spot?)

We show sales teams where ChatGPT gets its information

One of the most valuable parts of the new test is the source breakdown. It shows you exactly where ChatGPT is pulling its information about the business from.

For example, you might see:

47% from the business website
23% from review sites
15% from competitor pages
10% from job listing sites

This is gold for sales conversations. If a business's website accounts for less than half of the citations, that's a clear opportunity to discuss content improvements. If competitor pages are being cited, that's a wake-up call. And if ChatGPT is pulling from job sites or directories, it's a sign that the business's digital footprint needs attention on these third-party sites.

Why this matters for your sales conversations

The ChatGPT test is a practical tool that helps you:

Start new conversations: AI visibility is a topic your clients are curious about. Now you have a way to show them exactly where they stand.
Identify upsell opportunities: Low accuracy scores, missing citations, or poor recommendations all point to areas where your services can help.
Overcome objections: The "we don't need a website" pushback becomes much weaker when you can show how website content feeds directly into AI recommendations.
Build trust: Providing clients with clear, data-backed insights positions you as a knowledgeable partner, not just another vendor.

Check AI visibility outside of ChatGPT

The ChatGPT test is just one part of how Insites helps you assess businesses’ AI readiness. We've built a complete suite of checks to give you the full picture:

AI Readiness Check

This check evaluates whether a business is technically prepared for AI discovery by looking at:

Local structured data: Does the website have the schema markup that helps AI engines understand the business?
FAQs on the website: Are there frequently asked questions that AI can pull from when answering user queries?
AI agent access: Is the website accidentally blocking AI agents from crawling and indexing its content?
Sitemap found: Is a site map on the organisation's website to ensure AI can index efficiently?
Reading difficulty: Is the content clear and easy to read so AI can understand and summarise more accurately?
Content recently updated: Fresh content signals to AI that your site is active and relevant, boosting chances of being featured in up-to-date search results
llms.txt found: An llms.txt file helps websites communicate directly with LLMs like ChatGPT. It acts like a site map or guide for AI, telling it what content is available and how it should be used.

Gemini Check

Our Gemini check assesses whether a business's Google Business Profile is optimised so that Gemini can find and recommend it. The Gemini optimisation check covers whether they have a Google business profile, if it’s complete, if they have reviews and what's their average rating and if have any photos.

Together, these all the AI readiness checks give your sales team a complete view of a business's AI visibility across multiple platforms.

Get started with Insites AI Readiness Checks

Now when your clients ask, "How am I doing in ChatGPT?" you'll finally have a proper answer with confidence and without spending time manually searching for each customer. The ChatGPT Test v2 is available now. If you're already using Insites, you can start running tests for your clients immediately by adding the new test in your Audit Designer.

Ready to see it in action? Start using the ChatGPT test today, or book a demo to discover how Insites helps sales teams sell digital marketing with easy-to-understand audits. No complex jargon or technical overwhelm—just clear insights that any sales agent can confidently present in seconds, and that SMBs will actually understand.

SEO vs GEO: what actually matters for local business rankings

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 10:26:26 GMT

We know your SMB clients are asking you, "How can we rank in AI?" because the providers are coming to us asking, "How can we help them?"

It's new territory, and there's so much to unpack, with new updates and changes happening constantly.

When it comes to SEO vs GEO, we’re all wondering, “What's the difference? What crosses over? How do we optimise for both? Which should we be focusing on for local business clients?”

Luckily, here at Insites, we’re always keeping our finger on the pulse, tracking the latest changes, understanding what they mean for our agency customers, and helping SMBs navigate the future of search to make sure their businesses get found.

Let's break down SEO vs GEO, what they do, how they overlap, and how you can help local business clients win in both.

SEO vs GEO: What's the difference

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is what you know and love. It's about getting your clients to rank higher in traditional search results, local pack, and maps.

GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) is about getting your clients mentioned and recommended when someone asks ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google's AI Mode a query like "best coffee shop near me".

Whilst SEO is about getting clicks, if you rank in GEO, you'll get fewer clicks but more awareness. Your aim is to be cited. Because with AI, the user gets the answer directly – they don't have to dig further through websites or reviews.

Here's a quick comparison:

What to track for each

For SEO , you're likely already tracking the classics: keyword rankings, organic traffic, click-through rates, and conversions. These metrics aren't going anywhere.

For GEO , things get a bit different. You're looking at:

How often your client's business gets mentioned in AI responses
Which sources are AI platforms pulling from when they make recommendations
Whether the business is being recommended for relevant queries
The sentiment and accuracy of how the business is being described

Where SEO and GEO overlap and do websites still matter?

Google AI Overviews now appear on around 13% of all searches , and a study by LocalFalcon found 40%+ of local business queries trigger some form of AI Overview.

When people consume information in AI Overviews or AI Mode, Google is still pulling its reasoning from your client's Google Business Profile (GBP) to power its answers. BrightLocal put it nicely when they said your client's GBP is their new homepage.

But websites still matter! AI systems (including Google) crawl and index website content to inform their recommendations. Plus, while someone might discover your client through an AI answer, a good website is what converts that interest into a call or booking.

Ultimately, you need both: a strong GBP for discovery in AI, a website for conversions, and strong reviews for deeper trust signals.

What this means for your existing clients and how to pitch optimising for SEO and AI to prospects

If you're selling digital marketing services to local businesses, this is actually great news. It's not "SEO is dead, do GEO instead." Instead, you need to position your services to optimise for both. Here's how to frame it:

For conversion and traditional SEO (SEO focus):

Google Business Profile needs to be immaculate: fully complete, with the primary category as specific as possible, keyword-rich descriptions, and regular uploads of up-to-date images (not stock or AI-generated).
Reviews need to be frequent, detailed, and genuine (more on this below).
Business information needs to be consistent everywhere: directories, social profiles, and relevant third-party sites for that industry.
Schema markup (also called structured data) on their website helps search engines understand what the business specialises in.
High-quality content: useful, relevant, and well-written to satisfy user intent – demonstrating experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).
Good user experience (UX): page speed, mobile-friendliness, and site security all help reduce bounce rates and keep visitors engaged.

For AI discovery (GEO focus):

Website content drives trust: add authentic signals like testimonials, awards, or case studies that AI can reference.
Make content narrative, not generic filler: AI favours content that reads naturally and answers real questions.
Service pages and location pages help AI understand what the business offers and where.
FAQ sections give AI easy answers to pull from when responding to queries.
Schema markup helps AI systems parse and understand business information accurately.
Third-party presence matters: AI tools like ChatGPT pull from review sites, directories, and forums – not just your client's website.

Reviews and reputation matter more than ever for GEO

Did you know ChatGPT doesn't pull from Google reviews ?

When someone asks ChatGPT for a recommendation, it's not checking your client's Google Business Profile reviews.

Instead, it's looking at third-party directories, review sites, and what people are saying about the business across the web (and on your website). That means platforms like TripAdvisor for restaurants, Trustpilot for services and even Reddit threads where people are recommending businesses.

For traditional SEO, Google reviews still matter enormously for local pack rankings. But for GEO, your clients need a broader reputation strategy.

Review and listing management matters for AI visibility:

Be on the right platforms : A restaurant needs TripAdvisor and OpenTable reviews. A tradesperson needs Checkatrade or Bark. A solicitor needs reviews on legal directories. Think about where your client's customers actually look for recommendations.
Consistency is everything : AI systems cross-reference information from multiple sources. If your client has three locations but their website only shows the head office address, AI gets confused. If their phone number is different on Yell versus their website, that's a problem. Inconsistent data leads to AI either getting it wrong or not recommending them at all.
Detail matters : AI extracts specific attributes from reviews, so "great fish and chips, perfect for families, easy parking" tells the algorithm more than "lovely food."

The consistency piece is crucial. AI can hallucinate when it gets conflicting signals. If your client's business name is slightly different across platforms, or their opening hours don't match, or their service descriptions vary, AI might recommend them incorrectly or not at all.

Encourage your clients to ask for specific feedback on the platforms that matter for their industry. And audit their listings across the web to make sure everything matches.

What can your agency do right now?

If you want to start helping your clients rank in both worlds, here's a quick checklist:

Quick wins for GEO:

Audit your customers' Google Business Profile – is every section complete? You can use tools like Insites to do this quickly and at scale.
Check their primary category – is it as specific as possible?
Search for their services in ChatGPT and Google AI Mode – do they appear?
Look at their recent reviews – are they detailed and keyword-rich?

Ongoing work:

Build consistent NAP (name, address, phone) across all directories.
Add FAQ schema to their website.
Create content that directly answers common customer questions.
Encourage regular photo and video uploads to GBP.
Post updates on GBP regularly.

How to upsell and make sense of GEO and AI optimisation

If you're still a bit confused on how to audit your customers at scale and don't want to manually search how they're showing up for various branded and unbranded search terms, the Insites AI Readiness Check and ChatGPT test should help you do exactly that at scale.

Not only can you show customers how they rank for traditional SEO, using the Insites checks, but you also get a quick snapshot of how they're ranking in AI, whether the answers are accurate, what ChatGPT thinks about their business (positive or negative), and where it's citing from.

Want to see how your clients are showing up in AI search?

Book a quick call , and we'll show you how other agencies are using Insites' digital marketing audits to win more local business clients at scale.

How to build a sales team for your digital marketing agency when you can't find SEO experts

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 12:57:06 GMT

T he talent pool for SEO-savvy salespeople is tiny. But the talent pool for great salespeople is massive. So, how do you find good salespeople who can sell your digital solutions?

If you've been posting the same job opening, "Sales representative wanted. Must have digital marketing experience. SEO knowledge required. Understanding of technical platforms preferred."

And you’re getting either crickets or candidates who talk a good game about SEO but can't actually sell. Meanwhile, your pipeline is stalling because you're still doing all the sales yourself.

You don’t need to continue fishing in a puddle when there's an ocean right in fro nt of you.

Why you’re not finding the right salespeople to grow your agency

When you add the requirement for "SEO knowledge" to a job description, you're not attracting the better salespeople. You're trying to find a rare unicorn so you don’t have to train them from scratch on the fundamentals of digital marketing or how to use complex tools like Semrush.

But you're actually eliminating genuinely talented sales professionals who could learn your service in weeks with proper training.

When you think about it, sales ability is the hard part. Knowing how to overcome objections and build rapport is what gets a deal over the line. By eliminating genuinely talented sales professionals who could learn your services in weeks with proper training, you’re letting great people slip away.

The agencies scaling fastest right now have figured this out. They hire for sales fundamentals and let the tools, training and AI do the heavy lifting on the technical side.

The power of an SEO auditing tool designed for sales teams, not SEO experts

If you’re a digital marketing expert, you can probably fly through platforms like Semrush or SE Ranking. Which makes sense, because tools are built for you. But if you want to scale your agency with a dedicated sales team who can confidently close deals, throwing them into complex SEO tools will only slow them down. Most sales reps aren’t technical, and they don’t need to be.

What they do need is a tool built specifically for surface-level SEO knowledge; something that gives them a clear, simple snapshot of a prospect’s online presence without the jargon. A strong sales rep only needs to know what’s good, what’s bad, what needs fixing, and where your services slot in.

That’s why platforms like Insites have become a competitive advantage for growing agencies. With a 60-second audit run before a call, reps get instant insight across SEO, website performance and local listings — all mapped to the services you want to sell.

AI recommendations, visual scoring, and features like the local grid make it easy to show value to SMBs who would never understand a full technical SEO report.

Whilst you don’t need to train salespeople on complex SEO tools, they still need reports to prove value. You wouldn’t pay thousands for a new car engine without seeing what’s wrong with it first.

Semrush is the mechanic’s diagnostic tool — powerful, detailed, essential. But Insites is the customer-facing report: clear, digestible and designed to guide a sales conversation.

It bridges the gap between the complex work your team does behind the scenes and the simple, confident narrative your sales reps need to convert.

What you should be looking for when hiring

When you're interviewing sales candidates at help grow you’re agency, here's what matters:

In the interview:

Ask them to explain something complex from their previous job/industry in simple terms.

Can they do it without jargon? Listen for clarity and for whether they can communicate the value.

Give them a mock objection to handle. Do they get defensive or do they lean in with curiosity? The best salespeople welcome pushback because they see it as information.
Ask about a deal they lost. Do they take responsibility or blame external factors? Someone who owns their losses will own their wins too.

Download our Competitor Playbook

Want to see exactly how top-performing agencies are hiring and scaling with non-technical sales reps? Our latest Competitor Playbook breaks down the complete strategies the fastest-growing agencies use to build sales teams without requiring SEO expertise.

Inside the playbook, you'll find:

The audit-first method that positions your reps as trusted advisors despite their technical knowledge
The 4-step translation framework that turns jargon into business outcomes and data into compelling stories
New ways to leverage Insites audits with AI like ChatGPT and Claude to ask follow-up questions your reps might not feel confident asking themselves
How to turn sales reps into mini experts with consistent, digestible knowledge about search industry changes and how to use it in sales conversations

Download the Competitor Playbook and discover what agencies that are winning the hiring game are doing differently.

�� Happy selling

The 10 best website and SEO auditing tools for scaling digital marketing agencies

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 14:57:12 GMT

Why might you look for alternative website and SEO auditing tools?

We all know how important digital marketing is for local businesses, yet selling digital marketing solutions can feel like trying to push water uphill. So, you turn to SEO and website auditing tools. If you’re reading this, you're most likely either already using an SEO auditing tool or have heard about them and want to see how they compare to the alternatives.

There are tons of SEO and website auditing tools out there, all claiming to streamline processes and save in-house resource time. But if you don’t choose the right tool for your agency, it could do more damage than good.

We’ve spent hours testing, trialling, and sifting through user reviews to narrow down everything you need to know about the most popular SEO and website auditing tools out there.

We’re not just throwing another listicle at you; this here is a comprehensive, no-nonsense look at what these tools have to offer, where their strengths lie, and what their shortcomings are, so we can help you make the most informed decision possible when investing in an SEO or online auditing tool.

So get comfortable and prop your feet up whilst we cut through all the noise and get straight to the meat of it.

1. Limited features and functionality

One of the main reasons that an agency would look elsewhere for a digital presence checker tool is its current tool's limitations in features and functionality. As your agency grows and your marketing and sales teams’ skillsets change, your requirements will evolve.

Whether it's the inability to handle multiple clients without the right tech stack or lacking the level of depth you need in its scans or audits, limitations can hinder your ability to deliver the 5* services that you know your team is capable of doing.

2. Value for money

A common concern we saw across the board was value for money; so if you're looking around, you might be looking for more bang for your buck that your current provider isn't delivering on when it comes to features and functionality.

Agencies, especially smaller ones, startups or individual businesses, might find that they’re spending too much on a tool that doesn't align with their budget or their needs. Alternatively, if you’re an enterprise digital marketing provider selling at scale, the most expensive tool with all the bells and whistles doesn’t always mean it’s the most valuable for your organisation.

3. Poor user experience and support

A tool that’s difficult to use or lacks proper support can be detrimental to its success. If you spend more time troubleshooting, problem-solving, or attempting to find your way around a complicated user interface than you do actually using the tool for its intended purpose, it’s time to reconsider.

A lot of the feedback we’ve analysed highlighted poor and slow customer support as a main driver for switching. Understandably, this can leave your agency stranded when you need help the most, impacting your ability to provide quality service and value to your clients.

10 of the best website and SEO auditing tools and how to decide which one is right for your organisation

TL;DR? Here’s a breakdown to save you time:

The full breakdown of each SEO auditing tool

1. Insites

Best for growing agencies and enterprise digital marketing providers with sales teams that sell at scale to local SMBs.

Insites is especially useful for scaling sales teams looking to generate more qualified leads, close more sales, and maintain consistent communications across their pipelines.

It’s ideal for digital marketing agency sales teams of 3 or more.

What does Insites do?

In a nutshell, Insites audits any website in 60 seconds and generates a comprehensive audit of the brand’s total online presence.

There are three key differences between Insites’s approach to audits in comparison to other auditing tools:

Insites audits don’t just focus on SEO. The audits scan a business’s whole presence and offer insight into all corners of a brand’s online presence.
Insites is designed to help you sell. While audits are comprehensive, they produce trackable scores and reports in a language anyone can understand, meaning your sales team can sell confidently.
It’s designed with local-level SEO at heart, with features like Local Grid and Competitor Analysis, so it’s ideal for users who want to audit businesses that operate in a local area.
Marketing teams generate hundreds of untapped leads by offering website visitors a free online health check. Simply plug the Insites widget into landing pages, and white label it as your own. The sales team will then be notified with contact details and the audit results for each prospect.

Features

In-depth online audits: Performs comprehensive website and online presence audits that cover over 70 checks for SEO, website build, content, local presence, accessibility, security, and more. The audits are fully customisable, and the weighting for the checks can be adjusted to reflect your services. The easy-to-understand interface and colour-coded scores allow your sales reps the confidence to smash those sales pitches.

Lead generation: Provides a bespoke lead generation tool that captures the details of qualified and warm leads, sending them directly to your inbox.

API’s & Integrations: 10+ API’s and integrations with the likes of Hubspot, Zapier, Salesforce, Yext, Uberall and more to ensure your data storage and organisation run smoothly and efficiently.

Competitor analysis: Competitor analysis allows a business to see how it stacks up against its competitors and get one step ahead.

Local-SEO features: Insites Local Grid feature has a significant competitive advantage as it allows sales teams to show prospects and clients the competitors in the local area and how they rank against them.

Pricing, pros and cons for Insites

Prices depends on specific needs but start from $299/£249 per month.

Free trials are available once you've had a free demo call to determine your needs for the platform.

Pros

✅ Local-SEO specific, so ideal for agencies offering services to small businesses

✅ 1:1 support with an assigned CSM to help you reach your agency’s growth goals

✅ Extremely user-friendly interface, perfect for sales reps and SMBs to understand

✅ The lead generation magnet is an ideal solution to turn website visitors into engaged leads

Cons

❌ Designed for sales teams, so not suitable for specialist teams

❌ Unlike SEMrush & Ahrefs, it’s not designed to make fixes from within the tool

❌ There are only two plans, Growth and Enterprise, so there is no price plan for freelancers or smaller agencies

2. Woorank

3. marketgoo

4. SE Ranking

5. SEOptimer

6. BuzzBoard

7. BrightLocal

8. So Connect

9. Ahrefs

Best for: Digital marketing professionals, agencies, and SMB owners wanting straightforward SEO auditing without overwhelming complexity.

Woorank is ideal for businesses that need to quickly identify and fix website SEO issues through easy-to-understand, actionable recommendations. It's perfect for teams that want to offer white-labeled reports to clients without investing in a complex enterprise tool.

marketgoo is a DIY-focused SEO platform designed specifically for non-SEO experts. Rather than overwhelming users with complex analysis, it breaks down SEO into simple, actionable tasks that anyone can implement.

Key differences between marketgoo and other auditing tools:

Non-expert focused: Designed with simplicity in mind—no technical jargon, just plain-language recommendations and step-by-step instructions.
Task-based approach: Instead of detailed analysis reports, Marketgoo provides specific to-do items that users can complete themselves.
Reseller model: Heavily built for white-label partnerships with hosting providers and service companies who want to offer SEO to their customer base.
Revenue generation: Helps service providers like web hosts increase customer retention and upsell SEO services, ultimately unlocking new revenue streams.

Best for: Digital marketing agencies managing multiple clients who need white-label capabilities, excellent local SEO tracking, and user-friendly interface.

SE Ranking is perfect for agencies that want an all-in-one platform without the complexity of enterprise tools. It's ideal if you're delivering SEO services to clients and need to track local rankings with precision while maintaining full branding control.

Best for: SMBs and digital agencies wanting a comprehensive audit tool with white-label reports and lead generation capabilities.

SEOptimer is ideal if you need a fast, affordable tool for running detailed SEO audits and generating branded reports at scale. It's particularly strong for agencies offering audit services as part of their sales process or for resellers building audit capabilities into their platform.

Best for: Sales and marketing teams who sell digital marketing products, services, and technology solutions to SMBs at scale

BuzzBoard is the platform for you if you're running a sales-driven digital marketing company and need AI-powered account intelligence and lead generation at enterprise scale. It's built specifically for inside sales teams who need to prospect, pitch, and close deals faster.

Best for: S EO professionals and specialists needing comprehensive, advanced SEO analysis and competitive intelligence.

Ahrefs is the go-to tool for in-house SEO managers, SEO consultants, and SEO analysts who work on complex optimisation strategies. If you're doing deep competitive analysis and need the most comprehensive backlink database in the industry, Ahrefs is worth the investment.

Best for: Agencies, small businesses, and multi-location brands specialising in local SEO and online reputation management.

BrightLocal is the go-to tool if you're focused on local SEO and manage clients across multiple locations. It's perfect for agencies serving location-based businesses (restaurants, retail, service providers) that depend on local search visibility and customer reviews.

Best for: Local businesses like restaurants, retail stores, hospitality, and service providers wanting simple online visibility and reputation management.

So Connect is ideal if you're a small local business wanting to improve your online presence and reputation without technical expertise. It's also perfect for agencies reselling local SEO and reputation services to SMBs through a white-label model.

10. Semrush

Best for : SEO professionals and marketers requiring advanced keyword research, competitor analysis, and technical SEO capabilities for complex campaigns.

Semrush is ideal if you need an all-in-one digital marketing platform that goes beyond SEO to include PPC, social media, content marketing, and PR. It's the choice for sophisticated marketers who want all their tools in one place and can handle platform complexity.

What does Woorank do?

What does marketgoo do?

What does SE Ranking do?

What does SEOptimer do?

What does BuzzBoard do?

What does BrightLocal do?

What does So Connect do?

What does Ahrefs do?

What does Semrush do?

Woorank is a comprehensive website SEO audit tool that analyses your site in real-time and provides instant, actionable insights. It goes beyond basic SEO to include website performance, mobile optimisation, usability, accessibility, and security checks.

Key differences between Woorank and other auditing tools:

Beginner-friendly: Woorank uses simple language and colour-coded scoring (0-100) that anyone can understand—perfect for SMBs without dedicated SEO staff.
Real-time monitoring: The tool continuously monitors your website 24/7 and sends automated weekly reports and alerts if issues arise.
Quick implementation: Focuses on providing clear, step-by-step recommendations that users can implement themselves without needing specialist help.
Affordability for SMBs: Entry-level pricing makes it accessible for freelancers and small agencies who need a basic but solid audit tool.

Features

Comprehensive website audit: Analyses 100+ SEO, technical, and usability factors, including on-page SEO, technical issues, mobile optimisation, accessibility, security, and compliance checks.

Keyword research and tracking: Discover high-performing keywords for your industry, track rankings over time, and monitor competitor keyword strategies with search volume data.
Site crawl technology: Identifies broken links, duplicate content, missing meta tags, and other technical SEO problems that impact rankings.

Backlink analysis: Check the number of backlinks, referring domains, and backlink quality scores to assess link profile health.

Customisable white-label reports: Generate branded PDF reports that you can download and deliver to clients, perfect for agencies.

Lead generation widget: Embe d an audit form on your website to capture leads and turn website visitors into qualified prospect s.

Pricing, pros and cons for Woorank

Pricing tiers:

Pro Plan: $79.99/month (or $53.25/month annual) — Best for freelancers and small agencies, includes 1 website, unlimited audits, keyword tracking, and backlink data for 100 domains
Premium Plan: $199.99/month (or $133.25/month annual) — Best for growing agencies, includes 5 websites, 250 keyword tracking, advanced reporting, and white-label capabilities
Enterprise: Custom pricing — Built for large teams with API access and dedicated support

Free trial available: 14 days (updated from original 3 days)

Pros:

✅ Real-time 24/7 monitoring with automated weekly reports

✅ Affordable entry-level pricing starting at $79.99/month
✅ Great white-label reporting capabilities for agencies
✅ Seamless Google integrations (Analytics, Search Console, Ads)

Cons
❌ Limited advanced SEO features for specialist professionals or complex campaigns
❌ Pricing can be steep for freelancers compared to other basic audit tools

❌ Website audit makes up 80-90% of functionality; keyword research and backlink features are basic
❌ No API available (only Enterprise plan has custom integrations)
❌ Some users report inconsistent customer support quality

Best for: Web hosts, domain registrars, and digital agencies who want simple, DIY-friendly SEO tools to offer their customers.

marketgoo is ideal if you're looking to provide an easy-to-implement SEO solution that your customers can action themselves, without needing to hire experts. It's particularly strong for service providers offering white-label SEO as an add-on to existing services.

Simple DIY SEO audits: Website analysis designed for non-experts with easy-to-understand language and actionable recommendations.
Step-by-step tasks: Breaks down SEO improvements into specific, implementable tasks rather than overwhelming analysis.
White-label solutions: Heavily focused on reseller partnerships—customise the platform with your branding for seamless integration.
Integration with Google Analytics, Search Console, and Google Business Profile: Connects with key Google tools for comprehensive insights.

AI-powered features: Keyword selection, page optimisation, and local business optimisation powered by AI.
WordPress plugin: 1-click page optimisation for WordPress users.

Actionable insights: Focuses on practical, implementable recommendations rather than complex metrics and analysis.

Note: Marketgoo also offers mDI, a separate domain portfolio management product used by hosts and registrars for domain insights and upsell opportunities, which includes audit capabilities as one of many domain data points.

Pricing, pros and cons for marketgoo

Pricing is not advertised publicly; custom pricing is available for partners and resellers.

Free trial: Not advertised

Pros

✅ Simplicity is a major strength—perfect for non-SEO experts and SMBs

✅ Excellent for reseller/white-label partnerships with hosting providers

✅ Task-based approach makes it easy for customers to implement improvements themselves
✅ AI-powered features for keyword selection and page optimisation

✅ Strong focus on business outcomes (retention, revenue, upselling) rather than just metrics

Cons

❌ Limited transparency on pricing (custom-only model)

❌ Not suitable for agencies needing advanced, professional-grade SEO analysis

❌ Minimal information available on features compared to other tools

❌ No free trial available to test the platform

SE Ranking is a comprehensive, agency-focused SEO platform that combines SEO auditing, reporting, and client management in one place. It's built specifically for teams delivering SEO services to multiple clients.

Key differences between SE Ranking and other auditing tools:

Agency-first design: Everything is built with client management in mind—from reporting to permissions to collaboration tools.
Local SEO strength: Provides excellent local ranking tracking with geographic precision, critical for agencies serving location-based businesses.
Approachable complexity: More powerful than basic tools but far less overwhelming than enterprise platforms like Ahrefs or Semrush.
All-in-one platform: Combines SEO, PPC, social media, and content tools so you're not juggling multiple subscriptions.

Custom dashboards: Provide clients with controlled access to SEO data with customisable, easy-to-understand dashboards.

Local SEO tracking: Monitor keyword rankings with geographic precision, essential for agencies serving multiple locations.

Comprehensive audits: Website audits identify technical SEO issues, content gaps, and on-page optimisation opportunities.

Keyword research: Collect relevant queries for SEO and PPC campaigns with search volume, competition, and SERP competitor analysis.

Backlink checker: Analyse backlink profiles, find link-building opportunities, and monitor domain authority growth.

GBP management: Create and schedule Google Business Profile posts directly from the platform.

Agency catalogue listing: Get listed in SE Ranking's Agency Catalogue to attract more potential clients and establish authority.

Lead generator widget: Capture leads with a customisable On-Page SEO Checker widget embedded on your website.

Pricing, pros and cons for SE Ranking

Pricing tiers:

Starter plans: From $44/month — Ideal for freelancers and small agencies managing 1-3 clients
Mid-tier plans: Scales with client count and feature access
Enterprise: Custom pricing for large agencies with advanced needs

Free trial: 14 days

Pros

✅ Excellent local SEO capabilities with geographic precision—ideal for agencies serving SMBs

✅ Strong white-label features and Agency Catalogue listing for lead generation

✅ User-friendly interface that's less overwhelming than Semrush or Ahrefs

✅ All-in-one platform reduces need for multiple tool subscriptions

✅ Flexible pricing scales with your agency's growth

✅ Trusted by 40,000+ agencies globally

Cons

❌ Not as comprehensive as Ahrefs or Semrush for advanced competitive analysis

❌ Pricing increases significantly as you add more clients

❌ Fewer advanced features compared to enterprise-grade tools

❌ Not the best tool for sales reps due to it's more complex UI and functionalities

SEOptimer is primarily known as a website SEO audit and reporting tool, but it's evolved into a comprehensive SEO suite. It performs detailed analysis across 100+ website data points and provides clear, actionable recommendations in language anyone can understand.

Key differences between SEOptimer and other auditing tools:

Affordable suite: Offers a comprehensive toolkit at a fraction of competing tools' cost while maintaining quality and depth.

SEO Crawler: Detailed page-by-page website scanning to identify technical SEO issues, broken links, and structural problems.

Keyword research tool: Research competitors and find keyword opportunities with search volume, competition, and CPC data.

Keyword tracking: Monitor search rankings over time by country, language, search engine, and device type.

Backlink monitoring: Track new and lost links, protect from negative SEO, and build a strong link profile.

Free SEO toolbox: Meta tag generator, robots.txt generator, XML sitemap generator, .htaccess file generator, keyword generator, and more.

Pricing, pros and cons for SEOptimer

Pricing tiers: Starting from €29/month (approximately $30 USD)

Free trial: Available (days unknown)

Pros

✅ Very affordable pricing starting at €29/month—excellent value for SMBs and agencies

✅ Fast audit execution with JavaScript rendering capabilities

✅ Excellent white-label and embeddable audit widget for lead generation

✅ Comprehensive feature set at a lower price point than competitors

✅ Free SEO toolbox with utilities that complement the paid service

✅ Multi-language support makes it globally accessible

Cons

❌ Less information available on specific features compared to larger platforms

❌ May lack some advanced features needed by specialist SEO professionals

❌ Customer support and update frequency are unclear compared to bigger players

❌ Free trial duration not clearly advertised

❌ Smaller community and fewer case studies compared to Semrush/Ahrefs

Key differences between BuzzBoard and other auditing tools:

1. SMB-specific focus - Database specifically designed for businesses selling to small/medium businesses.

2. Sales enablement - Generates personalised sales content across email, SMS, voicemail, websites and social media.

3. Account intelligence - Provides comprehensive business insights in under 60 seconds.

4. Enterprise scale - Built for large sales teams with hundreds to thousands of reps.

SMB database access: 30+ million SMBs globally with 6,400+ signals, including technology usage, advertising spend, and business triggers
AI content generation: Automatically creates personalised sales content across multiple media types and channels
Account scoring: Prioritise prospects based on fit and buying signals to focus on the highest-value opportunities
CRM integrations: Native integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, and other major CRM platforms
Sales intelligence: Real-time recommendations on which products to sell, cross-sell, or upsell based on prospect data
Demand generation: Tools for identifying, segmenting, and scoring target accounts for ABM campaigns

Pricing, pros and cons for BuzzBoard

Prices for enterprise customers depend on specific needs.

Pros

✅ Massive database specifically focused on SMB market

✅ AI-powered personalisation

✅ Comprehensive business intelligence beyond just SEO metrics

Cons

❌ Very expensive - designed for enterprise sales teams only

❌ Overkill for small agencies or individual SEO professionals

❌ Focuses on sales enablement rather than SEO optimisation

BrightLocal is a specialised local SEO platform purpose-built for location-based businesses and the agencies that serve them. It handles the complexity of managing local SEO at scale—from citations to reviews to local rankings—all in one dashboard.

Key differences between BrightLocal and other auditing tools:

Local SEO specialisation: Every feature is designed specifically for location-based businesses and multi-location management, not general SEO.
Citation management at scale : Handles business listings across hundreds of local directories, saving massive amounts of time.
Geo-specific precision: Tracks local rankings with pinpoint accuracy, showing how you rank in specific areas and against local competitors.
Review management centralised: Collect, monitor, and respond to reviews across multiple platforms from a single dashboard.

Local search rank tracking: Monitor keyword rankings by geographic location with geo-specific precision; understand how you rank in specific areas.

Citation management: Handle business listings across hundreds of local and international directories automatically and at scale.

Review management: Collect customer reviews from multiple sources, monitor sentiment, and respond to reviews from one unified dashboard.

Landing pages: Create location-specific landing pages for multi-location businesses without coding.

Automated consistency checks: Ensure business information (NAP—Name, Address, Phone) is consistent across all directories.

Performance reporting : Track local visibility metrics and generate reports showing local search performance.

Pricing, pros and cons for BrightLocal

Pricing tiers:

Software plans: From €29/month (~$30 USD)

Managed services: From €799/month (~$850 USD) for fully managed local SEO services

Free trial: 14 days

Pros

✅ Purpose-built for local SEO—far superior to general SEO tools for location-based businesses

✅ Citation management at scale saves agencies enormous amounts of time

✅ Geo-specific ranking precision is essential for local marketing

✅ Unified review management keeps customer reputation in one place

✅ Flexible pricing with both software and managed service options

Cons

❌ Highly specialised—only useful for agencies/businesses focused on local SEO

❌ Not suitable if you need general website SEO auditing beyond local rankings

❌ Steep learning curve for teams unfamiliar with local SEO workflows

❌ Limited features for non-location-based businesses

❌ Pricing increases significantly with multiple locations

So Connect is a local business platform combining listings management, review collection, and reputation management into one simple dashboard. It's designed specifically for location-dependent businesses that live or die by their local search visibility.

Key differences between So Connect and other auditing tools:

White-label B2B2B focus: Heavy emphasis on partnerships where agencies and service providers resell So Connect under their own brand.
Local business specialisation: Every feature is built for businesses that depend on local visibility—restaurants, retailers, service providers, and hospitality.
Simplicity first: Designed for business owners without marketing or tech backgrounds; focus is on ease of use.
All-in-one reputation: Combines listings, review collection, and reputation management so you don't need multiple tools.

Local business listings management: Ensure your business appears consistently across local directories and search platforms.

Review collection: Automatically collect reviews from customers and direct them to Google, Yelp, and other key platforms.

Reputation monitoring: Monitor what's being said about your business online and respond to reviews from one dashboard.

White-label platform: Fully rebrand So Connect as your own for seamless client delivery and partnership integration.

Competitor tracking: See how you're performing against local competitors in your area.

Pricing, pros and cons for So Connect

Pricing: Custom / not advertised publicly

Free trial : None listed

Pros

✅ Excellent for local businesses that need simple, all-in-one reputation management

✅ White-label capabilities perfect for agencies offering local SEO services

✅ Designed with non-technical business owners in mind; very user-friendly

✅ Strong focus on review collection and reputation management

✅ All-in-one solution reduces tool sprawl

Cons

❌ Not suitable for general website SEO auditing or technical analysis

❌ Pricing not transparent; requires custom inquiry

❌ No free trial to test before committing

❌ Limited information available on advanced features

❌ Highly specialised—only useful for local businesses and their agencies

❌ May lack advanced analytics compared to specialist platforms

Ahrefs is an enterprise-grade SEO platform built for professionals who need the deepest possible insights into SEO, backlinks, and competitive strategy. It maintains one of the largest and most frequently updated backlink databases in the world.

Key differences between Ahrefs and other auditing tools:

Professional-grade only: Not designed for SMBs or non-experts; assumes deep SEO knowledge and sophisticated workflows.
Unmatched backlink data: One of the largest backlink databases, frequently updated, providing insights competitors miss.
Advanced competitor analysis: Detailed insights into competitors' organic traffic sources, keywords, content strategies, and backlink profiles.
Complex optimisation strategies: Built for analysing nuanced ranking factors and developing sophisticated, multi-faceted SEO strategies.

Comprehensive backlink database: One of the industry's largest backlink databases with frequent updates; explore link profiles in unprecedented detail.

Advanced competitor analysis: Discover competitors' entire organic traffic sources, keywords they rank for, content strategies, and backlink profiles.

Professional keyword research: Analyse keywords with search volume, difficulty, intent, and opportunity metrics for complex campaigns.

Site auditing: Comprehensive technical audits identifying content gaps, duplicate content, redirect chains, and technical SEO issues.

Organic search insights: Understand the "why" behind rankings—see which factors contribute to competitors' success.

Content gap analysis: I dentify keywords competitors rank for that you don't, revealing content opportunities.

Pricing, pros and cons for Ahrefs

Pricing tiers:

Lite: €99/month (~$105 USD)

Standard: Custom pricing

Advanced: Custom pricing

Enterprise: Custom pricing

Free trial: None

Pros

✅ Unmatched backlink database depth and quality

✅ Most comprehensive competitor analysis in the industry

✅ Exceptional for complex, strategic SEO work

✅ Frequent updates to data and algorithms keep insights current

✅ Industry standard for professional SEO work

Cons

❌ Expensive ($99+ minimum, custom plans much higher)

❌ Steep learning curve; requires significant SEO expertise to use effectively

❌ Not suitable for SMBs, freelancers, or non-experts

❌ No free trial—significant investment before you can test

❌ Overkill for simple website audits or basic SEO needs

❌ Pricing does not include tools to make fixes; analysis only

S emrush is a comprehensive digital marketing platform, not just an SEO tool. It combines SEO, PPC, content marketing, PR, and social media management into one integrated suite. It's built for professionals managing complex, multi-channel marketing campaigns.

Key differences between Semrush and other auditing tools:

All-in-one platform: Combines SEO, PPC, content, PR, and social in one place—the most comprehensive platform available.
Advanced keyword research: Billions of keywords with advanced filtering, intent analysis, and search trend data.
Competitive playbook : Uncover competitors' entire digital marketing strategy—keywords, ads, content, backlinks, and more.
Professional workflow integration : API access, CRM integrations, team collaboration tools, and automated reporting built in.

Competitor insights: Uncover competitors' entire digital marketing playbook, including keywords, ad copy, backlinks, content gaps, and PPC strategies.

Keyword Magic Tool: Access billions of keywords with advanced filtering and search intent analysis; find long-tail opportunities easily.

Technical SEO audits: Comprehensive website analysis identifying technical issues, crawlability problems, and on-page optimisation opportunities.

Rank tracking: Monitor rankings across multiple countries, devices, and search engines; see how changes impact visibility.

Backlink analysis: Explore backlink profiles, find new link-building opportunities, and identify bad links to disavow.

Content marketing suite: AI writing tools, content calendar, and optimisation recommendations for organic reach.

PPC advertising tools: Keyword research, ad copy analysis, and budget optimisation for Google Ads and Bing.

Social media management: Schedule posts, monitor mentions, and track social performance across platforms.

Professional workflow integration: API access, CRM integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot), team collaboration, and custom reporting.

Brand monitoring: Track brand mentions across web, news, and social media to manage reputation.

Pricing, pros and cons for Semrush

Pricing tiers:

Pro: From €199/month (~$210 USD)

Business: Custom pricing

Enterprise: Custom pricing

Free trial: Available (duration not specified in current information)

Pros

✅ Most comprehensive all-in-one digital marketing platform available

✅ Excellent for managing complex, multi-channel marketing campaigns

✅ Advanced keyword research with billions of keywords and intent analysis

✅ Superior competitor analysis across all marketing channels, not just SEO

✅ Professional workflow integrations (API, CRM, team tools, reporting)

✅ Includes PPC, content, social, and PR tools in one subscription

Cons

❌ Expensive starting at €199/month for entry-level access

❌ Steep learning curve; platform complexity can overwhelm newcomers

❌ Overkill if you only need SEO auditing (not worth it for basic website checks)

❌ Pricing increases quickly as you add users and more advanced features

❌ Minimum commitment and no month-to-month options for lower plans

❌ Not ideal for SMBs or freelancers on tight budgets

Where do you go from here?

Well, that's up to you! There are many powerful auditing tools out there to help you optimise your sales or auditing processes. To recap, we covered:

Top 3 reasons why people might look for alternative websites or SEO auditing tools — from limited functionality to poor value for money and frustrating user experiences
A deep dive comparison of 10 leading SEO and website auditing platforms — from sales-focused solutions to comprehensive enterprise tools
Which audience each tool is best suited for — whether that's enterprise sales teams, solopreneurs, small agencies, local business owners, or specialist SEO professionals

Whether a sales and marketing tool like Insites would tick all your boxes, or whether the tailored insights from other top contenders like Ahrefs, Semrush, BrightLocal, or SE Ranking would be the best fit, choosing the right tool ultimately depends on your agency's unique needs, budget, and growth ambitions.

So now you have all the essential information, it's time to take it a step further and check them out for yourselves. Most offer free trials or demos, so there's no excuse not to get hands-on experience before making your decision.

Ready to streamline your agency's sales process with a tool designed for scaling teams? If you're a digital marketing agency with a sales team of 3 or more looking to generate more qualified leads, close deals faster, and maintain consistency across your pipeline, Insites might be your answer. Our platform turns website audits into sales conversations, helping your team sell with confidence and turn prospects into customers. Get in touch with our team to explore a partnership or start your free strategy call today.

Happy auditing! ��

The Insites team

The information in this comparison is correct as far as we can ascertain from public marketing materials as of November 2025. To notify us of a correction, please email support@insites.com

How top digital marketing providers build sales confidence without hiring SEO experts

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 10:03:19 GMT

Your sales team doesn't need SEO expertise to sell digital marketing solutions confidently.

Yet most agencies think sales confidence comes from technical knowledge.

If you're running a technical background and trying to scale, you might think the only thing stopping you is finding a sales leader who also understands SEO reports. Or maybe you already have a decent-sized sales team that keeps stalling deals that should be easy to close because they don't know how to explain Core Web Vitals, EEAT, or AI readiness.

The instinct tends to always start the same: run workshops, hand out training manuals, and assume that if your team understands the product deeply enough, they'll feel confident selling it.

But your reps get overwhelmed. They memorise facts they'll never use and freeze when prospects ask unexpected questions. Deals start slipping away because they don't feel equipped to have compelling conversations.

The market leaders we've worked with over the last decade discovered a completely different approach. One of our customers doubled their agency size in just two years after implementing the systems we're about to share with you.

The confidence gap isn't about technical knowledge

The agency sales teams scaling fastest and closing more deals are the ones with efficient systems, the right tech stack, and frameworks that work.

Specifically, top performers have cracked the code on three core things:

1. They position their reps as trusted advisors from the start

Imagine walking into a car garage and being told you need to drop thousands on fixes without ever seeing a diagnostic report. You'd feel like they're just trying to upsell you. Now imagine they show you the diagnostic scan first. You see exactly what's broken and suddenly, you trust them. That's what your audit does for your rep. When they walk into a meeting with a customised audit showing exactly what's broken in the prospect's online presence, they're not just selling. They're diagnosing the problem first, pointing out real, specific issues unique to that business. That instantly establishes credibility and sets them up as a trusted advisor.

2. They turn complex data into compelling stories, not technical explanations

You know that your prospects don't care about domain authority, missing alt text, or incomplete schema markup. What they actually care about is how it impacts their bottom line.

Your reps don't need to memorise every SEO concept. They need a repeatable framework for turning "jargon" into "here's what this means for your revenue."

3. They give reps the right knowledge at exactly the right time

Traditional sales training doesn't always work out the way you’d hope. Salespeople aren’t interested in understanding the ins and outs of local SEO, technical SEO, link building, content strategy, PPC, social media, etc. Because weeks later, when they're on a call and can't remember any of it.

Market leaders use a different approach to training by providing consistent, digestible knowledge delivered when it's actually useful.

They share weekly industry updates focused on what's changing in search and introduce mini-trainings right before campaigns launch. They use AI to ask follow-up questions that their reps might not feel confident asking on their own. They build knowledge gradually, so it sticks.

The result? Reps feel prepared for the conversations they're actually having, not overwhelmed by everything they might never use.

The 4-step explanation method that actually works

This is the framework top performers use to turn technical concepts into compelling business stories:

Step 1: Provide a simple definition of the gap. Don't assume SMB prospects know what you're talking about. Start with plain language that frames the problem without jargon.

Step 2: Show, don't tell. Use your audit to display real results and competitor comparisons. Visual proof beats explanation every time.

Step 3: Connect to business impact. Translate the technical gap into what it means for their revenue, customers, or growth. This is where reps earn credibility.

Step 4: Highlight what happens with inaction. Create urgency by showing what they're missing. When competitors are outranking them, that's motivation.

Why does this matter for your agencies’ bottom line?

Sales confidence doesn't just feel good. It directly impacts your results:

Shorter sales cycles : Confident reps close faster because they're not constantly second-guessing themselves or waiting for approval to answer prospect questions.

Higher close rates : When your rep feels like a trusted advisor instead of someone scrambling to sound smart, prospects buy more often.

Better team retention : Reps who feel confident actually want to do their jobs. They pick up the phone. They follow up. They stay.

Scalability : You can hire talented salespeople and equip them to perform at a high level, without needing to find unicorns who happen to know both sales and SEO.

How to start building sales confidence today

1. Audit first. Stop leading with features. Lead with problems. Use customised audits to show prospects exactly what's broken in their online presence. Your reps will feel more confident because they're pointing to real issues, not selling theoretical benefits.

2. Create a translation framework. Sit down with your best performers and document how they explain technical concepts to prospects. Turn that into a repeatable framework your whole team can use. Make it simple enough that any rep can pick it up in an afternoon.

3. Deliver knowledge consistently, not all at once. Replace one-off training sessions with weekly updates, mini-trainings, and AI-powered insights that your reps can actually use in real conversations. Give them the right knowledge at the right time.

4. Use AI as a confidence multiplier. Tools like ChatGPT and Claude can help your reps ask follow-up questions they might not feel confident asking on their own. When integrated with your audit data through Insites' MCP integration, AI becomes even more powerful. Your reps can ask complex questions about prospect performance and get instant, data-backed answers. It's like having an expert on speed dial.

What's inside the full competitor playbook (part 3)

We've spent a decade working with hundreds of digital marketing providers. We've documented exactly what separates market leaders from everyone else, and now we're sharing it with you.

In the Competitor Playbook Part 3 , you'll discover:

The audit-first method that gives your reps instant credibility (even with zero technical knowledge)

The 4-step translation framework that turns complex jargon into business outcomes your prospects actually care about

How to position your reps as trusted advisors despite their technical background

The one-conversation approach that's closing significantly more deals and reducing sales cycles

How to use Insites audits with AI like ChatGPT and Claude to answer any question about audit results in seconds

Objection handling frameworks that turn resistance into sales opportunities

Strategic feedback systems that actually build confidence (not more training)

How to build consistent industry knowledge that keeps your team informed and ready

Culture strategies that turn confidence into a competitive advantage

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Get the exact frameworks, systems, and strategies that market leaders use to build confident, high-performing sales teams. Learn how to equip your reps with the right knowledge, tools, and processes so they close more deals faster—without needing to hire SEO experts.

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How should digital marketing agencies be reacting to ChatGPT Atlas? What you need to know

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 19:15:18 GMT

I downloaded OpenAI's new web browser, ChatGPT Atlas , to test out how it actually impacts local businesses and organisations, helping them rank across both traditional and new search engines. One key finding was that ChatGPT Atlas is suggesting you search for local businesses right off the bat. So where does that leave folk selling digital services to local SMBs? I've done the research so you don't have to, so let's dive in!

My first experience using Atlas to look for local businesses

Once I’d downloaded it, the first thing Atlas suggested I search for was "local businesses near me." That should tell you everything you need to know about who it's built for and why this matters if you're selling digital marketing services to local businesses.

I searched for restaurants, and here's what happened: Atlas pulled information from TripAdvisor, GrubHub, OpenTable, Yelp, and other third-party platforms to decide which restaurants to recommend. Then it used the businesses' websites and Instagram accounts to fill in details about what they offer, where they're located, if they have reservation links, and whether they have menus online.

If your local business clients aren't optimised on these third-party platforms, or if their website and social media don't have the information ChatGPT Atlas is looking for, they're invisible and competitors will get recommended instead. It’s a reminder that your local business customers should be asking for reviews across all platforms. Despite that being a bit of a big ask, you could suggest to your clients to run incentives and promotions like “Leave your review on Google, TripAdvisor and Open Table to receive 20% you’re next visit” (or whatever review platforms are specific to their industry).

Atlas also lets users search on Google

Then I searched for "affordable landscapers in Hampshire" (a more specific, local query). This is where it got interesting.

Atlas gave me the option to search via ChatGPT chat or use Google. I'm assuming this is because OpenAI knows their biggest blocker to adoption is that people don't want to leave Google. So they're giving users both options at once.

But even when you're in Google results, ChatGPT is in the sidebar, so you can search in Google and still have a conversation with ChatGPT to guide further questions. They're basically merging the two together, and personally, I think it’s really cool!

How ChatGPT Atlas decides what information to pull

When I compared the Google results with the ChatGPT results side-by-side, something became crystal clear.

For the restaurant search, ChatGPT Atlas prioritised third-party review and booking platforms. It was pulling heavily from TripAdvisor, GrubHub, OpenTable, and Yelp. It used those platforms to determine which restaurants to recommend, and then filled in supplementary details from the businesses' websites and Instagram.

But when I searched for landscapers, the algorithm completely changed its behaviour.

ChatGPT Atlas was matching reviews and ratings from Google Business Profiles with the search results. It wasn't pulling from third-party review sites like it did with restaurants. It was going straight to Google Business Profile for authority signals, then using the website and social media for additional details like service offerings and availability.

Security considerations for ChatGPT atlas

While ChatGPT Atlas offers clear benefits for discovery, it's important to understand the security implications. Atlas is logged into users' personal accounts and has access to their browsing history. This means when you ask it something on the platform, it sends your query plus the website content and system prompts (written by ChatGPT makers, hidden from view). Agencies should advise clients to be cautious about what information they're asking Atlas to analyse, especially when logged into accounts that contain sensitive data. There have already been documented cases of prompt injection attacks where malicious code embedded in websites can manipulate AI systems into ignoring safety guidelines.

What does my discovery really mean for local businesses and digital marketing organisations?

I tested a few more searches to confirm the pattern:

For only using ChatGPT , third-party platforms (booking sites, review sites, online directories and marketplaces) are the primary authority signal
For using ChatGPT sidebar alongside a Google search , Google Business Profile is the primary authority signal
For both: Your website needs to have the right information (hours, services, contact details, menus and booking widgets).

This changes everything about how you should approach visibility strategy for your clients.

Your client, who's ranking perfectly on Google but hasn't updated their Google Business Profile, is about to become invisible in ChatGPT Atlas search. And they probably don't even know it's happening.

Here's what your agency needs to do now

First, test ChatGPT Atlas yourself.

Download it (available on desktop) and search for your local business clients the way their customers actually would. Don't just search for the business name. Search for the service + location. Search for "affordable [service]" in their area. See where they appear. See what information ChatGPT Atlas is pulling. See if it's accurate. See if they're not appearing at all. You need to understand this platform before you can help your clients with it.

Second, understand the visibility gap for each client.

This is critical. You need to know where ChatGPT Atlas is actually pulling information from for each of your clients. Are they showing up on Google Business Profile? Their website? Third-party directories? Social media? Or are they completely absent?

More importantly, you need to know which sources matter most for their industry. That landscaper's Google Business Profile is now mission-critical. That restaurant's TripAdvisor presence might be even more important. These aren't one-size-fits-all problems.

Third, start having this conversation with your clients.

Most don't know ChatGPT Atlas exists yet. But here's what they do know: they need their customers to find them. You can frame this as: "Search is changing. We've analysed your visibility across a new search platform that's gaining traction. Here's what we found."

Show them where they're appearing and where they're not. Show them what ChatGPT Atlas is actually using to rank businesses like theirs. Make it real and specific to their industry.

How Insites AI Readiness checks help you win in AI search

The obvious challenge is that manually auditing every client through ChatGPT Atlas takes hours per business. And you need to do this systematically across your entire client base to understand where the real opportunities are.

That's where Insites comes in.

Our AI Readiness Checks are built specifically for digital marketing agencies. They automate the audit process so you can:

Scan your entire client base quickly - Understand visibility gaps in minutes, not hours
Get industry-specific insights - See exactly what ChatGPT is prioritising for restaurants vs. services vs. retail. Our tool knows the algorithm behaves differently by industry.
Identify your data sources - See exactly where ChatGPT is pulling information from for each client. Google Business Profile? Third-party sites? Their website? Social media?
Benchmark against competitors - Understand where your clients stand relative to competitors for branded and unbranded searches.
Get actionable next steps - Offer solutions like websites, Google Business Profile optimisation, multi-channel presence strategy, content updates, review management, and social media optimisation.

With Insites, you move from "I wonder if our clients have a problem" to "Here's exactly where they stand and what we need to fix." That's the data you need to start this conversation with every client who is also new to the world of AI-optimised search.

Your competitive advantage is time

Most agencies are still waiting and wondering if ChatGPT Atlas is a real threat or just another shiny thing. But we always provide our customers with ahead-of-the-curve insight, so they've started asking, "Where does this leave us?". Hopefully, this blog answers some of your questions.

We’re always updating our AI Readiness Checks, so make sure you're following us on LinkedIn and subscribed to our weekly newsletter, Five Insites , to know what's changing in the digital marketing space.

How to help your local business clients rank in AI Engines like ChatGPT

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 08:53:16 GMT

People aren't just Googling anymore. They're asking ChatGPT, "Where should I go for coffee in my area?" or "Which local plumber has the best reviews?". They are using AI search engines to answer specific queries to influence their purchase decisions.

According to research from Yext , 28.3% of ChatGPT users rely on it for practical guidance, which would include finding businesses. That's a meaningful portion of potential customers using AI to discover local services.

Whilst digital marketing agencies have been working hard to help local business clients rank in Google, most of them are still completely invisible to AI-powered search engines. They're getting zero traffic from ChatGPT results. This creates an enormous opportunity for anyone selling digital presence solutions.

How to position AI readiness to your clients

This is where positioning matters. AI readiness isn't a replacement for traditional SEO. It's not "the future of search" that makes Google obsolete. Position it correctly, and you'll avoid objections like "We're fine, we rank in Google".

Agencies should be framing it as a parallel track . Traditional search and AI search complement each other, but require different tactics.

This positioning opens the door to upselling. You're not replacing services, you're expanding them. You're protecting their market share as customer behaviour evolves.

Five tactics to rank your clients in AI search

Now, let's get practical. Here are five actionable strategies to make your clients AI-ready.

1. Claim and consolidate business listings

Start with consistency. Your clients need verified presence across Google Business Profile, Yelp, and relevant niche directories. When LLMs process information about local businesses, they're crawling reviews, descriptions, and business details from these sources. If listings are inconsistent or incomplete, LLMs can't reliably cite your client.

Use tools like Yext or Uberall to streamline this work. These platforms make it faster to maintain consistency at scale.

2. Rewrite website content for AI discovery

This is where you differentiate. Static, corporate website copy doesn't play well with LLMs. Conversational, question-focused content does.

For example, let’s say your client is a law firm in Manchester. When a customer asks ChatGPT, "What lawyers in Manchester offer divorce services?", you’d want it to be your client's content too appear. That means rewriting service pages as Q&A sections and creating pages that ask and answer the actual questions your clients' customers are asking.

This benefits both traditional SEO and AI discovery. It's a win-win.

3. Implement structured data and schema markup

Make your client's content machine-readable. Upsell schema markup for services, review management, FAQ content, and listing management for your clients because this type of information tells both search engines and LLMs exactly what your client offers and how well they perform.

This is technical work, but it's also foundational. Without it, AI models struggle to understand what your client actually does. With it, they can confidently cite your client's services in responses.

4. Build authority where customers their hang out

Your clients need to be visible where conversations happen. Reddit. LinkedIn. Facebook groups. Industry forums. These are places where customers ask questions and where LLMs train their models.

Position this as a social media strategy, not just posting. Social listening and monitoring let you identify where your client should be active, respond to questions, and build authority. This creates upselling opportunities around social media management and listening services.

5. Create thought leadership content

Blogs, videos, landing pages. These aren't vanity projects; they feed LLMs. Every piece of content is another chance to rank, another source LLMs cite, another touchpoint with customers.

Position this as a content strategy service. More content means more visibility in AI search and builds authority and trust. This also opens doors to ongoing content production services.

How to use AI readiness checks to know if they're ranking before you pitch

Knowing where to start is half the battle. But guessing is how proposals die.

Instead of going into a client meeting without data, use Insites AI Readiness Checks.

These audits are sales enablement tools and give sales reps concrete insight into whether a prospect is ranking in AI already. And if they’re not, it’s a great oppuortunityto upsell all the services we mentioned earlier, such as review management and FAQ content.

What's included?

AI content readiness check looks at how easy it is for an LLM to digest content and if your clients have blocked them from their website.

ChatGPT ranking check – With our ChatGPT Check, you can find out if your customers ’ websites are ranking already, or if not, which local rival is!

Google Gemini check – With the introduction of Google Gemini, ranking on Google and having an up-to-date Google Business Profile isn’t enough. Help your customers see whether Gemini knows about their business with our Google Gemini check.

One of our customers saw immediate ROI when they gave their sales team access to these checks. Reps used them to upsell llms.txt file optimisations, structured data improvements, and content rewrites. The audit wasn't just a discovery tool, it was a conversion engine.

The opportunity to get your SMB clients ranking in AI engines like ChatGPT

The partners who position AI readiness as a parallel service category, not a replacement for traditional SEO, will win deals and build stronger client relationships.

Your clients need you to identify this gap, but you must show them the data to support your new positioning.

Ready to get started?

Run a free AI Readiness Check . See how your clients rank in ChatGPT. Then book a demo with our team and help sales reps walk into their next sales conversation with data, confidence, and a clear path to upselling.

How to scale your digital marketing agency without training sales reps on Semrush or Ahrefs

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:48:40 GMT

You built a great agency. Now it's time to scale without spending months teaching your sales team complex SEO tools.

If you're the technical expert who understands how to navigate Semrush, interpret Ahrefs data, spotting opportunities in minutes is easy. You can explain complex concepts in ways that make prospects nod and reach for their wallets.

But the problem with that is once you want to scale, you can't find great salespeople who also understand those SEO platforms like you. And teaching them would take months. So right now, every sales call still needs you, every new client starts with your expertise. You've become your agency's biggest bottleneck, and deep down, you know it.

Why training sales reps on SEO tools never works

Maybe you’ve thought about it, or even tried giving a new sales rep access to multiple tools like Semrush, Ahrefs and Yext and hope they pick it up. However, they inevitably get overwhelmed by the hundreds of features they don't understand. They stare at metrics with acronyms they've never heard of and ask you questions constantly because the learning curve is brutal. And three months later, they still can't run an audit without your help.

We've seen it too many times working with our partners, and it never works out.

But what if you could hire a great salesperson tomorrow and have them closing deals by next week, without ever logging into Semrush or Ahrefs?

The alternative to complex SEO training is an auditing platform built for salespeople

Unlike other platforms that have been brilliantly designed for experts, Insites is the online presence auditing platform that lets you delegate sales completely, without sacrificing quality, expertise, or spending months training your team on tools built for SEO professionals, not salespeople.

Think of it as a technical expert packaged into a tool that anyone can use and understand. No confusing dashboards and reports, just clear, visual insights that your sales team can present confidently.

With insight-first audits, your team demonstrates value immediately, not eventually

Insight-first audits let your team show prospects exactly what's broken while they're still engaged and interested, so they can demonstrate value on the spot, not days later:

Run comprehensive audits in minutes while prospects are still on the call.
Share your screen and walk through findings with confidence.
Every digital marketing signal is colour-coded and scored with clear explanations that make sense to local SMB owners.
No more "let me get back to you with analysis" that kills momentum and loses deals.

Remove the technical knowledge barrier and replace months of SEO training with insight-first audits that handle the complex analysis automatically:

The platform does the heavy lifting automatically finding issues, interpreting data, and presenting insights.
Your reps don't need to know what to look for, where to find it, or how to interpret complex metrics.
They present like seasoned SEO professionals because the tool handles the technical work behind the scenes.

Prospects don't trust claims. Create immediate credibility with audits that provide easy-to-understand proof and turn your sales team into trusted advisors instantly:

Visual, easy-to-understand results that prospects actually grasp in real-time
Your team sounds like experts without needing to become experts
Prospects see proof of problems instead of hearing vague promises about improvement

How Gargle doubled its agency without technical training bottlenecks

Gargle, a digital marketing agency in the US, faced the exact same bottleneck. Their team needed to scale sales, but the traditional approach of training reps on complex SEO tools was slowing everything down and limiting who they could hire.

Their challenge was how to empower a 10+ sales team to sell technical services confidently without months of specialised training.

That's when they implemented Insites. The impact was immediate because new and non-technical sales reps could run comprehensive audits and present professional insights within days of joining, not months. The visual, colour-coded reports made it easy for prospects to understand their online presence issues during the first conversation.

As a result of implementing Insites as a sales enablement partner, Gargle doubled its agency.

Their sales cycle shortened dramatically because reps could demonstrate value during the first call instead of scheduling follow-ups for technical analysis.
Close rates improved as prospects saw visual proof of issues rather than hearing vague promises.
Most importantly, their team operated independently, maintaining quality and consistency without constant technical support or lengthy training programs.

Read the full Gargle case study to see exactly how they scaled their revenue using insight-first audits.

Want to start scaling without the training nightmare?

You didn't start an agency to become a full-time SEO trainer. Start being the strategist, the visionary, the founder you set out to be. Join agency owners like Gargle who stopped requiring technical expertise and started scaling their teams.

Book a founder demo and see exactly how Insites replaces months of Semrush training with a quick onboarding process and we'll show you real examples from your industry.

Check your client's E-E-A-T scores and prove SEO value to SMB clients and prospects

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 10:45:00 GMT

While everyone's talking about ChatGPT and AI taking over search, did you know Google still holds 89.66% of the search market share?

Think about it for yourself. Yes, we're using AI to search, but Google has not been "replaced". In fact, far from it... When it comes to discovering local businesses like need a local plumber, hairdresser or gardener, 75% of consumers still turn to Google when looking for local business information and 20% of Americans use the internet to find local businesses daily and 32% research local businesses multiple times per week through search.

This means if you're selling SEO or websites to local SMB clients, visibility on Google is still business-critical.

The E-E-A-T factors every local business can't ignore

When you mention E-E-A-T to small business owners, you might often see that glazed-over look. To them, it sounds like another piece of marketing jargon or some mystical algorithm factor that's hard to understand or influence.

But as we know, E-E-A-T isn't magic. It's measurable. And it directly impacts whether Google trusts your clients' content enough to show it to potential customers.

Think about it from Google's perspective. With billions of web pages competing for attention, they need reliable ways to determine which content deserves to rank, other than simply looking at keywords. E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) became their quality control system and it's more important now than ever.

Is there a link between E-E-A-T and AI mode?

Ironically, as AI-generated content floods the internet, Google has doubled down on rewarding content that demonstrates genuine human experience and expertise. They're not just looking for keyword optimisation anymore; their algorithm wants proof that real people with real knowledge created the content.

Simply put, Google's AI model looks for 3 key things in content:

Schema markup
Shows experience, authority, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T)
Answers the user's question clearly and accurately

For your SMB clients, doubling down on E-E-A-T means more opportunity to outrank competitors in both traditional and AI search engines.

How to explain E-E-A-T signals to an SMB client

The problem most agencies face is showing small business owners exactly where they stand. How do you prove that E-E-A-T issues are holding back their rankings? How do you create urgency around something they can't see?

The answer is an audit. When you can show a local gym owner that their content scores 2/5 for "Experience" because they're not showcasing their 15 years in the industry, or demonstrate that a law firm scores poorly on "Authoritativeness" because they haven't mentioned their certifications, suddenly E-E-A-T becomes real.

Lucky for you, Insites just launched a new check that analyses any business's E-E-A-T score and highlights exactly where credibility gaps exist. It turns abstract ranking factors into clear, actionable insights you can share with clients to create urgency, demonstrate value, and position your digital services as the solution. Try it out for free yourself today!

Turning an audit into action

With Insites, sales teams can deliver a clear, tangible E-E-A-T evaluation that makes credibility real for SMB prospects and clients. Use the results to create urgency by showing exactly how they stack up against competitors and build compelling ROI cases for content strategy investments.

Instead of saying, "Your content needs to be more authoritative," reps can walk clients through the audit in a live demo, highlight gaps, make actionable recommendations, and turn low scores into measurable business outcomes.

E-E-A-T in 2025 and beyond

The digital marketing agencies that can make E-E-A-T assessment tangible and actionable will have a significant competitive advantage in 2025 and beyond. Because, as we established earlier, ranking on Google still matters, and E-E-A-T still determines who gets found.

Ready to show your clients exactly how they measure up against Google's E-E-A-T guidelines? Book a free demo with Insites today.

How digital marketing agencies can optimise for AI search and get recommended in ChatGPT

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 14:56:56 GMT

If you're part of a digital marketing agency, you know it's not just about ranking high on Google anymore. It's about ensuring you and your clients show up when potential customers ask AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity for recommendations.

Memory matters in the age of AI search because it will personalise results

AI search is fundamentally different from Google. Traditional search engines serve the same results to everyone for the same query. But AI tools are quietly building individual user profiles based on past conversations, preferences, and positive interactions with brands and content.

Our theory is that adding a “Summarise with AI” button to your blogs, landing pages, and resources creates valuable touchpoints between your website and an LLM’s memory. When visitors use it to summarise your content in ChatGPT or other AI tools, they’re not just consuming information, they’re also training the AI to connect your expertise with their future queries.

Our experiment using AI-powered content summaries

At Insites, we're testing this theory using a “Summarise with AI” button on our blogs.

When someone clicks these buttons, they're taken directly to the AI tool with our blog content pre-loaded for summarisation. This creates a few benefits:

Immediate value : Readers get quick, personalised summaries of our content
Memory building : The AI processes our expertise and potentially creates associations for future queries
Extended engagement : People might ask follow-up questions about our services while the content is fresh in the AI's context

For example, if someone summarises our blog on SEO auditing in ChatGPT and months later asks "who can help me audit my client's SEO performance?", based on what we know about how LLMs retain information and give personalised information, there's a higher chance ChatGPT will connect the dots and recommend us based on that previous interaction stored in their conversation history.

Why digital marketing agencies should start experimenting now

Full transparency : this is still experimental. We don't have concrete proof yet, but based on what we know about how AI learns and personalises, it's worth testing. In a world where AI increasingly shapes how people discover solutions, every positive interaction with your brand counts as a strategic advantage.

For digital marketing agencies, this represents a huge opportunity to stay ahead of the curve. By optimising both your own content and that of your clients for AI interaction, you can ensure your expertise gets processed and remembered by AI tools, increasing the chance of future recommendations.

Even recommending this kind of "small win" approach to your clients positions you as forward-thinking, and if the approach pays off, you'll have real case studies to showcase your expertise in emerging digital marketing trends.

We'll let you know how it goes

We're tracking the results of our AI summary experiment and will share what we learn. In the meantime, even if our summary buttons don't directly lead to more AI-driven recommendations, they're already improving user experience and that's valuable in itself.

Ready to test your AI visibility? Try our free AI Readiness Check to discover how visible your agency or your clients' businesses already are when people search for your services using ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity. It's free and takes less than two minutes to get results.

How to help your local business clients rank in Google’s AI mode

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 13:12:16 GMT

AI Overviews? That was just Google getting warmed up. Their new AI Mode is the real game-changer for local business SEO, and it's turning search upside down for digital marketing agencies and their clients. While most agencies are still figuring out AI Overviews, the smart ones are already helping their local business clients prepare for AI that doesn't just summarise, it actually picks winners and recommends specific businesses to potential customers. After auditing millions of local businesses through our platform, we've seen exactly what separates the AI Mode winners from those getting left behind.

Why AI mode changes everything for local business SEO

Unlike AI Overviews, Google's AI Mode works like having a chat with a local expert. But unlike ChatGPT, it's plugged directly into Google's massive local business database. When someone asks "find me a boiler repair service in Derby," AI Mode doesn't just show a list, it gives specific recommendations with actual reasons why, backed by real-time data. Then your client's potential customer can follow up with "who's open after 5pm?" and get instant, accurate answers. This conversational search behaviour means traditional keyword optimisation alone won't cut it anymore.

AI mode vs ChatGPT: Why Google wins for local search

The key difference between Google's AI Mode and standalone AI tools like ChatGPT lies in real-time data access and local business integration.

When someone asks ChatGPT "find me a plumber in Manchester," it typically responds with generic advice and directs users to third-party platforms like MyBuilder or TrustATrader. ChatGPT can't access current business hours, recent reviews, or real-time availability—the stuff that actually matters when you need a local service.

Google's AI Mode, however, recommends businesses with access to comprehensive information: Google Reviews (the most used review platform), current opening times, direct contact details, and specific services available.

So Google's putting all that "SEO is dead" talk to bed and reaffirming that local SEO has never been more important for your clients.

Essential checks agencies should be conducting to get their local business clients optimised for AI Mode

To help your local business clients perform brilliantly in AI Mode , you need to audit both their current performance and AI-readiness. This is where tools like Insites' comprehensive SEO audit become invaluable, giving you a complete digital presence snapshot that highlights strengths and improvement areas in minutes, not hours.

Here's your complete AI Mode readiness checklist, based on what we've learned from helping agencies audit thousands of local businesses:

Does your client pass the E-E-A-T test?

EEAT is Google’s way of judging if content from the business is reliable by checking for experience, expertise, authority, and trust .

Experience

For local businesses this is about showing real work you’ve done:

Does the business have detailed project portfolios with specific outcomes and dates?
Are there before/after case studies that include measurable results?
Do customer testimonials reference specific expertise rather than generic praise?
Is there a timeline showing business evolution and growth over time?
Are years of experience backed up with documented proof rather than just claims?

Expertise

For local businesses, this is about proving skill and knowledge:

Does the business showcase staff qualifications, training, or certifications?
Are services explained clearly to show depth of understanding (not just sales talk)?
Is specialist knowledge shared through blogs, FAQs, or advice guides?
Do employees demonstrate ongoing learning (courses, accreditations, industry updates)?
Is expertise linked to specific industries or niches the business serves?

Authoritativeness

For local businesses this is about being recognised as a trusted source:

Are there consistent 4–5 star reviews across Google, Trustpilot, or local directories?
Has the business been featured in local press, community sites, or industry publications?
Do partnerships or memberships (e.g. trade bodies, local chambers) back credibility?
Are they listed in top results on mapping platforms like Google Maps?
Do other businesses or influencers recommend them publicly?

Trustworthiness

For local businesses this is about showing honesty and transparency:

Is full contact information (address, phone, email) easy to find?
Do service descriptions match between website and Google Business Profile?
Are pricing, terms, and guarantees clearly explained without hidden details?
Does the business share who is behind it (team stories, personal branding, storytelling)?

Technical Infrastructure Audit

A strong technical foundation is essential for local businesses to rank well in search engines and be easily understood by AI-driven platforms. This audit focuses on ensuring that your website’s schema markup and content structure are optimised, making it easier for search engines and AI agents to interpret your offerings, locations, and services accurately.

Schema markup verification:

Is the LocalBusiness schema properly implemented with detailed service offerings?
Are operating hours, contact information, and service areas marked up correctly?
Is FAQ schema used for common customer questions?
Are reviews and ratings properly structured for AI consumption?
Is a service-specific schema implemented for each offering?

Content structure analysis:

Are headings structured logically (H1, H2, H3) for AI comprehension?
Does each service have its own dedicated landing page?
Are location pages created for multi-location businesses?
Is the content organised to answer "who," "what," "when," "where," and "how" questions?
Are internal links structured to show topical relationships?

Ready to help your clients rank in AI mode?

Running comprehensive SEO audits on prospects and clients is complex, time-consuming, and frankly easy to mess up when you're doing it manually. That's exactly why we built Insites—to make this whole process not just manageable, but actually enjoyable.

With Insites, you can customise audit checks to match exactly what you sell, spot opportunities with our traffic light scoring system that makes client presentations a breeze, and say goodbye to spreadsheet nightmares or generic templates that never quite fit your services.

Our clients consistently tell us that Insites audits become their secret weapon for winning new business and demonstrating clear ROI to existing clients.

Book a demo and discover how Insites helps you sell more SEO and website solutions by showing clients exactly what they need to win in AI search.

The future is AI search, and your clients need to be ready. Let's make sure they are.

How to upsell websites after acquiring broadband and leased line customers

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 08:00:08 GMT

For telecommunications companies, the journey doesn't have to end when you've successfully connected a customer with broadband or leased line services. In fact, that's where the real opportunity begins. While your core connectivity services keep businesses running, your local business customers are often struggling with a critical gap: their digital presence.

Large telcos are uniquely positioned to bridge this gap by expanding into digital marketing solutions, particularly website development and search optimisation services. If you've been exploring this territory over the past few years but finding it challenging to scale or your sales team needs a quicker way to identify the opportunities, we’ve got the answer to your problems.

Why telcos are perfect for website upselling

Your customers already trust you with how they stay connected through broadband. This existing relationship provides a significant advantage when introducing additional services. They know you understand business continuity and technical reliability.

So, unlike standalone new digital agencies that come along trying to poach them for website, review management, social media management and local SEO services, you have natural reasons to engage with customers regularly and discuss broader digital needs.

Identifying quick wins with digital presence audits

So you want to start successfully upselling digital marketing? The key to scaling this process effectively and growing your ARPC (Average Revenue Per Customer) is to implement a systematic approach that allows your team to rapidly assess digital presence gaps across your entire customer base.

Step 1: Leverage your customer database

Start by looking at industry verticals like professional services, manufacturing, retail, and healthcare that have unique digital needs and levels of urgency.

Business size also matters. Small businesses may only need a simple website and local SEO, while large enterprises usually need more advanced digital infrastructure and multi-channel marketing.

Customer relationships play a role, too. Long-term customers are lower risk and often open to expanding services, while newer ones may be cautious but could respond well to bundled solutions. Clients who depend on your managed services may want you to handle everything, while more self-sufficient businesses may prefer tools they can manage themselves.

Instead of guessing who needs digital services, tools like Insites bulk testing let you scan your entire customer base and spot real gaps and opportunities. Lead Signals then tracks changes (like downtime, performance drops, or competitor gains) so you can step in proactively.

This data-driven approach allows you to segment customers by actual needs, not assumptions, and assign sales teams to the right opportunities. Sales outreach becomes more targeted, personalised, and effective.

Finally, by integrating Insites SEO data into your CRM, you give sales teams clear insights to prioritise leads, time their outreach, and close deals faster, leading to higher conversions and shorter sales cycles.

Step 2: Perform quick digital health checks with SEO and website audits

After defining your target segments, the next step is to run fast SEO and website audits. The goal isn’t a deep technical review yet, but for sales reps to spot clear gaps and opportunities that open the door to bigger conversations.

Start with the website because many businesses, especially in traditional sectors, still use outdated sites. Look for obvious issues like poor mobile design, broken functionality, or sites that haven’t been updated in years. These red flags often point to deeper technical and marketing problems.

Then check their digital footprint . Look at Google Business listings, social media activity, and online reviews. Many strong offline businesses neglect these touchpoints, even though they heavily influence customer decisions today.

Finally, add a competitive analysis . Showing prospects how their competitors rank higher in search, get more engagement, or have stronger reputations creates urgency. It highlights not just a marketing issue but a business risk that could impact their revenue and market position.

Step 3: Create urgency with the data

The best way to turn audit findings into opportunities is by showing clear, business-focused data, not abstract technical fixes that’ll blow their mind (and not in a good way).

Show your customers how their competitors rank higher in search and for keywords for their core services.

Translate performance issues into customer impact. For example, instead of saying a site loads in 8 seconds, explain that 73% of users leave after 3 seconds . Suddenly, it’s not a technical issue, it’s a lost leads problem.

Highlight search visibility gaps using visual tools like Local Grid . If competitors show up on page one for key terms higher in the local area, that’s an ongoing revenue loss that grows over time.

How to handle common objections

Even with strong audit data, customers may resist expanding into digital services. Objections often come from past experiences, budget worries, or internal teams, not a lack of awareness. The key is to acknowledge their concerns and reframe the conversation as a partnership and support , not replacement.

Your strength is the trust you already have as their connectivity provider. They know you keep their operations running, so digital services can be positioned as a natural extension of that reliability.

Use objections as chances to learn more about their situation. Ask about past vendors, current marketing efforts, and their main concerns before suggesting solutions.

Common objections and responses:

“Our website looks fine.”

“Sure, but if we look and where you're ranking against competitors on search engines like Google Business Profile and AI, competitors are showing up and you’re not. Looking at your audit report, we can tell that by optimising your website with relevant keywords, better content and by improving load speed, you’ll get more visitors.”

“We don’t have the budget.”

“I understand. That’s why we focus on measurable ROI. A quick audit often shows small changes that boost visibility and leads without heavy spend. ”

“We handle digital marketing internall y.”

“That’s great, it shows how much you value it. We’re not here to replace your team, but to strengthen it. Just like we keep your IT and connectivity running smoothly, we can provide the technical insights and optimisations that free up your team to focus on strategy and growth.”

Building your digital services capability

So you know how to spot opportunities and handle objections, but how do you actually follow through on your promises ? Upselling only works if you can deliver. That means having the right delivery model in place to provide digital services consistently, without stretching your existing resources too thin.

There are three main ways to build this capability:

Option 1: Partnership model
Partner wi th established digital agencies or freelancers
White-label their services under your brand
You focus on relationship management while partners handle delivery
Fast to market, minimal upfront investment
Option 2: Hybrid approach
Build simple in-house capabilities (basic websites, hosting)
Partner for advanced services (SEO, PPC, complex builds)
Scale your internal team gradually as demand increases
Option 3: Full in-house development
Hire your own specialist to create processes/tools
Higher margins, but requires significant investment
Works best if you plan to scale digital services as a core part of your business

Shifting from a connectivity provider to a full digital partner is a huge opportunity. Your existing relationships give you a strong foundation, but success comes from systematically spotting opportunities, showing value, and delivering results.

Comprehensive digital audits, like those from Insites , make this easy. Our white-labelled website audits quickly highlight gaps, generate professional reports, and build a strong business case for digital services, letting you scale opportunities while keeping the personal touch your customers value.

The personalisation gap that's costing you business

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 10:00:38 GMT

80% of customers expect personalised experiences. Are you delivering?

Your prospects aren't just browsing these days, they're expecting experiences tailored specifically to them. According to research from Deloitte and Meta, 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalised experiences . Yet most businesses are falling short of these expectations, leaving massive revenue on the table.

Why most personalisation efforts fail

The Deloitte study reveals three critical failure points that hurt most businesses:

Siloed data management : Your customer data is scattered across different departments and systems. Marketing has one view, sales has another, and customer service operates with incomplete information. This fragmentation makes true personalisation impossible.
Poor cross-functional collaboration : Personalisation isn't just a marketing problem, it requires coordination between marketing, IT, sales, customer service, and data teams. Without this alignment, initiatives fail before they start.
Technology gaps : With the AI market projected to reach $733.7 billion by 2027, businesses that don't integrate proper technology stacks for personalisation will be left behind.

The business impact you're missing

Organisations that master personalisation are seeing dramatic results.

16-percentage-point increase in conversion rates compared to low-personalisation efforts
20-percentage-point increase in Customer Lifetime Value when comprehensive personalisation strategies are implemented
Enhanced customer loyalty and more frequent engagement

When you're working with multiple clients at scale, it can feel tempting to cast a net over a big audience and hope for the best. But the reality is, when you're working at scale, personalisation is even more important and it's easier because you have the facilities to do so.

As a digital marketing provider managing campaigns across dozens or hundreds of clients, you have access to aggregated insights and patterns that smaller operations simply can't leverage. The infrastructure you've built to handle volume can be the same infrastructure that delivers hyper-relevant experiences to each client's customers.

Three approaches to personalisation that work for digital marketing providers

The research identifies three distinct strategies that successful organisations use:

Customer-based personalisation : Create specific recommendations tailored to individual user data and interactions. With automation platforms like HubSpot, Marketo, or Salesforce, you can trigger personalised email sequences, dynamic website content, and targeted ad campaigns based on real-time user behaviour.
Cohort-based personalisation : Group customers into segments based on shared interests or behaviours, then deploy targeted messaging to distinct groups. Tools like Facebook Ads Manager, Google Ads, and programmatic platforms excel here, and you can create lookalike audiences, behavioural segments, and interest-based cohorts that work across multiple client accounts simultaneously. This approach offers personalisation without overwhelming technical complexity.
Aggregated data personalisation : Leverage insights from large datasets to identify broader trends and patterns that inform strategies across your entire client base. Business intelligence tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Google Analytics 4 can reveal cross-client patterns that inform better targeting strategies. When you're managing multiple accounts, these aggregated insights become your competitive advantage—spotting trends that individual businesses would miss.

What leading digital marketing providers do differently

Top-level organisations are taking personalisation seriously - trust us, we work closely with them. They’ve mastered several key characteristics:

Buy-in across all departments : Leading providers don't treat personalisation as a marketing add-on. They break down departmental silos and create unified objectives across processes, creative solutions, data analytics, and client success.

Customer profiles : Instead of managing separate data streams for each client, create comprehensive customer profiles that span all touchpoints. This means your paid search data informs your social strategy, your email insights shape your display targeting, and your website analytics influence your creative direction - all working together seamlessly.

Real-time personalisation : Focus on landing pages that change based on traffic source, ads that update based on user preferences, and email content that shifts based on engagement history. Want to take it one step further with your campaigns? Insites offers a white-labelled widget to engage prospects, letting them run a free online presence check on their business. They get an easy-to-understand breakdown on how they're performing and you get contact details to reach out and offer tailored solutions!

Consistent performance check-ins : Leading providers continuously audit and analyse business performance across their entire client portfolio. Tools like Insites enable teams to conduct systematic audits that reveal personalisation opportunities, performance gaps, and competitive advantages that individual businesses would never spot on their own.

Your next steps

Consumer expectations have fundamentally shifted, and businesses that don't adapt will lose ground to competitors who understand this new reality.

Ready to close your personalisation gap? Our team specialises in conducting comprehensive audits that reveal exactly where your business stands on personalisation maturity and provide actionable roadmaps for improvement. We'll analyse your data infrastructure, cross-functional collaboration, and technology stack to identify the specific opportunities that will drive the biggest impact for your business.

Book your free strategy call today!

How to audit your SMB clients SEO ranking and AI search visibility

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 10:08:00 GMT

New BrightEdge research shows that ChatGPT and Google are now giving wildly different responses to the same searches, with healthcare hit the hardest (a 62% divergence rate).

So while you're still optimising for Google, your clients' potential customers are getting sent to your competitors via ChatGPT.

Essentially, ChatGPT has turned into that friend who cuts straight to the point and tells you exactly what to do, while Google's still like a helpful librarian giving you multiple recommendations.

The citation game has completely changed

Here's where it gets interesting (and terrifying). ChatGPT loves mentioning brands but hates linking to them. Only 2 out of 10 brand mentions get an actual link. So your client might be getting mentioned, but they're not getting the traffic.

Perplexity is one extreme of the LLM spectrum and goes full academic mode with over 5 citations per answer, but only mentions brands 1 in 5 times.

Whereas Google AI Overviews tries to split the difference, however, despite impressions being up 49% since AI Overviews launched, click-through rates dropped nearly 30%.

The hardest hit industries

If you’re selling to digital marketing to local dentists, schools or accountants, you’ll be interested to know they’ve been hit the hardest with search results varying between Google and AI.

Healthcare: 62% divergence
B2B tech: 47% divergence
Education: 45% divergence
Finance: 39% divergence (even the "good" news is bad news)

Healthcare got hit hardest with that 62% divergence rate, but why is really matters is because 18.4% of ChatGPT users already use it for health queries . When patients search for specialists, ChatGPT isn't sending them to doctors’ landing pages like Google does. It's giving them straight-up answers and then pushing them straight to Zocdoc, Healthgrades, and insurance directories.

This same pattern is demolishing other industries too. Local accountants are getting bypassed for TurboTax recommendations, and personal trainers are losing out to fitness app suggestions. It’s easy to start hating on AI and thinking it’s anti-local business, but the truth is it’s just pro-efficiency and cutting out the middleman (your clients).

The trick to balancing good SEO and AIO

All that keyword research and content optimisation you're doing is still important, but it's only solving half the problem now. You need to start thinking like two different search engines because that's literally what you're dealing with.

Featured snippets are more likely to trigger AI Overviews, so your traditional SEO game still matters for Google. But ChatGPT doesn't care about your keyword density or meta descriptions. It cares about finding the fastest path from question to action.

Your local restaurant client needs both "Best Italian Food in Downtown" content (for Google's browsing crowd) AND seamless integration with OpenTable, DoorDash, and Uber Eats (for ChatGPT's "just book it" users). One strategy won't cut it anymore.

What to do right now to stay ahead & impress your clients

1. Audit where your clients actually show up in AI responses. If you're currently using Insites to audit your small-medium business, we have AI readiness checks enabled in the platform. That's your opening - show them their AI invisibility, and suddenly you've got their attention.

If you’ve not yet using Insites, use our free AIO readiness checker on a client to see how they’re showing up in AI like ChatGPT and Gemini (if at all).

2. Get them visible on every relevant third-party platform in their industry. ChatGPT loves pulling from aggregators, so your healthcare clients better have killer profiles on Zocdoc and Healthgrades. Your home service clients need to dominate Checkatrade and HomeAdvisor. This isn't optional anymore.

3. Create content that works for both worlds. Every blog post needs a twin - one for Google's "let me research this" crowd and one for ChatGPT's "just tell me what to do" users. Find ways to maximise your content that speaks to both search models. With subtle tweaks, it won’t take much more effort, and these results are game-changing.

4. Start monitoring AI mentions like your business depends on it (because it does). Brand sentiment can shift overnight in AI responses. The digital marketing providers offering real-time AI dashboards are the ones keeping clients happy and engaged.

5. Position this as business-critical, not experimental. AI search isn't replacing traditional search - it's expanding it. That 49% increase in search impressions? That's a new opportunity, not competition. Frame it right and your clients will see AI optimisation as growth, not protection.

Ready to see where your clients actually rank in AI search? Get a free AI visibility check for any business to see if they're showing up in ChatGPT, AI Overviews, and Gemini.

This is just one of the comprehensive checks included in Insites audits - if you want to know more about getting ahead of this AI search revolution and selling digital marketing at scale, book a call with our team.

Google's June 2025 Core Update: What your SMB clients need to know and how you can help

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 15:03:21 GMT

Google pushes out a few core updates every year. But we're not talking small updates that only affect certain businesses - these are broad changes to the algorithm.

And this latest update is a biggie!

We could go through the nitty gritty of what the industry professionals have noticed. But what you really want to know is "how does this affect me as a digital marketing provider?" – so let's dive in.

What your clients might be experiencing

As we mentioned, this update has a global impact across all languages and industries.

Unlike previous updates that targeted specific issues like spam or product reviews, this core update made broad changes to Google's ranking systems across the board. No industry was safe from potential ranking shifts.

Based on early data and industry reports, here's what SMBs might be seeing:

The good news:

Some sites saw partial recovery from previous algorithm penalties
Businesses with strong content strategies experienced improved visibility
Local businesses with optimised Google Business Profiles maintained stable rankings

The bad news for businesses, but an opportunity for you

20% traffic drops reported across various authority sites
Significant conversion rate decreases even when traffic remained stable
Local map pack listings shuffling repeatedly during peak business hours
Mobile search results shows higher volatility than desktop

What this means for your SMB clients

1. Content quality is non-negotiable

Google's emphasis on "helpful, reliable, people-first content" is now a ranking requirement. Your clients' blog posts that sound like AI and are stuffed with keywords won't make the cut.

2. Local SEO became more competitive

The update caused significant shuffling in local search results, with businesses appearing and disappearing from the Google 3-pack seemingly at random. Local businesses without fully optimised Google Business Profiles are losing visibility to competitors who invested in local SEO.

3. User experience signals matter more

Sites with poor Core Web Vitals, confusing navigation, or slow loading times were hit harder than those with smooth user experiences.

How to help your clients navigate this update

Immediate actions

Audit their current online presence

Before panicking them or making instant changes, run a comprehensive audit and look for performance signals like:

Organic traffic patterns
Keyword ranking changes
Google Search Console impressions and click-through rates
Conversion rate fluctuations

Local SEO emergency check

For local businesses, verify their Google Business Profile immediately:

All fields completed and accurate
Primary category matches core service
Recent posts and photos uploaded
Customer reviews being actively managed

Strategic improvements

Content quality assessment Review your clients' content through Google's lens:

Does it answer user questions completely?
Is it written for humans, not search engines?
Does it provide unique value compared to competitors?
Are there clear calls-to-action that serve users?

Technical foundation strengthening Focus on the fundamentals that support good rankings:

Core Web Vitals optimisation
Mobile-first design improvements
Site architecture that makes sense to users
Schema markup for better search understanding

Prospect outreach opportunities

Businesses that got hit hard are actively looking for solutions right now.

Let's be real – for most SMBs they know they need to take Google ranking seriously, but finding the time and lacking expertise makes it almost impossible, or a waste of time when they try.

Rather than hitting them with the generic "SEO is important because…" emails, take inspiration from this blog to highlight that Google's recent updates are making it an all-or-nothing situation. And the ones who pick all (aka you) are the ones who will be on page 1.

Email campaign example:

"Hi [Name], I noticed [Company] may have been impacted by Google's recent algorithm update. We're seeing a pattern with local businesses in [industry] – would you be interested in a quick audit to see how your site was affected?"

You can then use auditing tools like Insites to provide them with a free, tangible audit that highlights their areas of weakness.

Preparing for future updates

The June 2025 Core Update isn't just another algorithm change – it's a clear signal that Google is raising the bar for what counts as helpful content. Your SMB clients need expert guidance to meet these new standards now more than ever.

The solution providers that treat this as an opportunity to demonstrate value and expand services will come out ahead.

But manually running audits for every prospect and client takes time you probably don't have. That's where having the right tools makes all the difference. Insites can help you quickly audit prospects, demonstrate clear value, and close more deals with comprehensive SEO audits that take minutes, not hours.

Book a demo and discover how top agencies are using automated auditing to scale their prospecting and win more clients in the post-update landscape.

SEO vs GEO: How E-E-A-T helps your clients win at both and how to make it happen

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 10:15:42 GMT

Your SMB clients aren't just competing for traditional Google rankings anymore. AI overviews and large language models (LLMs) are reshaping how customers discover businesses, and the rules have shifted.

If you've been wondering how to approach this with your clients without getting lost with acronyms and technical jargon, you're in the right place! I'm going to break this down in a way that actually makes sense for your digital marketing organisation and, more importantly, for the local businesses you're working with.

SEO vs GEO: What's the difference?

These new terms can be confusing for SMBs, but as their digital marketing partner, you need to understand the fundamental differences to have meaningful sales conversations. Here's how they stack up:

Source: Pragati Gupa

The key insight? While SEO gets you ranked, GEO gets you cited by AI as a trusted source. Both matter, but they require different approaches.

Why E-E-A-T works for both SEO and GEO

Here's what makes this interesting: E-E-A-T isn't just Google's ranking factor anymore. AI systems use these same signals to determine which businesses to cite in their responses.

When someone asks an AI "Who's the best accountant in Manchester?" the AI looks for the same trust signals Google does: proven expertise, local authority, and authentic customer experiences.

This creates a massive opportunity for SMBs. Focus on genuine E-E-A-T signals, and you'll improve both traditional search rankings and AI visibility simultaneously.

The practical approach to ranking in SEO and GEO

Start with authentic expertise

Every SMB has unique knowledge that its competitors don't. Your job is to make this visible online. Ask clients about their years in business, professional qualifications, industry awards, and what makes their business different.

This information needs to live prominently on their website, Google Business Profile, and in their content. But here's the crucial part for GEO: structure this information clearly. To achieve results in both, focus on:

Content depth with detailed information
Prioritise E-E-A-T
Answer questions first, details explanation second
Clear heading tags
Structured data
FAQ sections
Place critical facts early in the content
Site speed and indexability
Strong presence and backlinks on third-party websites like business directories

Here’s what you need to start doing today

Audit the business to understand which areas of their online presence and website pages are driving results and which need work. Optimise the results in your data to create a strategy for improvements.

If you’re thinking “how do I qualify businesses quickly?” Insites audits have over 200 checks for SEO, local SEO, AI ranking, website building and more. And the best part? They’re super easy-to-understand for both sales reps and SMBs. Each check is ranked out of 100 and has a colour coded scores, so no one gets confused.

Create content that AI can understand

Traditional SEO content targets keywords. GEO content answers questions comprehensively. Encourage clients to create detailed how-to guides, case studies with specific results, and industry insights that demonstrate deep knowledge.

But there is a lot of power in the copy your use to create this type of content. AI systems love specific, actionable information they can cite. So instead of writing "Local SEO tips for restaurants," write "How Manchester restaurants can increase foot traffic by 40% using local SEO strategies."

Build local digital authority

For SMBs, local authority is everything. But GEO changes how you build it. Beyond traditional tactics like local citations and reviews, focus on structured data that AI can easily extract.

This means properly marked-up business information, detailed service descriptions with schema, and consistent NAP data across all platforms. When AI systems scan for local experts, they rely heavily on this structured information.

Make trust signals crystal clear

AI systems are incredibly good at spotting trust signals, but they need clear markers. Ensure clients have comprehensive contact information, professional website design, active social media presence, and regular content updates.

Most importantly, display customer reviews prominently and respond to them. AI systems interpret active review management as a strong trust signal.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Don't try to game AI systems with keyword stuffing or fake credentials. These systems are sophisticated enough to detect inauthentic content, and the penalties are severe.

Don't ignore the technical side. Proper schema markup, structured data, and clear information architecture aren't nice-to-haves anymore – they're essential for AI visibility.

Don't set unrealistic expectations. Building genuine E-E-A-T takes 6-12 months, but the businesses that commit to this approach consistently outperform competitors in both traditional and AI-powered search.

Measuring success for both

Track traditional SEO metrics like rankings and organic traffic, but also monitor AI visibility. Are your clients being cited in AI overviews? Are they appearing in voice search results? Are they getting featured in AI-powered local search responses?

Use tools like SEMRush , Insites or SE Ranking that can audit both traditional SEO signals and AI-readiness factors. This gives you a complete picture of your client's digital visibility and helps you identify opportunities competitors are missing.

The bottom line

For your SMB clients, focusing on building a strong online presence for SEO and GEO means they’re building the kind of business they probably wanted to build anyway: one that's trusted, respected, and known for its expertise.

The beauty of this approach is that it creates a sustainable cycle. The more you help clients demonstrate their expertise and build trust online, the more successful they become.

Want to see how your clients' online presence stacks up? Our comprehensive audit tools can help you identify opportunities and track improvements over time.

Want to know more about Insites audits? Book a free demo call with us today.

Instagram content is about to appear in Google search results – here's what your digital marketing agency needs to know

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 08:40:32 GMT

For a while, there has been a grey area when it comes to social media. Despite taking the online marketing world by storm, some business owners still aren't interested, others see it as a top priority for their organic brand awareness and lead generation strategy.

And because it’s still only a “nice to have” for some, digital marketing providers find it hard to shake this notion, making it harder to prove its value.

Until now…

As of today, Instagram reels and posts will begin appearing directly in search engines like Google. For large digital marketing agencies selling digital marketing to small- to medium-sized businesses, this represents a massive opportunity to expand social media services. Because now, social media captions need to be just as well optimised as the content on their website. Instagram's integration with Google search means that optimised Instagram content can now drive organic traffic in ways we've never seen before. Your SMB clients' Instagram captions, hashtags, and content descriptions will now compete for visibility alongside traditional web pages.

Why this update matters to digital marketing providers

Instagram's integration with traditional search engines means that optimised Instagram content can now drive organic traffic in ways we've never seen before. Your SMB clients' Instagram captions, hashtags, and content descriptions will now compete for visibility alongside traditional web pages.

And for visually appealing businesses like cafes, restaurants, salons and shops, coupling engaging content with being highly optimised for search outside the apps is a win-win.

For digital marketing agencies, this creates three immediate opportunities:

Expand social media service offerings – Position social content creation as an essential SEO strategy
Upsell existing clients – Show how their current social media needs keyword optimisation
Demonstrate cutting-edge expertise – Be the agency that understands this shift before competitors catch on

Why SMBs need your help more than ever

Most small businesses treat Instagram as an afterthought, posting sporadically with captions that lack strategic thinking.

If they aren't experts in social media, their captions might look like: "look what we just did" or "we're ready for you".

Whilst they might think this content creates curiosity or urgency, it offers zero context about what they're promoting. When that content starts appearing in Google search results, poorly optimised posts become missed opportunities for customer acquisition.

The pain points your SMB clients face:

No keyword strategy for social content – They're missing searches their ideal customers are making
Inconsistent posting – Sporadic content won't build the authority needed to rank in search results
Generic captions – "Day in the life!" won't help anyone find their services
Wrong hashtag strategy – Using generic hashtags instead of being hyper-specific about their offerings and location, e.g. #food vs #brunchinmanchester

4-step strategy for your digital marketing agency

1. Audit existing clients' Instagram accounts

Firstly, create a hit list of your current clients' Instagram accounts and run a lite audit on their page. Things to look for include:

Posts with no keyword optimisation
No location tagged
Content gaps that could be filled with a strong strategy and content pillars

2. Create a social SEO package

If you haven't already, develop service packages that combine traditional SEO with social media optimisation. The package might include:

Content strategy development and posting schedules focused on engagement as well as being searchable
Caption and profile optimisation

3. Use data to demonstrate value

Use Insites' Keyword Planner capabilities to show clients exactly which search terms they should target in their website, Google Business Profile AND Instagram content.

4. Target local search opportunities

For SMBs, local search is crucial. Help clients create Instagram content targeting searches like:

"plumber near me"
"best pizza in [location]"
"dentist [city name]"
"[service] in [area]"

How does this fit with your existing services?

This Instagram update doesn't require completely new expertise – it's an extension of the SEO knowledge your team already has. The same keyword research, content optimisation, and local SEO strategies you use for websites now apply to social media content.

For agencies using Insites:

Use keyword research insights to inform Instagram content strategies
Apply local SEO findings to social media posting
Demonstrate comprehensive digital marketing expertise across all channels

The competitive advantage

Most agencies will take months to understand and implement strategies around this change. By acting now, you can position yourself as the forward-thinking agency that helps SMBs stay ahead of digital marketing trends.

Your SMB clients trust you to navigate the complex world of digital marketing. This Instagram update is your opportunity to demonstrate that expertise while expanding your service offerings and increasing client value.

Want to see how Insites can help your agency stay ahead of digital marketing trends? Our keyword research tools provide the insights you need to optimise content across all channels – from websites to social media. Book a demo to see how leading agencies use our platform to drive better results for SMB clients.

5 ways digital marketing providers can help local businesses get found in ChatGPT

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 11:30:24 GMT

People aren’t just Googling anymore. We're all using ChatGPT to make recommendations and help us make decisions - more than any website could ever do.

You’re not the only one ChatGPT as a personal assistant. The platform has approximately 800 million active users a week and is the most used LLM tool in the US.

It’s no surprise that for digital marketing agencies selling to SMBs at scale, conversations with prospects are shifting towards "I want to rank in AI."

This is your opportunity to offer expertise and get your SMB clients noticed by ChatGPT.

1. Optimise local directory listings with AI-friendly descriptions

Work with clients to update their local directory listings so they don't read like they were written years ago. ChatGPT draws from these sources and favours listings with comprehensive, naturally written descriptions.

What to do:

Rewrite Google Business Profile descriptions to include services, location context, and what makes the business unique
Update listings on major directories (Yelp, Bing Places, industry-specific directories) with detailed, conversational content
Include specific problems the business solves rather than just listing services

2. Create comprehensive FAQ pages that answer real customer questions

ChatGPT loves well-structured FAQ content because it directly answers user queries. Most SMB websites either skip FAQs entirely or create generic, unhelpful ones.

What to implement:

Research actual customer questions (check Google's "People also ask" for your client's services)
Create detailed answers that include local context
Structure content with clear headings and natural language
Cover pricing, process, availability, and local area specifics

Remember that people buy from people. Bringing this up with customers positions you as understanding both customer behaviour and AI optimisation - making your sales reps less salesy and more consultative, justifying your services and getting them over the line.

3. Build local authority through strategic content creation

ChatGPT references businesses that demonstrate expertise and local knowledge. Generic content won't cut it.

Content that gets cited:

Local area guides (e.g., "Complete guide to bathroom renovations in [City]")
Problem-solving content specific to local conditions
Case studies featuring local projects
Community involvement and local partnerships

Your sales angle: Present this as "local thought leadership" - helping clients become the go-to expert ChatGPT references for their industry and area.

4. Implement structured data markup for local business information

Structured data is more technical, but worth investing time in. It helps AI understand exactly what your client's business does and where they operate.

Essential markup:

LocalBusiness schema
Service area definitions
Opening hours and contact information
Reviews and ratings markup
FAQ schema for question-answer content

5. Cultivate high-quality local mentions and partnerships

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Ready to become the AIO expert your SMB clients need?

Get ahead of the curve: Download our comprehensive "Practical guide for getting local businesses to rank with AIO" - it's packed with checklists, actionable tips, and proven strategies that work. No fluff, just stuff that gets results.

�� Download the free AIO guide and start positioning your agency as the AI optimisation expert your market needs.

"Is SEO dead?" How to handle this common sales objection with confidence

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 11:21:26 GMT

If you're selling digital marketing services to small businesses, you've probably heard this objection more times than you can count: "Is SEO even worth it anymore? I heard AI is taking over search."

With AI overviews appearing in Google results and chatbots answering questions directly, many SMB owners are wondering if traditional SEO still matters.

But it’s not just SMB owners questioning the shift and getting swept up in the rumours. Folk who sell SEO solutions are feeling the heat too. When prospects are throwing new objections at sales reps like "I've heard these AI overviews are killing website traffic", it creates new objections to overcome.

The good news? You can put their concerns to rest with some compelling data straight from Google itself.

Let’s us show you how to handle the heat and turn tough questions into closed deals.

Overcome objections with Google's own data

When prospects express this concern, start with credibility. Jason Howell on the AI Inside podcast interviewed Nick Fox, Google's VP of Search, who recently addressed these exact worries and shared these key points:

1. The web is actually growing, not shrinking

"Since April 2023, Google has seen a 45% increase in unique new web pages. That's not what you'd expect if SEO was dying, right? In fact, web visits are increasing overall.

2. AI summaries don't replace the full experience

Think about it this way – when someone asks Siri for a good plumber nearby, they might get a quick answer, but they're still going to want to see your reviews, your pricing, your before-and-after photos, and book an appointment. AI can introduce them to your business, but your website is where they become customers.

3. Quality content is more valuable than ever

AI overviews prioritise accurate, authoritative information. So if your website has high-quality content about your services, you're more likely to be featured. And when you are featured, it often drives more traffic to your site, not less. So basically, they key to showing up in AI is to have a well-optimised website. Then you get the best of both worlds!

Show them what "AI-ready SEO" looks like

If they're still concerned about showing up in AI (which is a good thing by the way), you can demonstrate your expertise and introduce our AI readiness checks in the audit.

"Whilst we’ve detected some issues with your AI readiness, the good news is, our AI readiness checks that show you exactly where your website stands for both traditional search and AI models like Chat GPT and Gemini. Shall we fix the issues?”

How to handle the follow-up objections

If they say: "So if I’m showing up on Chat GPT, why do I need an optimised website?”

Don’t let a question like this be a reason for your sales reps to freeze up. It’s actually the perfect opportunity to explain that when AI recommends businesses, it's pulling information from online sources, but customers don't stop at the AI answer. They want to see photos, check opening hours, read reviews, see services, and actually make contact – all of which happens on a website.

How might the conversation flow?

Here's how this might play out in a real conversation with your SMB clients:

Prospect: " I've been thinking about SEO, but honestly, I'm not sure it's worth it anymore with all this AI stuff."

You: " That's a common concern right now. But I recently heard some fascinating data from Google's VP of Search that might change your perspective. Since 2023, they've seen a 45% increase in new web content and web visits are up, not down. It turns out AI isn't killing the web – it's creating new opportunities for businesses that position themselves correctly."

Prospect: "Really? But doesn't AI just give people direct answers?"

You: " Sometimes, yes. But think about your own business – when someone needs a dentist, for example, AI might tell them what to look for, but they're still going to want to see your reviews, your services, your availability, and book an appointment. AI introduces them to the idea that they need your service, but your website is where they become customers."

Prospect: "That makes sense, but how do I know if my website is ready for this?"

You: " Great question. The best way is to run a comprehensive audit to see exactly where you stand. Would you like me to show you what that looks like for your business?"

Show clients exactly what they’re missing with online presence audits

When you can show prospects exactly where their online presence stands with comprehensive data, objections become opportunities. Our auditing platform includes 70+ checks covering everything from traditional SEO to cutting-edge AI readiness, giving your sales team the credibility and insights they need to close more deals with confidence.

Book a discovery call to learn more about Insites' online presence audits and see how checks can transform your sales conversations.

Are your clients invisible to AI search agents? A complete guide for digital marketing sales teams

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 13:00:17 GMT

People are using AI search engines for all sorts... workout plans, advice on how to handle an annoying neighbour, and where to take their business.

What does this mean for your clients? Their ideal customers aren't just using traditional search engines anymore, they're asking AI search engines for quick, digestible, and trustworthy answers.

It's the future of search, are your clients might not be ready for it?

When someone asks ChatGPT "recommend a good plumber near me" or tells Perplexity to "find the best dental practice in Manchester," these AI agents are making the decision about which businesses get mentioned. If your clients aren't optimised for these search engines, they won't appear in the recommendations.

For digital marketing organisations with large sales teams, this creates both a challenge and a massive opportunity.

In this blog, we'll cover:

How AI agents actually evaluate and recommend local businesses (spoiler: it's different from Google)
The specific gaps your sales team should be spotting in prospect audits
How to turn AI optimisation into a scalable sales process across your entire team
Real examples of what to say to prospects that gets their attention
The technical and content requirements that make businesses AI-ready

The businesses that get this right now will have a serious head start. The ones that don't? They'll be invisible to an entire generation of customers who expect AI to do their research for them.

Let's make sure your clients, and sales team ready for AI search.

The new reality your sales team faces

AI agents evaluate businesses differently than Google Search, pulling from trusted online directories, business listings, and high-confidence sources rather than just ranking websites. If your clients aren't properly optimised in these platforms, they'll be invisible in the AI era.

What does this mean for your enterprise sales process?

Every sales rep promises better rankings, more leads, and increased visibility.

But how many can demonstrate specific gaps in AI agent optimisation?

This is where understanding AI search behaviour becomes your competitive advantage. When your sales team can walk into a pitch and say, "We tested your business with three different AI agents, and here's why none of them recommended you," that's a conversation starter that gets attention…

More importantly, it's a conversation that leads to immediate action because the problem is clear and the rep can offer a seamless solution.

Common AI agent optimisation gaps your sales team should look for

For enterprise agencies, the key is creating a repeatable process your entire sales team can follow:

Standardise the testing process: Create a simple checklist your sales agents can use to test any business across multiple AI agents. Include checking for proper schema markup, ensuring AI crawlers aren't blocked, and verifying business listings across the directories that AI agents typically reference.

Develop proof-of-concept presentations: Build templates that show prospects exactly what they're missing and how fixing it impacts their business. Include before-and-after examples of AI agent responses.

Create AI-focused service packages: Bundle the services needed to optimise for AI agents into clear, priced offerings. This might include local business optimisation for Google Gemini, directory listing management for ChatGPT sources, and technical website improvements for better AI crawling.

Train on the business case: Make sure your sales team can articulate why AI agent optimisation matters in terms prospects care about—more customers finding them, competitive advantage over businesses that aren't optimised yet, and future-proofing their digital presence.

The enterprise sales opportunity you can't ignore

AI search agents aren't going anywhere. They're becoming more sophisticated and handling more recommendation requests every day. For your sales team, this represents a massive opportunity to provide genuine value while differentiating your agency from competitors who are still focused solely on traditional SEO.

Consider how the raise of AI search changes your typical sales conversation:

Instead of: "Your website could use some SEO improvements."

You can say: "When we asked three different AI agents to recommend businesses like yours, none of them suggested your company. Here's exactly why that's happening and how we can fix it."

This approach works because it's:

Specific and demonstrable
Immediately relevant to how customers actually search now
Something most businesses haven't considered yet
Tied to clear business outcomes (lost recommendations = lost customers)

Ready to arm your sales team with AI agent insights?

Want more advice and practical tips? Download our comprehensive step-by-step guide to helping local businesses get optimised in AI.

Inside, you'll get:

Universal foundation checklists for AI readiness
Specific optimisation guides for ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and other major AI agents
Technical requirements for AI crawler access
Directory and review optimisation strategies
A quick-reference cheat sheet for your sales team's desks

Download the AI optimisation guide and start training your sales team to win in the AI era.

Economic uncertainty is creating new opportunities for digital marketing providers selling to SMBs

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Thu, 29 May 2025 08:18:32 GMT

With economic uncertainty continuing to dominate headlines, your SMB clients are making tougher decisions about where to invest their marketing budgets. But recent data reveals some surprising trends that could change how your sales team approaches prospects in 2025.

The surprising reality of SMB spending in uncertain times

Despite economic challenges, nearly half (49%) of small businesses are planning to increase their marketing budgets in 2025, while 35% plan to keep the same budgets, and only 16% are planning to decrease their budgets.

This data challenges the assumption that SMBs cut marketing spend first during economic downturns. Instead, we're seeing a more nuanced picture where savvy small business owners are committed doubling down on strategies that drive results.

Where are SMBs planning to invest their digital marketing spend?

The majority of SMBs increasing their budgets are doing so to drive more leads and sales. This makes perfect sense when you consider that you can typically drive more leads by spending more, assuming you're getting a positive return on investment.

The data shows that SMBs are being strategic about their spending:

Half of small businesses who are not currently using social media ads are planning to invest in them in the next 12 months and the most used platform is Facebook
Nearly half (49%) are planning to do the same for search advertising
58% of small businesses leverage digital marketing to grow their brands

Where SMBs are prioritising their digital spend

The data reveals that SMBs aren't making blanket cuts across all marketing channels. Instead, they're being strategic about where they invest, increase, or reduce spending. The chart below by LocaliQ shows exactly where SMBs are planning to allocate their budgets in 2025:

This data tells a compelling story about three distinct spending behaviours.

1. The growth-focused channels (top performers)

Social media ads (51% investing more) and content marketing (51% investing more) are leading the pack, with nearly half of all small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) planning to increase their investment. Search advertising and video marketing aren't far behind at 47% each.

What this means for your sales team: These are the services SMBs are actively looking to expand. Lead conversations with social media advertising, content marketing, and search advertising opportunities. These prospects are ready to invest but need to see clear ROI projections.

2. The steady-state services (maintaining investment)

Services like SEO, email marketing, and social media marketing represent the cautious optimist segment. These businesses aren't cutting these services, but they're not expanding either.

What this means for your sales team: Focus on demonstrating value and efficiency improvements within existing budgets. These prospects want to know they're getting the most from their current investment, not necessarily spending more.

3. The declining investment areas (budget-conscious decisions)

Traditional media shows the highest percentage planning to invest less (16%), followed by online listings/directories (12%) and website chat (12%). Interestingly, even in these declining areas, the majority are maintaining current spending rather than cutting entirely.

What this means for your sales team: For prospects reducing spend in these areas, position your services as higher-ROI alternatives. Help them reallocate budget from traditional media to digital channels that show stronger performance.

The AI opportunity

According to Salesforce's report, 75% of SMBs are investing in AI , and 78% of SMB leaders believe it will be a game-changer for their businesses. But why are they so eager to adopt AI?

The answer lies in their biggest constraint: time . The majority (53%) of SMBs spend only 1-10 hours per week on marketing, yet they need to compete with larger businesses that have dedicated marketing teams.

This creates a massive opportunity for agencies that can offer AI-powered solutions that save time while improving results. SMBs aren't just buying AI for the sake of technology – they're buying back their time.

The data supports this: businesses with higher marketing budgets spend less time on marketing each week, likely because they're investing in time-saving tools or outsourcing to marketing partners. Your AI-powered services can provide that same efficiency to smaller businesses.

What your sales team should focus on

Based on this spending data, here are the key areas your sales team should emphasise when prospecting:

1. ROI-focused messaging

SMBs want to see clear connections between spend and results. Use data from your audit tools to show specific opportunities and expected outcomes.

2. Time-saving solutions

Position your services as a way to free up the 1-10 hours per week SMBs currently spend on marketing. This is especially powerful for smaller businesses with limited staff.

3. AI-powered efficiency

Highlight how your tools and processes use AI to deliver better results. This positions you as forward-thinking and helps justify investment.

4. Local market expertise

46% of all Google searches are for a local product or service, and 28% of local searches result in a purchase within 24 hours. Local marketing is a clear winner for SMBs, let them know it!

Adapting your sales approach for different spending segments

For growth-focused prospects (49% of SMBs)

These businesses see opportunity where others see uncertainty. They're ready to invest more because they understand that economic downturns often create the best conditions for gaining market share.

Lead with expansion opportunities:

Start conversations by identifying gaps in their current digital presence that competitors aren't addressing
Use competitor analysis data from your audits to show exactly where they can leapfrog the competition
Present market expansion scenarios: "While your competitors are pulling back on local SEO, investing £2,000 monthly could help you dominate the top 3 positions for high-value keywords in your area"
Show them how to scale successful campaigns across multiple locations or service areas

Show how additional investment can capture market share:

Demonstrate the relationship between increased spend and market visibility using real data
Create "what if" scenarios showing potential market share gains when competitors reduce spending
Use local grid analysis to show ranking opportunities that become available when competitors scale back

Provide detailed ROI calculations and scaling scenarios:

Build comprehensive financial models showing investment returns over 6, 12, and 24 months
Show the compound effect of early investment: "Investing now while competition is lower means lower acquisition costs and faster market penetration"

For cautious optimists (35% of SMBs)

This segment wants to maintain their position without taking unnecessary risks. They're open to new solutions but need to see clear improvements to their existing performance.

Focus on optimisation and efficiency:

Begin with a comprehensive audit of their current marketing performance to identify inefficiencies
Show them exactly where their current budget is being wasted and how to redirect it for better results
Demonstrate how better targeting can reduce cost per acquisition while maintaining lead volume

Show how to get more from existing budgets:

Provide budget reallocation recommendations based on performance data
Demonstrate how automation and AI can reduce manual work while improving results
Offer budget optimisation workshops where you analyse their current spend allocation in real-time

Demonstrate quick wins and measurable improvements:

Identify 3-5 immediate improvements that can be implemented within 30 days
Set up dashboards that clearly show before-and-after performance
Offer pilot programs: "Let's improve your Google Ads performance over the next 60 days. If we don't hit our targets, we'll refund the difference"

For budget-conscious prospects (16% of SMBs)

These businesses are feeling the economic pressure but still need to maintain their digital presence. They require creative solutions that deliver maximum impact for minimal investment.

Offer scaled-down packages:

Create "essentials" packages focusing on the highest-impact services only
Offer "starter" packages with clear upgrade paths as their situation improves
Focus on services that don't require ongoing monthly spend (one-time optimisations, website improvements)
Create packages specifically designed for businesses with £500-£1,000 monthly budgets

Focus on high-impact, low-cost solutions:

Prioritise local SEO improvements that can be done once but provide ongoing benefits
Emphasise Google Business Profile optimisation and local listings management
Focus on conversion rate optimisation for their existing traffic
Recommend social media strategies that rely more on organic content than paid advertising
Suggest email marketing campaigns using their existing customer database
Identify quick technical fixes that can improve search rankings without ongoing costs

Provide flexible payment terms or phased implementations:

Offer quarterly or bi-annual payment options to ease cash flow pressure
Create phased implementation plans: "Start with local SEO foundation in month 1, add social media management in month 3 when budget allows"
Offer seasonal payment schedules aligned with their business cash flow patterns

The bottom line

So don’t panic… Economic uncertainty isn't stopping SMBs from investing in digital marketing – it's making them more strategic about how they spend. Nearly half are increasing budgets, and even those maintaining current levels are open to solutions that prove their worth.

Your sales team's success in 2025 will depend on understanding these spending behaviours and adapting your approach accordingly. Use data-driven insights to demonstrate value, focus on time-saving solutions, and position your services as the smart choice for SMBs navigating uncertain times.

Ready to turn these insights into results? Discover how Insites can help your sales team identify the right opportunities and create compelling, data-driven proposals that SMBs can't ignore. Our comprehensive audit tools provide the insights you need to demonstrate clear value and win more deals, regardless of economic conditions.

Book a discovery call to see how industry-leading agencies are using data to close more SMB clients in 2025.

How enterprise digital marketing providers can standardise their keyword research approach at scale

coralwood@insites.com (Coral Wood) — Wed, 28 May 2025 15:30:04 GMT

Let's face it – most small business owners know they need to be found online, but mention "keyword research" and you'll often see their eyes glaze over faster than you can say "search engine optimisation." As an agency selling digital marketing solutions to SMBs, you've got to make this stuff digestible without watering it down. Here's how to make keyword research something your small business clients actually get excited about.

Why keyword research actually matters for small businesses

For SMBs with tight marketing budgets (and who doesn't have those these days?), targeting the right keywords isn't just nice to have – it's essential. Good keyword research helps small businesses figure out what real people are actually typing when they need services, spot gaps their competitors are missing, and create content that brings in the right visitors. It's about connecting businesses with the customers already looking for them.

The real challenges of selling keyword research to SMBs

If you're in the trenches selling digital marketing to small businesses, you know the struggle. Your clients are flat-out busy running their business – they don't have time to learn SEO jargon or dive into complex analytics. When you start talking about "search volume" and "keyword difficulty," many SMB owners mentally check out because it sounds like a foreign language compared to the practical concerns of running their business day-to-day.

What they want is phone calls and sales, not spreadsheets with thousands of keywords they can't make sense of. And let's be honest, many have been burned before by agencies promising first-page rankings but delivering nothing but invoices. These experiences make it even harder to build trust when discussing SEO strategies.

Making keyword research accessible: practical approaches that work

Drop the jargon and speak human

Bin the technical terms. Nobody outside our industry cares about "semantic search" or "keyword cannibalisation." Instead, frame conversations around what matters to them. Talk about finding exactly what their ideal customers type into Google when they need the services they offer.

Discuss how their competitors are winning certain searches, and how your agency can help them compete for that traffic. Show them how search terms reveal the exact problems their customers need solving – problems their business is perfectly positioned to address.

Start local, because that's what they care about

For most small businesses, showing up when locals search is the whole game. Make it real by showing them their current visibility when someone in their area searches for relevant terms. Walk them through the actual phrases their neighbours use when looking for their services – which often aren't what businesses think they use.

Compare their visibility to that competitor down the road who seems to be everywhere online, and help them visualise the potential customers who are walking through someone else's door instead of theirs simply because of better local search visibility.

Pictures beat spreadsheets every time

Don't drown clients in data – show them stories through visuals. Simple charts highlighting gaps they can easily fill are far more compelling than raw numbers. Create side-by-side comparisons with local competitors that instantly show where they stand.

Maps displaying where they're visible (and where they're invisible) in local search make the concept tangible. Before/after mockups showing how they could appear in search results help them envision success and make the abstract concrete.

Always answer "so what do we do now?"

Small business owners are action-oriented people. After explaining the opportunities, they need clear next steps. Focus on the 3-5 keywords that actually matter for their business right now, not an overwhelming list of possibilities.

Outline exactly what content they need – specific blog topics or service page tweaks that will move the needle. Provide clear, concrete steps for implementing those keywords on their site, and set realistic expectations about when they might start seeing real business results from these changes.

Tools that make this stuff less painful

The right tools can be game-changers for both your team and your clients:

All-in-one platforms that don't require extensive technical knowledge

Tools like Insites wrap keyword insights into broader digital audits, making it easier to show SMBs the big picture. These platforms enable your sales team to run comprehensive checks that include keyword opportunities without needing specialised technical knowledge.

They can create reports that actually make sense to normal humans, not just SEO specialists, and clearly show how the client stacks up against local competitors. Most importantly, these tools generate actionable recommendations that your team can confidently present without needing to be SEO wizards themselves.

Client-friendly dashboards that don't cause headaches

Look for platforms with interfaces that a normal person can understand without training. The best tools offer visuals that make the important insights immediately obvious, focusing on just the keywords that matter, not thousands of irrelevant ones. They should include progress tracking that shows clients what they're getting for their money in terms they care about – increased visibility, more visitors, and ultimately more business.

Getting your sales team comfortable talking keywords

Your salespeople don't need to be SEO gurus, but they should be able to explain why this stuff matters without stumbling through technical explanations. Give them simple scripts that focus on business results, not technical waffle.

Share real stories where keyword strategies made cash registers ring so they have concrete examples at their fingertips. Help them develop everyday analogies that make complex concepts click for clients, and practice handling the questions and objections they'll actually face in sales conversations.

Real stories that make SMBs sit up and listen

Nothing convinces small business owners like examples from businesses similar to theirs. The plumber who doubled emergency callouts by targeting the right panicky search terms – that's relatable for service businesses.

The boutique that got more foot traffic by ranking for local shopping phrases speaks to retailers. The solicitor who slashed their Google Ads spend by improving organic rankings demonstrates ROI for professional services.

These stories cut through skepticism because they show real-world impact, not theoretical benefits.

Taking it up a notch: growing with your clients

Once clients see those first results, you can gradually introduce more advanced ideas. Content gaps can be filled with helpful blogs providing an easy next step in their SEO journey. Seasonal keyword planning helps them get ahead of busy periods, demonstrating your strategic value.

Expansion keywords for new services or locations support their growth ambitions. And keeping an eye on what competitors are up to ensures they maintain their newfound visibility. This gradual progression builds their confidence and your relationship simultaneously.

Ready to make keyword research make sense for your clients?

Keyword research doesn't have to send small business owners running for the hills. By focusing on clear talk, visual explanations, and actual business outcomes, you can transform this essential digital marketing tool from mysterious tech speak to a valuable business asset.

We just launched Keyword Planner for existing Insites customers.

But if you’re not yet an Insites customer and have been searching for a simple-to-use keyword research tool, book a free demo to see how our platform can help your sales team and website builders who work at scale.

�� Happy planning.

A sales guide to win SMB clients who've been burnt by poor SEO

coralwood@insites.com (Coral Wood) — Wed, 21 May 2025 09:00:03 GMT

Let's face it - small businesses that have had bad experiences with SEO providers are like someone coming out of a bad relationship. They're wary, skeptical, and probably a bit defensive. And fair enough!

Many have shelled out serious cash only to see minimal results, or worse, had their websites damaged by dodgy tactics. These folks aren't just looking for another service provider - they want someone who actually gets their business and can deliver what they promise.

Spotting the signs of SEO heartbreak

Before you dive into your pitch, take a moment to spot the telltale signs that an SMB has been burned before:

They ask super specific questions about your tactics (because they've been bamboozled with jargon before)
They want guarantees and exact timelines straight away
They're reluctant to share previous work or analytics access
They seem suspicious of practices that are actually industry standard
They're confused about SEO basics because they've been fed misinformation

Remember, this isn't them being difficult—they're just protecting themselves from getting burned again.

Show some empathy (and ditch the jargon)

When you're chatting with these businesses, the standard sales spiel just won't cut it. Instead:

Acknowledge their frustrations without throwing shade at other providers
Talk like a normal human being—avoid the technical mumbo-jumbo that might trigger bad memories
Be brutally honest about timeframes and what's actually achievable
Be crystal clear about how you'll keep them in the loop on progress
Show them exactly how you're different from the providers who let them down

Building back trust takes time, so don't rush the process.

Let the data do the talking

Nothing cuts through skepticism like solid data that actually makes sense. Create jargon-free audits that clearly show:

What's currently holding their visibility back
Opportunities they're missing out on
How local competitors are nabbing their potential customers
Specific, actionable fixes with realistic outcomes

A good audit demonstrates your expertise while giving them immediate value—even before they've paid you a penny.

Start small, win big

For businesses still nursing their SEO wounds, consider offering:

A small starter project with clear deliverables
A shorter initial contract without the scary long-term commitment
A step-by-step approach with checkpoints before expanding work
No sneaky lock-in clauses that got them stuck last time

This gives wary clients the chance to see real results before they go all-in.

Show your work (properly)

Burnt SMBs need extra reassurance that things are actually happening. Create reports that:

Show clear before-and-after comparisons
Explain technical stuff in plain English
Connect improvements to actual business outcomes, not just abstract rankings
Are completely honest about what's working and what's not

Visual proof of progress works wonders for rebuilding confidence.

Teach without the techno-babble

Many SMBs have either been kept completely in the dark or bombarded with confusing tech talk. Find the sweet spot by:

Creating simple guides tailored to their specific business
Using analogies and examples relevant to their industry
Breaking complex topics into bite-sized pieces
Creating an environment where they feel comfortable asking "stupid" questions

A client who understands what you're doing is a client who trusts you.

Make it about their business, not just SEO

Rather than droning on about algorithms and meta tags, connect your work to what actually matters:

Show how SEO improvements translate to more customers
Demonstrate the journey from clicks to cash
Use examples specific to their industry
Show how your work supports their broader business goals

This shifts the conversation from "SEO wizardry" to tangible business growth.

Real talk: How we helped a skeptical dentist

A local dental practice had thrown thousands at SEO with nothing to show for it. When we started working with them, we discovered:

Their website had technical errors that were basically making it invisible to Google
Despite having a prime high street location, they were nowhere to be seen in local searches
Their competitors were actually ranking for their brand name (ouch!)
No proper tracking was in place, so previous agencies could hide their lack of results

By implementing clear, weekly updates and focusing on quick wins first, we helped them see substantial improvements within three months. Today, they're getting 40% of new patient bookings through their improved online presence.

Your action plan for winning over the skeptics

Ready to rescue some SEO-burnt businesses? Here's how to start:

Create a straightforward audit process that cuts through the confusion
Develop simple guides that help business owners understand what you're actually doing
Offer flexible contracts that don't feel like a trap
Use clear, jargon-free reporting that actually means something
Focus on delivering some quick wins to build momentum

Remember, winning these clients isn't just about new business—it's about showing them that effective, ethical SEO actually exists!

The silver lining of working with the skeptics

Here's the thing—SMBs who've had terrible SEO experiences often become your most loyal clients when you finally deliver what others couldn't. By understanding their concerns, being refreshingly transparent, and actually getting results, you're not just winning new business—you're helping repair the reputation of an industry that's let too many small businesses down.

More importantly, you're helping local businesses that are the heart of our communities reach the customers they deserve through honest, effective digital marketing. And that's something worth getting out of bed for.

Ready to stop guessing which keywords actually matter?

Our new Keyword Research tool takes the headache out of SEO planning for your clients. No more cobbling together data from multiple platforms or trying to explain complex metrics to skeptical SMBs.

Say goodbye to keyword confusion and hello to:

Instant keyword suggestions tailored to your client's industry
Easy-to-understand difficulty scores and search volumes
Built-in local search insights that show real competitive gaps
Simple reporting that actually makes sense to small business owners

The best part? It's already included in your Insites subscription at no extra cost.

Book a quick demo today to see how our Keyword Research tool can help you win over even the most SEO-traumatised clients with data they can actually understand.

Introducing Keyword Planner: SEO analysis designed for sales teams

coralwood@insites.com (Coral Wood) — Thu, 15 May 2025 14:35:38 GMT

If you're managing a sales team of 20+ people selling digital marketing services to SMBs, we've just launched a feature that's about to make your life a whole lot easier (and your conversion rates a whole lot higher).

The keyword conundrum

Let's be honest – keywords are crucial for digital marketing success, but they're also notoriously tricky to explain to clients who aren't SEO experts. Your sales team probably faces this challenge daily:

Knowledge gap : Your sales reps are brilliant at selling, but may not be SEO wizards
Time constraints : Switching between multiple tools to find keyword data slows down the sales process
Convincing prospects : Creating urgency around keyword opportunities without solid data is an uphill battle

Sound familiar? We thought so.

Say hello to Insites Keyword Planner

We're thrilled to introduce our newest feature , designed specifically to help your sales team convert more prospects into happy clients. The Keyword Planner takes the complexity out of keywords for both your sales reps and your customers.

How it works

Enter your prospect's website URL (plus competitors and services if you want to get fancy)
Click "Generate keyword suggestions"
Get instant, relevant keyword recommendations with search volume and CPC data
Add selected keywords to track and optimise over time
Close more deals with data-backed proposals

What makes it different?

Unlike complicated SEO tools that require extensive training, our Keyword Planner has been designed with scale in mind. It's built for sales teams that need to quickly identify opportunities and communicate them effectively to SMB clients.

AI-powered insights : Combines artificial intelligence, competitor data, and website content analysis
All-in-one solution : No more juggling multiple tools – everything lives in one platform
Sales-focused approach : Turns technical SEO concepts into compelling sales narratives

How Keyword Planner helps your entire team

For your sales reps

Confidence booster : Empowers even non-technical sales reps to speak knowledgeably about keywords
Time saver : Generates keyword suggestions in seconds, not hours
Conversation starter : Creates perfect opening for discussing content and SEO services
Trust builder : Shows prospects you understand their specific industry and competition

For your SEO and production teams

Streamlined workflow : Selected keywords automatically appear in customer audits
Targeted content creation : Writers get clear direction on which keywords to prioritise
Progress tracking : Rankings dashboard makes it easy to show improvement over time

For client retention and upselling

Ongoing optimisation : Provides continuous opportunities to engage with clients
Clear ROI : Track keyword position improvements to demonstrate value
Natural upsell path : "Ready to target these additional keywords we identified?"

How keyword insights help your team sell

You know keywords are important, we know it too, but sometimes, SMB owners are sceptical. And for good reason - they may have been mis-sold in the past!

But that being said, keywords remain the bridge between what your clients offer and what their potential customers are searching for. When your sales team can confidently identify keyword gaps and opportunities and communicate the positive impacts, they're able to cross that bridge between intangible ideas (”Is SEO even that important?”) and demonstrate long-term value.

Ready to transform your sales team's performance?

The Keyword Planner is available now as part of your Insites subscription. Here's how to get started:

Log into your Insites account
Run an audit for a prospect
Navigate to the Keyword Planner section
Enter the website URL and click "Generate keyword suggestions"
Watch as your sales team closes more deals

Not an Insites customer yet? Book a free demo to see how our platform can help your 20+ person sales team convert more leads into lasting client relationships.

Insites supports the folk who support small businesses. Our auditing tools help digital marketing agencies qualify prospects, create compelling proposals, and demonstrate clear value.

How local keyword data helps close more digital marketing deals

coralwood@insites.com (Coral Wood) — Thu, 15 May 2025 14:26:02 GMT

Let's face it - selling digital marketing solutions is tough, especially when you're doing it at scale. With everyone and their dog offering SEO services these days, standing out from the crowd comes down to how well you can show real value to potential clients. That's where local keyword data comes in as a game-changer for enterprise sales teams targeting SMBs.

So what's the secret sauce? How are the smartest sales teams using local keyword insights to transform their sales conversations and seal the deal?

The local search edge

When you're selling digital marketing to small businesses, understanding their local market position is everything. Unlike big national brands, local businesses are playing in their own backyard - a unique little ecosystem with its own competitive dynamics and customer search habits.

Local keyword data gives your sales teams solid evidence of:

Where your prospects stand against those pesky local competitors
Which specific search terms are driving nearby customers to businesses
The opportunities they're missing in the local search landscape
Clear areas they can improve right away

This local focus really hits home with SMB owners who care more about attracting customers down the street than building some grand national presence.

Turning competitor keyword data into proposals that pack a punch

Sales teams that leverage competitor keyword data consistently create proposals that make prospects sit up and take notice. By spotting exactly which competitors are outperforming them and on which terms, your sales agents can create super-targeted improvement strategies.

For example, instead of the yawn-inducing:

"We'll improve your SEO and help you rank better"

They can deliver the much more compelling:

"We've found that Plumber Pete is ranking in the top 3 positions for 'emergency plumbing Southampton' while you're currently stuck on page 2. With over 1,200 monthly searches for this term in your service area, moving up just a few positions could bring in a ton more enquiries."

That kind of specificity shows both expertise and potential ROI—two things SMB owners are looking for before they sign on the dotted line.

Scripts that won't make SMB owners' eyes glaze over

Let's be honest - many SMB owners aren't tech wizards. Talking about SEO concepts can make their eyes glaze over faster than you can say "meta description." Smart sales teams have developed scripts that translate complex keyword data into conversations that actually make sense to normal humans.

Here's a framework that works:

Start with where they are now : "Currently, when people in your area search for [high-value keyword], your business shows up [position]."
Show them what they're missing : "But get this - there are [X number] of people searching for [related keyword] every month, and you're nowhere to be seen."
Point out who's eating their lunch : "Meanwhile, [Competitor A] and [Competitor B] are scooping up all this business because they appear at the top of these searches."
Offer the solution : "By tweaking your online presence to target these specific terms, we can help you grab some of this existing demand."
Show them the money : "If we could get you just 10% of these searches, that's roughly [X number] potential new customers every month."

This approach keeps the conversation focused on business outcomes rather than technical mumbo-jumbo, making it digestible for anyone.

Creating FOMO with keyword trend data

The savviest sales teams use keyword trend data to create a healthy dose of FOMO (fear of missing out). By highlighting emerging search trends in the prospect's industry or location, sales agents can show what they're leaving on the table by waiting.

Some effective approaches include:

Showing seasonal keyword trends that matter to their business
Highlighting increasing search volume for specific services
Demonstrating competitor movement for valuable terms
Pointing out new local search opportunities they're completely missing

This data-driven approach transforms "you should probably improve your digital marketing" into "you're currently missing out on business that's actively looking for you right now."

Showing the money with keyword value calculations

Perhaps the most powerful closing technique involves connecting keyword performance directly to cold, hard cash. By estimating the potential value of ranking for specific keywords, sales teams provide tangible ROI projections that speak the universal language of business: profit.

A simplified but effective formula includes:

Monthly search volume for target keywords
Expected click-through rate based on position
Typical conversion rate for the industry
Average value of a new customer

This calculation allows the sales agent to make statements like:

"Based on our analysis, ranking in the top three positions for these local keywords would bring about 150 additional visitors to your website monthly. At an industry-standard conversion rate of 3%, that's 4-5 new customers per month. With your average customer value of £2,000, we're talking a potential revenue boost of £8,000-£10,000 monthly."

This approach shifts the conversation from "this costs too much" to "I can't afford NOT to invest in this."

From data to done deal: Closing techniques that actually work

The most successful sales teams weave local keyword data throughout their entire closing process:

Before the first call : Do some quick keyword digging to spot clear opportunities
During discovery : Ask targeted questions about services that seem to be underperforming based on keyword data
In the proposal : Include specific keyword targets and expected improvements
During negotiation : Connect specific keyword improvements to business outcomes
After signing : Set clear expectations about which keyword improvements will be tackled first

By integrating keyword data throughout the sales process, signing the contract becomes the natural next step rather than a high-pressure moment.

Data-driven sales that actually scale

For enterprise sales teams looking to boost conversion rates, local keyword data offers that perfect sweet spot between scalability and personalisation. It lets you quickly qualify leads, create targeted proposals, and demonstrate compelling value without having to spend ages researching each prospect manually.

By bringing local keyword analysis into your sales process, you transform generic digital marketing pitches into specific, value-driven conversations that resonate with SMB owners and lead directly to more signed contracts.

The future of digital marketing sales isn't about selling services - it's about spotting and communicating specific opportunities. Local keyword data gives you exactly the evidence you need to close more deals with confidence.

How to communicate the hidden costs of poor keyword research to your SMB clients

coralwood@insites.com (Coral Wood) — Wed, 07 May 2025 08:40:52 GMT

Small business owners often view keyword research as an optional extra or a luxury they can't afford. As a digital marketing provider, you know the truth is quite the opposite - poor keyword research can silently drain their resources while delivering underwhelming results. Let's explore how to effectively communicate these hidden costs to your SMB clients in language they'll understand.

The invisible drain on marketing budgets

When speaking with small business owners, it's crucial to frame keyword research as an investment rather than an expense. Without proper research, your clients are essentially throwing money into digital marketing efforts that may never reach their intended audience.

For instance, a local plumber targeting generic terms like "plumbing services" instead of location-specific phrases such as "emergency plumber in Southampton" is competing unnecessarily with national brands and services far outside their coverage area. This means higher costs per click, lower conversion rates, and marketing spend that delivers minimal return.

Time wasted on creating the wrong content

Another hidden cost that resonates with busy small business owners is time wastage. Without strategic keyword research, businesses often produce content that simply doesn't align with what their potential customers are actually searching for.

Explain to your clients how creating blog posts, service pages or social content without keyword insights is like opening a shop without researching what products the local community wants to buy. They might be investing hours creating content about boiler maintenance when their potential customers are frantically searching for "emergency pipe repair near me."

Lost opportunities to competitors

Perhaps the most compelling hidden cost is the competitive disadvantage. While your SMB clients hesitate on keyword research, their competitors may be capturing valuable search visibility.`

Show your clients real examples of local competitors ranking well for lucrative keywords they could be targeting. This concrete demonstration of missed opportunities often resonates more effectively than theoretical discussions about SEO principles.

Diminished trust and authority

Small businesses rely heavily on reputation and trust. Without strategic keyword targeting, they miss opportunities to establish themselves as local authorities in their field.

Explain how properly researched content that answers specific customer questions positions them as experts. Without this research foundation, they're missing chances to be the business that appears when a potential customer searches "how to choose the right accountant for my small business" or "best family dentist for nervous children."

Making the case for proper keyword research

When presenting solutions, focus on these practical benefits:

More efficient marketing spend : Target customers who are actually looking for their specific services in their specific location.
Better conversion rates : Attract visitors with actual purchase intent rather than casual browsers.
Strategic content development : Stop guessing what content to create and start knowing exactly what your customers want to learn.
Measurable results : Show how properly researched keywords provide clearer metrics for success.

Start small and demonstrate value

For SMBs unconvinced about keyword research, suggest starting with a focused pilot project. Choose one service area or product line and perform proper keyword research for just this segment. Track the results carefully and use this as evidence for expanding your research to other areas of the business.

This approach allows sceptical clients to see real-world benefits without committing to a comprehensive strategy upfront. Once they witness the improved performance, the hidden costs of poor research become much more tangible.

Translation before selling

Communicating the hidden costs of poor keyword research isn't about technical jargon or intimidating statistics. It's about translating SEO principles into business language that resonates with small business owners' practical concerns: wasted money, wasted time, missed opportunities, and diminished market position.

By framing keyword research as a crucial investment rather than an optional expense, you help your SMB clients understand why cutting corners here ultimately costs them more in the long run.

Want to help your SMB clients avoid the hidden costs of poor keyword research? Discover the power of Insites Keyword Intelligence , part of the Insites for Sales solution. Book a discovery call today to learn more about our tools for digital marketing providers.

Get cited in AI : 7 strategies for digital marketing providers and their SMB clients

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Thu, 01 May 2025 10:02:48 GMT

So who is winning… SEO or AI search? Most of us are using a hybrid of both.

While Google remains the dominant search platform with 14 billion searches per day worldwide, an estimated 37.5 million "searches" on ChatGPT alone represent a significant new opportunity for digital marketing solutions providers.

Your prospective clients aren't just Googling "best digital marketing solutions" anymore - they're asking AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini for recommendations. Unlike traditional search engines that simply display a list of links and sponsored ads, these LLM engines provide direct answers, often with specific brand mentions and citations.

This raises two important questions:

Are your digital marketing solutions business mentioned in these AI-generated recommendations?
Are you helping SMB clients get found in AI search engines?

Why AI visibility matters for digital marketing solutions providers

For companies offering digital marketing solutions to SMBs, AI visibility presents a two opportunities. First, your brand needs to be visible when potential clients search for solutions. Second, you need expertise in helping your SMB clients get found in AI results.

When a small business owner asks ChatGPT, "What's the best platform to improve my website's performance?" or "Which digital marketing solution is best for a local plumbing business?", the companies mentioned in response gain instant credibility and exposure.

Similarly, when consumers ask AI tools about local services like "best plumber in Boston" or "top dentist near me," your SMB clients need to appear in those results—and they'll look to you for guidance on making that happen.

Think of it as digital word-of-mouth at scale—except the recommendation comes from what many users perceive as an objective, knowledgeable source.

Testing your current AI visibility

Before developing a strategy, it's important to understand your current standing. Try these steps:

Use various generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.)

2. Ask questions your potential clients might ask, such as:

"What are the best digital marketing platforms for small businesses?"
"Which tools help businesses improve their local SEO?"
"What solutions can help a business with 200+ employees sell digital marketing services?"

3. Note which companies get mentioned and which sources are cited

4. Pay attention to how these tools describe your competitors

This exercise will quickly reveal whether your brand is on the AI radar and how you're being positioned relative to competitors.

7 strategies to improve your AI visibility

Based on recent research and testing, here are effective strategies for getting your digital marketing solutions business cited in generative AI responses:

1. Optimise your about page

Generative AI models rely heavily on About pages to understand what companies do and who they serve. Your About page should:

Clearly articulate what makes your solutions unique
Specify the types of businesses you serve (size, industry, etc.)
Include your company history and founding story
Feature key statistics about your impact (e.g., "Helping sales teams convert up to 25% of prospects")
Incorporate testimonials from recognisable clients

This page is often the primary source AI models use to understand and describe your business, so it deserves significant attention.

2. Create citation-rich content

Recent research shows that adding citations from authoritative sources can increase AI visibility by 25-99%. When creating content:

Include phrases like "According to [reputable source]" throughout your articles
Add statistics with proper citations
Feature quotes from industry experts
Link to academic research or industry studies
Create original research reports that others might cite

For example, rather than simply claiming "website audits improve conversion rates," say "According to a 2024 study by MarketingSherpa, businesses that conduct regular website audits see conversion rates improve by an average of 27%."

3. Establish presence in key databases and forums

AI tools frequently pull information from structured databases and popular forums. Focus on:

Creating or updating your Wikipedia page (if eligible)
Maintaining accurate profiles on business directories
Participating authentically in relevant subreddits
Answering questions on Quora related to digital marketing solutions
Getting featured in industry directories and "top tools" lists

Reddit is particularly important now that it's selling data licensing to AI companies. Being actively discussed on these platforms significantly increases your chances of being mentioned in AI responses.

4. Build relationships with frequently cited sources

Some websites and publications are cited more frequently than others in AI responses. These often include:

Major review sites like G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius
Industry publications like Search Engine Journal and Marketing Land
Business publications like Forbes and Entrepreneur
Comparison and "best of" sites like NerdWallet

Identify which sources are most frequently cited in your industry, then:

Ensure your listing information is accurate
Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews
Pitch guest content where appropriate
Develop relationships with journalists and editors

5. Develop semantic relationships through content

AI models understand entities based on their relationships to other concepts. To strengthen your brand's semantic network:

Create content clusters around key topics related to your solutions
Use consistent terminology across all platforms
Develop comprehensive glossaries and resource centre
Ensure your brand is consistently associated with relevant industry terms

For example, if you offer website auditing tools, create content that establishes connections between your brand and concepts like "website performance," "local SEO," "conversion optimisation," and "digital marketing sales."

6. Track and analyse AI referral traffic

As you start seeing traffic from AI platforms:

Pay attention to which pages receive this traffic
Try to recreate searches that might lead to your pages
Analyse what topics these platforms associate with your brand
Double down on content for topics where you're already gaining traction

This reverse-engineering approach helps you understand what's working and where to focus your efforts.

7. Implement a Cross-Channel Strategy

As the line between SEO, social media, and AI visibility blurs, it's essential to stop thinking in silos:

Ensure messaging consistency across all platforms
Amplify your best content through social channels
Leverage your client network for increased visibility
Create shareable, citation-worthy assets

The more your brand is mentioned across various platforms, the more likely it is to be picked up by AI models.

The future of AI visibility

As AI tools continue to evolve, the strategies for optimisation will likely change as well. However, the fundamental principles remain the same: create valuable, credible content that establishes your brand as an authority in your space.

For digital marketing solutions providers, there's a particular advantage to being early adopters of AI visibility strategies. Your enterprise clients are increasingly looking for partners who understand cutting-edge digital strategies —demonstrating your expertise in this area not only improves your visibility but also enhances your credibility.

Getting started

Begin by assessing your current AI visibility, then prioritise the strategies that address your biggest gaps. Focus first on your About page and creating citation-rich content, as these typically yield the quickest results.

Remember that AI visibility isn't just about being mentioned—it's about how you're portrayed. The quality of your citations and the context in which your brand appears are just as important as frequency.

Helping your SMB clients get found in AI

As a digital marketing solutions provider, your expertise in AI visibility becomes a valuable service for your SMB clients. Consider developing offerings around:

Optimised content creation for local businesses
Citation building specifically for AI visibility
About page and website optimisation for AI recognition
Developing semantic relationship strategies for specific industries
Training on how to engage in forums and build an online presence

By positioning yourself as an expert in both traditional SEO and AI visibility, you provide additional value to clients who are increasingly competing for attention across both channels.

By implementing these strategies consistently, your digital marketing solutions business can establish a strong presence in this new frontier of brand visibility, reaching potential clients at the exact moment they're seeking guidance, and helping your clients do the same. Insites supports the folk who support small businesses. Our auditing platform helps digital marketing solutions providers qualify prospects, create compelling proposals, and demonstrate clear value—all while building the kind of authoritative online presence that gets noticed by both search engines and AI tools.

Selling SEO vs AEO if you're a digital marketing solution provider

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 11:20:03 GMT

As AI continues to reshape how people search for answers, your SMB clients are likely asking a pressing question: "Is regular SEO enough to get visibility in AI chatbots like ChatGPT, or do we need a new strategy?"

With the rise of terms like "GEO" (Generative Engine Optimisation) and "AEO" (Answer Engine Optimisation), there's considerable debate about whether these require entirely new approaches or if traditional SEO practices are sufficient.

The SEO vs. AEO debate and what the data shows

In a recent analysis by Kevin Indig who used Similarweb data, a fascinating pattern emerged: top performers in traditional search aren't always the leaders in AI chatbot visibility .

This discovery has significant implications for enterprise digital marketing sales teams selling digital marketing services to SMBs. Why? Because it identifies untapped opportunities that could give your clients an edge over competitors who are only focusing on traditional search.

Here's what Indig's research revealed after comparing Google organic traffic with ChatGPT brand visibility across different product categories:

The correlation between SEO success and AI chatbot visibility varies significantly by industry, e.g. earbuds (tech) vs CRM (software)
Some categories show strong correlation, and SEO success translates to AI visibility
Other categories show weak correlation - creating opportunities for brands to stand out in AI, even if they're not dominating in search

Why this matters for your sales team and clients

As a solutions provider supporting SMBs, this insight presents a significant opportunity. Many of your competitors are telling clients that "good SEO is all you need" for AI chatbot visibility. However, the data suggests this isn't universally true.

For your sales team, this creates opportunities to:

Differentiate your service offerings by addressing both traditional search and AI chatbot visibility
Identify industries where AI optimisation could give clients a competitive edge
Develop more sophisticated digital strategies that account for both search engines and answer engines

How to determine if your clients need AEO

The need for specific AI optimisation depends largely on the client's industry. According to Indig's research:

Industries with fragmented competition tend to offer more opportunities for gaining AI visibility
Categories dominated by a few major brands make AI optimisation more challenging
Some verticals show low correlation between search success and AI visibility, creating openings for newcomers

For your sales team, this means conducting industry-specific analyses to determine where the biggest opportunities lie for each client.

Practical strategies for helping clients win in both worlds

While the underlying principles of quality content and authority remain similar across both SEO and AEO, here are key differences your team should understand:

User intent and query patterns

In traditional search : Users typically enter short queries with specific keywords In AI chatbots : Users tend to input longer, conversational prompts that express detailed intent

This means your content strategies need to address both concise keyword-focused queries and more nuanced, conversation-style questions.

Quality signals

In traditional search Google uses hundreds of signals, including click behaviours and time-on-page. In AI chatbots , brand popularity and volume of mentions appear to be stronger factors

Your team might need to balance traditional SEO metrics with broader brand-building strategies for clients seeking AI visibility.

Rich results and formatting

In traditional search , Google offers various SERP features to display different content types In AI chatbots , rich formatting is more limited, though evolving. This influences how you structure and format client content for different discovery channels.

How audits speed things up for your sales team and clients

Understanding where your prospects and clients are right now isn’t an easy task, especially if you're doing it manually.
Where are they ranking for specific keywords?

How are they ranking against competitors?

A strong digital marketing presence shouldn’t be measured by guesswork.

With Insites , in just 60 seconds, sales reps can run online presence checks on any business and generate an audit that identifies where the opportunities to rank higher on search engines are.

1. Comprehensive digital audits that cover both worlds

Insites auditing tools assess over 70 aspects of your client's digital presence, including many factors that impact both search engine and answer engine visibility:

Content quality and depth - Evaluating both keyword targeting and comprehensive topic coverage
Website performance - Ensuring accessibility for both search engines and AI crawlers
Technical SEO factors - Identifying issues that could hamper visibility across all channels
Local grid feature - Helps identify geographical competition patterns and rovides clear metrics to showcase improvement

2. Lead generation that captures forward-thinking clients

Our lead generation widget can be customised to appeal to clients specifically concerned about AI visibility:

Offer free AI readiness assessments using our customisable audit designer
Capture qualified leads interested in next-generation digital marketing
Demonstrate immediate value with instant insights into both search and AI opportunities

Actions your digital marketing organisation can take today

1. Audit your current client portfolio to identify industries with low correlation between search and AI visibility (these represent the biggest opportunities)

2. Develop an AI visibility assessment as part of your sales process to identify gaps in clients' current strategies

3. Create content that serves both discovery channels :

Comprehensive, factual information
Clear answers to specific questions
Strong brand signals
Multiple content formats for broader reach

4. Monitor AI visibility alongside traditional search rankings to provide more complete reporting to clients

5. Position your agency ahead of the curve by educating clients about these differences before your competitors do

Looking ahead to the future of search and AI

While we're still in the early stages of AI's impact on digital marketing, most experts agree these systems will continue to evolve distinctly from traditional search. As an agency partner to SMBs, staying ahead of these trends positions you as a valuable, forward-thinking advisor.

As Indig aptly puts it, SEO and AEO are like "pianos and guitars" - both are instruments that make music and share fundamental principles, but require different techniques to play effectively.

Don't let your clients fall behind as AI transforms digital marketing. Book a free demo call to see how Insites can help your sales team convert more leads with comprehensive audits that address both traditional search and AI visibility.

Google's new landing page screenshots and what they mean for digital marketing agencies

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 08:31:30 GMT

Google's now shows your landing pages in Demand Gen ads

Running Google ads for businesses? Google recently announced a significant update to their Demand Gen campaigns: landing page screenshots are now automatically included in ads.

This visual preview feature is designed to boost engagement and introduces new considerations for digital marketing agencies managing campaigns for their SMB clients.

It's no longer just about optimising pages for search, they have to look the part too - which comes with most opportunities and risks for your organisation when pitching Google ad services.

What's changing with Google Demand Gen ads?

Google's adding a checkbox option labelled "Show a screenshot of your landing page in your ads" and it looks like they're enabling it by default for some advertisers.

This means instead of users clicking through based just on your client's carefully crafted ad copy, they're now seeing an actual preview of the landing page before deciding whether to engage.

For now, this feature is only showing up in lead gen video ads, but let's be real — if it works, Google will roll it out everywhere faster than you can say "conversion rate optimisation."

For digital marketing agencies selling solutions to small businesses, this update creates both opportunities and challenges:

1. New client expectations to manage

Your SMB clients will now be judged not only on their ad creative quality, but on the visual appeal of their landing pages from the very first impression. This raises immediate questions they'll likely ask you:

"Do we need to redesign our landing pages?"
"Will this hurt our conversion rates if our site isn't visually perfect?"
"How do we know if our landing pages are good enough for this feature?"

2. Elevated importance of website aesthetics

While website performance has always been essential, this update specifically elevates the importance of visual design. SMBs with dated websites or those that haven't invested in mobile responsiveness may see decreased performance with this automatic preview feature.

3. Quality assurance becomes more critical

With landing pages now visible within the ads themselves, consistent quality assurance across all client landing pages becomes even more critical. An outdated or poorly designed page could negatively impact campaign performance.

How digital marketing solution providers can leverage this change?

Google's best interest is always to improve the user's experience and this update aligns with the fact that consumers are attracted to visuals and almost removes those "click-bait" landing page titles for users. But sometimes Google updates feel like a threat to digital solution providers. Whilst these predicted changes to the way Google shows ads will take some getting used to, it also comes with great opportunities for providers.

3 tips for leveraging the Demand Gen updates:

1. Conducting proactive landing page audits

Before this feature affects your clients' campaign performance, run comprehensive audits across all client landing pages that might appear in Demand Gen campaigns. Look specifically at:

Visual appeal on both desktop and mobile
Consistency with brand guidelines and ad creative
Page load speed (since slow-loading elements might appear in previews)
Overall conversion optimisation elements

2. Creating new service offerings

This update provides an excellent opportunity to introduce new service packages:

Demand Gen Landing Page Optimisation : A focused service to ensure landing pages are optimised specifically for preview display in Google ads
Campaign-Specific Landing Page Design : Custom landing pages designed specifically to work well with the screenshot preview feature
A/B Testing for Preview Optimisation : Testing different landing page designs to see which performs best when previewed in ads

3. Educating your clients

Position your agency as an expert by proactively informing clients about:

How this change might affect their current campaigns
What steps they should take to optimise for this feature
The potential impact on conversion rates and click-through performance

How to prepare SMB clients for landing page previews

To ensure your SMB clients are ready for this change, consider implementing these strategies:

1. Prioritise above-the-fold Content

Since screenshots will likely capture only the top portion of landing pages, help your clients prioritise their most compelling content and visuals "above the fold." Key elements should include:

Clear value proposition
Strong visual elements
Minimal distractions or clutter

2. Strengthen visual consistency across channels

The visual journey from ad to landing page should feel seamless. Audit your clients' campaigns to ensure:

Consistent colour schemes between ads and landing pages
Matching imagery and styling
Coherent messaging from ad to landing page

3. Implement regular landing page QA processes

With landing pages now directly visible in ads, help your clients establish regular quality assurance checks:

Weekly visual inspections of all active landing pages
Regular testing across different devices and screen sizes
Monitoring for any temporary promotions that might make screenshots outdated

Using Insites to master this Google update

For agencies managing multiple SMB clients, staying ahead of this change requires efficient tools and processes. Insites offers solutions specifically designed for agencies selling digital marketing services at scale:

Comprehensive website audits

Our Insites for Sales tool allows your team to quickly run detailed audits on client websites, identifying potential issues before they impact ad performance. In just 60 seconds, you can generate reports covering:

Website performance scores
Mobile-friendly optimisation
Image optimisation issues
Content quality assessment
Core functionality evaluation

Competitor comparison

Help your clients understand how their landing pages stack up against local competitors with our competitor analysis feature. This powerful comparison tool enables you to:

Show clients where they stand relative to competitors
Identify industry benchmarks for landing page quality
Create urgency around landing page improvements when competitors are outperforming them

Quality assurance at scale

For agencies building or managing websites for clients, our Insites for Website Builders tool provides:

Standardised quality assurance processes
Performance tracking across multiple sites
Comprehensive reporting dashboards
Automated checks for critical landing page elements

Adapt now or fall behind

Google's addition of landing page screenshots to Demand Gen campaigns signals an important shift: the boundary between ads and websites is blurring. Digital marketing agencies that quickly adapt to this change will position themselves as leaders while providing additional value to their SMB clients.

By proactively addressing this update through landing page audits, enhanced service offerings, and client education, your agency can transform a potential challenge into a competitive advantage and revenue opportunity.

Want to get ahead of Google's landing page preview feature? Book a discovery call to see how Insites can help your sales team identify landing page issues, create data-driven improvement proposals, and close more deals with clear, actionable insights.

What digital marketing agencies need to know about the EU AI act

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 11:52:10 GMT

AI changes are scary for agencies selling digital marketing. But guess what; it’s a head spin for SMBs too.

You're both constantly adapting to new technologies and regulations.

Whilst we understand it can be overwhelming, with the right knowledge and understanding your agency can overcome the fears and become a trusted advisor for prospects and clients. Win-win!

Now let’s talk about the EU AI Act , which came into effect on August 1, 2024. It introduces a new layer of compliance that could impact how you deliver services and the tools you use.

We’re going to run through everything you need to know to stay ahead and turn this regulatory change into a competitive advantage.

What is the EU AI act and why should digital marketing agencies care?

The EU AI Act is the world's first comprehensive legal framework for artificial intelligence. It classifies AI systems based on their risk level and imposes requirements accordingly:

Minimal risk : Basic AI applications with minimal transparency requirements
Limited risk : AI systems requiring specific transparency measures
High risk : AI with stricter obligations around data quality, documentation, and human oversight
Unacceptable risk : AI applications that are banned outright

Why this matters to your agency? Even if you're based outside the EU, the Act affects you if you:

Have clients in EU countries
Use marketing tools developed by EU-based companies
Plan to expand your services into European markets

Many digital marketing tools now incorporate AI - from content generators and SEO optimisation tools to ad targeting platforms and analytics suites. Understanding which of these fall under the Act is crucial for maintaining compliant operations.

How EU AI Act affect your marketing services?

1. Content creation and copywriting

AI-powered content generators like ChatGPT and Copy.ai are increasingly common in marketing workflows. Under the EU AI Act, these tools are generally classified as limited risk, requiring:

Clear disclosure when AI has generated content
Transparency about the limitations of the content
Measures to prevent the creation of illegal content

You should develop a process for reviewing AI-generated content and ensure proper disclosure when AI has been used in client deliverables.

2. Ad targeting and personalisation

AI systems that profile individuals to personalise ads or content may fall under higher scrutiny, especially if they could influence behaviour or decisions in potentially harmful ways.

It’s important to ensure your targeting practices comply with both the EU AI Act and existing data protection regulations like GDPR. Document how your algorithms work and implement human oversight for campaigns using sophisticated targeting.

3. Analytics and decision-making tools

If your agency uses AI to analyse campaign performance and make strategic recommendations, these systems may require:

Documentation of how the AI makes recommendations
Transparency about data sources and processing methods
Regular assessment of accuracy and bias

Ensure you maintain detailed documentation of your analytics processes and be prepared to explain how AI-driven insights inform your strategic recommendations.

4. Social media and reputation management

AI tools that monitor brand mentions or analyse sentiment could fall under various risk categories depending on how they're used.

Make sure you review your social listening and reputation management tools to understand their AI components and ensure they're being used responsibly.

Turning compliance into a competitive advantage

While regulatory compliance might initially seem like a burden, forward-thinking agencies can leverage it as a competitive differentiator:

1. Position yourself as a trusted advisor

Your SMB clients may not be aware of how AI regulations affect their marketing efforts. By understanding the EU AI Act, you can guide them through compliance and strengthen your position as a valuable partner.

2. Develop compliance-as-a-service offerings

Consider creating service packages that include AI compliance audits or building compliant marketing stacks for clients in regulated industries.

3. Enhance your service quality

Many of the Act's requirements - like transparency, fairness, and human oversight - align with best practices for effective marketing. Embracing these principles can lead to better client outcomes regardless of regulatory requirements.

4. Build client trust through transparency

Being open about how you use AI in your services builds trust with clients who may be concerned about AI-related risks.

Practical steps for marketing agencies

So what next? To prepare your agency for the AI regulations here are 6-steps to follow immediately:

Conduct an AI audit: Inventory all the tools and platforms your agency uses that incorporate AI
Classify your AI systems: Determine which risk category each tool falls under according to the EU AI Act
Up date your client contracts: Ensure your agreements address AI usage and compliance responsibilities
Train your team: Educate staff on responsible AI use and compliance requirements
Develop documentation: Create processes for documenting AI usage in client work
Stay informed: Monitor the evolving regulatory landscape as enforcement of the Act takes shape

Resources for navigating AI compliance

I know what you're thinking, "more resources, really?!”. Yes really! It starts with refining your tech stack, ditching manual processes and using comprehensive auditing tools, like Insites , to evaluate a client's websites instead.

Other resources to help manage compliance efforts:

Implement documentation systems to track AI usage across campaigns
Develop frameworks for consistent disclosure of AI-generated content
Create client education materials about responsible AI use in marketing
Establish regular review processes to stay on top of evolving requirements

Want to see how Insites can change your qualification and auditing strategy? Learn more about Insites for Sales Teams or book a discovery call !

The EU AI Act represents the shift in how AI is regulated, but it also reflects broader trends towards using technology responsibly. By proactively addressing these requirements, your organisation can ensure compliance and deliver more transparent, effective, and trustworthy services to your SMB clients.

Empowering non-technical sales teams to sell digital marketing services confidently

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 09:00:02 GMT

In large digital marketing agencies, there's a common problem: talented sales representatives staring at complex SEO reports, trying to decipher technical jargon before a client call.

Despite their excellent people skills and closing abilities, many struggle to articulate the value of digital marketing services they don't fully understand.

But this disconnect between sales talent and technical knowledge isn't just frustrating - it's costing agencies lost opportunities and creating unnecessary friction in the sales process.

The hidden challenge of selling technical services with non-technical teams

Unfortunately, when you're running a large organisation of 10 reps, finding exceptional salespeople and digital marketing experts is nearly impossible. The reality is that most great salespeople aren't SEO specialists, web developers, or social media gurus—and they shouldn't need to be.

The consequences of this technical knowledge gap manifest in several ways:

Undermined confidence : Representatives hesitate during crucial moments when prospects ask specific questions about how services work
Inconsistent pitches : Each team member explains technical concepts differently, leading to varying client expectations
Longer onboarding cycles : New hires take months to become proficient in explaining complex digital services
Missed upselling opportunities : Sales staff struggle to identify additional service needs if they don't understand the technical indicators
Lost credibility : When a prospect knows more about a service than the salesperson, trust erodes instantly

Bridging the expertise gap without impossible training demands

Most agencies attempt to solve this problem through extensive training programs, creating simplified scripts, or having technical staff join sales calls. While these approaches can help, they often fall short for several reasons:

Training overload : Digital marketing changes constantly, making comprehensive training nearly impossible to maintain
Oversimplification : Scripts that oversimplify complex topics can backfire when prospects ask follow-up questions
Resource constraints : Having technical experts join calls doesn't scale with a large sales team
Inefficient diagnosis : Without proper tools, identifying a prospect's specific needs becomes a guessing game

The most successful agencies are taking a different approach. Rather than trying to turn salespeople into technical experts, they're equipping them with tools that bridge the gap—allowing them to speak confidently about technical subjects without needing deep expertise.

How to empower non-technical sales teams

Agencies that successfully scale their sales operations focus on these key strategies:

1. Visual evidence over technical explanation

High-performing sales teams use visual reports with clear scores and traffic-light indicators to show prospects their digital marketing performance. This approach shifts the conversation from technical explanations to visual evidence that prospects can immediately understand.

A sales manager from a leading agency explains: "When my team can show a prospect a red indicator next to 'Local SEO' rather than trying to explain the technical details of local search optimisation, conversations become much more productive."

2. Competitor benchmarking to create urgency

Nothing motivates a prospect like seeing competitors outperforming them. Top agencies provide their sales representatives with tools that instantly show how prospects compare to local competitors. This creates natural urgency without requiring sales staff to explain complex technical concepts.

"Showing a prospect that they're ranking below three local competitors is infinitely more effective than explaining how search algorithms work," notes one sales director.

3. Plain-language recommendations that build confidence

The best sales enablement approaches translate technical recommendations into plain language that both sales representatives and prospects can understand. This allows non-technical sales staff to confidently suggest solutions without getting caught in technical discussions they're not equipped to handle.

4. Reducing research time through automation

Large agency sales teams need to qualify prospects quickly. Leading organisations use tools that automatically gather and analyse a prospect's digital presence, allowing representatives to spend less time researching and more time selling.

5. Consistent processes built around non-technical frameworks

Successful agencies create sales frameworks that allow non-technical staff to follow consistent processes without needing to understand all the technical details. These frameworks focus on business outcomes rather than technical implementations.

Five questions to determine if your sales team faces the technical knowledge gap

If you're managing a large sales team selling digital services, ask yourself:

Do your sales representatives ever avoid discussing certain services because they don't feel confident explaining them?
Has your onboarding process grown increasingly complex as you've added more digital services?
Do you see inconsistent explanations of your services across your sales team?
Are your more technical prospects sometimes sceptical of your representatives' expertise?
Does your sales team struggle to identify specific technical issues without consulting your delivery team?

If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, your organisation likely faces the challenge of bridging the technical knowledge gap.

Next steps: Supporting your non-technical sales team

The most important realisation for large agencies is that the solution isn't trying to transform sales representatives into technical experts—it's providing them with tools and frameworks that allow them to sell effectively without needing deep technical knowledge.

Here are three practical steps you can take:

Audit your current sales process to identify where technical knowledge gaps are creating friction
Invest in visual reporting tools that transform complex technical concepts into easy-to-understand visuals
Create frameworks for common scenarios that guide representatives through technical conversations without requiring deep expertise

By addressing the reality that great salespeople don't need to be technical experts to sell technical services effectively, agencies can scale their sales operations without sacrificing quality or consistency.

At Insites, we've built our platform specifically to solve the common challenges sales leaders like you face. Our auditing tool transforms complex technical analysis into clear, visual reports that empower your sales representatives to sell with confidence - even without deep technical expertise.

What makes Insites different:

60-second audits : Your sales team can qualify prospects in under a minute, identifying specific opportunities without needing technical knowledge
Visual traffic light system : Simple red, amber, and green indicators show exactly where improvements are needed without technical jargon
Competitor comparison : Instantly show prospects how they stack up against local competitors, creating urgency without technical explanations
Plain-language recommendations : AI-generated suggestions and email templates in clear, non-technical language
White-labeled reports : Professional, branded reports that make your sales team look like experts
Read receipts and tracking : Know exactly when prospects engage with your proposals to time perfect follow-ups

Ready to empower your sales team?

Book a discovery call today to see how Insites can help your sales representatives sell digital marketing services with confidence �� https://insites.com/request-a-demo

How to prepare your sales team for the rise of the AI-literate generation

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 08:28:33 GMT

Keeping ahead of today’s trends keeps you ahead of tomorrow’s customers. And what sets the next generation apart from your current clients? AI.

Today's students are becoming fluent in AI at an unprecedented rate.

Who can blame them?

AI cuts out a manual research that used to take hours!

But, how can it be used responsibly and still challenge students, right?

I only graduated from University 3 years ago and if Chat GPT was around then, I’d be ahead in searching for sources, productivity, and even creativity. Now? Students can generate ideas, refine essays, and even get coding help in seconds.

So how will AI change the school curriculum?

Today’s young people are not just using AI tools, they're being formally trained to use AI safely and think critically about these technologies.

This transformation in education has profound implications for digital marketing agencies and the SMBs they serve. As enterprise digital marketing providers who rely on Insites to scale their sales operations, understanding this shift is crucial for future-proofing your business strategy.

The rise of the AI-literate generation

When AI first dropped, teachers in schools and universities panicked.

But soon enough, it was about embracing the technology, not hoping it would disappear.

Google just announced their recent initiatives that highlight the accelerating pace of AI adoption in education:

Educational institutions are implementing dedicated AI literacy programs, teaching students to use AI responsibly and creatively
Parents and guardians are receiving formal training on supporting young people's AI skills development
Tech companies are investing millions in expanding access to AI skills, reaching millions of students globally
Young people are learning to identify AI-generated content and develop critical thinking around synthetic media

These developments are changing education to align with the generational shift that will fundamentally alter the digital marketing industry and the SMBs your teams serve.

How does this affect your digital marketing sales teams

Today's students will become tomorrow's salespeople, marketers, and decision-makers in the types of organisations you serve.

As these AI-native professionals enter the workforce, they'll bring different expectations about how digital marketing tools should function and future small businesses clients will increasingly be run by people comfortable with AI technologies.

For enterprise marketing providers with large sales teams selling digital solutions to SMBs, this AI literacy wave creates both challenges and opportunities:

1. Changing client expectations

Right now, your sales team is probably used to talking with Gen X and Millennials, who often don’t have a clue about SEO or digital marketing. Am I right?

But future SMB owners will have fundamentally different digital expectations. The students receiving formal AI training today will become business owners who:

Consider AI integration a baseline expectation, not a premium service
Understand the technical capabilities and limitations of AI tools
Expect data-driven insights delivered instantly and intuitively
Demand marketing solutions that leverage AI beyond simple automation

Your sales teams need to be prepared for these evolving expectations, positioning your services as forward-thinking and AI-ready.

2. The evolution of local search and digital presence

Enterprise digital marketing agencies often serve businesses competing in local marketing, which can be hard enough as it is. But AI literacy is transforming how consumers find and evaluate local businesses:

AI-savvy consumers are using voice search, AI assistants, and sophisticated query techniques like Google's “Ask for Me”
Local search is becoming conversational rather than keyword-based
Consumers expect personalised recommendations from AI tools about local businesses
Visual search is gaining prominence for the discovery of local services

This evolution means the traditional approach to local SEO and digital presence management must adapt and your sales teams need to articulate this shift to clients.

Preparing your sales teams for the future

To stay ahead of these changes and continue successfully selling digital marketing solutions to SMBs, enterprise providers need to:

1. Develop AI fluency within sales teams

Your sales agents don't need to be AI experts, but they should understand key concepts and speak confidently about AI capabilities. This includes:

Familiarity with common AI tools and their practical applications for SMBs
Understanding the fundamentals of how AI impacts digital marketing
Ability to distinguish between meaningful AI capabilities and marketing hype
Confidence in explaining AI-powered features in accessible terms

2. Adapt your sales approach to AI literacy levels

Create a framework for quickly identifying a prospect's AI literacy and tailoring your approach:

For digitally conservative SMBs: Focus on practical benefits and easy implementation
For AI-curious SMBs: Emphasise and provide educational resources and gradual adaptation
For AI-native SMBs: Highlight integration capabilities and advanced features

3. Use AI to enhance your sales process

The most compelling way to sell AI-powered solutions is to demonstrate their value in your processes:

Leverage AI for more personalised prospect research
Use AI-powered digital marketing audits to identify specific client needs quickly
Create AI-enhanced sales materials tailored to individual prospects
Demonstrate ROI predictions using AI-powered analytics

Discover AI-powered digital marketing audits

As students become increasingly AI-literate, the enterprise marketing providers who thrive will be those who can bridge the gap between technological capability and practical business value for SMBs of all types.

Insites equips your sales teams with the tools they need to:

Quickly identify digital marketing opportunities specific to each SMB's situation, regardless of their AI literacy level
Demonstrate value through clear data visualisation that makes complex information accessible
Create personalised proposals that speak to the unique challenges of each business
Track improvements over time to show tangible ROI and build lasting client relationships

By partnering with Insites , your enterprise marketing organisation will be perfectly positioned to serve both today's traditional SMBs and tomorrow's AI-native entrepreneurs.

Embracing the future together

The AI literacy revolution in education isn't just creating tech-savvy students, it's fundamentally reshaping the future of small business.

By understanding these shifts now, your enterprise marketing organisation can develop the strategies, messaging, and capabilities needed to thrive in this evolving landscape.

Want to learn more about how Insites can help your sales team navigate the changing expectations of SMB clients? Book a discovery call today to see our platform in action and discuss how we can support your growth in the age of AI literacy.

The secret lead generation tactic digital marketing agencies are using to attract small-medium businesses

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 07:59:32 GMT

What’s your current lead generation strategy?

Waiting for the phone to ring?

Some ads and a decent SEO strategy?

While this is great, top digital marketing agencies are using creative and modern strategies to get qualified leads through the door.

Many enterprise providers are discovering that relying solely on outbound tactics or passive marketing leaves valuable opportunities on the table.

Marketing teams using systemic lead generation tools that deliver a consistent pipeline of qualified leads is helping the sales team qualify better and understand the customer on a deeper level.

Want to know the approach that combines automation personalisation and value-driven engagement? Read on!

A marketing and sales funnel vs flywheel

Looking at your pipeline as a funnel can work, but it’s a bit old school.

Top sales and marketing teams have unlocked a a new and improved model to follow when it comes to a well nurtured customer journey.

Introducing the HubSpot flywheel! It’s one of my favourite ways to showcase how a business can generate hot leads and keep them loyal. Here is their 3 step framework for how to build momentum with customers:

Step 1: Attract

Drawing people in with valuable content and establishing your agency as a trusted advisor.

Step 2: Engage

Present insights and solutions aligning with the lead's pain points and goals.

Step 3: Delight

With your help and support, SMB clients will establish a better digital marketing presence and new opportunities will empower them. Impressed clients become loyal, and even better; advocates for your services!

You can use this methodology as inspiration, but why not try creating your own tailored to your business model and services. We’ve done this at Insites (to be revealed soon). Our flywheel will explain how digital marketing providers can use all Insites products, across various teams to encourage team collaboration and customer efficiency. Follow us on LinkedIn to get a first look at the Insites Flywheel launching in May 2025!

Step 1: Pick your lead magnet

When creating a compelling offer you need to pull clients in using “lead magnets”.

Having strong magnets is how you attract and engage prospects. Free newsletters, ebooks, webinars and templates give prospects content that feels exclusive and interactive. This type of content goes beyond surface-level advice, positions your agency as an expert and helps promote your agency without hard selling. Think about it; if prospects are already interested in what you have to say, they’ll be interested in what you can offer.

But here’s a secret your competitors don’t want you to know…

They are using self-service online audits as a magnet on their websites.

Why?

Gives prospects instant tangible insight into their current performance
Creates urgency for prospects to act
Reduces manual data input as all leads from your widget will automatically create an event in your CRM, and even save the audit report for you for future reference
Sales reps get notified when an audit is run, creating an opportunity to reach out when the lead is hot
The lead generation widgets are labelled to keep your branding consistent

Offer value & capture leads with a lead-generating widget

Drop Insites' white-labelled audit widget on your site and watch qualified leads roll in. Yes, it’s that easy!

Your prospects get immediate value through a comprehensive audit in 60 seconds, while you get their contact info and insight into their specific challenges.

Find out more about Insites for Marketers or get straight to it and book a free discovery call with us!

Step 2: Promoting your lead generation

There's no point implementing a fabulous lead magnet and letting it sit there. You need your prospect to know it's available!

When it comes to getting eyes on what you have to offer - there are a few ways to do this:

Landing Pages - Use landing pages on your website to guide prospects through your offer e.g. what they can expect, the value and what they’ll discover by taking action.
Blogs - Blogs are a great way to enrich your online presence and direct leads to other pages on your website that you want them to see.
Social Media Ads - Meet SMBs where they're at: social media. It’s likely they SMBs will be scrolling through their feed, especially if they have a social media account. Promoting your webinars, e-guides or a free audit with graphics and videos are great ways to attract new leads.
Email Marketing - Using your data to send out a newsletter promoting your latest offer is a great way to cut through the noise with prospects. For example, use your CRM to send an email to leads you lost in the last 6 months offering them a self-service online audit. It's a non-intrusive way of offering prospects something that they can take a view on themselves - without forcing your insights on them. Instead, let them come to you!
Public Relations - Consider partnering with other companies or guest speakers for you lead magnet (this would work well for webinars). Or, seek media coverage with a press release.
Events - In-real-life events aren't going anywhere - in fact, people crave them! Events are a great way to build personalised relationships with prospects, but standing at a stall and having a generic salesy chat isn't as valuable as you may think. Some of our clients choose to run free audits for prospects then and there, giving those prospects something tangible while sales reps can talk through the results in real-time.

Step 3: Track your results

No campaign is complete without calculating the effectiveness and ROI.

I know it’s the slightly less fun part, but is incredibly valuable for understanding what worked well, or what requires improvements. Things to track include

Amount of views on the landing page
Number of actions taken e.g. downloads/registrations
Conversion rate
ROI
Cost per lead to the sales team

By tracking these metrics you can refine your approach and maximise results over time.

Industry-specific lead generation tips

Not all SMBs are created equal, and the most successful agencies understand that different industries require tailored lead-generation approaches. Here's how to customise your lead generation strategy based on the industry you're targeting:

Healthcare:

Healthcare providers face unique challenges with strict regulations, patient privacy concerns, and high competition for local searches.

Most effective lead magnets:

Compliance audits
Patient experience scorecards
Local healthcare SEO reports comparing visibility against nearby competitors

Pro tip: Healthcare decision-makers are extremely busy, so visual reports with clear "traffic light" indicators work best. Focus on mobile performance since many patients search for providers on their phones during moments of need.

Property & real estate

Property businesses rely heavily on visual appeal and location-based searches.

Most effective lead magnets:

Local property search visibility reports
Website UX audits focused on image optimisation and load speed
Competitor listing analysis showing market positioning

Pro tip: Real estate professionals respond strongly to competitive analysis. Show them exactly where nearby agents or property companies outrank them in local searches, and you'll create immediate urgency.

Hospitality & tourism

Restaurants, hotels, and tourism businesses need to capture seasonal interest and manage their online reputation.

Most effective lead magnets:

Review management audits
Local event visibility scorecards
Mobile booking experience reports

Pro tip: Hospitality businesses are extremely sensitive to reviews. Audits that analyse review sentiment across multiple platforms (Google, TripAdvisor, Yelp) and provide actionable insights can be extremely compelling lead magnets.

All industries need different approaches and nailing your niche is key to success when it comes to lead generation. But the best part is, with free audits, you can customise what checks to include making it personal and relevant to your target audience.

The digital marketing agencies winning aren't just generating leads – they're creating demand by providing real value upfront.

By implementing these strategies and using tools like Insites, you'll build a steady pipeline of qualified prospects who are already sold on your expertise.

Ready to transform your agency's lead generation strategy? Book a free call and discover how Insites can help your sales and marketing team qualify prospects, demonstrate value, and close more deals.

New tariffs spark fear with marketers - how can sales teams navigate the squeeze of ad spend?

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 10:00:11 GMT

Economic uncertainty is the ultimate buzzkill for marketing budgets. And with the IAB's latest survey showing 94% of advertisers worried about tariffs impacting ad spend, your sales team needs to be ready for some tough conversations with SMB clients.

But here's the thing – economic pressure doesn't have to mean disaster for your digital marketing sales. It just means your approach needs to evolve.

The budget reality your sales team needs to understand

The numbers don't lie:

60% of advertisers expect ad budgets to drop by 6-10%
22% anticipate even deeper cuts of 11-20%
45% plan to reduce overall ad spend, with cuts expected to peak mid-year

Traditional media and social advertising are taking the biggest hit. Meanwhile, CTV and online video might weather the storm better.

For enterprise sales teams selling digital solutions to SMBs, this isn't just industry news – it's a roadmap for how to position your services in the months ahead.

What do SMBs really want during economic uncertainty?

When budgets tighten, your SMB clients aren't just looking to slash costs – they're looking to maximise value. And consumer sentiment gives us some interesting insights:

66% of U.S. consumers say companies should cut executive pay to handle tariff-related price increases
Nearly 50% oppose cuts to worker salaries or benefits

Translation? Your SMB clients are feeling pressure to maintain operations while absorbing increased costs. They need partners who understand this balancing act.

How your sales team can pivot (and help SMBs win)

The advertisers who are adapting to these pressures are making strategic shifts:

1. Doubling down on performance-based campaigns

SMBs can't afford marketing that doesn't deliver measurable results right now. Your sales team should emphasise:

Clear ROI metrics for every service you offer
Reporting that ties directly to business impact
Success guarantees where possible

2. Shifting to digital channels with better measurement (29%)

This is your sweet spot. When every penny counts, SMBs need channels where they can track performance:

Local SEO with clear visibility metrics
Google Business Profile optimisation with conversion tracking
Website performance improvements tied to lead generation

3. Adjusting campaign messaging (28%)

Help your SMB clients speak directly to budget-conscious consumers:

Value-focused messaging that emphasises affordability
Content that builds trust during uncertain times
Local-first campaigns that strengthen community connections

What this means for your sales conversations

Your sales team needs to adjust their pitch when talking to SMBs:

Old approach: "Our digital marketing solutions will help you grow your business."

New approach: "Our digital marketing solutions deliver measurable returns while protecting your core business during economic uncertainty."

Old approach: "Here are all the digital marketing services we offer."

New approach: "Here are the specific digital marketing services that will give you the highest ROI during budget-conscious times."

The audit that opens doors

In this climate, your prospect's first question will be: "How can I be sure this will work?"

That's where a comprehensive audit becomes your sales team's most powerful tool. By showing SMBs exactly:

Where they're losing ground to competitors
Which digital marketing elements need immediate attention
What specific actions will deliver the fastest ROI

Your sales agents can position your services not as an expense, but as a strategic necessity – even when budgets are tight.

If you’re looking for a quick website and online presence audit to run on prospects and clients - check out Insites for Sales .

Transparency wins in uncertain times

When 66% of consumers want companies to cut executive pay before passing costs to customers, it's clear that transparency and fairness matter more than ever.

Your sales team should lean into this by:

Being upfront about what services are essential vs. nice-to-have
Offering flexible packages that can scale with changing conditions
Providing clear, jargon-free explanations of how your services deliver value

Economic uncertainty isn't going away anytime soon. But the digital marketing providers who will thrive are those who can clearly demonstrate value, measure results, and position themselves as essential partners.

For enterprise sales teams, this isn't just about surviving the budget crunch. It's about emerging as the trusted advisor who helped their SMB clients navigate it successfully.

Want to equip your sales team with tools that demonstrate clear ROI to budget-conscious SMBs? Book a discovery call to see how Insites helps large digital marketing sales teams win even during uncertain economic times.

These Google Business Profile updates will help your clients dominate local search

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 09:26:07 GMT

For sales teams at digital marketing agencies, staying on top of Google updates is crucial for helping your SMB clients succeed. The latest changes to Google Business Profiles offer exciting new opportunities to improve local visibility for your clients, while also revealing some surprising insights about how Google collects business information.

Update No.1: Review QR codes

Google has just made getting customer reviews significantly easier with a new QR code feature within the "Get more reviews" section of Business Manager. This update allows businesses to generate a custom QR code that, when scanned, takes customers directly to the review submission form.

Why this matters for your sales team?

When SMB prospects ask what will make the biggest impact on their local SEO, the answer is more authentic reviews. In fact, 92% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase. This new tool makes that process frictionless for your clients and their customers.

Your sales team can use this update as a conversation starter with prospects by:

Demonstrating how easy it will be for their customers to leave reviews
Suggesting strategic places to display the QR code (receipts, thank-you emails, in-store signage)
Explaining how increased reviews directly impact local search visibility

Remember to caution clients that while encouraging reviews is permitted, offering incentives or selectively soliciting positive reviews violates Google's policies and could result in penalties.

Update No.2: “About this place”

In a separate but equally important update, Google has expanded what appears in local pack results for experience-driven businesses like restaurants and gyms. The "About this place" feature reveals Google’s local data sources and now includes links to discussions from:

Reddit threads
Quora conversations
Industry message boards
Q&A content from Yelp and TripAdvisor

What this tells your sales team:

This update confirms what many SEO experts have long suspected… Google is looking far beyond a business's own website and Google Business Profile when determining local search rankings. The search giant is actively monitoring discussions about businesses across the web to provide users with the most comprehensive view possible.

Become a trusted advisor with these insights

These updates create perfect opportunities for your sales team to demonstrate value to prospects:

Use Local Grid for competitive analysis : Show prospects exactly where they rank for important keywords compared to local competitors. Insites Local Grids gives a visual representation instantly communicates their market position and creates urgency when they see competitors outranking them.
Identify keyword gaps: Use the feature to pinpoint specific terms where competitors are showing up in local pack results but your prospect isn't. This creates clear, actionable targets for your SEO services.
Create data-driven proposals with insights: Build service recommendations based on actual competitive data rather than generic SEO advice. When clients can see exactly where they're falling behind, they're more likely to invest in solutions.
Combine review strategies with keyword targeting: Show how the new QR code feature can help generate reviews that mention specific keywords identified in your Local Grid analysis, creating a powerful one-two punch for local visibility.
Monitor multi-platform presence: Use Insites' tools to track both Google presence and mentions across the forums and review sites Google is now pulling into their "About this place" feature.
Demonstrate ROI with before-and-after grid comparisons: Schedule regular updates to show clients how your services are improving their position relative to competitors over time.

The bottom line

Google continues to emphasise authentic customer experiences in local search, making comprehensive digital presence management more important than ever for SMBs. Your sales team is perfectly positioned to help prospects understand these changes and implement strategies that capitalise on these opportunities.

Looking to equip your sales team with tools they need to serve hospitality clients? Book a demo today to see how our platform can help your team convert more leads into lasting client relationships.

AI Search Engines Are Sending More Traffic To SMBs And Your Sales Team Needs To Know About It

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 13:24:02 GMT

Worried that AI is stealing all your clients' website traffic? Well, I've got some surprisingly good news for you and your sales team!

Search Engine Land did an analysis of nearly 400 SMB websites and revealed that generative AI isn't just taking traffic away, it's actually becoming a significant referral source. And like with anything AI-focused, this trend is growing FAST.

AI traffic is booming: key stats your sales team can use

Let's cut straight to the data your team can use when talking to prospects:

Massive growth : AI referral traffic rose by 123% between September 2024 and February 2025
Increasing importance : AI referrals as a percentage of organic traffic jumped from 0.54% to 1.24% (a 130% increase) in just six months
ChatGPT dominance : While other AI engines fluctuate month-to-month, ChatGPT consistently drives the most referrals, growing about 21% each month

What does this mean for your sales conversations? It's time to stop just talking about "AI-proofing" websites and start discussing "AI optimisation" as a growth strategy.

Which industries is AI sending the most traffic

Not all industries are seeing the same patterns. Here's the breakdown your sales team needs:

Travel & Finance : These get the highest proportion of referrals from ChatGPT
Health & E-commerce : While ChatGPT still leads, Perplexity accounts for nearly 20% of AI traffic to these sites
E-commerce : Gets substantial referrals from Gemini (worth noting if you're selling digital marketing to online retailers!)

Why it matters to your sales team RIGHT NOW

Most prospects are aware of AI. Some might be fearing it, some will be ready to embrace the changes! When speaking with prospects, your sales team can use this data to:

Counter the AI doom narrative : "Actually, we're seeing AI engines sending more traffic to SMB websites like yours, not less"
Create urgency : "The businesses optimising for AI referrals now are seeing over 100% growth in that traffic source in just six months"
Demonstrate expertise : "Different AI engines favour different industries. For your sector, we'd recommend focusing on..."

How to help your clients capture more AI traffic

Based on this research, here are some talking points for your sales team when discussing how your agency can help:

Review citation opportunities : AI engines need to cite sources so make sure your clients' sites are optimised to be those sources
Industry-specific strategies : "Since your business is in healthcare, we'll pay special attention to optimising for Perplexity alongside ChatGPT"
Content that answers questions : AI engines refer traffic when they need to send users somewhere for deeper information—create content that fits that need
Tracking setup : Many businesses aren't even tracking AI referrals correctly, therefore you can offer to set up proper attribution so they can see this growing traffic source

Pivot into this new selling opportunity

While AI-driven traffic still represents a relatively small slice of the pie (1.24% of organic traffic), its rapid growth rate makes it an opportunity your sales team should be talking about because your competitors get in there first.

Remember, this isn't replacing traditional SEO, it's adding a new dimension to it. And being early to this conversation is exactly the kind of value-add that can differentiate your agency in sales pitches.

Want to help your sales team convert more leads with data-driven insights? Book a demo to see how Insites can equip your team with the tools they need to identify opportunities and close more deals.

Storytelling in Sales: How to make digital marketing data resonate with SMB clients

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 14:47:17 GMT

Data is powerful, but on its own, it rarely moves people to action. What truly sells? A compelling story.

My team might hate me for saying this because we’re a tool built on digital marketing data insights: but it’s not all about the data! The real magic happens when skilled sales professionals transform numbers and scores into narratives that resonate with small business owners.

Why stories sell digital solutions better than data alone

Think of selling digital solutions to an SMB like sharing a meal together. During drinks, you build rapport and establish trust. Appetisers allow you to explore their challenges and past experiences with digital marketing. Then during the main course, you present the data showing where they rank online and how they compare to competitors (that's where Insites shines). But the dessert is where you both eat and leave no crumbs. It’s your chance to tell the story of why the data matters. It's where you help the business owner visualise exactly how partnering with you transforms their future. Without this final course, they'll leave the table unsatisfied, or worse, looking for a sweet treat elsewhere.

The most successful sales leaders know that training their teams to weave data into compelling narratives is what separates average performers from top closers. Let's explore how to master this essential skill.

The SMB decision-making reality

Small business owners are bombarded with sales pitches most days. But those who get ignored are saying things like: “We’ve found problems with your meta descriptions that could impact your revenue potential”. And whilst no business owner wants to lose out on revenue, this pitch is overdone, under-personalised and lacks human touch. The trick to standing out is by framing these facts into plot twists and making customers characters. When you help SMBs visualise potential growth, everything changes.

So instead of:
"We've found problems with your meta descriptions that could be impacting your revenue potential."

Try a storytelling approach like this instead:

"John, I was looking at your custom furniture website last night and noticed something interesting. Imagine you've created this beautiful handcrafted oak dining table – one of your masterpieces. But when you bring it to the local market, you've covered it with a plain brown sheet with just a tiny label that says 'table for sale.'

That's essentially what's happening with your business online right now. Google is showing your pages to potential customers, but the descriptions are like that plain brown sheet – they don't showcase the craftsmanship, the sustainable materials, or the 25 years of expertise that make your furniture special.

Last month, we worked with another furniture maker in Portland who was facing the same challenge. After we rewrote their online descriptions to really showcase what made each piece special, they started seeing something interesting – people were calling the shop already knowing which pieces they were interested in, and their average sale value went up 22% because customers were connecting with their story before they even walked in the door.

What would it mean for your business if customers were already emotionally invested in your craftsmanship before they even contacted you?"

This approach:

Uses a tangible metaphor related to their specific business
Creates a visual that connects online marketing to real-world experience
Includes a relevant success story with concrete results
Ends with a question that helps them visualise their own success
Focuses on the emotional and business outcomes, not the technical fix

The neuroscience behind storytelling

You can’t argue with science and research shows that stories activate multiple areas of the brain simultaneously, releasing oxytocin (the "trust hormone") and creating stronger memory imprints than facts alone. When your prospect hears a well-crafted story they:

Process the information more deeply
Connect emotionally with the message
Are more likely to remember your key points
Feel a stronger connection with you as the storyteller

This neurological response explains why my furniture shop example resonates more than simply stating "your meta descriptions need improvement." The visual comparison of a masterpiece hidden under a plain sheet activates the craftsman's pride in their work, triggers their marketing intuition, and creates an emotional investment in the solution you're presenting.

For sales teams selling digital marketing solutions, this means your data becomes infinitely more powerful when woven into narratives that stimulate both the logical and emotional feelings in your prospect's brain.

The most successful sales leaders understand this science and build their training programs around it, teaching reps not just what data points matter, but how to transform those metrics into stories that stick long after the sales meeting ends.

Equipping a sales team with storytelling training and resources

Your sales reps will likely have their own styles of storytelling, but a good place to start is with the right training and resources to get them started or give them a push in the right direction.

1. Start with story templates

You should equip your sales team with proven storytelling frameworks they can adapt to different prospects. Here are three examples:

The hero's journey: Position the client as the hero facing challenges (poor online visibility, declining foot traffic). Your solution becomes the magical tool that helps them overcome obstacles and emerge transformed.

Before-after-bridge: Paint a vivid picture of their current situation (before), the future state after implementing your solution (after), and how your service bridges that gap.

Problem-agitate-solve: Identify a problem the prospect faces, gently amplify the pain associated with it, then present your solution as the remedy.

2. Create a Client Story Bank

Develop a collection of success stories categorised by:

Industry (plumbers, dentists, boutique retailers)
Problem solved (low Google ranking, poor online reviews, weak social presence)
Solution provided (website redesign, local SEO, social media management)

The more specific these stories, the more powerful they become for sales reps working with similar prospects.

3. Teach Data-to-Story Translation

Train your team to translate key metrics into meaningful narratives. For example:

Data point:

Franks Plumbing ranks #1 for "plumber near me” in their areas, whereas your prospect is ranking 4th in the local pack.

Storytelling element:

“When Mrs Jones’ toilet overflowed at 6 AM, she didn't call the plumber three streets away—your business. Instead, she typed 'plumber near me' into Google and immediately called Franks Plumbing who appeared at the top of her results. Despite being further away, they got the urgent job and a large emergency fee—simply because they were visible when you weren't.”

Tips for delivering data-driven stories that convert

The best way to turn sales reps into storytelling geniuses is to take real-world examples that arise and show them how the facts and figures can be crafted into compelling conversations.

1. Start with their Business, not your technology

Before diving into any data, ensure you understand:

What makes their business unique
Who their ideal customers are
What keeps them up at night

Sales reps can use social listening AI tools like Brandwatch, AI-enhanced CRMs like HubSpot and auditing tools like Insites to help gather all this information accurately and in less time.

A mixture of the data and personalised insight equips sales with the perfect set up to tell a story.

2. Use analogies that simplify complex concepts

Help SMB owners grasp technical concepts through familiar analogies:

"Think of your website like your storefront. Your SEO is like your location - being on the main street (first page of Google) versus being hidden in a back alley (page 3). Your content is your display window, and your site speed is how quickly your door opens when customers try to enter."

3. Make the data visual and tangible

Instead of saying "Your site loads in 5.2 seconds," say:

"The average visitor waits 5.2 seconds for your page to load. That might not sound long, but in that time, they could send a text message or scan three competitor listings. Our data shows that 40% of your potential customers leave before your site even appears."

4. Make the SMB owner the hero

Frame your story so the business owner emerges as the hero making smart decisions, not as someone who's been doing things wrong:

"You've built an incredible business with loyal customers and quality service. Now you have the opportunity to extend that same exceptional experience to your online presence, reaching customers who are actively searching for exactly what you offer."

Training your sales team for story excellence

Role-playing exercises

Develop scenario-based training where sales reps practice translating actual client data into compelling stories. Provide feedback on:

How well they connected data points to business outcomes
Whether they used language the client would understand
If they created an emotional connection with their narrative
How effectively they positioned the solution

Story review sessions

Schedule regular team meetings where reps share stories that worked (or didn't). Analyse why certain narratives resonated with prospects and refine your approach.

Data-to-story workshops

Conduct workshops where you present raw Insites audit data and challenge your team to craft different types of stories for various client personas.

Data sets the table, storytelling seals the deal

In the digital marketing sales landscape, data provides the foundation, but stories build the structure that SMB clients can envision themselves inhabiting. By equipping your sales team with storytelling skills, you transform complex technical information into compelling reasons to act.

Remember that while Insites provides the crucial data that forms your main course, it's your sales team's storytelling that delivers the sweet finish that leaves clients satisfied and ready to sign.

Want to see how Insites can provide your sales team with the powerful data they need to craft winning stories? Book a demo today and discover how our platform helps sales teams qualify prospects, create compelling proposals, and demonstrate clear value to SMB clients.

Selling digital marketing to hospitality SMBs: Top 10 industry trends for 2025

izzyfletcher@insites.com (Izzy Fletcher) — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 10:13:37 GMT

Whilst hotels and restaurants still rely on word of mouth, third-party websites and SEO to drive bookings, their industry is being heavily affected by consumer changes and new search tools like AI overviews and social media.

For sales teams selling digital marketing solutions to small and medium-sized hospitality businesses, understanding the latest trends isn't just helpful - it's essential for closing deals and delivering value.

Based on industry insights from Chris Egan , Chief Product Officer at Cendyn, we've adapted the top digital marketing trends specifically for sales teams looking to better serve their hospitality clients. Here's how your team can translate these trends into actionable strategies that'll help your hospitality clients thrive.

1. AI-powered content creation

AI and machine learning have moved beyond novelty to become deeply embedded in successful digital marketing strategies, especially for content creation, hyper-personalisation, and predictive analytics. The good news is that AI is making it even easier for you to seal the deal with hospitality clients.