Fresh perspectives on marketing

The B2B buyer journey doesn't begin when a name arrives in your inbox. By then, a prospective client may already have spent weeks or months deciding which businesses feel worth speaking to. Imagine a marketing director looking for help with a difficult project. A colleague has mentioned a consultancy. They've seen one of its partners speaking at an industry event, read a useful LinkedIn post and perhaps asked an AI assistant which firms have relevant experience. They've looke

Summary When a new client can take a year to come on board, last month's leads and website traffic tell only part of the story. A useful set of B2B marketing metrics shows whether you're becoming more visible to the right clients, creating credible opportunities and helping those opportunities progress. Here's a practical way to measure and report that contribution without pretending every contract can be traced back to a single campaign. If you're responsible for B2B marketi

Why marketers need to look at visibility as well as traffic

Voice search SEO can sound like another specialist branch of marketing to add to the list. But voice search is interesting for a simpler reason: it shows what happens when people no longer have to adapt the way they think to the way a search box works. We have all learned to Google like slightly malfunctioning robots. Need an architect for an extension? You might type: architect extension Buckinghamshire You would never walk up to another human being and say that. Given the c

GEO + SEO - how do you brief and create to be discovered

Google Search Console has traditionally been one of the most useful tools available to anyone responsible for SEO. It shows what people search for, when a website appears in Google, which pages attract clicks and where opportunities for greater visibility exist. Now Google is extending that view beyond the website. In July 2026, Google introduced Platform Properties, enabling businesses, publishers and creators to add supported social and video accounts to Search Console and

Why we built Chorus Works: Marketing creates opportunity. Sales converts it. But for many businesses, the bit in the middle is where things start to get messy. That handover point between marketing and sales is often where momentum gets lost, not because either team is doing a bad job, but because the process depends on busy people having the time, confidence and headspace to turn their expertise into visible, consistent content. That is exactly why we built Chorus Works. The

Or in other words how visible is your brand to AI? It is a question we are hearing more and more often from businesses who are beginning to think seriously about AI search: “Can you tell us how many people found us through ChatGPT?” It is an entirely reasonable question, especially at a time when AI tools are becoming part of how people research suppliers, compare services and make sense of the options available to them. The honest answer, however, is that you cannot track it

Search is changing. Again. Google’s AI Overviews are now appearing for more searches, in more places, and in more languages. Google has said the feature is available in more than 200 countries and territories and more than 40 languages, with more than 1.5 billion monthly users. That understandably makes businesses a bit twitchy. If Google is answering questions directly in the search results, where does that leave your website? And how exactly are you supposed to show up in t

TikTok SEO: why your brand needs to stop dancing around search TikTok and SEO. Two words that, a few years ago, might have sounded like an odd couple. Now? They make perfect sense. Because TikTok is no longer just the land of trends, transitions and people somehow making a feta pasta feel life changing. It’s a search engine too. In fact, TikTok says search is a key part of how people discover content, creators, brands and products on the platform. It has also reported that 1

If you’ve ever tried to map how someone becomes a customer, you’ll know it rarely looks neat. The traditional marketing funnel suggests a tidy journey: awareness → consideration → purchase. But real life? Not so tidy. That’s exactly what Google’s Messy Middle framework explains. It recognises that modern buyers jump back and forth between researching, comparing and reconsidering before they decide. For marketers, understanding this behaviour is incredibly useful. Because whe

At The Polka, we spend a lot of time working with construction and building businesses. Over the years we’ve seen something remarkable. The quality of work being delivered across the industry is exceptional. From complex refurbishments and commercial fit-outs to high-spec residential builds, the projects are impressive, the challenges are significant and the results speak for themselves. But there’s one problem we kept seeing again and again. Hardly any of it was being proper

If you run a construction company, you already know the pattern. A strong project completes, referrals come in, then things go quiet. SEO fixes that. But in 2026, SEO is not just about ranking on Google. It is about being visible when someone asks: “Who are the best commercial refurbishment contractors in Manchester?” “How much does a CAT B fit out cost per sqm?” “Recommend a groundworks contractor near me.” “What should I look for in a principal contractor?” Those questions

YouTube Video SEO for Expertise-Led Built Environment and Construction Businesses For expertise-led firms in the built environment and construction sector, YouTube is one of the most effective ways to show how you think, not just what you design or build. Architects, builders, contractors, planners, designers and consultants hold a huge amount of specialist knowledge that clients actively search for long before they appoint anyone. When used properly, YouTube video SEO turns

If you believe the headlines, marketing in 2026 is all about artificial intelligence, automation and scale. New tools appear almost weekly, promising faster content creation, smarter targeting and better results with less effort. All of that is true, to a point. But when you step back and look at what is actually working in practice, a different pattern starts to emerge. The marketing that cuts through, builds trust and leads to real commercial outcomes does not feel more tec

How can you remembered when it's wall to wall AI content?

Zero Click Marketing: When Your Content Works (But Your Clicks Disappear

Search is Changing — Here’s What That Means for Your Content Let’s talk about how people find you. For years, if someone wanted to find your services — whether you’re an architecture practice, a construction firm, or a supplier in the built environment space — they’d search. Maybe they'd type something like “best commercial architect in Oxfordshire” or “construction consultancy for healthcare projects”. And if you’d done your SEO homework, your website might just pop up. Job

Search isn't just happening on Google anymore. Whether we realise it or not, we’re using every platform to find answers – not just search engines. From finding dinner recipes on Pinterest to searching for interior designers on Instagram, the way we discover information and businesses is shifting.

If you work in architecture, planning, design or construction, you probably didn’t choose your profession because you love social media....

Let’s be honest, LinkedIn can feel like a bit of a mystery. You know your potential clients are scrolling, commenting and connecting...

Discover the essentials of SEO for architecture practices. Learn how to boost your online visibility, attract more of the right clients, and grow your practice with smart, practical SEO strategies tailored for architects.

Social Media SEO: Why SEO is More Than Just Google SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) has long been synonymous with Google. However, in 2024,

LinkedIn for HR Consultancies: Your Untapped Marketing Powerhouse Ever felt like LinkedIn was just a place to scroll through endless updates? Think again. For HR consultancies, this platform is a goldmine of potential clients, partnerships, and industry influence. Yet, it's often underutilised. Let's explore how you can transform your LinkedIn presence from a dormant profile into a thriving marketing hub. 1. Optimise Your Company Page: Your Digital Shop Window Your LinkedIn C

By understanding the keywords that your target audience uses, you can create more precise and relevant ads.

Content marketing has emerged as a vital strategy for businesses looking to attract, engage, and convert their target audience. For...

A super practical guide for small businesses setting up social media accounts from scratch