Freelance Digital Marketing Consultant
Paul Mackenzie Ross 
Having been in the Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) business for over 25 years now, there’s one vitally important concept that is sometimes overlooked: that SEO is an ongoing process and not just a “one-off” action. Now, of course I’d say that wouldn’t I? After all, I am an SEO practitioner and it’s in my best … Read more
According to a story in Search Engine Journal, it appears that Google had taken drastic action against web scrapers that harvest search results data, leading to data outages among some of the most popular SEO rank tracking tools. This move from Google caused some upset in the SEO community and, of course, if it continues, … Read more
As if the digital world couldn’t get any more chaotic, Meta’s boss, Mark Zuckerberg, has announced that Facebook and Instagram will be dropping fact checking. According to the BBC, Meta’s chief executive said that third-party moderators were allegedly “too politically biased” and that he’d be effectively following the Elon Musk doctrine at X, formerly Twitter, … Read more
I read just 13 books this year or the equivalent of just 1 per month. Now that would normally be good going but there are two factors to consider: I Now Have the Taste for Audiobooks Ever since I worked at Johnson & Johnson, I have been listening to audiobooks more regularly. The commute was … Read more
2024 has been an amazing year in the digital marketing world, marked by the continued rapid advancement of AI, big shifts in search engine algorithms, and the ever-evolving social media landscape. From the rise and rise of generative AI to the burgeoning importance of authenticity, 2024 has been a year of exciting developments. So without … Read more
Being in the digital industry, everything from design, through PPC and SEO, to web development is of interest to our agency. YAt this time of year, one of the subjects that’s always timely and relevant is the colour system company Pantone’s “Colour of the Year”. This is an annual event (obviously) that selects a colour … Read more
Once completely disparate entities, SEO (search engine optimisation) and PR (public relations) strategies have grown closer over recent years. Modern SEO tactics show a focus on building high authority links – which is essentially about getting brands to talk about and work with you. At its heart this is also what PR is all about, making … Read more
As an independent, I’ve spent over 25 years immersed in digital marketing, working with everyone from local SMEs to national charities and global corporations. If you’re a local business owner weighing up whether to hire a marketing agency or go independent, here’s why working with a seasoned freelancer like myself can be the smarter, more … Read more
One thing that has been challenging recently has been the increasing prevalence of AI Overviews in Google’s Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). These AI Overviews are increasingly showing up in search results but not for every question. However, digital marketers ignore this trend at their peril. The way to deal with these new potentially “zero-click” searches … Read more
My approach to AI as a digital marketer has been a cautious one. When ChatGPT 3.5 quite literally burst onto the scene in November 2022, it really was a game changer. My initial interest in the company behind it started when I remember seeing Dominic Cummings wearing his OpenAI t-shirt as far back as 2020. … Read more