Open AI has just launched Instant Checkout inside ChatGPT in the US, powered by what they’re calling Agentic Commerce.

In simple terms, ChatGPT can now take a customer from discovery to decision to payment, all inside the chat experience. No clicking through to a website. No going to Amazon. No extra steps.

That’s a first. And it changes the game.

What this means for marketing leaders

Before we get carried away, let’s be clear: SEO and Google PPC are still the heartbeat of digital lead generation. Search engines remain the number one place buyers turn when they’re actively looking for solutions, and your website and ads are still your frontline.

But now, a new sales channel has arrived. Not a replacement for what works, but an addition you’ll need to factor into your strategy if you want to stay ahead, protect market share, and grow it.

Why this matters

Buyers aren’t just searching on Google anymore. They’re increasingly asking AI platforms like ChatGPT to recommend, compare, and even make purchase decisions. With Agentic Commerce, AI isn’t just a research assistant; it’s becoming the transaction engine itself.

For early adopters, this is an opportunity. Those who adapt their positioning quickly will capture qualified, intent-driven demand before competitors even realise what’s happening. It’s no longer just about whether prospects use AI to buy, but whether they’ll be buying from you or from someone else.

A shift in buyer behaviour

This isn’t just about consumer products. The implications for B2B are huge. Imagine a potential client asking ChatGPT for the best enterprise software provider, the most reliable engineering partner, or the top legal consultancy in their sector. Then imagine ChatGPT not only recommending a supplier but also processing the purchase instantly.

That scenario is no longer a thought experiment; it’s the direction things are heading. And when discovery, trust, and purchase all happen in the same conversation, the old rules of the funnel start to shift. Some steps may be compressed. Others may disappear entirely. That’s a game-changer.

What stays the same and what changes

The core principle remains: be where your buyers are. What’s different is that the “where” is expanding. Google Search continues to be vital. PPC is still driving consistent leads. SEO is still the long-term foundation of digital visibility.

But alongside these channels, AI-driven discovery and checkout are emerging. It’s early days, but if the past two decades have taught us anything, it’s that the platforms which connect buyer intent to purchase rarely fade away. They grow, evolve, and eventually dominate.

What you should do now

This isn’t optional foresight. It’s survival foresight. Businesses that ignore this shift will lose ground quickly, while those who embrace it will lead.

That doesn’t mean diverting budget away from SEO or PPC. Those remain paramount. But it does mean keeping a close eye on how Agentic Commerce develops, testing where it makes sense, and asking the hard question: If my buyer tries to purchase through ChatGPT tomorrow, would they find me or my competitor?

AI won’t wait for late adopters. And neither will your buyers.

Final thought

This moment feels like one of the most significant shifts in digital marketing since Google Ads first appeared. The businesses who take it seriously will be the ones shaping the next era of demand generation.

The time to prepare is now.

So are you ready to rethink how your business gets found? Have you considered AEO to begin your journey with AI search? 

Schedule your discovery call and find out why acting now could be the smartest move for your business.

The post The Future of Shopping is coming – Open AI & Instant Checkout appeared first on ROAR Digital Marketing.

That’s where local SEO comes in. Local SEO is all about making sure your business appears in search results when people in your area are looking for the products or services you offer. Think of it as putting up a digital shop sign that points people in the right direction.

In this blog, we’ll talk about what local SEO is, why it matters, and the simple steps you can take to start improving your visibility. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to boost your local presence online and attract more customers.

What Is Local SEO and Why Does It Matter?

Local SEO is a way of optimising your website and online presence so search engines (like Google) show you to people searching nearby.

If someone types in “coffee shop near me” or “plumber in Newcastle,” Google wants to serve up the most relevant, trusted, and local results.

How Google Decides Who Shows Up 

Google looks at a few key things when deciding which businesses appear, also known as EEAT:

• Experience: Regular Google Business Profile updates, showcasing local staff, and sharing authentic customer photos.
• Expertise: Well-structured local service pages and informative blog content.
• Authoritativeness: Strengthened through high-quality local backlinks.
• Trustworthiness: Demonstrated by genuine local customer reviews.

Get these factors right, and you’ll have a much better chance of showing up in the local pack (those top map results) and regular search listings.

Want to learn more about local SEO? Discover why local SEO matters so much for businesses to succeed. 

Practical Ways To Improve Local SEO

Improving local SEO doesn’t have to be complicated. It comes down to being consistent across the right areas.

1. Optimise Your Google Business Profile 

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is often the first thing people see when they search for you. Ensure yours is complete with accurate contact information, business hours, categories, photos, and regular updates.

Encourage customers to leave reviews; Google loves fresh, positive feedback.

2. Use Local Keywords On Your Website

Ensure that you use location-based keywords naturally in your website copy. For example, instead of just saying “emergency plumber,” try “emergency plumber in Newcastle.”

This helps Google connect your site with searches happening in your area.

Our final thoughts 

Local SEO is less about “tricking Google” and more about showing up as the most relevant, trustworthy business in your community. By optimising your Google Business Profile, using local keywords, and earning reviews, you’ll stand out in search results where it really matters.

Ready to transform your SEO efforts? Discover how ROAR can help you increase profits with our local SEO service. 

The post How To Improve Local SEO And Actually Get Found By Customers appeared first on ROAR Digital Marketing.

That’s the truth. Search engines rely heavily on links to decide which websites deserve to rank. If no one is pointing to your site, why should Google?  

That’s where dofollow link building comes in.

In simple terms, dofollow links are hyperlinks that pass on authority (often called link juice) from one website to another. They’re like votes of confidence, telling search engines that your content is trustworthy and valuable.

In this blog, we’ll break down what dofollow links are, why they matter for SEO, and how you can start building them the right way.

What Are Dofollow Links?

Dofollow links are the default type of hyperlink you see across Google.

For example, if a high-authority website like the BBC links to your blog, some of the site’s credibility flows through to yours. The more quality dofollow links you have, the more likely your site is to climb search engine results. 

Why Google Cares About Dofollow Links

Google uses links as part of its PageRank algorithm – one of the original foundations of search. There is a strong correlation between the number of quality backlinks and higher rankings. 

In other words, without dofollow links, your SEO strategy is not reaching its full potential.

Want to go deeper into link basics? Check out our blog: What is Black Hat Link Building?

Why Dofollow Link Building Is Essential for SEO

Think of dofollow link building as networking for your website. The right connections help you get noticed.

When you earn links from authoritative sites in your industry, you’re signalling relevance and trust. That’s why brands that invest in link building consistently see improvements in:

• Organic rankings – More keywords on page one.
• Referral traffic – Visitors clicking through links on other sites.
• Domain authority – Stronger long-term SEO performance.

The Risks of Ignoring Dofollow Links 

Relying only on well-written content without building links is not always going to work.

Google itself notes in its SEO starter guide that creating high-quality content is only half the battle – earning links is the other half.

How to Build Dofollow Links the Right Way

Buying links or spamming blog comments won’t work (and could even get you penalised). Instead, focus on methods that build sustainable authority.

Proven Strategies for Ethical Link Building

1. Guest Posting – Share knowledge on relevant industry blogs with a link back to your site.
2. Digital PR – Get featured in news outlets by contributing expert commentary.
3. Resource Link Building – Create helpful content like guides, templates, or tools that others naturally want to reference.
4. Broken Link Building – Find dead links on relevant websites and suggest your content as a replacement.

These strategies take time, but they create lasting results. Websites with steady backlink growth tend to dominate search results over the long term.

Our final thoughts 

Dofollow link building is very beneficial. Without it, your website is unlikely to gain the visibility, authority, or traffic you’re aiming for.

The good news? You don’t need hundreds of links overnight. Just focus on earning consistent, high-quality links from relevant sites, and over time, your SEO will thank you.

Discover how dofollow link building can strengthen your overall SEO strategy, enquire today. 

The post Dofollow Link Building: Why It’s Essential For SEO appeared first on ROAR Digital Marketing.

By: Gregory Kay

Strategic Coach

Every ambitious entrepreneur dreams of expanding their business.

But creating a clear and effective growth plan can often feel like navigating a maze of conflicting strategies—which path will give the biggest return? Is it even possible to double your business? How about multiplying it by 10?

At Strategic Coach™, we specialise in helping entrepreneurs cultivate the mindset required for sustained success. Instead of focusing solely on short-term tactics or fleeting trends, we advocate for a deeper transformation—one rooted in a 10x vision that reshapes how you approach growth, achievement, and your future.

Create A Future Bigger Than Your Past

Creating a vision that transcends your past accomplishments is simpler than it sounds. It begins with a mindset shift: allowing your future goals to become more exciting and meaningful than anything you’ve achieved before. Dan Sullivan, founder of Strategic Coach encapsulates this with one powerful idea: “Always make your future bigger than your past.”

To begin crafting your 10x vision, reflect on your past experiences and extract the insights from your most powerful learning moments. These insights become the foundation for designing a future that breaks through previous limitations and redefines what’s possible for you and your business.

Our Four Freedoms for Entrepreneurial Success 

While mindset is the engine of exponential growth, it’s strategic thinking that fuels the journey. Entrepreneurs today operate in what we call the “Results Economy”—where success is not guaranteed but earned through innovation, resilience, and intentionality.

To thrive, you must cultivate a framework for success based on four key entrepreneurial freedoms:

•     Time: Gain control of your schedule and dedicate your energy to activities that align with your highest goals.
•     Money: Tap into the unlimited potential for financial growth, no longer confined by traditional limits.
•     Relationships: Surround yourself with people who energise your vision, enabling mutual support and progress.
•     Purpose: Build a business that serves as a vehicle for personal meaning, impact, and long-term fulfilment.

These freedoms are not fixed destinations—they’re areas for continual improvement. The pursuit of a 10x future involves expanding each of them, step by step.

As you begin your transformation, ask yourself the R-Factor Question:

“What has to happen over the next three years for me to feel happy with my progress?”

This simple question opens the door to a much bigger future and helps you align your daily actions with a bold long-term vision.

Three Mindsets to Support Your Growth

To stay aligned with your 10x vision, cultivate these core mindsets:

•     The Gap and The Gain: Focus on how far you’ve come, not just how far you have to go—celebrating progress rather than chasing perfection.
•     The 80% Approach: Aim for momentum over perfection—getting things 80% right and moving forward, rather than getting stuck in endless refinement.
•     Creative vs. Reactive: Lead with curiosity and innovation, turning challenges into opportunities for growth and reinvention.

Regardless of your industry or stage of growth, expanding your business is about more than just numbers—it’s about creating a life and enterprise that aligns with your deepest values and aspirations. By embracing a 10x vision and committing to continuous evolution, you unlock the potential for a future filled with impact, prosperity, and genuine satisfaction.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Strategic Coach visit strategiccoach.com

The post Guest Blog: Unlocking Growth: A Blueprint for Entrepreneurs appeared first on ROAR Digital Marketing.

By: Andrea Edmondson 

 Consultant, Coach & Founder of NeuroSmart Learning

Sophie is a Director of Marketing at a successful B2B tech firm, reflecting a growing trend in the industry where senior marketers are expected to be both strategic leaders and operational workhorses. She’s smart, experienced, and respected. She knows how to deliver. She’s built cross-functional teams, led rebrands aligned to shifting buyer behaviour, and rolled out digital strategies that have moved the needle.

From the outside, she looks like a high-functioning, high-achieving success story.

But here’s the part no one sees: Sophie is exhausted and doubts herself.

Not in a one-bad-week kind of way. In a deep, biological way. She’s always on. Always trying to keep up, keep calm, and keep it all together—despite the constant tension pulling in opposite directions.

Her nervous system is sending messages her brain doesn’t know how to read. And if you don’t know how to read them, you’ll keep pushing until something breaks—your focus, your health, your relationships.

Caption: On the surface, ducks appear to glide smoothly. Beneath it, they are paddling furiously keep afloat. What may seem effortless is often effortful. We don’t always see how hard someone is paddling and the internal cost of this, until it’s too late. Image Credit: Research Doodles by M. Shandell.

The Pressure Behind the Performance

Sophie’s story is one I hear all the time.

She has clear professional goals:

• Raise brand awareness
• Drive high-quality leads
• Elevate the company’s visibility and credibility in a crowded market

But the context she’s working in is complex. Her team is lean. Budgets are tight. And she’s managing multiple channels while also trying to influence a leadership team that still favours legacy marketing tactics.

She’s navigating change—but doing it in a system that’s fearful and resists change.

It’s not just strategy work. It’s political, emotional, and personal.

“Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one carrying the vision,” she told me. “And at the same time, I’m scared I’ll be seen as pushy, or too much. So, I keep it all together. But inside? I’m fried.”

The Internal Strain: The Fight Behind the Performance 

What Sophie was feeling—the tension, the exhaustion, the mental noise—wasn’t just chronic stress. It was a signal that parts of her internal psychological system were in conflict.

In Internal Family Systems (IFS), a therapeutic approach that’s increasingly used in leadership coaching, we talk about ‘parts’—distinct aspects of ourselves that take on different roles to help us cope and succeed. You don’t have to know the model to recognise the experience: it’s that inner tug-of-war between one voice that says, “You’ve got this—push harder,” and another that whispers, “I can’t keep going like this.”

For Sophie—and for many purpose-driven leaders—there were two main types of parts that drive behaviour:

The Manager Parts

These are the parts that like to stay in control. They plan, perfect, strategize, and overachieve. They’re often high-functioning and responsible—but anxious underneath. Their job is to prevent things from going wrong by keeping everything in order.

Sophie’s Manager parts sounded like:

• “You need to prove your value.”
• “Don’t slow down, you’ll fall behind.”
• “You have to hold it all together.”

They helped her succeed—but at a cost. They kept her in constant motion, with very little room to pause, reflect, or feel.

The Firefighter Parts

These parts jump in when the pressure gets too high and the ‘Managers’ start to lose control. They don’t care about goals—they care about relief. They want the pain to stop. Fast. Now.

For Sophie, this looked like:

• Numbing out in the evenings with wine and social media
• Avoiding feedback conversations that felt emotionally loaded
• Becoming overly reactive when one more thing landed on her already full plate

Firefighters aren’t bad. They’re just desperate. They’re trying to protect the system from emotional overwhelm. But when they take over too often, leaders feel unsteady, out of sync, or ashamed of how they’re coping.

Image Caption: This NeuroSmart Learning visual brings the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model to life—showing how Managers try to prevent pain, Firefighters react to it in the moment, and Exiles carry the wounds we avoid. At the centre is Self—the calm, curious, and connected core we can lead from when our internal system is aligned.

Why This Matters

This inner push-pull—between the perfectionist managers and the overwhelmed firefighters—takes a toll.

It’s not just tiring. It’s disorienting.

One part of you wants to be calm and visionary. Another part is yelling “Just get through today.”

When these parts are fighting for control, your nervous system stays on high alert. You might look like you’re performing well—but underneath, you’re fraying.

That’s why traditional performance tools or mindset shifts don’t always stick.

Because the issue isn’t just in your thinking. It’s in your nervous system—a system that’s trying to keep you safe but isn’t working in sync.

What Changes When You Listen Inside

When Sophie learned how to recognise her nervous system state and her internal parts—and not to judge or suppress them but listen to them—everything changed.

• Her ‘Managers’ relaxed once they knew there was a wiser part of her in the lead
• Her ‘Firefighter’s stopped hijacking her evenings, because she no longer ignored her need for rest
• Her whole system began to settle, and with that came more creativity, more clarity, and more connection—with her team, her family, and herself

And as Sophie found internal balance, the ripple effects became clear:

• Her team reported feeling more psychologically safe, creative, and aligned
• Collaboration across departments improved as Sophie led with more calmness and curiosity
• Her ability to influence senior leaders increased, because she could advocate for digital strategies with grounded conviction instead of reactive urgency
• Her business outcomes improved, not just in metrics, but in momentum and morale

“That’s Me.”

If you’ve been nodding along, wondering, “How do I keep going like this?”, I want you to know something important:

You don’t need fixing.

You need regulating and resourcing.

That’s what Sophie began to discover as she explored the NeuroSmart Framework—a neuroscience-based, compassionate process for helping successful, purpose-driven leaders move from survival mode to sustainable performance.

It starts from the inside out.

The Shift: From Pushing to Presence

With guidance, Sophie began to slow down enough to notice what was really going on inside her.

• She learned to recognise when her nervous system was shifting into fight-or-flight—those moments when her heart raced in meetings, or her brain spiralled at 3 a.m.
• She used simple tools to regulate her state in real time, so she could come back to clarity and connection
• She got to know the different parts of her inner world, including the Hyper-Achiever, the People Pleaser, and the Exhausted Protector
• Most importantly, she created space for the part of her that was wise, grounded, and ready to lead in a new way

This wasn’t necessarily about working less. It was about working differently—with more intention, more presence, and more support from within and a more trusting relationship with others.

What Changed

As Sophie learned to lead from the inside out, the external shifts came naturally.

• She stopped over-explaining and started trusting her voice
• She invited her team into honest conversations about capacity and priorities
• She led meetings with more presence and clarity—even when the stakes were high
• And outside of work, she had energy again. For her kids. For her partner. For herself

Not because the pressure vanished, but because she wasn’t fighting herself anymore.

“I believed I had to work harder,” she said. “But what I really needed was to listen inside, and lead from there.”

A Better Way Is Possible

We are living through a rupture between our biology and environment, in how we relate to work, and to one another at work.

As Esther Perel says,

“Underneath the performance reviews and productivity tools, what we’re really talking about are relationships… Do I feel seen? Do I matter here?”

And I’d add:

Do I feel seen by myself?

Because the relationship between you and your own nervous system shapes everything else.

When leaders learn to regulate, reflect, and realign from the inside out, they lead differently.

They become more spacious. More discerning. More connected.

They move from performance under pressure to leadership with presence.

When You’re Ready

If this feels like your story—if you’ve been carrying too much for too long—I want you to know:

There is a way through that doesn’t involve burnout, numbing out, or walking away from work you care about.

It starts by coming home to yourself.

That’s where the real work begins.

And that’s where your next level of leadership lives—not in another sprint or survival cycle, but in a deeper, more integrated approach.

You don’t have to figure it out alone.

Leaders like Sophie don’t just need another tool—they need a turning point. When you build internal clarity and resilience, you unlock better leadership, stronger teams, and clearer outcomes.

That’s why I support successful and purpose-driven leaders through:

• One-to-one coaching that’s focused, confidential, and tailored to your inner system and outer world
• Small group coaching for those who want the added richness of learning and growing in a trusted peer space

Both options blend neuroscience, nervous system regulation, and parts-based coaching to help you reconnect, realign, and lead from your strongest, most grounded self.

If you’re reflecting on how this applies to your own leadership experience, you’re not alone. I’d love to hear what resonates—or where you’re still feeling stuck. Let’s keep the conversation going.

If it’s helpful, I also have a free neuroscience-based guide: “3 Surprising Reasons You Feel Stuck—and How to Change That Today.” You can download it from my website www.neurosmartlearning.com  or you book a call and to find out more.

Andrea Edmondson | Consultant, Coach & Founder of NeuroSmart Learning

Andrea Edmondson is a consultant, coach, and educator with over 30 years’ experience helping successful leaders and teams optimise wellbeing, energy, and performance by applying neuroscience in practical, actionable ways.

Her career began in London and has since spanned New York, Brussels, Washington DC, and Houston—before returning to the UK where she is now based in North Yorkshire. Six international moves with four children, combined with senior-level consulting experience, taught Andrea first-hand the hidden costs of chronic stress and the critical importance of understanding the nervous system.

After personally navigating burnout, Andrea became relentless in her search for evidence-based, easy-to-use solutions that support sustainable performance. Since 2015, she has specialised in applying a Polyvagal-informed, neuroscience-backed approach that helps leaders not just survive—but thrive.

Andrea founded NeuroSmart Learning to equip forward-thinking, purpose-driven leaders with the tools to become active operators of their nervous systems and brains. Her mission is to transform workplaces into environments of psychological safety, connection, and collaboration—where people perform at their best and feel their best.

She works across sectors including technology, education, healthcare, law, construction, and energy, partnering with CEOs, founders, and their teams. Her approach is grounded in science, enriched by global experience, and delivered with warmth and clarity.

In addition to her executive work, Andrea is passionate about social impact. Through affordable workshops and training, she extends NeuroSmart’s reach into schools, colleges, and charities—empowering the next generation with life-changing knowledge about how their brains and bodies really work.

The post Guest Blog: Why Smart, Capable Leaders Are Tired—And What to Do Instead appeared first on ROAR Digital Marketing.

By: Alex Von Schirmeister

MD, Xero UK & Emerging Markets

Being an entrepreneur or a small business owner or even a sole trader is one of the most noble activities there can be. It takes courage and vision, and resilience, and graft and very hard work to set out and run your own business. It also means that you oftentimes do everything yourself. You sales and your marketing and your social media, and your purchasing, etc. And… you do your numbers.

It’s often not a lack of profit margin or lack of growth that kills small businesses, but cash flow. Without understanding what is in the bank, revenue and outgoings in real-time can leave business owners blind. Knowing your numbers inside out can prevent potential problems for those who think they are in a stronger financial position than they are.

And the impact isn’t limited to the business balance sheet. Poor cash flow management can have a damning effect on entrepreneurs’ personal lives, given the interdependence of personal and company finances for so many. For instance, Xero’s research found 82% of owners are affected by stress, 80% by anxiety, and 60% have trouble sleeping due to financial concerns. 

However, there are practical steps to alleviate cash flow pressures, which start with proper planning and end with using financial visibility to make proactive, positive changes to business operations. 

Keep one eye on the future

Ambition and enthusiasm are important characteristics of business owners. It’s a big part of why they started a new venture in the first place. But those traits must be grounded in the facts. While the feeling of control when starting a new business can be exhilarating, the pressure is on to make the right financial decisions. Some of those decisions will be good. Others won’t.

This is why it is so important to plan ahead. Understanding and measuring cash flow provides a more accurate depiction of normal business activities and the level of profitability attached to them. And what about if this is done in real-time? Using technology to forecast cash flow can identify crunch points throughout the year and help business owners adapt when things like overheads of interest rates change, ensuring you always have enough cash to keep things going. Likewise, using valuation methods like discounted cash flow can help decide which direction to take based on projected returns.

Of course, different plans work for different businesses. I always strongly recommend working with an accountant, who can help owners and operators discover which route will yield the best results, as well as navigate the ever-changing fiscal landscape.

Good financial habits

Collecting the most up to date financial data is vital. With smaller margins at the whim of a fast-moving macroeconomic environment, access to real-time information can embed good financial habits like keeping track of money owed to suppliers and which customers are late to pay. Likewise, generating instant invoices and ‘pay now’ buttons make bringing in revenue much faster, and as easy as clicking a button.

Turning on your bank feeds to allow you accounting software and your bank to effectively talk to each other, makes reconciliation much easier, making sure you know what money has been paid.

Once you’ve established these habits and established access to the right information, that strong accountant partnership can help interrogate that data further and establish areas for improvement.  

Turn information into action

With this foundation in place, the right adjustments become clearer. For example, if there are specific points of the year where cash flow is under pressure, business owners could react by negotiating different payment dates with suppliers to better align inflows with outflows. Alternatively, experiment with reducing invoicing payment terms by a day or two to encourage customers to pay faster.

By understanding financial health, it’s also easier to see the monetary cost of payments in and out of the business. For example, regularly paying bills late could incur significant interest, with a negative impact on your credit score. Likewise, it’s worth analysing the benefits of each payment option you offer. While convenience incentivises customers pay, charges for receiving those payments can quickly eat into profit margin. 

Finally, pricing products and services has never been more difficult, considering the cost-of-living alongside balancing the books. Consider experimenting with different prices for a week or two, while keeping a track of income and stock levels, to find the sweet spot for generating maximum profit. 

Take off the blindfold

Even business owners with the most thorough understanding of finances can fall foul of the fast-moving economic context without real-time data to lean on. It’s akin to voluntarily wearing a blindfold, exposing a business to unnecessary risks and challenges. But having the right information at your fingertips makes all the difference. Knowing your numbers comes down to turning financial management from time-consuming admin into a powerful tool for informing proactive, profit generating changes and building resilience.

Alex Von Schirmeister

Managing Director, Xero

UK & Emerging Markets

Photo © by PeopleImages from Getty Images Signature.

The post Guest Blog: The power of understanding your numbers appeared first on ROAR Digital Marketing.

By: Simon Honeywood 

Owner | Ready Salted 

At first glance, your website might seem just fine. It loads, it has your logo, and your contact form works. But if your business is growing, changing, or breaking into new markets, ‘fine’ might not be cutting it.

Too many websites fall into the ‘good enough’ category. They look okay, function reasonably well, and technically do their job. But they often fail to reflect what makes your business different. They do not scale with your team or ambition. And worst of all, they miss opportunities to build trust and convert new customers.

Here is the thing. Your website is often the first proper interaction someone has with your business. Before they meet you, they meet your site. If it does not match the quality of your product or service, that is a problem.

What ‘Good Enough’ Looks Like

• Your messaging feels vague or generic 
• You are not sure what visitors are actually doing on your site 
• It is hard to update quickly, or relies too heavily on one internal person 
• Your team has changed, your goals have evolved, but the site has not

We see this all the time. Often, what was a perfect fit a few years ago no longer represents the business today. Maybe your services have expanded, maybe you have rebranded, or maybe your sales team are struggling to use the site to support their pipeline.

So what does better look like?

Building Websites That Actually Work

A website that truly works is one that aligns with your business goals. That might mean:

• Structuring the site to support recruitment 
• Building clearer user journeys to help sales 
• Reframing your messaging to target specific buyer types 
• Highlighting social proof in the right places to build trust

When we build websites, we are not just thinking about design. We are asking: what are you trying to achieve, and how can your site help you get there?

We look at:

• Who is using your site and what their goals are 
• How to reflect your tone of voice and values 
• What key actions need to happen on every page 
• How to build trust and reduce confusion 
• What your competitors are doing

Then we plan the right structure, content, and design to support it.

Thinking About Your Website in 2025

We often say: your website should be your hardest working salesperson. If you feel like it is coasting, or no longer telling the right story, it might be time for a rethink.

We are not big on buzzwords or ego-driven design. Our approach is grounded in what works and what will make a genuine difference to your business.

So if you are thinking about a refresh later this year, maybe now is a good time to ask the hard questions.

Is your website really doing enough?

Simon Honeywood 

Owner of Ready Salted 

The post Guest Blog: From Meh to Meow: Why ‘Good Enough’ Web Design Isn’t Good Enough Anymore appeared first on ROAR Digital Marketing.

By: Graeme Tennick

Chief Impact Officer | Tennick Accountants

Why your accountant might be bad for your health… we’ll even prove it if you get to the end!

Let’s first address the elephant in the room – any accountant that is focused on saving you tax alone is not going to help you grow your business.

Two key things to get you started in ensuring that tax is not top of the agenda when looking at your business:

1. Transparency
2. Understanding

Transparency

If you understand ahead of time what your tax liability it, you avoid the shock factor (make sure you have this saved).  Achieve this, then you can start focusing on more important matters.

Technology means that the days of finding out your tax liability and how well or badly you have done 9 months after your financial year end has passed are FINISHED.  

Even working towards a fixed 12-month period dictated by Companies House and HMRC is FINISHED.  

All business owners should be working on a ‘rolling 12 month’ basis so you have real-time data a matter of days, rather than months later and can act/react faster.

A great accountant will help you influence the future by understanding the present and the past, rather than JUST reporting it.

Understanding

Starting with tax again; so that we can quickly move away from it, if you can understand tax to the point whereby you consider the liability to be reflective of the financial performance of your business and the rewards you have drawn from this, then you can start making better decisions ahead of time.

Numbers without context is at best misleading.  

A great accountant will approach numbers from a business-first perspective and focus on what matters most to you and your business and translate numbers to instigate better and quicker actions.

To do this, we suggest three areas your accountant MUST focus on to help you and your business (and should be addressed in this order):

1. What does success look like to you personally?
2. What does success look like to you in business?
3. What does success look like in terms of your working relationship between you and your accountant (sometimes the fit just isn’t right)?

Once they start asking you better questions, THEN you have a better and closer relationship, and they can really make an impact that matters.

Take this is an example – an accountant saved you a lot of tax personally and in your business.  

However, this tax saving subsequently means that 6 months down the line that dream home or mortgage renewal falls down because the only measure of success, and where attention was focused, was tax.

I wouldn’t consider this scenario good for your health!

Want to get started improving your financial health and that of your business today?  Click below and after answering a handful of questions you will be e-mailed personalised free report within minutes.

https://graeme-mqdmp6af.scoreapp.com

Our goal at Tennick Accountants is:

• To make our lives better
• To make the lives of our clients better
• To make the world a better place

We wish you, your family and your business all the very best and we’re rooting for you every step of the way.

Graeme Tennick

Chief Impact Officer

Tennick Accountants

Photo © by Galina Zhigalova from Galina Zhigalova.

The post Guest Blog: Why your accountant might be bad for your health! appeared first on ROAR Digital Marketing.

By: Emmanuel Okunade | Web Developer

Businesses pour a lot of resources into SEO, social media, and UX design—yet many overlook a critical factor that silently sabotages conversions and brand loyalty: ACCESSIBILITY. Over 1.3 billion people globally live with disabilities, and 24% of the UK population had a disability in 2022/23, totaling 16.1 million people. When your website, app, or digital content isn’t accessible, you’re turning away a massive audience, inviting legal risks, and damaging your brand’s reputation. 

This article uncovers some common accessibility mistakes businesses make, explains their consequences, and provides actionable solutions. 

Killer 1: Ignoring Equality Act & WCAG Guidelines 

Under the Equality Act, organizations must ensure that digital services are accessible to people with disabilities. The equivalent is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the US, European Accessibility Act (EAA) in the EU and Accessible Canada Act (ACA) in Canada, for global brands. 

These acts require businesses to ensure digital accessibility. Non-compliance isn’t just unethical—it’s illegal. In 2023, over 4,000 ADA Title III lawsuits targeted inaccessible websites, with plaintiffs ranging from e-commerce giants to small businesses (ADA). For example, Target paid $6 million in 2008 after failing to accommodate screen reader users. More recently, Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment faced a lawsuit because her website lacked alt text and keyboard navigation (diacedesigns). 

How to Fix: 

Follow Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) AA, the gold standard for accessibility. Focus on: 

•  Perceivable content (e.g., alt text for images). 
•  Operable interfaces (e.g., keyboard navigation). 
• Understandable information (e.g., clear labels). 
•  Robust compatibility with assistive technologies. 

Conduct third-party audits or use tools like WAVE – https://wave.webaim.org, axe DevTools (Chrome extension) – Quick audits in browser, Lighthouse (built into Chrome DevTools) – Accessibility tab or UserWay to automate compliance. 

This matters to your business because non-compliance can lead to costly litigation, settlements, and damage to your brand’s reputation. Worse, 75% of disabled consumers abandon sites with accessibility issues, which would cost you sales and loyalty. 

Killer 2: Neglecting Alt Text & Image Descriptions 

Alternative text (or “alt text”) is a written description of an image, embedded in the HTML code. As business owners, marketers or developers, we know the importance of alt text to SEO. Search engine crawlers can’t “see” images directly; they rely on alt text to index and understand image

content. But do you know that alt text is also important to users who can not see. Alt text is read aloud by screen readers to describe images to blind or visually impaired users who can’t see them. For example, an e-commerce product photo might have alt text saying, “Red winter coat with hood.” This way, a blind shopper knows what the image depicts. Without alt text, a screen reader will just skip the image or read an unhelpful filename – leaving the user in the dark about important content. 

Missing alt text can have real consequences. Many major brands have learned this the hard way. For instance, Domino’s Pizza, Walmart, and Amazon have all been sued for omitting alt text on their websites.

How to Fix: 

Ensure every meaningful image on your website has appropriate alt text. This is usually a quick fix – your content editors or developers just need to add a descriptive phrase in the image’s HTML alt attribute. The description of the image should be concise but informative: convey the content and function of the image. (If an image is purely decorative, it can have a blank alt attribute or be marked as decorative in modern tools, so screen readers skip it.) Also, put yourself in the shoes of a blind user: would the page still make sense if you only heard the text and alt text? If not, improve the descriptions. As a bonus, it will also boost your SEO, as your images become understandable to search engines. 

Killer 3: Overlooking Keyboard Navigation 

Many users navigate sites using keyboards (e.g., motor-impaired individuals) or rely on high colour contrast for readability. Keyboard navigation means being able to use the Tab key, arrow keys, Enter, and other keyboard controls to move through a website and operate all its features. Users with certain motor disabilities, mobility impairments, or even a temporary injury may not be able to use a mouse or touchscreen. Some users simply prefer the keyboard for efficiency. For these people, a site that can’t be navigated via keyboard is effectively unusable. Keyboard accessibility is one of the core principles of web accessibility. The WCAG guidelines explicitly state that all functionality should be operable through a keyboard interface (except for tasks that cannot reasonably be done without mouse-like free-hand drawing). This is because many assistive technologies rely on keyboard equivalents. For example, a user with paralysis might use switch controls or voice commands that emulate keyboard strokes. If your website’s menus, links, or forms can only be activated with a mouse (for instance, a drop-down menu that only works on hover, or a form field that can’t be focused via Tab), then those users are completely blocked. That frustration will cause them to leave the site and likely never return. Poor keyboard navigation is essentially locking out paying customers who are ready to engage. 

A lack of keyboard navigation can lead to serious business loss and legal trouble. An example is the Fox News website, which was sued in 2018; the complaint noted that redundant and empty links on the site “hampered keyboard-based navigation,” preventing blind users from accessing content easily. Even apart from lawsuits, imagine the everyday impact: a potential customer with Parkinson’s disease or a repetitive strain injury tries to buy from your online store but finds they can’t tab to the “Add to Cart” button or can’t open a sub-menu to view products. That sale is lost immediately– and unlike other usability complaints, the user cannot “just try harder” or workaround the issue; they’re effectively barred. They’ll take their money elsewhere, and you might earn a negative mention in accessibility circles or on social media. 

How to fix: 

The good news is that ensuring keyboard accessibility is more about design and testing than expensive technology. First, test your site with a keyboard: put your mouse away and try to navigate using Tab (to jump to the next focusable element), Shift+Tab (to go backwards), Enter/Space (to activate buttons and links), and arrow keys (for things like sliders or menus). Can you reach all interactive elements like menus, links, buttons, form fields, and widgets? Does focus move in a logical order? Is the focused item visually highlighted (so sighted keyboard users can see where they are)? If you hit a trap (e.g., a modal dialog that you can’t exit with Esc or Tab, or a dropdown that you can’t open via keyboard), then you’ve identified a problem to be fixed. Common fixes include: adding proper HTML focus attributes to custom elements, ensuring dialogs or pop-ups auto-focus and can be exited, and avoiding keyboard “traps” where focus gets stuck. Work with your web developers to tweak the code so that every link and control can be accessed via keyboard. Often it’s as simple as adding an HTML attribute or using a slightly different control that is naturally keyboard-friendly. In some cases, you might need to redesign interactive components (for example, replace a hover-only menu with one that also opens on focus). Remember, if your site works with just a keyboard, it will work for a wide range of assistive devices and provide a smoother experience for everyone. 

Killer 4: Colour Contrast 

Colour is a powerful design tool, but if it is not used correctly, it can become a barrier. Colour contrast refers to the difference in brightness between text and its background (or between any two visual elements). When contrast is too low, text can be difficult or impossible to read – especially for people with visual impairments such as low vision or colour blindness. Example is a light grey text on a white background. That’s low contrast. If customers struggle or can’t read your content, they can’t engage or buy from you. 

Good colour contrast is crucial for readability. Millions of people have colour vision deficiencies; approximately 1 in 12 men (8%) and 1 in 200 women worldwide have some form of colour blindness. This means certain colour combinations (like red/green or light blue/yellow) may appear similar to them. Even people without colour blindness can struggle with low contrast, especially older adults or anyone trying to read on a small screen or in bright sunlight. From a standards point of view, WCAG guidelines include specific contrast ratio requirements (generally 4.5:1 contrast ratio for normal text to meet AA compliance). If your design uses trendy light grey text on a pastel background, it might look good, but it’s likely failing those guidelines and failing your users. 

Low colour contrast is one of the most common accessibility issues and features in many accessibility lawsuits. A notable case involved Nike, which was sued over poor colour contrast on its website that made content hard to read stripo.email. 

How To Fix 

Designers and content creators should prioritize sufficient contrast from the start. A quick win is to use online contrast checker tools (like the free WebAIM Contrast Checker or many browser extensions) to test your colour choices. These tools take a foreground (text) colour and background colour and tell you if they meet WCAG contrast thresholds. Adjust colour codes or font weight/size until all important text passes the guidelines (generally 4.5:1 for body text, 3:1 for larger headings or UI components). 

For existing websites, run an audit (many automated tools like WAVE and axe devtool will flag low-contrast text occurrences). It might be as simple as darkening a font colour or increasing font size for clarity. Also, consider users with system high-contrast settings: make sure your site doesn’t break when those are used. By making these adjustments, you not only help those with visual difficulties, but you improve readability for everyone – including users on mobile devices or in less-than-ideal viewing conditions. High contrast = high readability = higher likelihood your message gets through and your call-to-action gets clicked.

Quick Accessibility Audit for Non-Developers 

You don’t need to be a developer or an IT expert to start improving your site’s accessibility. In fact, many accessibility issues can be spotted with simple common-sense checks. Here’s a quick checklist that business leaders or marketers can use to audit their website today: 

• Images and Media: Check all images for alt text. Pick a few pages (like your homepage or product pages) and see if images have text descriptions. You can do this by inspecting the page in a browser or using a free tool like the WAVE Accessibility Evaluation Tool. If an image’s description is missing or not meaningful (e.g., an image of a product just labeled “IMAGE123.png”), that’s a problem to note. Also, if you have videos, check if they have captions and if audio content has transcripts. Multimedia lacking text alternatives is a red flag. 

• Keyboard Navigation: Unplug your mouse (figuratively) and navigate using your keyboard. Press the Tab key to move through links and form fields. Can you reach the main menu, sliders, and all interactive elements? Try activating dropdowns or pop-ups with the keyboard (Tab into them and press Enter or Space). If you can’t reach something or get stuck, that indicates a keyboard accessibility issue. This kind of hands-on test is easy and incredibly revealing. (Tip: Shift+Tab will move backwards, and pressing Esc should close modals or menus.) 

• Colour Contrast: Use a contrast checker tool on your key pages. You can copy the colour codes from your site’s style (or use a browser plugin) and verify the contrast ratio of text vs. background. Look at things like text on banners, buttons, and any light-coloured text. Tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker (online) or browser extensions will tell you if the contrast is sufficient for accessibility (aim for WCAG AA compliance, which is generally 4.5:1 for normal text). If any important text fails, mark it down for a design adjustment (darken the text, lighten the background, or increase font size/weight). Also consider colour-blind users – if your site uses colour to convey information (say, “items in red are on sale”), try to provide an additional cue like an icon or text label. 

• Form Labels and Focus Indicators: Check your forms (contact forms, checkout, sign-ups). Are all form fields labeled? The question a non-developer can answer is: do you see a visible prompt or label for each input? For example, a text box should have a label like “Email:” next to it (or a placeholder that is accessible). If you click in a field and no label highlights, or the purpose isn’t clear, that could confuse users, especially those using screen readers. Also, as you Tab through a form, see if you can tell which field is currently focused (there should be a visible outline or highlight on the active field or button). If you can’t see focus, it’s hard for keyboard users to know where they are.

• Use Automated Testing Tools: There are excellent free tools that will scan your site for accessibility issues in seconds. For instance, WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) can be used via a browser extension or online by entering a URL – it will highlight missing alt text, low contrast text, missing form labels, and more with icons on your page. axe by Deque Systems is another popular browser plugin that developers use, but non-developers can run it too: it generates a report of violations of accessibility rules. These tools often explain the issues in plain language and even link to guidance on how to fix them. While automated tools don’t catch everything, they are a fantastic starting point for a basic audit. Run a scan on key pages (homepage, a product or services page, etc.) and see what comes up. 

• Consult Accessibility Guides: Consider using simple guides or checklists available online. Many are non-technical. For example, the W3C (creators of WCAG) provide an Easy Checks guide for beginners. It can walk you through basic things like checking page titles, headings structure (ensuring the page has clear headings), and zoom/layout (try zooming your browser to 200% to see if the layout still works – this simulates what low-vision users might do). As a business leader, you can use these insights to have informed conversations with your web team.

Conclusion 

Accessibility is now a necessity for any modern business with an online presence. The “silent sales killers” we discussed (missing alt text, keyboard traps, poor colour contrast) might not scream for attention in a site review the way a broken link or out-of-stock product would, but their impact on your bottom line and brand health is profound. They quietly drive away customers, undermine the trust in your brand, and increase your exposure to lawsuits and civil claims. For business and marketing leaders, the mandate is clear. It’s time to view accessibility as a core component of digital strategy, not a low-priority “IT issue.” The brands that lead in accessibility are reaping benefits – they enjoy stronger reputations and often outperform peers in customer satisfaction. 

In summary, don’t let these silent sales killers lurk on your website. Shine a light on them, fix them, and you’ll find that accessibility improvements often make every customer’s experience better. An accessible website is faster, clearer, and more usable for everyone; much like a shop with automatic doors and good signage benefits all shoppers, not just those using a wheelchair.

By championing accessibility, you are future-proofing your brand in a world where digital inclusion is most important.

Emmanuel Okunade

Lead Developer at Taeks Global

Photo © by pixelshot

The post Guest Blog: Accessibility – The Silent Sales Killer That Hurt Your Brand appeared first on ROAR Digital Marketing.

By: Shaun West

Business Coach | Consultant

Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered, how did I end up here?

A quiet voice of doubt… the noise of the day-to-day… the feeling of being lost in the very business you once felt fired up about.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re already a high achiever — or at the very least, someone with the drive to be one. And that’s not flattery, it’s a fact. Because people who choose to spend their time reading growth-minded blogs like this don’t settle. They seek more. They’re curious, ambitious, and quietly determined — even when they don’t feel it.

But even high achievers can lose their way.

I recently met with Michael Knowles, the MD at ROAR, and was delighted when he asked me to write a guest blog. I love adding value, especially for business owners — my kind of people. As I thought about what to write, one story kept coming to mind.

The lion who forgot who he was

There once was a young lion. Born to a proud pride, destined to lead, to hunt, to rule, to be a high achiever just like you.

One day, he woke up and his family were gone. No explanation. No warning. Gone. Alone and frightened, he took shelter in a dark cave. Each night, unfamiliar noises made him flinch. The world now felt dangerous without direction and the guidance he’d once known.

One morning, as the light crept into the cave, he heard a strange sound: Baaa…Baaa…

Peeking out, he saw a flock of sheep grazing peacefully. Curious and lonely, he wandered over. The sheep, unaware of what he was, welcomed him in and he joined the flock. Days turned into weeks. The lion grazed. He bleated. He followed the Herd.

And slowly… he forgot he was a lion.

Until one day, a ROARRRR echoed through the valley. A group of lions had attacked the flock. Chaos and Fear ensued. But strangely, they spared him.

Shaking, he approached the lead lion and asked, “Why didn’t you harm me?”. The chief lion looked him up and down, then dragged him away from the scene. He handed him raw meat. The young lion hesitated… but ate. The taste stirred something buried deep inside.

Then the chief led him to a river. “Look” he said.

And there, in the reflection, he saw himself — truly saw himself — for the first time. A Lion. Not a Sheep.

He let out an almighty ROAR! A realisation washed over him: I was never meant to eat grass.

This story has always stuck with me. Why? Because I’ve met countless business owners who, without realising it, have started grazing with the sheep. They forgot who they are and why they got into business in the first place. It’s not down to laziness or lack of talent. It’s life. Fatigue. Confusion. Fear. The constant feeling of, “I’m not sure what to do next.” So, they follow the herd. They survive — but they forget how to thrive.

And yet, beneath all of that — the daily grind, the endless to-do list, the creeping self-doubt — there’s still a Lion.

This is something I see all the time with the business owners I work with. The hunger is still there. The power. The drive. They just need someone to remind them who

they really are.

So when Michael asked me to write this blog, I couldn’t think of a more fitting story — especially for an agency named ROAR.

A Final Thought…

If this story resonates with you — if you’ve ever felt like the lion who forgot — know this:

You’re not alone. And more importantly… you’re not broken. You’re just disconnected from your original fire.

You don’t need to do more. You need to remember more.

The roar is still in you. Maybe it’s time to find a river, look at your reflection, and let it out.

So ask yourself…

1. Why did you start this business in the first place?
2. Is the path you’re on still heading in the right direction?
3. If not — how can you change it?

Maybe it’s time to reconnect with the team at ROAR.

Or maybe it’s about finding someone who can give you that nudge, that challenge —

that shake of the scruff — to awaken the lion within and remind you that you were

never meant to eat grass.

And if that sounds like what you need, it would be my absolute pleasure to assist.

Shaun West

Business Coach | Consultant

Shaun West Consultancy

Photo © by denozy from Getty Images.

The post Guest Blog: Remember Who You Are: A Message for the Hidden Lions in Business appeared first on ROAR Digital Marketing.