FAQ
Straight answers before you choose an agency.
Hiring a marketing agency is a big decision, and most businesses in Leeds and Bradford have been burned at least once. These are the questions people actually ask us, answered plainly.
01
Choosing an agency in Leeds and Bradford
Who you hire matters more than what they promise. These are the questions worth asking any agency before you sign.
Should I use a local marketing agency in Leeds or Bradford, or a national one?
If most of your customers are in West Yorkshire, a local agency usually gives you more for your money. We know the Leeds and Bradford search landscape, the competition and the way local buyers make decisions, and you can sit down with us face to face. A national agency makes more sense if you are rolling out across many regions at once and need a large team. Most of our clients are established local and regional businesses, so we are built for that. See how we work in Leeds, Bradford and Ilkley.
Who will actually work on my account?
The person you brief is the person who does the work. RYCM is founder-led, so you deal directly with Martin and a small network of senior specialists he has worked with for years. There are no account managers relaying messages and no junior team learning on your budget. Ask any agency this question early. If the answer is a vague “our team”, find out who that is before you sign.
Is a small agency a risk compared with a bigger one?
Not if it is honest about what it does well. Small agencies tend to be quicker, more senior and easier to reach. The real risk is a small agency claiming to do everything. We keep a focused set of services (branding, SEO, PPC, websites, copywriting, consultancy and hosting), and we bring in trusted specialists for anything outside that rather than learning it at your expense.
Can I see results from businesses like mine?
Yes. Our case studies cover trades, professional services, regulated legal practices, technology, retail and charities, from a two-stylist salon in Guiseley to a 200-page heating and plumbing site. You can also read what clients say on our reviews page. If you want to speak to a client in a similar position, ask on the first call and we will try to arrange it.
What are the warning signs of a bad marketing agency?
Guaranteed first-page rankings, long contracts with no way out, reports full of impressions but no enquiries, a single lump-sum price with no breakdown, and accounts set up in the agency’s name rather than yours. A good agency will also push back on your brief when something does not add up. If every answer is “yes”, be careful. We wrote more about what good reporting looks like in What should your marketing actually report?
Can we meet in person?
Yes. We are based in West Yorkshire and happy to meet at your premises or somewhere central in Leeds, Bradford or Ilkley. Plenty of clients prefer video calls once we are up and running, and that works just as well. Whatever suits you. Start by booking a call.
02
Cost, contracts and ownership
Straight answers on what marketing costs, how it is priced and what you should own.
How much does a marketing agency cost?
It depends on the scope, so be wary of anyone who quotes before they understand your business. As a guide, small UK businesses typically spend a few hundred to a couple of thousand pounds a month on an ongoing service such as SEO or PPC management, while one-off projects like a website or brand identity are usually priced in the low thousands upwards. We give you a plain, fixed quote after the first conversation, so you know exactly what you are paying for before anything starts.
Do you charge a monthly retainer or a project fee?
Both, depending on the work. Defined pieces of work such as a new website, a brand identity or an audit are quoted as a fixed project fee. Ongoing work such as SEO, PPC management or marketing consultancy runs as a monthly retainer with an agreed scope. Many clients start with a project to see how we work before committing to anything ongoing.
Do I have to sign a long contract?
No. We do not do retainer lock-ins. The scope, the price and the notice terms are agreed in writing before we start, and they are short and simple. If the work is not earning its cost, you should be free to stop. That keeps us honest and focused on results you can measure.
Who owns my website, ad accounts and data?
You do. Your domain, website, content, Google Ads account, Google Analytics, Search Console and Google Business Profile should all be in your name, with us given access to manage them. If you ever move on, you keep everything. If a previous agency set things up in its own name, we can help you get control back.
Is my ad spend included in the PPC management fee?
No, and it should not be. Your ad budget is paid straight to Google or Meta from your own account. Our management fee is separate, so you can always see exactly what went on ads and what went on management. Find out more about our PPC management.
03
Results, reporting and timescales
What to expect, how soon, and how you will know it is working.
How long before I see results?
It depends on the channel. PPC can bring enquiries within days of launching, although campaigns improve over the first two or three months as data builds up. SEO usually shows meaningful movement in three to six months, and longer in very competitive markets. A new website or clearer copy can lift your enquiry rate from the day it goes live. We set realistic expectations at the start and report against them.
Can you guarantee first-page rankings or a set number of leads?
No, and you should walk away from anyone who does. Nobody controls Google’s results or your market. What we do commit to is a clear plan, senior work done properly, honest reporting, and changing course when the evidence says so.
How do you report on results?
In plain English, against the numbers that matter to your business: enquiries, calls, quotes, sales, cost per lead and the quality of the clients coming through. Clicks and impressions are there if you want them, but they are not the headline. Each report ends with what we are changing next and why. Read What should your marketing actually report?
We get enquiries, but they are the wrong ones. Can you help?
Yes. This is one of the most common problems we fix. It usually comes down to positioning, the wording on your website, the keywords you target or how your ads are set up. We look at where poor-fit enquiries are coming from and tighten the message and targeting so you attract the clients you actually want. More on this in Better leads, not just more leads.
What happens if something is not working?
We tell you, early, and change it. Every channel gets a clear measure of success at the start. If a campaign, page or keyword is not pulling its weight, we move the budget and effort to what is. You will never be left wondering what is going on.
04
SEO and AI search
Being found on Google, in Google Maps and increasingly in AI answers.
How do I get my business higher on Google in Leeds or Bradford?
Local visibility comes from three things working together: a properly set up and active Google Business Profile, a fast website with clear pages for each service and area you cover, and a steady flow of genuine reviews. We audit all three, fix the technical gaps, and build content that answers what local buyers are actually searching for. See our SEO service.
How much does SEO cost?
For a small or medium-sized business targeting a local or regional market, SEO is typically a monthly investment of a few hundred to a couple of thousand pounds, depending on how competitive your sector is and how much content and technical work is needed. We scope it to what will actually move your enquiries and quote it plainly. Be cautious of very cheap packages, which rarely include real work.
Do you help with AI search, such as ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and Perplexity?
Yes. More buyers now ask AI tools for recommendations before they ever reach Google. The same foundations still matter, such as clear and well-structured content, a technically sound website and a strong reputation, but how you present answers matters more than it used to. We audit how you appear in AI answers and fix the gaps. Read How to get your content quoted by AI search.
Should I start with SEO or PPC?
If you need enquiries quickly, start with PPC. It works within days and shows you which searches convert. If you are building for the long term and can wait a few months, SEO brings enquiries that do not cost you per click. Most businesses do best with both: PPC for speed and data, SEO for lasting visibility. We will recommend the split that suits your budget and goals.
05
PPC and Google Ads
Paid search that is judged on cost per lead, not clicks.
How much does Google Ads management cost?
Management fees for small business accounts in the UK typically run from a few hundred pounds a month upwards, depending on how many campaigns and how much spend are involved. Your ad budget is on top of that and paid directly to Google. We agree the management fee up front and keep it separate from your ad spend, so you always know what each part costs. See our PPC management.
How much should I spend on Google Ads?
Enough to get meaningful data in a reasonable time. That depends on what a click costs in your sector and what a new customer is worth to you. For many local service businesses, a few hundred to a couple of thousand pounds a month is a sensible starting point. We work it out with you from your numbers rather than picking a figure out of the air.
Can you review our existing Google Ads account?
Yes, and it is often the best place to start. Most accounts we review are spending money on searches that will never convert, sending people to pages that do not persuade them, or tracking conversions badly. We show you where the waste is and what a tighter account would cost per lead. Ask for a review.
06
Websites and hosting
Building, rebuilding and looking after a website that brings in enquiries.
How much does a new business website cost?
A professionally built small-business website from an agency typically costs from a couple of thousand pounds upwards, rising with the number of pages, custom features such as booking or calculators, and how much copy and photography is needed. We quote a fixed price for the whole job after we understand what the site needs to do for your business. See our web development service.
How long does it take to build a website?
A typical small-business site takes around six to ten weeks from the first conversation to launch. Larger sites, ecommerce or complex features take longer. The biggest factor is usually how quickly content and feedback come back, so we agree a timeline with milestones at the start and keep to it.
Will I lose my Google rankings if you rebuild my website?
Not if it is done properly. We map every old web address to its new one, carry across what is already ranking, and check everything after launch. When we moved Compass Immigration Law off WordPress, every old URL was kept and the new site scored 100 on Google Lighthouse.
Which platform do you build on? Can I update the site myself?
We build mainly on Astro for fast, secure, low-maintenance sites, and on WordPress where a client needs to edit lots of content themselves. Either way, we will recommend the platform that fits how you work, show you how to make everyday changes, and be on hand for anything bigger. Why speed matters: Why website speed matters more for small businesses.
Do you look after hosting and maintenance?
Yes. Static and Astro sites run on Cloudflare’s global network, and WordPress sites are hosted on enterprise infrastructure from Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Whichever platform your site uses, it sits behind an enterprise-grade CDN and security setup, with firewall protection, bot management and fast delivery wherever your visitors are. We also handle updates, backups, monitoring and fixes, so you do not have to think about it. See hosting and maintenance.
07
Branding and copywriting
How you look and how you sound, done properly and sized to your business.
What does a branding project include?
It starts with positioning: who you are for, why people should choose you and how you sound. From there we create the visual identity (logo, colours, typography) and practical guidelines so everything you produce looks and sounds consistent. The scope is sized to your business, not a big-agency minimum. See our branding service and work such as Presentation Spaces.
How much does branding cost for a small business?
For a small or growing UK business, a professional brand identity with proper positioning typically costs from around a thousand pounds to several thousand, depending on how much strategy, how many applications and how detailed the guidelines need to be. We quote a fixed price once we understand what you need.
How long does a rebrand take?
A focused brand refresh for a small business usually takes six to ten weeks. A full rebrand with new positioning and rollout across a website and materials takes longer, typically three months or more. Decision-making speed matters more than design time, so we keep the number of decision points small and clear.
Do you write the words as well as the design?
Yes. Good copy is often what turns a visitor into an enquiry. We write website pages, case studies, ads, emails and blog content in your voice, built around what your customer needs to understand next. It is written by people, not churned out by AI. See copywriting and Why joined-up marketing matters.
08
Getting started
What happens next, and what to have ready.
What happens after I book a call?
We talk through where your marketing is now, what is working, what is quietly wasting money and what you want to achieve. There is no charge and no hard sell. If we can help, we follow up with a plain quote. If we cannot, we will say so and point you in the right direction. Book a call.
What should I prepare before speaking to an agency?
You do not need a polished brief. It helps to know what you want to change in the next six to twelve months, roughly what a new customer is worth, your budget range and what you have tried before. We have written a guide: How to brief a marketing agency.
Do you handle strategy and delivery?
Will you recommend services we do not need?
No. We only recommend what we can track in leads, sales or better clients. If one well-chosen change will make the biggest difference, that is what we will tell you, even if it is the smallest job. Read more about how we work.
Do you only work with businesses in Leeds and Bradford?
No. Our home market is West Yorkshire, including Leeds, Bradford, Ilkley and the surrounding towns, but we work with clients across the UK, such as Compass Immigration Law in Bolton. Most of the work happens remotely, and we travel when it helps.
Next step
Still weighing up your options?
That is exactly what the first call is for. Tell us where your marketing is now and what you need it to do. We will give you an honest view of what will move the needle, a plain quote if we can help, and a straight answer if we cannot.