If you’ve noticed your website traffic dipping lately, you’re not imagining things. Across industries, organic traffic is down 20–40%. And it’s not just small businesses feeling the pinch — even giants like HubSpot, who have mastered SEO for years, are seeing the shift. So what’s going on? The short answer: AI answer engines are changing […]
Marketing isn’t just about one flashy campaign or a few posts when you have the time. For small businesses, marketing works best when it’s consistent — showing up regularly in front of your audience, building trust, and keeping your brand top of mind. But here’s the problem: many businesses fall into a “stop-and-start” cycle. You […]
The holiday season is the most profitable window of the year for e-commerce — and for Canadian Shopify store owners, it’s also the most competitive. With so many brands fighting for attention, the difference between a record-breaking Q4 and disappointing sales often comes down to one thing: strategic paid media campaigns. 🎁 Why the Holidays […]
When we think about search engine optimization (SEO), it’s easy to get caught up in keywords, backlinks, and metadata. But if you’re ignoring User Experience (UX), you’re missing one of the most powerful levers for boosting your rankings. At Van Patter Group, we believe that great design and great SEO go hand in hand—and UX […]
When it comes to digital marketing, location matters more than ever. That’s why geo-targeting—the practice of delivering content or ads based on a user’s geographic location—has become a must-have strategy for small businesses, service providers, and growing brands. Whether you’re a local business in Cambridge or expanding across Ontario, geo-targeting helps you reach the right […]
If you’re a solopreneur or running a small marketing team, managing your presence on LinkedIn can feel overwhelming. Should you focus on building your personal profile, or grow your Company Page? Is one better than the other? The truth is, it’s not an either/or decision—it’s both. The strategy of using your personal and business presence […]
Let’s face it—when you’re managing a business (and maybe even your own content), creating eye-catching visuals every single week can start to feel like a full-time job. Between scheduling posts, writing captions, and keeping up with trends, it’s easy for design to get pushed to the back burner. So when Instagram quietly rolled out its […]
If you’re like most small business owners, you’ve probably wondered whether paid digital advertising is really worth it. Maybe you’ve boosted a Facebook post or tried a Google ad once, but weren’t sure if it made a difference. Or maybe the idea of spending money on ads without guaranteed results makes you hesitant. I get […]
In today’s competitive digital landscape, getting noticed online is more important than ever for small businesses. The internet is flooded with competition, and simply having a website is not enough to stand out. Whether you are a local coffee shop, a boutique clothing store, or a service-based business, attracting the right customers is key to […]
In today’s highly competitive digital landscape, businesses are continually looking for ways to increase their online visibility, attract more visitors, and ultimately drive more conversions. Two of the most powerful tools in a digital marketer’s toolbox are SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and paid ads. While these two strategies are often viewed separately, they can actually […]