The DM Lab is a creative marketing agency helping brands with strategy, design, web and digital marketing. Making brilliant marketing simple.https://thedmlab.com/en-GBhttps://thedmlab.com/blog/what-should-a-b2b-website-measure/https://thedmlab.com/blog/what-should-a-b2b-website-measure/Many B2B businesses invest significant time and money into their websites. They monitor traffic. They check page views. They review rankings. Yet many still struggle to answer a simple question: Is the website actually contributing to business growth?Mon, 08 Jun 2026 09:30:34 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/chris-tipping-named-in-the-bima-100-class-of-2026/https://thedmlab.com/blog/chris-tipping-named-in-the-bima-100-class-of-2026/Recognising Leadership, Growth and Impact in the UK Digital Industry We’re incredibly proud to share that our founder and Managing Director, Chris Tipping, has been named in the BIMA 100 Class of 2026 within the CEOs & Leaders (Under £5m Revenue) category.Mon, 01 Jun 2026 14:04:06 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/community-leadership-reflecting-on-a-day-at-buckingham-palace/https://thedmlab.com/blog/community-leadership-reflecting-on-a-day-at-buckingham-palace/There are certain moments in life that genuinely make you stop and reflect. Recently, I had the incredible honour of attending a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace after being invited by the Herefordshire Lieutenancy and Mr Edward Harley CBE in recognition of my continued work supporting the local community and the county of Herefordshire.Wed, 13 May 2026 07:50:41 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/why-b2b-websites-dont-generate-leads/https://thedmlab.com/blog/why-b2b-websites-dont-generate-leads/The Problem: Websites That Look Good But Deliver Little Many B2B businesses invest heavily in their websites. They redesign them. Refresh the branding. Add new pages. But despite the investment, enquiries remain inconsistent.Mon, 11 May 2026 12:40:25 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/why-businesses-move-away-from-bespoke-cms-platforms/https://thedmlab.com/blog/why-businesses-move-away-from-bespoke-cms-platforms/The Problem with Bespoke CMS Platforms Many businesses launch websites using bespoke systems because they appear tailored, flexible or unique. But over time, these platforms often become restrictive. What initially feels custom-built can eventually create: dependency on developers difficulty updating content scalability issues limited flexibility rising maintenance costs As businesses evolve, their websites need to evolve too.Wed, 06 May 2026 09:49:40 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/website-migration-without-losing-seo/https://thedmlab.com/blog/website-migration-without-losing-seo/Why Website Migrations Often Go Wrong Website migrations are one of the highest-risk activities in digital. Whether moving from a bespoke system, redesigning a site, or switching platforms, many businesses experience: sudden drops in rankings loss of organic traffic broken pages and links reduced enquiry volume This usually happens because migration is treated as a design or development task - not a strategic SEO and platform exercise.Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:09:55 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/seo-for-b2b-companies/https://thedmlab.com/blog/seo-for-b2b-companies/Why SEO Matters for B2B Companies B2B buying behaviour has changed. Decision-makers no longer rely solely on referrals or sales outreach. They research. They compare. They evaluate suppliers online before making contact.Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:40:36 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/how-manufacturing-companies-can-generate-more-enquiries-online/https://thedmlab.com/blog/how-manufacturing-companies-can-generate-more-enquiries-online/The Problem: Visibility Without Enquiries Many manufacturing businesses invest in digital. They have: a website some SEO occasional Google Ads But enquiries remain inconsistent. This is because most websites are not built as lead generation systems.Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:34:55 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/international-seo-for-manufacturing-companies-how-to-expand-into-new-markets/https://thedmlab.com/blog/international-seo-for-manufacturing-companies-how-to-expand-into-new-markets/Why International SEO Matters for Manufacturers Many manufacturing businesses don’t just serve one market. They export. They supply internationally. They compete globally. But while operations may be international, their digital presence often isn’t.Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:07:00 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/technical-seo-for-manufacturing-websites-a-practical-guide/https://thedmlab.com/blog/technical-seo-for-manufacturing-websites-a-practical-guide/Manufacturing websites often look strong on the surface. But under the hood, many are technically broken. Legacy systems, poor structure and outdated SEO practices prevent search engines from properly crawling, indexing and ranking content.Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:11:46 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/improve-lead-quality/https://thedmlab.com/blog/improve-lead-quality/More Leads Doesn’t Always Mean Better Results Many businesses focus on generating more leads. More traffic. More enquiries. More form submissions. But more doesn’t always mean better. In fact, poor-quality leads can waste time, drain resources and slow down growth.Sat, 04 Apr 2026 13:33:53 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/why-manufacturing-websites-dont-generate-leads/https://thedmlab.com/blog/why-manufacturing-websites-dont-generate-leads/The Problem: A Website That Doesn’t Deliver Enquiries Many manufacturing businesses have a website. It looks professional. It explains services. It showcases experience. But it doesn’t generate enquiries.Thu, 02 Apr 2026 10:24:30 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/seo-vs-google-ads/https://thedmlab.com/blog/seo-vs-google-ads/Understanding the Difference Between SEO and Google Ads When businesses look to grow online, two of the most common options are SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and Google Ads (Paid Search). Both are powerful, but they work in very different ways.Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:53:00 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/manufacturing-seo-agency-what-to-look-for-before-you-invest/https://thedmlab.com/blog/manufacturing-seo-agency-what-to-look-for-before-you-invest/Why Choosing the Right SEO Agency Matters Manufacturing businesses often operate in highly specialised markets. Products can be technical, buyer journeys are longer, and enquiries are typically worth far more than a standard online lead.Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:35:13 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing-especially-in-marketing/https://thedmlab.com/blog/a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing-especially-in-marketing/Back in 1709, Alexander Pope wrote: “A little learning is a dangerous thing.” Over 300 years later, we regret to inform him: it’s got a lot worse!Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:58:00 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/how-long-to-build-a-website/https://thedmlab.com/blog/how-long-to-build-a-website/The Honest Answer: It Depends One of the most common questions businesses ask is: “How long will it take to build our website?” The answer depends on the complexity of the project, the level of functionality required, and how prepared the business is.Wed, 25 Mar 2026 15:08:02 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/website-migration-seo/https://thedmlab.com/blog/website-migration-seo/Website migration is one of the most common and most misunderstood digital projects. Businesses often need to move platforms to improve performance, usability or scalability. But there’s always a concern: 👉 “Will we lose our SEO rankings?Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:03:51 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/website-cost-uk/https://thedmlab.com/blog/website-cost-uk/One of the most common questions businesses ask is: “How much should a website cost?” The honest answer is - it depends. Website costs vary significantly depending on complexity, functionality and business goals.Sun, 22 Mar 2026 10:10:07 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/crm-integration-lead-conversion/https://thedmlab.com/blog/crm-integration-lead-conversion/Why Leads Don’t Always Convert Many businesses focus heavily on generating leads. They invest in SEO, Google Ads and social media to drive traffic and enquiries. But generating leads is only part of the process.Wed, 18 Mar 2026 16:26:21 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/how-to-build-a-lead-generation-website/https://thedmlab.com/blog/how-to-build-a-lead-generation-website/Introduction A website should be more than an online brochure. For many organisations, the primary role of a website is to generate enquiries, consultations or sales. However, many websites fail to convert visitors because they focus on design rather than user journeys and acquisition strategy.Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:18:04 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/digital-systems-vs-digital-marketing-why-businesses-need-both/https://thedmlab.com/blog/digital-systems-vs-digital-marketing-why-businesses-need-both/Many organisations view digital purely through a marketing lens. Search engine optimisation, social media, and online advertising are often the first things that come to mind when discussing digital strategy.Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:38:37 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/what-is-digital-solutions-architecture/https://thedmlab.com/blog/what-is-digital-solutions-architecture/Why Digital Strategy Is About More Than Marketing When many organisations think about digital, they immediately think about marketing. SEO, social media and paid advertising are often the focus of digital conversations.Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:58:12 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/why-most-websites-fail-to-generate-leads/https://thedmlab.com/blog/why-most-websites-fail-to-generate-leads/Many businesses invest heavily in building a website, expecting it to generate enquiries and support growth. Yet in reality, a large number of websites produce very little return. They may look visually impressive, but they fail to attract the right visitors or convert interest into real opportunities.Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:55:42 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/how-to-turn-a-website-into-a-lead-generation-engine/https://thedmlab.com/blog/how-to-turn-a-website-into-a-lead-generation-engine/Why Most Business Websites Fail to Generate Leads Many business websites look impressive but fail to generate meaningful enquiries. This usually happens because the website was built primarily as a digital brochure, rather than a platform designed to attract and convert potential customers.Mon, 09 Mar 2026 12:12:09 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/wordpress-vs-custom-platforms-which-is-right-for-your-business/https://thedmlab.com/blog/wordpress-vs-custom-platforms-which-is-right-for-your-business/Why Platform Choice Matters One of the most important decisions when developing a new website or digital platform is choosing the right technology. Businesses often face a common question: Should we build a fully custom system or use WordPress?Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:19:30 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/chris-is-invited-to-buckingham-palace/https://thedmlab.com/blog/chris-is-invited-to-buckingham-palace/At The DM Lab, we’re incredibly proud to see our Director, Chris Tipping, receive an invitation from the Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire, Mr Edward Harley CBE, to attend a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace this year in recognition of his continued dedication to supporting the community and the County of Herefordshire.Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:02:18 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/how-to-improve-lead-quality-with-google-ads/https://thedmlab.com/blog/how-to-improve-lead-quality-with-google-ads/Why Lead Quality Matters More Than Lead Volume Many businesses measure the success of Google Ads campaigns by the number of leads generated. However, more leads does not necessarily mean better results.Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:54:52 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/how-to-turn-a-wordpress-website-into-a-lead-generation-engine/https://thedmlab.com/blog/how-to-turn-a-wordpress-website-into-a-lead-generation-engine/Many businesses launch a WordPress website and assume leads will follow. They don’t. A WordPress site only becomes a lead generation engine when it is engineered for: Clear positioning Structured user journeys Search visibility Conversion optimisation CRM tracking At The DM Lab, we build WordPress platforms with measurable outcomes in mind.Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:19:37 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/seo-for-manufacturing-companies-how-to-generate-industrial-leads-online/https://thedmlab.com/blog/seo-for-manufacturing-companies-how-to-generate-industrial-leads-online/Why SEO Matters for Manufacturing Businesses Manufacturing businesses have traditionally relied on reputation, distributor networks and long-term relationships to generate sales. However, procurement behaviour has changed significantly.Sun, 01 Mar 2026 13:59:41 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/digital-solutions-architecture/https://thedmlab.com/blog/digital-solutions-architecture/When many organisations think about digital strategy, they immediately think about marketing. SEO, social media and advertising often dominate discussions about online growth. But in reality, some of the most powerful digital transformations happen behind the scenes.Tue, 10 Feb 2026 10:08:00 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/seo-strategy-for-manufacturing-industrial-businesses/https://thedmlab.com/blog/seo-strategy-for-manufacturing-industrial-businesses/SEO for Manufacturing Companies: A Practical Approach Manufacturing businesses have traditionally relied on reputation, industry relationships and referrals to generate new work. However, modern procurement behaviour has changed.Tue, 03 Feb 2026 10:20:00 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/inside-the-dm-lab-how-a-small-agency-from-hereford-became-a-uk-digital-powerhouse/https://thedmlab.com/blog/inside-the-dm-lab-how-a-small-agency-from-hereford-became-a-uk-digital-powerhouse/We are so grateful to be given the opportunity to be interviewed by Cristina from TechBehemoths. Check it out in full below! Summary Chris Tipping, Marketing Director and Co-Founder of The DM Lab, shares his journey from young father to agency leader - blending sales expertise, tech skills, and a community-first mindset.Wed, 15 Oct 2025 09:54:02 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/rebranding-merchandise-for-quote-detective/https://thedmlab.com/blog/rebranding-merchandise-for-quote-detective/In the summer of 2023, The DM Lab were commissioned to rebrand national specialist non-standard motor insurance company ‘Quote Detective’. Directors David and Craig gave us free reign over our initial ideas.Mon, 22 Jan 2024 15:49:17 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/digital-marketing-apprenticeship-hazel/https://thedmlab.com/blog/digital-marketing-apprenticeship-hazel/Digital Marketing Apprenticeship The DM Lab would like to introduce you to our newest apprentice - Hazel! Hazel did work experience at The DM Lab when she was in year 10 and really enjoyed it. So, after doing her A-Levels she decided to do a Digital Marketing Apprenticeship though The Development Manager.Fri, 07 Oct 2022 12:27:22 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/work-experience-throughout-2022/https://thedmlab.com/blog/work-experience-throughout-2022/Education to employment. The DM Lab actively supports the idea of developing and retaining local talent in order to bridge the gap from education to employment We are pleased to have been able to offer work placements throughout 2022.Wed, 05 Oct 2022 13:34:52 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/artur-st-marys-week-work-experience/https://thedmlab.com/blog/artur-st-marys-week-work-experience/This week, we were able to accommodate our final week of work experience! Throughout 2022, we have welcomed 5 young people from different schools into our world - something that we are quite proud of.Fri, 30 Sep 2022 13:42:04 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/sticker-mule-custom-keychains/https://thedmlab.com/blog/sticker-mule-custom-keychains/We love the brand that we’ve created here at The DM Lab. With online businesses like Sticker Mule, they've made creating branded merchandise even easier! That’s why we’re always looking for cool new ways to get it out there.Tue, 13 Sep 2022 09:54:20 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/hereford-rugby-football-club-dm-lab/https://thedmlab.com/blog/hereford-rugby-football-club-dm-lab/We are delighted to share a few insights as to how we’ve been working with Hereford RFC over the summer. After the devastating floods and costly pandemic the Hereford Rugby Football Club has come back fighting.Wed, 07 Sep 2022 12:36:13 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/theo-paphitis-sbs-winners/https://thedmlab.com/blog/theo-paphitis-sbs-winners/Theo Paphitis' #SBS Winners! Herefordshire based business, The DM Lab, gets a Twitter Boost from Theo Paphitis! They were selected as one of the #SBS winners last night! A Herefordshire based firm has received a business boost from Retail Entrepreneur Theo Paphitis.Tue, 21 Jun 2022 11:11:04 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/hereford-work-experience/https://thedmlab.com/blog/hereford-work-experience/Hereford Work Experience At The DM Lab Blog Day 1 Chris put me on Photoshop a t the start of the work experience week. I had a go at graphic design. As I have used it before, i was tasked with designing a poster for an event at the Courtyard later in the coming year.Fri, 17 Jun 2022 12:47:36 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/work-experience-in-hereford-what-is-it-like/https://thedmlab.com/blog/work-experience-in-hereford-what-is-it-like/Wondering about where to go for work experience in Hereford? Meet Adam - The DM Lab's latest work experience student from The Hereford Academy. He has spent the full working week with us this week and has been challenged with a variety of different tasks ranging from front-end development to the basics of Photoshop.Fri, 20 May 2022 14:07:17 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/hmbiz-2022-expo-shell-store/https://thedmlab.com/blog/hmbiz-2022-expo-shell-store/Herefordshire Means Business Expo 2022 Well, it has been a minute since we last did anything like this...Or anything with the #HMBiz team for that matter! It was well overdue, very much missed so we were in from the get-go.Fri, 13 May 2022 10:02:02 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/herefordshire-means-business-2022-expo/https://thedmlab.com/blog/herefordshire-means-business-2022-expo/Herefordshire Means Business 2022 Expo Ahead of the Herefordshire Means Business 2022 Expo, we wanted to give you a heads up about what you can expect from us as exhibitors First off, we have a special publication made for the event!Thu, 12 May 2022 06:00:56 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/whats-the-dm-lab-all-about-then/https://thedmlab.com/blog/whats-the-dm-lab-all-about-then/What's the deal? Despite almost 12 years in business, it still surprises us that people either don't realise who we are, what we do and what the 'DM' in The DM Lab stands for! So, let's recap! The business, built on blood, sweat and tears by Chris and Dale (yes, there's more than one main dude at The DM Lab), but yes, Chris is the 'main' main dude who is the bands' frontman if you will.Tue, 10 May 2022 14:22:03 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/mind-over-mountains-wellbeing-gesture/https://thedmlab.com/blog/mind-over-mountains-wellbeing-gesture/Mind Over Mountains Wellbeing Gesture Times are still tough, despite the worst of it behind us. However some people are struggling & although we can't help everyone we can, at least, help some. Is everything beginning to feel a bit much?Thu, 05 May 2022 14:09:00 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/katie-newest-work-experience-recruit/https://thedmlab.com/blog/katie-newest-work-experience-recruit/Meet Katie - our newest work experience recruit! Whenever we can, we've always strived to create work experience opportunities for as many people as possible. Katie has been with us a few weeks now. Having expressed an interest in IT, we took the opportunity to further this interest.Thu, 24 Feb 2022 14:02:16 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/chris-named-man-year-womens-business-awards/https://thedmlab.com/blog/chris-named-man-year-womens-business-awards/LOCAL WOMEN’S BUSINESS 2021 AWARD WINNER ANNOUNCED The Women’s Business Awards is the highlight of the year. On Thursday 2nd December, the annual awards ceremony took place virtually. It was a celebration of the best business women and men from various sectors and locations.Fri, 03 Dec 2021 11:39:10 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/man-of-the-year-finalist/https://thedmlab.com/blog/man-of-the-year-finalist/'Man of the Year' Finalist at the Women's Business Awards! Hi everyone, Chris here, just wanted to let you know about some fantastic news I received recently! I have been nominated and have now become a 'Man of the Year' finalist at the Women's Business Awards!Fri, 22 Oct 2021 09:28:50 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/national-apprenticeship-awards-2021/https://thedmlab.com/blog/national-apprenticeship-awards-2021/National Apprenticeship Awards 2021 As you may be aware, this Wednesday we’ll be attending the virtual National Apprenticeship Awards 2021!! In case you forgot or weren’t aware, Harv is a finalist in the ‘Rising Star of the Year’ category.Mon, 18 Oct 2021 05:00:23 GMTBloghttps://thedmlab.com/blog/human-factors-workshop/https://thedmlab.com/blog/human-factors-workshop/The DM Lab Attend The Human Factors Workshop Last week, the team were lucky enough to attend the Human Factors Workshop, delivered by Ellen at the Cyber & Security Centre in Hereford. We all took so much away from the workshop and would highly recommend it to other businesses.Sat, 16 Oct 2021 08:14:39 GMTBlog