Georgie Holland: First Impessions

Before joining, I spent several years honing my SEO skills in-house within the radio industry. It was a brilliant foundation – I’d learned the ins and outs of creating, analysing and optimising – but for one business. This meant one type of audience, and ultimately one set of goals. At one point, I realised I’d learned everything I could there.

I found myself often asked by friends and family: “So, how do you do SEO?’ – a question that often perplexed me. It sounds simple enough, but where do you start explaining your entire career so far in one sentence? It then got me thinking… Outside of my familiar in-house bubble, how would I do SEO for a completely different business? Or, for that matter, 10 of them?

That thought stuck. I knew I wanted to go from mastering SEO for one business to mastering it for all kinds of businesses.

Turning Curiosity Into Growth

Here’s the reality…relying on one channel these days is like only ever charging your phone to 10%. It works for a bit, but eventually you’re stuck with no battery when you need it most.

I knew that to really develop – to get tested, properly hands-on and collaborate with people who truly know their stuff and actually learn from them – I needed to be in an agency environment. I also wanted that variety; the chance to work across different industries and see how SEO works in all kinds of settings.

Already familiar with Squidgy, thanks to a close friend having sung their praises (a strong start), when I saw they ranked first for SEO in Newcastle, that was a bit of a mic-drop moment. A pretty solid endorsement in itself, not that I’m biased. After a little dig through their site and a LinkedIn snoop, it was clear that their values and approach totally aligned with mine – with a shared ‘get things done’ attitude. And as someone who’s never exactly struggled for words, I also have to appreciate a company that proudly dedicates a section of its site to ‘the home of no-nonsense, self-deprecating thoughts and opinions from Team Squidgy’. A perfect fit, really.

So, I reached out to Andy, and meeting for a coffee, Andy and I talked about my goals and Squidgy’s journey – and how the two could fit together. Hearing how the team’s structure supports not only growth, but exploration, I knew this was the kind of environment I wanted to be part of.

Four Months Later

Fast-forward to now, and it’s safe to say I’ve already learned so much. That being said, I still have plenty to pick everyone’s brains about (I’d thank them all individually, but that would pretty much just be the entire team list). What’s genuinely refreshing is how open everyone is to collaboration and questions. Squidgy isn’t just about individual growth, it’s about shared growth – translating into real impact and meaningful results. Everyone’s a specialist in something different, which makes every day a bit of a masterclass.

It’s rare to find a team where everyone is not only brilliant at what they do, but genuinely inspiring to be around – and that’s something I really value here at Squidgy.

Here’s to What’s Next

I’d be lying if I didn’t say that taking the leap from a comfortable in-house role to the agency world felt daunting – but I can confidently say it’s been the best decision I could’ve made. Among the many things my first four months at Squidgy have taught me, nearing the top of the list has to be this: When you jump in head-first with the right people around you, good things happen.

So, here’s to four months down, and many more to come… Especially if the snack bar keeps up the good work.

The Final Word: Stop Choosing, Start working together

For too long, brands have treated paid social and PPC as if one had to take priority over the other. But the reality is, they’re not competing, they compliment each other.

Paid social builds awareness and engages new audiences. PPC captures intent and drives conversions. Together, they guide customers smoothly from first discovering your brand to taking action.

Brands that get this right aren’t just achieving short-term wins, they’re setting the stage for long-term growth and stronger brand recognition.

If sustainable growth is the goal, stop viewing Paid Social and PPC as rivals. When aligned and working together, they create a seamless journey from awareness to conversion, covering all parts of the marketing funnel.