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Cedarwood Digital Wins Big at the European Search Awards 2025! 🏆

We’re absolutely thrilled to share that Cedarwood Digital has taken home five trophies from this year’s European Search Awards – including all three Agency of the Year categories!

🥇 Best Small SEO Agency

🥇 Best Small PPC Agency

🥇 Best Small Integrated Agency

Winning these three awards is a huge honour – not only do they recognise our team’s dedication across SEO, PPC and integrated campaigns, but they also position Cedarwood as one of the top-performing agencies in Europe. That’s a huge milestone for us, and one we’re incredibly proud to achieve.

Award-Winning Campaign Work

In addition to agency accolades, we were also recognised for the outstanding results of our client campaigns, winning:

  • Best Use of Search (FMCG)
  • Best Use of Search (iGaming)

These awards celebrate the strategic, creative and data-led work we deliver for our clients day in, day out. It’s amazing to see that effort recognised on a European stage.

A Standout Year For Growth & Community

2024/2025 has been a standout year for Cedarwood Digital. Not only have we seen incredible growth as an agency, but we’ve also focused on giving back to the community and helping shape the future of digital marketing talent.

This year alone, we:

  • Launched Manchester DM, a brand-new digital marketing meetup focused on sharing knowledge and growing the northern digital community.
  • Partnered with colleges to help students upskill and explore careers in SEO, PPC and beyond.
  • Delivered talks, training and insights at a range of conferences and events across the UK.

It’s been a year of ambition, collaboration and meaningful impact – and we couldn’t be prouder.

Thank You

A massive thank you to Don’t Panic Events for organising such a brilliant event and to the judges who dedicated so much time reviewing entries – your hard work doesn’t go unnoticed.

And of course, to our team, clients and community – thank you for being part of the journey. Here’s to continuing to push boundaries, drive performance and make 2025 our best year yet.

Cheers to what’s next! 🥂

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Director Amanda On The Main Stage @ Brighton SEO

For her fourth time speaking at Brighton SEO, Director Amanda took to the main stage at Brighton SEO to deliver a talk on “Reimagining E-E-A-T: Using Ethos, Pathos And Logos To Boost SEO Campaigns” drawing on skills that she learnt when studying philosophy at school, Amanda discussed how the valuable rhetoric of Ethos, Pathos and Logos can be applied to SEO campaigns to not just improve performance, but most importantly to improve conversion rate and drive sales and leads – which at the end of the day is why everyone does it!

At the event which had over 2,000 attendees, Amanda went into detail about how to apply these principles to your SEO campaigns and why doing so plays such an important role in ensuring your maximising your return on investment. Key focus areas included:

  • Understanding that 87% of people will leave the conversion funnel if they read a negative review or mention of your website – brand perception and awareness is key and building/protecting your reputation plays a key role in this

  • Showcasing “benefits” not “features” – why should I use your product/service, what benefit does it have to me? Rather than just listing a specific feature it has, appeal to the user’s emotional side by helping them to understand how it could help them

  • Matching user intent plays an important role in keeping users in the funnel – understanding what type of content best resonates with them is important here, do they want content that showcases experience or expertise? Or sometimes do they want a mixture of both?

  • Utilising Digital PR effectively to build reputation – how to best use your thought leadership and data-led campaigns to make people find your brand online and ensuring that when people are researching they’re finding what they need to to better understand your brand.

Overall, the outline of the talk focused on how Aristotle utilised “rhetoric” to help persuade an audience to do something – not too different from what we try to do in modern day SEO and provided relatable takeaways that not only help to align E-E-A-T (specifically in YMYL industries) but also help to boost those all important conversion rates.

A big thankyou to everyone who attended the talk – please reach out if you’d like a copy of the deck!

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Director Amanda Walls Speaks At The SEO Mastery Summit, Saigon (Vietnam)

Our Director Amanda Walls was on stage at the SEO Mastery Summit, Saigon last week discussing “Using Digital PR To Simultaneously Boost SEO And CRO”

The SEO Mastery Summit is one of the most highly regarded SEO conferences in the world with nearly 500 delegates from around the world attending the week-long conference each year & Amanda was delighted to have been invited to speak at the event. The conference is held each year in Ho Chi Minh City and attracts a huge international audience.

“The SEO Mastery Summit is one of the leading SEO events in the world so it’s great to be able to get on stage and share knowledge with as well as learn from some of the world’s best SEO’s,” she said.

Also on stage, were leading SEO speakers including Craig Campbell, Kavi Kardos, SEO Jesus, Christopher Hofman and many more…

Key themes of the conference focused around the rise of AI and how we can adapt it into strategy to help improve efficiencies, as well as looking at personal branding and the rise of this within SEO. There were many cutting-edge talks discussing recent Google algorithm updates and how to stay ahead of the evolving landscape, as well as some great social networking events and a chance to meet SEOs from all over the world.

Overall, the conference had some great actionable takeaways to bring home for clients, in addition to being a great way to learn from and speak in front of some of the world’s leading SEOs.

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PPC Talks – Head Of Paid Social Anna’s Talk With Digital Superchats

On the 14th of January, our Head of Paid Media & Operations, Anna Simpson, spoke at Digital Superchats #15 – Paid Media Strategy & Performance Edition. 

Her talk was titled “Making Performance Max Work For Your Business Goals” and broke down the complexities of Performance Max, offering an actionable framework to help in-house marketers and paid media professionals align these campaigns with clear business objectives. The focus was on practical strategies that empower teams to guide PMax’s automated learning to outcomes that matter. Also covered was how to structure campaigns, optimise assets, and set metrics that map directly to business priorities, thereby giving you the tools to make PMax work for your brand’s specific path. Lastly, Anna covered how to align PMax with today’s goals, exploring what is next for automation in paid media and how to prepare for Google’s evolving ecosystem, setting the stage for a more strategic and impactful use of PMax. 

Key takeaways include: 

  • How to gain a straightforward, no-nonsense understanding of Performance Max and how it operates across Google’s ecosystem.
  • Understanding how to set up Performance Max campaigns that align closely with specific business objectives, ensuring automation supports your unique goals. 
  • Learning actionable techniques for optimising campaign structure, assets, and targeting to guide Performance Max’s automation towards meaningful results, from driving revenue to increasing brand visibility. 

Want to attend future Digital Superchats? Check out their On Demand Events here.

If you are interested in any other Cedarwood news or marketing tips, check out our blog page here and have a read!

Digital Marketing Careers - Director Amanda’s Talk With Loreto College

Digital Marketing Careers – Director Amanda’s Talk With Loreto College

This past Thursday our director, Amanda Walls, did a talk at Loreto College to share her expertise on how students can kick-start their careers in digital marketing! 

From emerging industry trends to the in-demand skills employers are looking for, she provided insights to help students navigate the opportunities available as well as increase their awareness of career areas that require growth. 

Specific topics covered include:

  • Building your foundation – exploring areas like SEO, social media marketing, content marketing, and PPC, and starting with free resources like Google Skillshop and HubSpot Academy
  • Gaining practical experience – considering a side project to test-launch a blog or social media page to experiment with strategies in a low-risk setting.
  • Getting certified – boosting your resume with free certifications in Google AdsMeta Ads Manager, and Hubspot Content Marketing.
  • Networking & learning from others – connecting with industry professionals, joining groups, and sharing insights to grow your visibility, as well as attending events to learn from industry experts.
  • Staying curious & updated – considering that learning does not end when you leave education and keeping up with experts for tips and trends, as well as skimming marketing newsletters and websites for up-to-date information.
  • Understanding transferable skills – you will have a skill set that you’ve developed for digital marketing without even realising it. Think about your emotional intelligence, interactions with peers, and the way that you complete work. All of this is transferable into a new role and it’s about identifying how to transfer it!  

“These talks are so rewarding to be able to give back to the community and as a business who hires a lot of graduates and helps them get their foot in the door of the industry, we are well-placed to be able to give them the information that they need!” – Amanda. 

If you would like us to come and deliver a talk like this at a school or college near you then please get in touch! 

Also, check out our Manchester DM events for upcoming, free industry learning opportunities! 

If you are interested in any other Cedarwood news or marketing tips, check out our blog page here and have a read!

Copy of Digital Marketing Careers - Director Amanda’s Talk With Loreto College

PPC Talks – Head Of Paid Social Anna’s Talk With The Go! Network

On the 30th of January, our Head of Paid Media & Operations, Anna Simpson, spoke at a virtual workshop about challenging the biggest PPC myths and unlocking smarter strategies for PPC success, courtesy of The Go! Network

Anna’s talking points included: 

  • Why do some brands believe they can manage PPC without external expertise, and what’s the reality? 
  • What’s the best approach to aligning PPC efforts with overall business goals?
  • How do you determine the right budget for PPC campaigns, especially for smaller businesses?
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If you fancy a listen to these expert insights, practical takeaways, and real-world case studies, check out the workshop here

Also, if you are interested in any other Cedarwood news or marketing tips, check out our blog page here and have a read!

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Cedarwood Wins SIX UK Search Awards

We are over the moon to announce that we won SIX UK Search Awards at the event last Wednesday – a great way to finish off a record year in 2024! 🎉

On the night we took home:

🏆 Best Small PPC Agency
🏆 Best Small Integrated Agency
🏆 Best SEO Agency (Silver)
🏆 Best Use Of Search (Healthcare) – Patient Claim Line
🏆 Best Low Budget PPC Campaign – Salt Of The Earth
🏆 Best Use Of Search B2C (PPC) – Salt Of The Earth

2024 has been a great year for us as we continue to grow from strength to strength, improving partnerships with our existing clients while growing each of our departments in turn so it’s great to have been recognised in particular for the agency awards which are testament to this.

It was a great evening all round and we are already looking forward to 2025!

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Director Amanda On The Main Stage At Brighton SEO

Having attended Brighton SEO for over a decade now, I can safely say that it’s one of the best, if not the best SEO conference in the world, so I was absolutely delighted when asked to speak on the main stage this year covering the topic “SEO For YMYL Websites”

For those of you that don’t know what YMYL is, it stands for “Your Money Your Life” and it’s a term that was coined by Google to cover websites that can have an impact on someone’s money or life. At Cedarwood, we specialise in working with companies like this and with years of experience building links in particularly tricky industries i.e. gaming, vaping, medical, legal so it was great to be able to share some knowledge about this with the community.

So what were some of the key takeaways from the talk?

  • User intent is key – matching user intent plays a huge role in the YMYL space and it’s really important that we are keeping this in mind. This ties in really well with the idea of creating a “satisfying amount of content” – that is the right amount of content for a user, not a certain number of words, to answer the questions/queries they might have and allow them to make an informed decision
  • Reputation is important –  in particular your external reputation. Google yourself – see what people are saying about you and make sure that you work to build your reputation with effective Digital PR – this will go a long way to helping what people have to say about you and also what Google are seeing being said about you
  • Showcase your trust signals – whether it’s through industry accreditations or simply by telling people why they should trust you, showcasing this on your website and on external websites plays an important role on building those all important E-E-A-T signals
  • And on the topic of E-E-A-T, making sure that it shines through in everything that you do. Google have openly stated that for YMYL websites they place a heavier weight on E-E-A-T signals so it’s important that those are showcased at every opportunity
  • Finally, making sure that the look and feel of your content matches the expertise of it – there’s no point having great content only for it to look “amateurish” – take time to consider the way content is displayed and that it matches the expertise you are showcasing.

I had a great time in Brighton, got to meet some fantastic people and hear from some thought leaders across the industry.

You can find a link to my full slide deck here: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/amanda-walls-brighton-seo-seo-for-ymyl-websites-9pptx/267570020

Until October!

How we delivered 100+ top tier links by jumping on a trending topic.

Cedarwood Take Home 4 Northern Digital Awards!

We’re delighted to share our success at the Northern Digital Awards last week! 

We attended the awards ceremony here in Manchester on Thursday and were awarded: 

🏅Search Agency Of The Year

🏅Best SEO Campaign (Patient Claim Line)

🏅Best Digital Marketing Campaign – B2C (Little Loans)

🏅Best Digital Marketing Campaign – Finance (Cash Lady)

We are so pleased with this outcome, especially given the tough competition from a host of esteemed agencies. It’s really exciting to see our hard work this year recognised through such respected awards.

Here’s what the judges had to say:

Thank you to our clients for another successful year, and a huge well done to the team for their efforts! 

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Cedarwood Digital Nominated For 6 Northern Digital Awards

We are so happy to share that we have been nominated for six Northern Digital Awards 2024 nominations. As we approach the end of our best year yet at Cedarwood, it is so great to see our hard work recognised.

We have been nominated for:


⭐ Best Digital Marketing Campaign – Finance
⭐ Best Digital Marketing Campaign – B2C
⭐ Best SEO Campaign
⭐ Search Agency Of The Year
⭐ Integrated Search Agency Of The Year
⭐ Best Small Digital Agency Of The Year

In 2022 we were awarded Silver for Best Small Digital Agency Of The Year and look forward to hopefully taking home another award in 2024! 🏆

Congratulations to the other nominees and a huge well done to our team at Cedarwood Digital. 👏

We look forward to seeing everyone at the ceremony on the 25th of January. You can see the full shortlist here: https://northerndigitalawards.com/2024-shortlist/

How we delivered 100+ top tier links by jumping on a trending topic. (1)

Cedarwood Win UK Ecommerce Agency Of The Year!

We’re delighted to announce that we took home the UK Ecommerce Agency Of The Year award at last night’s UK Ecommerce Awards, to add to the awards that we have won at this event over the last two years!

We also had some great feedback from the judges on our entry:

Congratulations to all of the staff & our clients on a successful year in 2023!

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Cedarwood Nominated For 12 UK Search Awards!

What a great way to end the week! ⚡️ – We’re delighted to announce that Cedarwood has been nominated for 12 UK Search Awards after our best year ever for digital marketing performance.

The nominations follow on from our success last year where we won:

🎊 Best Use Of Search (Finance)

🎊 Best Use Of PR In Search (Silver)

🎊 Best SEO Agency (Silver)

We have been nominated for:

💥 Best Use Of Search (Finance) x2

💥 Best Use Of Search (Retail PPC)

💥 Best Use Of Search (B2C)

💥 Best Use Of Search (Health)

💥 Best Use Of Content Marketing

💥 Best Use Of PR In Search x2

💥 Best Use Of Data (PPC)

💥 Best PPC Agency

💥 Best SEO Agency

💥 Best Integrated Agency

The event will be held at Bloomsbury Big Top on November 30th and we are looking forwards to seeing everyone on the night! You can find a full list of all nominees here: https://searchawards.co.uk/2023-shortlist/