The Hidden Complexity of Charity Websites: Why So Many Quietly Break

The Hidden Complexity of Charity Websites: Why So Many Quietly Break

Most people think a website is just a website. But for charities, it’s far more than that, it’s about trust, compliance, service delivery and, often, supporting vulnerable people in real time. In this episode of The Marketing PowWow, host Dan Bullock and Rich Brown unpack why charity websites are fundamentally more complex than commercial ones, and why so many slowly become harder to manage, harder to trust and harder to use, often without anyone noticing. Drawing on real experience inside the sector and building the digital systems charities rely on, they explore how good intentions and layered-on fixes create technical debt over time, why compliance and accessibility raise the stakes, and what a genuinely well-built charity website looks like. As they put it: the best charity websites aren’t the most complex, they’re the most intentional. If your organisation’s site no longer does what it was built to do, this conversation is a useful place to start. All episodes of The Marketing PowWow are available at https://www.qbd.co.uk/powwow [https://www.qbd.co.uk/powwow]. Watch now, and don’t forget to subscribe for future insights from The Marketing PowWow. Guest Bio Rich Brown is Head of Lead Generation at QBD and brings deep charity sector experience, having worked with organisations including Cancer Research UK, Acorns and JustGiving. He’s also the founder of his own charity and has consulted across multiple charities, giving him a rare view of both the day-to-day realities inside charitable organisations and the digital systems that support them. Host Dan Bullock, Director at QBD Mentioned Resources & Links • Meal a Day — https://www.meal-a-day.org [https://www.meal-a-day.org] 0:00 Start 1:29 Charity Background 7:50 What is different for charity websites? 10:06 Compliance 14:38 Charity Website Challenges 17:13 Plugins 19:21 Access 23:27 Our Recommendations 30:30 Trust 36:48 Navigation 38:32 Top 3 things you can review right now #CharityWebsites #DigitalForGood #WebDesign #NonprofitMarketing #CharitySector

The Silent Killer: Why Your Landing Pages Are Costing You Customers

You could be spending hundreds, even thousands, on digital marketing every month. But if the page people land on isn't doing its job, you might as well be filling a bucket full of holes. In this episode of The Marketing PowWow, host Molly Sneath is joined by Rich Brown, QBD's Head of Lead Generation, to unpack one of the most overlooked factors in digital marketing: the landing page. Rich and Molly dig into why so many businesses treat landing pages as an afterthought, and why that decision is quietly destroying their results. From the common mistake of sending paid traffic straight to a homepage, to what a truly high-converting landing page actually looks like, this episode covers the ground that most marketers miss. You'll hear why your ads, emails and social posts are only as strong as the page they lead to, what the real hidden costs of running a campaign look like, how to match your landing page to where your customer is in their journey, and why social proof, clear calls to action and dealing with objections on the page can make the single biggest difference to your conversion rate. Whether you're running Google Ads, Facebook campaigns or email marketing, this is essential listening for any business owner or marketer who wants to generate more leads without spending more money. About Rich Brown: Rich is QBD's Head of Lead Generation, responsible for helping businesses get the most from their digital marketing platforms. His focus is on turning online activity into real leads and sales, helping clients achieve their growth objectives through smarter, more strategic marketing. Find more episodes and subscribe at: https://www.qbd.co.uk/powwow #LandingPageOptimisation #LandingPageMistakes #DigitalMarketing #LeadGeneration #ConversionRateOptimisation #GoogleAds #PaidAdvertising #PPCMarketing #MarketingTipsForSmallBusiness #QBDPodcast #MarketingPowWow #LandingPageDesign #HowToBuildALandingPage #EmailMarketing #SocialMediaMarketing #SMEMarketingUK

Your Questions Answered: Conversion, Visibility and Long-Term Marketing Success

In this episode of The Marketing PowWow, Rich Brown and Liam Maskell tackle the questions QBD's team hears most often in client meetings and strategy sessions. From understanding why your website matters to building landing pages that actually convert, this practical FAQ session covers the fundamentals every growing business needs to get right. Rich and Liam discuss the different types of websites, common landing page mistakes, and what separates high-performing pages from those that fail to deliver results. If you've ever wondered whether your website is working as hard as it should, or how to create focused pages that turn visitors into customers, this episode provides clear, actionable answers. All episodes of The Marketing PowWow are available at https://www.qbd.co.uk/powwow [https://www.qbd.co.uk/powwow]. Watch now, and don't forget to subscribe for future insights from The Marketing PowWow. Guest Bio: Liam Maskell is Head of Sales at QBD, where he works with growing businesses to identify their digital marketing needs and match them with tailored solutions. With extensive experience in consultative sales and client relationship management, Liam specialises in helping organisations understand how digital marketing strategies can support their growth objectives. His practical approach to sales focuses on listening to business challenges and translating them into actionable marketing plans that deliver measurable results. Mentioned Resources & Links: QBD Pulse: https://www.qbd.co.uk/pulse [https://www.qbd.co.uk/pulse] The Marketing PowWow podcast: https://www.qbd.co.uk/powwow [https://www.qbd.co.uk/powwow] Liam Maskell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liammaskell24/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/liammaskell24/] Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:10 Why is a good website important for your business? 2:31 What kinds of websites are there? 3:49 Landing Pages 4:27 Why have a landing page? 10:48 Why should social and search engines understand your website? 11:45 What are the technical things robots are looking for? 14:02 AI and Search 16:55 How can I check my website is being ranked by robots? 18:55 Once the website is live, why keep improving it? 28:59 How many social platforms should I be on, and how often to post? 30:41 What marketing budget should a business have? 31:26 Should I hire someone to do marketing? 32:00 What is the biggest mistake businesses make with their marketing? 33:17 What is EEAT 34:09 How to connect with Liam #DigitalMarketing #WebsiteOptimisation #LandingPages #LeadGeneration #MarketingStrategy

The Social Shift: Why social media as we knew it, is dead

Social media as we once knew it is over. With 83% of Facebook content and 93% of Instagram posts coming from sources you don't follow, algorithms and AI now decide what appears in your feed. In this episode of The Marketing PowWow, host Rich Brown (Head of Lead Generation at QBD) is joined by Liam Maskell (Head of Sales at QBD) to explore how businesses can thrive in this new landscape where feeds are built on preferences, not people. They reveal why "training the robots" through consistent, clear messaging is essential for visibility, and share practical strategies for turning social media activity into real business results. The discussion covers the shift from connection to consumption, the rise of AI-generated content, and introduces QBD's Pulse programme - an ongoing marketing framework that keeps businesses visible across search, social, and their own digital assets. All episodes of The Marketing PowWow are available at https://www.qbd.co.uk/powwow [https://www.qbd.co.uk/powwow]. Watch now, and don't forget to subscribe for future insights from The Marketing PowWow. Guest Bio: Liam Maskell is Head of Sales at QBD, where he leads business development and helps clients navigate the evolving digital marketing landscape. With a focus on strategic growth and digital transformation, Liam specialises in translating complex marketing concepts into practical business solutions. His expertise spans across helping businesses understand how to maintain visibility in algorithm-driven environments and building sustainable marketing momentum through integrated digital strategies. Mentioned Resources & Links: * QBD Pulse Programme: qbd.co.uk/pulse [https://qbd.co.uk/pulse] Hashtags: #DigitalMarketing #SocialMediaStrategy #AIMarketing #AlgorithmOptimisation #ContentStrategy

Scroll to Success: How to Solve the Social Media Puzzle

Most businesses dive straight into posting on social media without laying the proper groundwork. They wonder why they're not seeing results. In this episode of The Marketing PowWow, host Rich Brown sits down with QBD Marketing Specialist Molly Sneath to uncover the essential foundations that successful social media strategies are built on. Molly reveals why most companies are approaching social media completely backwards and shares the strategic framework that actually drives business growth. From the profile mistakes that kill your reach before you even start, to the recent platform changes that caught everyone off guard, this conversation is packed with actionable insights that will transform how you think about social media. In this episode, you'll discover: * Why your bio might be sabotaging your entire social media strategy * The content format maze and which types actually get results (hint: it's not what most people think) * Instagram's game-changing July update that left businesses scrambling (and how to stay ahead next time) * The surprising truth about posting frequency that could save you hours each week * When businesses should make the leap to paid social and the costly mistakes to avoid * The "leaky bucket" problem that's wasting your social media efforts (and how to fix it) * Molly's essential pre-flight checklist before launching any social media strategy Whether you're struggling with organic reach, drowning in content creation, or wondering if paid social is worth the investment, Molly's expert insights will help you build a foundation that actually works. About Molly Sneath: Molly is a Marketing Specialist at QBD, where she manages social media strategies for dozens of clients across various industries. With hands-on experience in organic social media growth, content strategy, and platform optimisation, Molly helps businesses cut through the noise and build sustainable social media presences that drive real results. Connect with Molly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-sneath/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-sneath/] All episodes of The Marketing PowWow are available at https://www.qbd.co.uk/powwow [https://www.qbd.co.uk/powwow]. Watch now, and don't forget to subscribe for future insights from The Marketing PowWow. Hashtags: #SocialMediaStrategy #DigitalMarketing #SocialMediaMarketing #BusinessGrowth #ContentStrategy #MarketingPowWow #SocialMediaTips #DigitalStrategy #MarketingPodcast