{"id":1962,"date":"2022-01-16T19:35:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-16T19:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/?p=1962"},"modified":"2025-07-13T12:47:26","modified_gmt":"2025-07-13T12:47:26","slug":"designrush-is-a-part-of-our-seo-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/designrush-is-a-part-of-our-seo-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"Design Rush is part of our SEO strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Table_of_Contents\"><\/span>Table of Contents<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#introduction-to-design-rush\">\nThe Real Problem with Agency Directories<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-made-design-rush-worth-testing\">\nWhat Made DesignRush Worth Testing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-we-approached-it-differently\">How We Approached It Differently<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-actually-happened-and-why-it-matters\">What Actually Happened (and Why It Matters)<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#the-real-lesson-visibility-without-intent-is-just-vanity\">The Real Lesson: Visibility Without Intent is Just Vanity<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-to-ask-before-you-join-any-directory\">What to Ask Before You Join Any Directory<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#final-word-stop-chasing-tactics-start-building-authority\">Final Word: Stop Chasing Tactics. Start Building Authority<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0c489ff4 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:#1d1d24;padding-top:32px;padding-right:32px;padding-bottom:40px;padding-left:32px\"><div class=\"wp-block-heading container-post container\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tldr\">TLDR<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most directories are vanity plays. We treated DesignRush like an SEO asset, and it paid off. <br><br>Here\u2019s how we turned one listing into traffic, leads, and long-term authority, by thinking commercially (not transactionally).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading container-post container\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"introduction-to-design-rush\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Real_Problem_with_Agency_Directories\"><\/span><br><strong>The Real Problem with Agency Directories<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most agency directories are pointless.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You know the type. Lists claiming to show the \u201cTop 10 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/hub\/how-much-does-web-design-cost-in-surrey\/\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"134\">Web Design<\/a> Agencies in London\u201d or \u201cBest App Developers in the UK.\u201d Usually paid placements, padded with fluff, linking to agencies no serious founder has ever heard of.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-list container-post container\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They\u2019re not written for buyers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They\u2019re written for backlinks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>And everyone\u2019s in on the game.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As someone who\u2019s helped build digital platforms for brands like Nuffield Health, Catch, and Orbus Software, I can tell you, these directories rarely drive qualified leads. Not the kind who know what they want. Not the kind ready to build.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And yet, they keep popping up in pitches and SEO decks like they\u2019re a serious growth lever.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They\u2019re not.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not unless you treat them differently.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because here\u2019s the thing: directories can still work , but only if they show up&nbsp;<strong>where your buyers are actually searching<\/strong>. That\u2019s the difference between vanity and visibility. And that\u2019s what led us, unexpectedly, to DesignRush.  (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.designrush.com\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.designrush.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">https:\/\/www.designrush.com<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.designrush.com)\">)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(But not for the reason you might think.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<section id=\"image-block_628d1c12e7ba61804375446fd4d42478\" class=\"image  block block--image\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"block__content image__content container \">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/designrush-1-1600x1000.jpg\" class=\" image__image  onview \" alt=\"DesignRush website featuring Ronins\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 \u2022 \u2022<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading container-post container\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-made-design-rush-worth-testing\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Made_DesignRush_Worth_Testing\"><\/span><br><strong>What Made DesignRush Worth Testing<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When one of the team suggested submitting Ronins to DesignRush, my gut reaction was a firm no.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve seen too many of these sites cluttering the search results, more badge factory than buyer funnel. But this time, I didn\u2019t dismiss it outright. We ran the numbers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DesignRush pulls in&nbsp;<strong>over half a million visits a month<\/strong>, and more importantly, it was&nbsp;<strong>ranking on page one<\/strong>&nbsp;for the exact phrases our ideal clients were typing into Google:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-list container-post container\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/digital-product-agency\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"7050\">Best digital product agency UK<\/a>\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/web-design-london\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"91\">Web design agencies London<\/a>\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/mobile-app-developers\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"2201\">Top app developers Surrey<\/a>\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That changed the conversation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This wasn\u2019t a credibility play. It was&nbsp;<strong>a commercial test<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-list container-post container\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>High-intent keywords? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strong domain authority (DR73)? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Real decision-maker traffic from the UK? <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No fluff. Just logic. If someone\u2019s searching for agencies like ours and DesignRush shows up first,  we\u2019d rather they find&nbsp;<em>Ronins<\/em>&nbsp;than a holding page portfolio.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was never about ego.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was about showing up&nbsp;<em>at the moment of intent<\/em>,  with something sharp, clear and relevant.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And that\u2019s exactly what we built the profile to do.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 \u2022 \u2022<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading container-post container\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-we-approached-it-differently\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_We_Approached_It_Differently\"><\/span><strong>How We Approached It Differently<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We didn\u2019t treat it like a trophy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No \u201cTop 10\u201d badge slapped on our homepage. No humblebragging on LinkedIn. No pretending it meant more than it did.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, we approached DesignRush the same way we approach any marketing channel:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Does it drive the right traffic, to the right place, at the right moment?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So we wrote the listing like a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/hub\/7-ways-to-boost-lead-generation-with-landing-pages\/\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"135\">landing page<\/a>:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-list container-post container\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Real positioning, not generic fluff<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Commercial language, not creative waffle<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Case studies that show outcomes, not just outputs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then we set up tracking, referral source, dwell time, CTA clicks,  and slotted it into our wider SEO model: one high authority backlink supporting a&nbsp;<strong>value-led content ecosystem<\/strong>, not just a numbers play.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most agencies use these directories to tick a box.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We used it to test a signal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And that\u2019s the difference.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It wasn\u2019t a tactic. It was an&nbsp;<em>experiment in discoverability<\/em>,  where clarity and timing beat badges and placement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The result? Not noise. Not vanity metrics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Leads. Real ones.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The kind who knew what they wanted\u2026 and were ready to move.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 \u2022 \u2022<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading container-post container\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-actually-happened-and-why-it-matters\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Actually_Happened_and_Why_It_Matters\"><\/span><strong>What Actually Happened (and Why It Matters)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Within a few weeks of going live, the signal came through.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not vanity traffic. Not random clicks. But qualified leads,  from scale up founders and marketing directors who\u2019d already done their homework and were now looking for a serious digital partner.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We saw:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-list container-post container\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Referral traffic with intent<\/strong>:  longer time-on-site, deeper page views, lower bounce than our PPC campaigns.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Backlink benefit<\/strong>: the DR73 link helped strengthen our overall domain profile, especially when paired with well-structured content on our own site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Actual conversations<\/strong>: the kind that start with \u201cI saw you on DesignRush\u2026 can you help us with something similar to Catch or Orbus?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s not noise. That\u2019s commercial momentum.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And it proved the point: when a directory ranks&nbsp;<em>ahead of your website<\/em>&nbsp;for your most valuable keywords, ignoring it is just handing the traffic to someone else.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This wasn\u2019t a one-size-fits-all strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was a decision rooted in&nbsp;<strong>buyer psychology and search behaviour<\/strong>,  the kind of thinking we bring to every SEO and CRO engagement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because in the end, visibility only matters if it shows up at the right moment, with the right message, for the right audience.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And DesignRush, surprisingly, did all three.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 \u2022 \u2022<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading container-post container\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-real-lesson-visibility-without-intent-is-just-vanity\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Real_Lesson_Visibility_Without_Intent_is_Just_Vanity\"><\/span><strong>The Real Lesson: Visibility Without Intent is Just Vanity<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s what this whole thing really taught us:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Being seen isn\u2019t the same as being considered.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And being listed isn\u2019t the same as being found, <em>at the moment someone\u2019s ready to buy<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most agencies still chase visibility like it\u2019s a numbers game. Get on the list. Rank for the term. Grab the badge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But if none of that shows up when your ideal client is actively searching\u2026 what\u2019s the point?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Intent is everything.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Ronins, we don\u2019t just want attention. We want&nbsp;<em>qualified consideration<\/em>&nbsp;, from founders, CMOs and tech leads who are ready to move, build, or solve something.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s why DesignRush mattered. Not because of the badge. But because it put us&nbsp;<em>in the right place at the right time<\/em>, with a message designed to convert, not just impress.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s the same thinking behind everything we build:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-list container-post container\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/cro-agency\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"8817\">CRO landing pages<\/a> that convert browsers into buyers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/seo-agency\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"8146\">SEO strategies<\/a> built around business impact, not blog bloat<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>User journeys that align with how people actually make decisions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Visibility without intent is just noise.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But visibility&nbsp;<em>with<\/em>&nbsp;intent? That\u2019s where the work starts to pay off.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 \u2022 \u2022<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading container-post container\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-to-ask-before-you-join-any-directory\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_Ask_Before_You_Join_Any_Directory\"><\/span><strong>What to Ask Before You Join Any Directory<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re tempted to throw your agency or startup onto the next \u201cTop 50\u201d list that hits your inbox, hit pause.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before you submit a thing, ask yourself:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading container-post container\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Does_it_rank_where_my_buyers_are_searching\"><\/span><strong>1.&nbsp;Does it rank where my buyers are searching?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the directory doesn\u2019t show up for terms like \u201cbest fintech web agency London\u201d or \u201cecommerce app developers UK\u201d, skip it. Visibility only matters if it intersects with intent.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading container-post container\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Is_the_traffic_real_and_relevant\"><\/span><strong>2.&nbsp;Is the traffic real and relevant?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush. Check traffic volume. See where it\u2019s coming from. If it\u2019s mostly overseas or bounce heavy, it\u2019s not your customer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading container-post container\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Is_the_backlink_worth_having\"><\/span><strong>3.&nbsp;Is the backlink worth having?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Look at domain authority (ideally DR60+). Is the page indexed? Does Google actually trust it? This is about SEO quality, not just quantity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading container-post container\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Will_this_send_traffic_to_my_site_or_just_trap_it\"><\/span><strong>4.&nbsp;Will this send traffic to my site, or just trap it?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some directories bury your link or overload with ads. If the user can\u2019t find you quickly, they won\u2019t click through. You\u2019re fuelling their lead funnel, not yours.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading container-post container\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Can_I_test_it_track_it_and_kill_it_if_it_doesnt_convert\"><\/span><strong>5.&nbsp;Can I test it, track it, and kill it if it doesn\u2019t convert?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the answer\u2019s no,  move on. You don\u2019t need more noise. You need more signal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Bottom line:<\/strong>&nbsp;If the directory doesn\u2019t bring you closer to a commercial outcome , it doesn\u2019t belong in your strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 \u2022 \u2022<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading container-post container\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"final-word-stop-chasing-tactics-start-building-authority\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Word_Stop_Chasing_Tactics_Start_Building_Authority\"><\/span><strong>Final Word: Stop Chasing Tactics. Start Building Authority<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Too many founders and CMOs are still chasing tactics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ticking the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/hub\/the-ultimate-seo-checklist-2024\/\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"136\">SEO checklist<\/a>. Piling on blog posts. Paying for \u201cpremium placement\u201d in directories no real buyer ever reads.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It looks like momentum. But it\u2019s not.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s&nbsp;<em>marketing theatre<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Ronins, we approach SEO like we approach product builds:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-list container-post container\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Start with outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cut what doesn\u2019t move the needle.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Optimise what does.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DesignRush worked for us because it aligned with that philosophy. Not a tactic,  a&nbsp;<em>strategic lever<\/em>. One touchpoint in a system designed to attract, qualify and convert the right kind of work.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So if you\u2019re done guessing what works, and ready to build a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/custom-web-design-agency\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"9284\">custom website<\/a> that earns trust and drives growth. <a href=\"#contact\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#contact\"> we should talk.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 \u2022 \u2022<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\r\n<div id=\"author-info-block_ae20952dab6c2d694b1042ce60b3d63e\" class=\"author-info  block block--author-info\">\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"block__content author-info__content container container--post \">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12 col-sm-7 author-info__image\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"321\" height=\"370\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rectangle-18.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"Anthony Basker\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rectangle-18.png 321w, https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rectangle-18-260x300.png 260w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 321px) 100vw, 321px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12 col-sm-5 author-info__description\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"author-info__subtitle h6\">Article by<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"author-info__title h4\">Anthony Basker<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"author-info__text p-small\">\u201cAnthony Basker is CEO of Ronins. A tech founder who\u2019s built and sold agencies, backed SaaS platforms, and still finds time to write. He\u2019s worked with brands from the UN to Nuffield Health, and, by his own admission, still can\u2019t play the guitar to save his life<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"author-info__link btn btn--text btn--text--underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/author\/anthony\/\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMore about\t\t\t\t\tAnthony\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"svg_arrow_short\" width=\"7\" height=\"14\"><use xlink:href=\"#svg_arrow_short\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"author-info__buttons\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/author\/anthony\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreffer\" aria-label=\"Author page\" class=\"btn btn--icon btn--icon-small\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"svg_home\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#svg_home\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/anthonybasker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreffer\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"btn btn--icon btn--icon-small\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"svg_twitter\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#svg_twitter\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/abasker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreffer\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"btn btn--icon btn--icon-small\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"svg_facebook\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#svg_facebook\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/uk.linkedin.com\/in\/anthonybasker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreffer\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"btn btn--icon btn--icon-small\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"svg_linkedin\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#svg_linkedin\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph container-post container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most agency directories are noise. We nearly ignored DesignRush too, until we saw where it ranked. Here\u2019s how a smart SEO play turned visibility into leads, and what other founders can learn from it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1963,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_aToxNzA3MzU0Mjc2NTEzNjg5NjAwOw==_1707354276513689600":"","facebook_10161253504214805_141981865659710":"","linkedin_eefy-47Ira_eefy-47Ira":"","linkedin_eefy-47Ira_76520797":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1962","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-company-updates"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1962","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1962"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1962\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1963"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1962"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1962"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ronins.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1962"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}