Sold Out Offers interview: How to Work Less, Earn More, and Finally Find Peace in Your Business
You started your business for freedom, but somehow, you’ve ended up juggling client work, admin, and family life, feeling more stretched than ever. Sound familiar?
The dream of being a self-employed mother is often about having flexibility and control, but the reality can quickly become chasing a never-ending to-do list while trying to manage the school run. You want to work less and earn more—it’s the holy grail of entrepreneurship, and honestly, it’s what you deserve
The good news? It’s completely achievable, and the secret lies in one simple word: specialism.
Hannah Zora Strong, an experienced PPC (Pay-Per-Click) specialist, chatted to business coach Ceels Lockley to discuss how she built a business that delivers both profit and peace. Her journey offers invaluable lessons for any self-employed mother looking to transform their service or product into a high-value, high-efficiency machine.
Step 1: Charge for Your Expertise, Not Your Time
One of the biggest takeaways from Hannah’s experience is how she approaches pricing. She doesn’t just charge a flat day rate; her fees are calculated based on the complexity and value she brings to the client.
“From working as Head of Department at two Newcastle-based digital agencies, I knew the difference between the hourly rates that we would bill the client for an exec, a manager, a senior, head of department. So for someone with my experience, even though I charged nowhere near what an agency would charge for me, I had a good idea of what a PPC day rate was.”
For you, the self-employed mother, this means shifting your mindset. Stop charging what you think you need to live on, and start charging what your years of experience and specialised skill are worth to the client.
Your Action Plan for Higher Prices:
- Identify Your Seniority: You are not an “exec.” If you’ve been doing your craft for years, you are a “senior” or “head of department.” Price accordingly.
- Know the Benchmark: Research what large agencies or top-tier freelancers charge for your service. Even if you’re based regionally and offer “good value” compared to London rates, this knowledge gives you confidence to set a strong price.
- Price the Solution, Not the Hours: When a client comes to you, they are looking for a result. Your fee should reflect the value of that result (e.g., increased sales, a perfect website, a stress-free campaign), not the 10 hours it took you to deliver it. A specialist can deliver faster, which is a key component to working less.
Step 2: Embrace the ‘Chrysalis’ Phase and Find Your Niche
If you are currently trying to be all things to all clients, you are working harder, not smarter. This is where specialism becomes the engine for efficiency.
Hannah admits it took her the first 12 months of being in business to figure this out, using a beautiful metaphor: she was in the “chrysalis” phase, still “forming an idea of what’s good” for her. This is a crucial admission; the need to niche down never stops, but the benefits for the time-poor mother are immense.
How Niching Helps You Work Less:
- Speed and Efficiency: When you specialize – whether by industry (e-commerce vs. lead generation) or client type (B2B vs. B2C) – you gain incredible efficiencies. As Hannah says, your work becomes “faster.” You stop reinventing the wheel for every client.
- Faster Recommendations: Your industry knowledge becomes deeper. You can spot problems and offer solutions almost instantly.
- Less Time, Better Results: In the end, this efficiency translates directly into you spending less time at your desk, while still delivering superior, specialist results that justify your higher fee. It’s the ultimate pathway to working less while earning the same, or more.
Don’t be afraid to ask the big questions Hannah is currently considering: Which industries have the budgets you want to work with? What type of work feels most natural to you? The answer to these questions will be your ‘specialist zone’. The area where you achieve maximum profit for minimum input.
Step 3: Peace and Profit: The Quality-Over-Quantity Rule
When you charge premium prices and specialise, you don’t need to “take on the world.” In fact, you only need a handful of high-value clients to keep your business comfortably ticking over.
“I only need 10 clients to keep myself ticking over. So I don’t need to take on the world.”
This is the freedom you started your business for. When your pricing reflects your expertise, you stop having to chase every single lead. Your clients are higher quality, they respect your boundaries, and they are happy to pay well because they know you can deliver.
Most of Hannah’s clients come from word-of-mouth or referrals; the most organic and least time-consuming methods of client acquisition. When you are a sought-after specialist, the clients start coming to you. You stop needing to push for outbound sales and can focus your energy on what you love and, more importantly, on your family.
The journey to specialist status and true work-life integration is ongoing. Give yourself permission to be in the “chrysalis” phase. Focus on defining your value, raising your prices, and embracing the efficiencies that specialization brings. Your future is one of peace and profit.
To hear more of Hannah’s story and get her top tips on building a business that gives you peace and profit, you can listen to the full interview here: Listen to the full interview on Spotify
You can connect with Hannah online via LinkedIn (hannah-strong-ppc) or get in touch for Google Ads support and further podcast opportunities here.
Interview with Jyll Saskin Gales for PPC Zone: How to Use Google Ads to Build Your Local Business
If you run a local business, you already know the struggle — getting found by nearby customers before your competitors do. That’s where Google Ads can become your most powerful lead-generation tool.
In a recent episode of PPC Zone, hosted by Jyll Saskin Gales, Newcastle-based Google Ads specialist Hannah Zora Strong shared exactly how to structure and optimise local campaigns for real-world results.
You can watch the full interview on YouTube here, but here’s a quick guide to her top insights.
1. Structure Campaigns by Location, Not Just Keywords
It’s tempting to organise your campaigns around keywords alone, but Hannah recommends structuring them by location. Why? Because this gives you far more control.
You can direct more budget to the areas driving the most conversions — say, the branch with higher stock levels or more appointment availability. It’s also easier to tailor your ad copy and landing pages to match each location.
For instance, testing a “Newcastle plumbing services” ad against a “plumbing near me” campaign can show which message resonates best. The more specific your location targeting, the better your click-through and conversion rates tend to be.
2. Nail Your Location Settings
Under “Advanced Search” in campaign settings, you can upload postcodes or regions in bulk, or set a radius around your store. This helps ensure your ads are only shown to people who are realistically able to visit.
If you run a cooking class in Sunderland, you probably don’t want clicks from someone browsing in Glasgow. That’s where Hannah’s favourite setting comes in: “Presence only.” This tells Google to target people physically in your area, not those merely interested in it. It’s a simple switch that saves wasted spend — and frustration.
3. Make Use of Extensions
Extensions make your ads look bigger, more trustworthy, and more clickable. They allow you to showcase reviews, business hours, click-to-call buttons, and directions — all drawn from your Google Business Profile.
Hannah notes that linking your Business Profile with your Ads account (using the same email) is essential. Once connected, you’ll be able to see performance by location — including impressions, clicks, and conversions — right within your account.
4. Track Those In-Store Visits
Google’s store visit tracking helps you see how many people visited your premises after clicking your ad. While the eligibility requirements are a bit mysterious (classic Google move), Hannah’s experience suggests that multi-store brands and high-footfall locations tend to qualify faster.
If you’re spending consistently but not yet seeing visit data, hang tight — it often depends on your traffic volume and store verification status.
5. Optimise for Shop Visits (and Value Them!)
If you’re using a Maximise Conversion Value or Target ROAS bidding strategy, Hannah recommends assigning a conversion value to store visits.
For example:
If 10% of visitors make a purchase, and your average order value is £50, you can assign a £5 value per visit. This teaches Google to optimise for store visits and eCommerce conversions, instead of favouring only online sales.
6. Try Local Services Ads
For service-based businesses (think electricians, plumbers, tutors, or hairdressers), Local Services Ads (LSAs) are a brilliant option.
Unlike standard Google Ads, LSAs are pay-per-lead, not per click. They show off your reviews, service areas, and contact options, helping potential customers book or call you directly.
You can also specify your working hours so ads only appear when you’re available — ideal for busy small-business owners who actually like to sleep occasionally.
Bringing It All Together
Whether you’re a café owner looking to fill more tables, a beauty salon aiming to boost bookings, or a tradesperson keen to dominate local searches — these strategies will help you make Google Ads work harder and smarter for you.
Watch Hannah’s full PPC Zone interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Hdr5_4f3hIM
Need help running profitable Google Ads for your local business? Contact Hannah at zoramarketing.co.uk/contact
The Art of Juggling Motherhood and Self-Employment: How Two Freelancers Built Thriving Businesses Around Family Life
Balancing business deadlines with school runs and sick days is no small feat — yet for many self-employed mothers, it’s simply part of daily life. In a recent episode of The Salt Sessions, host Bev Salt sat down with two fellow mums in marketing — Hannah Strong, a Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads specialist from Newcastle, and Lucy Rigley, a York-based brand and web designer — to talk about the messy, magical art of running a business while raising a family.
Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD6lxot9uaU&t=9s
From Agency Life to Autonomy
For both women, self-employment began as a blend of necessity and ambition.
Hannah had climbed the agency ladder to become Head of PPC, but the very week she earned the title, she discovered she was pregnant. “It was a plan,” she laughs, “but it made me reassess everything.” Missing hands-on client work and craving flexibility, she began freelancing after maternity leave. Her first client arrived while she was still pregnant — a low-maintenance account she could manage “around naps, weaning and breastfeeding.”
Lucy’s freelance journey began after redundancy from her London agency job — and a surprise pregnancy soon after. “My husband was already freelancing as a web developer, so it just made sense,” she says. “I never really had a job to go back to.” Moving to York, she built her business from scratch and has now freelanced for 15 years.
Both stories echo a familiar theme: motherhood didn’t end their careers — it reshaped them.
When the Kids Crash the Zoom Call
Every working mum knows chaos can strike mid-meeting. “It never stops,” says Hannah. “Just last week my son refused to go to bed during a client Zoom call, so he ended up on my knee waving at everyone.” Thankfully, clients are generally understanding — especially those with children themselves.
Lucy recalls the lockdown years as her toughest test: “I was home-schooling two kids while working part-time for the council. My parents would FaceTime one child to keep him on track while the other… wasn’t doing quite as much as I thought!” Since then, she says, there’s been a huge shift towards empathy and flexibility.
Finding the Elusive Work-Life Balance
Both women agree that boundaries are a constant battle. Lucy’s husband often scolds her for “checking emails after hours,” but she admits that’s when she feels most productive. “I like the flexibility — if I go to the gym one morning, I don’t mind working in the evening.”
Hannah, meanwhile, works from a garage-turned-office that also doubles as a playroom. “It doesn’t have a radiator or a window, so I’m campaigning for a garden office with natural light by 2025,” she jokes. Her goal: a space that signals “Mum’s at work — do not enter (unless it’s an emergency or biscuits are involved).”
Time Management, Tools, and Staying Sane
When it comes to productivity, their styles differ. Lucy admits she’s “a go-with-the-flow creative,” relying on a fleet of notebooks and spreadsheets instead of rigid time blocking. Hannah, on the other hand, is a self-confessed time-tracking nerd. “I log everything — even toilet breaks,” she laughs. “It helps me see where I’m under-servicing clients or overworking myself.”
Both champion virtual co-working for accountability and connection — something that’s especially valuable when the “colleagues” at home are under five and sticky-fingered.
Building a Support Network
Freelancing can feel lonely, but community makes all the difference. Lucy credits Mums in Marketing for providing support and referrals: “It’s brilliant being around women who just get it.” Hannah agrees — and says partnerships with agencies have been key to steady income: “They handle contracts and reporting; I just plug in my PPC expertise. It’s a great balance.”
Both women also rely on their husbands, who work in the same industry, for daily debriefs and reality checks. “It’s like having an in-house business coach,” says Hannah.
The Downsides: Holidays, Hustle and Headaches
Flexibility doesn’t mean freedom. Holidays, for example, are rare luxuries. “If I take two weeks off, I’m basically paying to be on holiday,” admits Be. Hannah’s solution? A working holiday with her daughter through Boundless Life, a digital-nomad programme offering school, co-working space and accommodation abroad. “It gave us the best of both worlds — I worked while she made pasta in class. Win-win!”
Lucy’s biggest challenge is unpredictable income: “I work project-to-project, so I can’t rely on monthly retainers. You don’t want to turn down work before a holiday in case nothing’s waiting when you get back.”
Lessons from the Freelance Frontline
Hannah’s top tip? “Say yes to everything at first — then learn what to say no to. You only find your niche through experience.” She also recommends raising rates annually and using job alerts to pitch yourself as a stopgap consultant for companies hiring full-time roles.
Lucy adds: “Surround yourself with cheerleaders who understand your world. And collect LinkedIn recommendations — they’re digital gold.” Her final word of wisdom? “Don’t chase perfection. You’ll always feel guilty about something — so just do your best and go with the flow.”
Small Habits, Big Impact
For Hannah, a daily walk doubles as a “lunch-and-learn” session, combining fresh air with podcasts about Google Ads. Lucy swears by regular gym trips to clear her head: “You come back energised — and slightly smug.”
Both prove that freelancing and motherhood might be chaotic, but with creativity, community and caffeine, it’s entirely possible to thrive in both worlds.
For web design support > find Lucy at: https://www.lucyrigley.co.uk/
And for Google Ads management > contact Hannah here
Prefer to watch this interview? Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD6lxot9uaU&t=9s
We Built This Business interview: How to Get More Local Customers with Google Ads
Hannah Zora Strong, PPC specialist and founder of Zora Marketing, joined the We Built This Business podcast to share how small businesses can use Google Ads to attract local customers and turn clicks into loyal buyers. Watch the full interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOWVjWvDsNU
Here’s what she had to say.
About Zora Marketing
After leading PPC teams at several North East digital agencies, Hannah launched Zora Marketing to help brands take a smarter, more strategic approach to paid advertising.
“When I became a manager, I realised how much I missed being hands-on — working directly with clients, running campaigns, and seeing the numbers move. That’s what inspired me to start my own business.”
Zora Marketing now works with e-commerce stores, local retailers, service-based businesses, and councils to deliver high-performing Google Ads campaigns that increase leads, sales, and brand visibility.
Building a Local Google Ads Strategy
If you run a High Street shop, e-commerce business, or service-based company, Google Ads can help you attract customers both locally and nationally.
“A lot of my clients have a physical store but also trade online. The key is to combine different Google Ads campaign types so you’re visible wherever your customers are searching.”
1. Optimise Your Product Feed
For retailers running Shopping or Performance Max campaigns, Hannah stresses the importance of an optimised feed:
- Use clear, keyword-rich titles and product descriptions.
- Include all product attributes: colour, size, brand, material.
- Add high-quality images (your own photos work best).
“Think of it like giving Google ammunition — the better your data, the better your visibility.”
2. Use Local Inventory Ads to Drive Footfall
Want to get people off their phones and into your shop? Try Local Inventory Ads.
“If someone nearby searches for ‘vinyl flooring’ and you have it in stock, your ad can appear with a tag like ‘1.1 miles away’. It’s an amazing way to turn local intent into in-store visits.”
These ads link your real-time stock levels with Google Merchant Centre so customers can see what’s available before they visit.
3. Adapt to Changing Search Behaviour
Google’s become a mind reader.
“You no longer have to type ‘coffee shop near me’. Just search ‘coffee shop’ and Google automatically shows local options based on your GPS.”
That means you can bid on broader terms while still reaching local customers. Tools like Keyword Planner can help you identify search volumes in your town, city, or postcode.
Targeting the Right People in the Right Places
Local campaigns can target customers:
- Within a specific radius (e.g. 5 miles around your store)
- By postcode (perfect for councils or community marketing)
- By town, city, or county for wider catchments
“We work with opticians where people are happy to travel further, so we widen the targeting. But for cafés, salons or gyms, a small radius often performs better.”
Measuring Success: ROAS, CPA and Lifetime Value
One of the biggest questions small business owners ask is: “How do I know if my Google Ads are working?”
“Understand your margins. High-margin and low-margin products should have different ROAS targets. The smartest retailers set different campaigns for each.”
She also highlights the importance of customer lifetime value (CLV):
“You might lose £2 on a first sale, but if that customer spends £500 with you over five years, that’s a brilliant return. Sometimes it’s worth accepting a short-term loss for long-term gain.”
Case Study: A National Opticians Group
Hannah managed campaigns for a UK-wide opticians chain with 50+ practices.
“We use a cookie-cutter structure across all locations but tailor copy, radius size and budgets for each. If one branch expands or adds capacity, we can increase ad spend to drive more appointments right away.”
This approach keeps campaigns agile — scaling up or down based on real-time business needs.
AI in Google Ads: Friend, Not Foe
Artificial Intelligence has been in Google Ads for years — from smart bidding to automated ad copy.
“AI makes setup faster, but not perfect. You still need human oversight to make sure your money’s being spent wisely.”
Tools like Google Product Studio can now generate or enhance product images automatically — ideal for testing different visuals.
“AI helps speed things up, but strategy still needs a human brain behind it Product Studio is great for small retailers who don’t have the time, budget or energy to spend on seasonal re-shoots. For example, I work with a Candle client, and we easily swap background images between a snowy festive scene, love-heart confetti, sandy beaches and autumn leaves depending on the holiday season.”
Common DIY Mistakes
“Within campaign settings > Location options you’ll find a choice between “Presence” targeting (this shows ads based on where the searcher is) or “Presence and Interest” (showing ads based on where the user is PLUS locations they’re recently interested in). The former is usually recommended, otherwise you’ll gain clicks from users interested in visiting your location in the short-term, as opposed to those who live and work there. Great for tourism and hospitality brands. Poor for local services such as plumbers, opticians, gardeners.
If you’re managing your own Google Ads, get an expert audit. It’s far cheaper than fixing a blown budget later.
Final Thoughts
“Google Ads is one of the most measurable and flexible ways to grow your business — but it’s not set-and-forget. The best results come from refining, testing, and learning continuously.”
With the right targeting, data, and creativity, Google Ads can help you generate more leads, boost revenue, and drive loyal customers both online and offline.
Prefer to watch this interview? View on YouTube
Ready to Grow Your Business with Google Ads?
If you’re a marketing manager or small business owner looking to:
✅ Attract more local customers
✅ Improve your Google Ads ROI
✅ Drive more sales and footfall
Get in touch with Zora Marketing for a free consultation or connect with Hannah Zora on LinkedIn.
Cracking the Code of Local PPC: Expert Insights from Hannah Zora Strong
Running local PPC campaigns can feel like juggling fire. Each city behaves differently, budgets are tight, and clients want results fast. For Hannah Zora Strong, founder of Zora Marketing and a Google Ads specialist in the UK, success is about strategy, not luck.
With more than twelve years in paid media, Hannah has managed budgets from £2,000 to £100,000 across e-commerce, retail, and lead generation. Her mission is simple: help local and multi-location businesses grow with smarter advertising. In a recent interview with Aarti Bhanushali from Swydo, she shared how to win at local PPC without burning through the budget.
Local isn’t copy and paste
One of the biggest mistakes in local marketing is assuming what works in one city will work everywhere.
“You can’t just copy campaigns between locations,” Hannah explains. “London behaves differently to Northumberland. Demographics, competition, even travel habits change everything.”
When managing 50 branches for an opticians group, Hannah focused on the 20 stores that struggled most. By adjusting radius targeting, ad copy, and bidding for each area, she uncovered what clicked locally. Inner-city stores thrived with family-focused messaging. Rural branches needed wider targeting to reach people willing to travel.
The lesson? Test, tailor, repeat. Local PPC success lives in the details.
Start with your Google Business Profile
Before you run a single ad, Hannah says to check your Google Business Profile.
“Your business profile and Google Ads work hand in hand. Keep it updated with strong reviews, quality photos, accurate hours, and the right categories,” she says.
Linking your profile to Google Ads unlocks extra insights. You can track store visits, impressions, and even how ads drive footfall. That data helps businesses understand the real-world impact of online campaigns.
How to stretch smaller budgets
Smaller budgets can still get big results if you plan carefully.
“We don’t need to do everything at once,” Hannah says. “Start small, find what works, and scale from there.”
Her advice: test one service across multiple locations or one location across multiple services. Use the data to find the best performer, then invest more there. It’s simple, safe, and efficient.
Hannah also champions Local Services Ads (LSAs) for trades, health, and service businesses. “Wherever LSAs are available, use them,” she says. “You pay per lead, not per click, and they often sit at the very top of Google results.”
She adds a warning, though. “Make sure your conversion rate supports the cost per lead. Otherwise, you could end up paying more than you earn.”
Balancing quick wins and brand building
Every business owner wants fast results. Hannah understands that pressure but insists the long game matters too.
“I always start with revenue-driving campaigns first. Once clients see consistent profit, we set aside a small part of the budget for creative or brand-building ads.”
Tracking tools like view-through and assisted conversions help prove the value of awareness campaigns. “They may not drive sales immediately, but they keep your brand front of mind. That’s what pushes people back to buy later.”
Staying ahead of Google’s constant changes
Google Ads changes every week, but Hannah doesn’t panic.
“The fundamentals don’t change. Strategy, targeting, and intent always come first. The new tools are just extras.”
She keeps up through industry podcasts, newsletters, and a strong LinkedIn network. Her top picks include Inside Google Ads by Jyll Saskin Gales, and Jeremy Young’s Google Ads Unleashed.
“I only test new features if they help my clients. Shiny new tools are exciting, but not always useful.”
Hannah’s rapid-fire tips for better local PPC
- Fix slow campaigns: Check your location settings. Always choose “presence” instead of “presence and interest”.
- Best for local leads: Retargeting beats cold traffic every time.
- Lesson as a solo agency owner: Growth doesn’t always mean hiring. “I like working one-to-one with clients. They get my expertise directly.”
The next big opportunity in local marketing
Hannah believes Local Services Ads are still underused. Many agencies focus on large accounts and overlook smaller trades or one-person businesses.
“LSAs are perfect for local service providers like plumbers, roofers, and electricians,” she says. “The setup is simple, and you only pay when someone contacts you. It’s a huge opportunity.”
Watch the full interview
Hannah’s full chat with Aarti Bhanushali from Swydo goes even deeper. They discuss tracking offline conversions, optimising for store visits, and managing campaigns across multiple regions.
Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/nYGLADsriq0
If you run local or multi-location campaigns, this conversation is packed with insights from one of the UK’s most experienced PPC specialists. Grab a brew, tune in, and learn how to make every click count. Or if you’re seeking support with your local ad campaigns, contact Hannah.
