I’ve had this conversation more times than I can count. A business owner invests in marketing – a new website, a Google Ads campaign, an SEO programme. After four to six weeks, results aren’t what they hoped. They conclude that “marketing doesn’t work for my business” and pull the plug. It’s one of the most expensive mistakes a small business can make.
The Reality of Marketing Timelines
Different marketing channels have very different timelines. Google Ads can start generating leads within days, but takes several weeks of optimisation to reach peak performance. SEO typically takes 3 to 6 months to show significant movement, and 6 to 12 months to reach competitive positions. Content marketing and personal brand building can take 12 to 24 months to produce meaningful results. None of this means they’re not working – it means they take time to mature.
The Learning Curve of Google Ads
Even Google Ads – the fastest of these channels – requires a learning period. In the first few weeks, Google is learning which searches, audiences, and times of day produce the best results for your specific business and budget. Campaigns that look average in week two often look excellent by week ten. Abandoning them in week four destroys the learning data and resets the process.
What “Not Working” Usually Means
When a business owner says their marketing isn’t working, it usually means one of three things: the traffic isn’t reaching the right people (targeting issue), the website isn’t converting that traffic into leads (conversion issue), or the leads aren’t being followed up effectively enough (sales process issue). Rarely does it mean that the concept of marketing doesn’t work for their business.
The Commitment Required
Sustainable marketing results require a minimum commitment of six months. That doesn’t mean results won’t come sooner – often they do. But going in with a six-month mindset means you give the system enough time to work, optimise, and compound. The businesses that stick with it consistently outperform those that don’t. Let’s have a conversation about building a marketing strategy you can commit to for the long term.
