Business Peak District speaks to Phil Gregory, MD & Founder of Peak District SEO, who tells us about the importance of being digitally agile and the sense of collaborations and community in the Peak District.
About the Business
Peak District SEO was founded to give businesses in Derbyshire and the wider UK access to professional search engine optimisation and digital marketing services without needing to work with large city agencies. The business focuses on helping companies improve their visibility in Google and other search engines through technical SEO, content strategy, Google Ads management and digital PR. Many of our clients are small and medium-sized companies that want practical marketing support rather than jargon. These range from construction firms and manufacturers to e-commerce businesses and professional service providers. A strong focus is placed on local companies that want to attract customers in specific towns or regions. Our unique selling point is a no-nonsense, highly practical, hands-on approach. Rather than outsourcing work overseas, we work closely with each client to understand their services, their market and their growth goals. That allows us to build campaigns that focus on real business outcomes such as enquiries, phone calls and sales rather than vanity metrics like traffic or Ad impressions (views).
Key Achievements
Since founding Peak District SEO in 2017, we’ve weathered challenges like the pandemic and are now approaching our ninth year. Over this time, we’ve steadily expanded both our client base and revenue year on year. We’ve earned the trust of a wide range of businesses. This includes major distributors of garden furniture, key players in the PPE sector, and manufacturers of polyurethane products used worldwide. We’ve also supported companies developing educational apparatus for engineering and science, helping them reach new markets. On the other end of the spectrum, we’ve worked closely with small tree surgeons, local car salespeople, and beauty product distributors. Because we’re rooted in the Peak District, we’ve fostered trust with regional businesses that value that local understanding. Being nearby means we can meet in person, which strengthens relationships. This local base, combined with our ability to scale beyond, has been a key ingredient in our growth and client success. As we move forward in 2026, we’re excited to continue expanding and building on this diverse foundation of clients.
What is it like to do business in the Peak District?
Running a business in the Peak District offers a strong sense of community and collaboration. Many companies here value long term relationships and practical advice. The opportunity lies in helping traditional local businesses adapt to the digital economy. Many excellent companies still rely heavily on word of mouth, which means there is real potential for growth when they invest in online visibility. The main challenge is that some rural businesses underestimate the importance of digital marketing. Helping them understand how search visibility translates into real customers is often the first step.
How does Business Peak District support your ambitions?
Networking groups such as Business Peak District create opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing. For a digital marketing company, it provides a chance to understand the challenges faced by local businesses and to meet with the businesses to offer practical guidance on how they can compete online. It also helps strengthen relationships between local companies and encourages businesses to support each other.
The Future
Over the next two years the focus will be on expanding our work with regional businesses while continuing to develop expertise in emerging areas such as AI-driven search and Generative Engine Optimisation. We aim to help more Derbyshire companies improve their online presence so they can compete nationally and internationally. The business market is changing, employment and money is changing, and we have to be digitally agile to be able to compete with more metropolitan areas. Support from Business Peak District and similar organisations will be valuable in building stronger connections between businesses, sharing knowledge and encouraging more companies to grow and invest in their digital futures.
This case study was also featured on page 26 of Business Network Magazine (May 2026 edition). Read the full issue here.