How Arch 35 started

Darren Cadger set up Arch 35 in February 2025. Before that he worked in commercial finance at Aker and as an analyst at Escone Solutions, so he's always looked at marketing the way a finance team would: what did it cost, and what did it bring in?

The name comes from our office at 35 South College Street in Aberdeen.

Most of our clients are owner-managed businesses in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, from software firms and cleaning companies to surveyors, coaches and private members' clubs. They usually come to us because they've paid for marketing before and couldn't tell whether it worked.

We're a small team on purpose. You deal with the people doing your work, and we only take on clients we think we can genuinely help.

Founded: February 2025
Office: 35 South College Street, Aberdeen
Clients: 15+ active businesses
Services: SEO, paid ads, social media, websites

What working with us looks like

The same principles apply whether you're spending a few hundred pounds a month or a few thousand.

Honest advice

If something isn't working, or isn't worth your money, we'll tell you. That includes things you've asked us to do.

Plain-English reporting

Each month you'll see what we did, what changed and what's next. We report on enquiries, rankings and traffic rather than follower counts.

Realistic timelines

SEO takes months. We'll give you an honest estimate for your market before you sign anything, and we won't promise rankings we can't control.

Local knowledge

We know the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire market: who you're up against, how people here search and what tends to work locally.

Tied to revenue

Every piece of work should lead back to enquiries, bookings or sales. If we can't link it to one of those, we'll question whether it's worth doing.

No long lock-ins

Retainers run month to month by default. We'd rather keep clients because the work is good than because a contract says so.

Who you'll deal with

A small Aberdeen team. When you call, you speak to someone who knows your account.

Some of the businesses we work with

Select a business to see what we did for them.

Questions people usually ask

Who do you usually work with?

Mostly owner-managed businesses in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and the rest of Scotland. They tend to want a marketing partner they can pick up the phone to, rather than a large agency that hands them to a junior account manager.

Do you only work with Aberdeen businesses?

No. Most of our clients are in the North East, but we work with businesses across the UK. SEO, paid ads and content don't need us to be in the same postcode. If you are in Aberdeen, our local knowledge is a real advantage.

What does a typical engagement look like?

We start with a free call to understand your business and what you want from it. We then put together a scope based on what you actually need, usually a monthly retainer covering SEO, paid ads, social media or a mix. We review it regularly and there's no 12-month contract by default.

How quickly will I see results from SEO?

It depends on where your site is starting from, how competitive your sector is and what needs fixing. For most small businesses, meaningful movement shows up within three to six months. We'll tell you what's realistic for your market before you commit. Anyone promising page one in 30 days is either guessing or using tactics that could get your site penalised.

Are you a one-person operation?

No. Darren leads strategy, SEO and paid ads, and Serena looks after content and social media. We bring in trusted specialists for some projects, but your point of contact stays the same throughout.

How do I get started?

Book a free 30-minute call. We'll ask about your business, your current marketing and what you're trying to achieve. By the end of the call we'll tell you honestly whether we think we can help, and what that would look like. No obligation.

We help Aberdeen businesses get found and win more enquiries.