Go beyond automated testing with manual checks

Sharlotte Briscoe • 12 July 2023

Insites has got it going on with over 70 fully automated checks that cover everything from accessibility, through Google Ads to SEO and spelling errors. No doubt about that. But you know what? Sometimes there are extra things an SMB needs to succeed that just can’t be checked by an automated test. That’s where our new manual checkpoints come into play.

Why should I use manual checks?

Manual checks are great for anything that’s hard for an automated test to pick up on, or anything that’s custom to your process. Here’s some great examples our partners have already been using manual checkpoints for:

  • Does the customer have a prominent CTA above the fold?
  • Does the customer have a “nice” website design?
  • Does the customer have a professionally designed logo?
  • Are the customer’s contact details obvious?

What are manual checkpoints?

Introducing the game-changer: manual checkpoints! These nifty features allow you to manually add tests to the overview editor, covering any additional success factors you may have that Insites doesn’t currently test for. It’s all about customising to fit your needs!

Take a peek at the screenshot below for a glimpse of how manual checkpoints can rock your reports. In example 1, you’ll see a custom checkpoint with a “No” selection, while example 2 showcases how a custom checkpoint appears before a yes/no decision. It’s all about adding that personal touch and making your reports shine!

A screenshot of an Insites report which demonstrates how to use manual checks.

Does it affect the overall score?

No – the manual checks have no bearing on the overall score because they have no weighting

How do you get a result for the manual checkpoint?

Once you’ve run the report, you’ll need to select the result for the test by clicking yes or no (depending on what appears on the website you’ve audited. They’ll only show in the report shared with customers, once they’ve been answered

How do I enable this feature?

  • Click on your profile picture
  • Head to account settings
  • Click on the Analysis section
  • Select Overview editor
A screenshot of an Insites report which demonstrates how to use manual checks.

How do I create a manual checkpoint?

On all of the sections on the overview, you have the option to ‘ Add custom checkpoint’ select that option, on whichever section you like and then fill in the name of the checkpoint and invert the colours of the yes and no options accordingly as seen below.

A screenshot of an Insites report which demonstrates how to use manual checks, specifically how you would add or remove manual checks.

A computer screen with a funnel and a graph on it.
by Izzy Fletcher 5 March 2025
Discover how digital marketing agencies can help healthcare professionals showcase their AI innovations online. Learn to leverage Insites' traffic light scoring and Local Grid features to create compelling proposals, demonstrate competitive gaps, and win more healthcare clients.
by Izzy Fletcher 25 February 2025
Google's new visual search tools are game-changers for e-commerce and hospitality businesses. Help your sales team turn these updates into closed deals and competitive advantages.
A woman wearing headphones is sitting in front of a laptop computer.
by Izzy Fletcher 20 February 2025
Google just released generative AI for creating people in ads, and it's a game-changer for digital marketing agencies. This post breaks down how this feature helps your sales team close more deals, removes creative barriers for SMBs, and transforms the ad creation process. Learn specific ways to leverage this update to upsell ad services to your clients and position your agency as cutting-edge AI experts.
A person is holding a magnifying glass over a map on a laptop.
by Izzy Fletcher 19 February 2025
The problem for SMBs: Price wars and lost connections You might need to hold your clients hands when breaking this news because this isn't great news for small businesses. Here's why: Price becomes everything When services are presented side-by-side with only price and availability shown, businesses are forced to compete solely on price. This is especially problematic for service businesses that differentiate on quality, experience, or specialised expertise. Personal connections disappear 42.4% of Millennials and 55.9% of Boomers still rely on Google Search first when discovering products (according to GRIN survey data). But with this new feature, traditional direct phone conversations where businesses could build rapport and communicate value could vanish. Workload increases while conversion drops Business staff have to handle these AI calls like any other inquiry, but with: Zero information about the potential customer Likelihood of lower conversion due to price-shopping No opportunity to qualify the lead Potential for spam abuse (competitors wasting staff time) Now none of this ideal for SMBs, but it’s happening. So that’s where your sales team come in - they’re there to help them compete, rather than lose out based on ranking. This changes everything for your sales team If you're selling digital marketing solutions to SMBs, "Ask for Me" just handed you an incredible opportunity. Here's why your sales agents using Insites should be excited: 1. Creates genuine urgency that closes deals Unlike other Google updates that might seem abstract, this feature represents a tangible, easy-to-understand shift in how consumers find businesses. When you get prospects to understand that: Only top-ranked businesses will receive these automated calls Their competitors might already be getting these leads Businesses with no clear differentiators will get trapped in brutal price wars Suddenly, digital marketing services become an urgent necessity rather than a "nice to have." 2. Local SEO becomes critical If Google only calls businesses from the top Local Finder results, ranking well isn't just about visibility anymore - it's about being included in automated lead generation. Your sales agents can use Insites to: Show exactly where prospects rank in local search Use Local Grid to demonstrate which competitors are likely receiving these calls instead Quantify the potential revenue impact of missing these leads Create data-driven proposals with clear ROI potential 3. Opens new service opportunities "Ask for Me" creates specific new needs for SMBs that your team can address: AI-Readiness Audits : Only 18.8% of Gen Z consumers use Google as their primary product discovery tool (compared to 30.4% using Instagram and 23.2% using TikTok). But Google's new AI features could change those numbers dramatically. Sales agents can offer: Technical optimisation for AI crawlers Schema markup implementation Page speed improvements (critical for AI indexing) Local business metadata optimisation Differentiation Strategies : Help businesses stand out when traditional differentiators are removed through: Review management (star ratings become even more important) Content strategies that communicate unique value propositions Website optimisation for conversion once customers engage directly Response Protocols : Prepare businesses for handling these new AI-generated inquiries with: Staff training programs Scripts that effectively communicate value beyond price Follow-up strategies to convert price-shoppers How to use Insites to prepare clients Your sales team can leverage Insites to help SMBs prepare for this new reality with concrete, actionable steps: Run comprehensive local audits to identify where businesses stand in local search rankings. Analyse competitor performance using the Local Grid to understand who's receiving these automated calls. Identify specific optimisation opportunities across Google Business Profile, local citations, reviews and more. Create ongoing monitoring plans to track performance as AI features evolve. This is a sales opportunity, not a threat While "Ask for Me" creates challenges for SMBs, it represents a massive opportunity for digital marketing providers who can help businesses adapt. Your job? Nurture them through the shift. The local businesses that will thrive aren't those with the lowest prices—they're the ones working with solution providers to optimise SEO and AI search results. And that's exactly what Insites equips your team to deliver. To learn more about how Insites helps sales team, book a call with us today ! 👋 Happy selling
A person is holding a cell phone in their hand surrounded by social media icons.
by Coral Wood 17 February 2025
How customer reviews impact SMBs and how your sales teams can help with digital marketing solutions.
A group of people are having a video call with each other.
by Coral Wood 17 February 2025
What impact does social media search have on small-medium businesses and how can digital marketing solution providers leverage social media upselling in their pitch
A man is holding a pen and a notebook.
by Izzy Fletcher 17 February 2025
The framework and step-by-step method for train sales teams quicker and more efficiently
An illustrated man and a woman are sitting at a desk with laptops.
by Coral Wood 18 December 2024
AI-powered website audits are bringing cold calling back, particularly for enterprise digital marketing sales teams. The post How AI-powered website audits are transforming cold calls appeared first on Insites.
A cartoon man and a woman are holding a board with a graph on it.
by Coral Wood 11 December 2024
Is your enterprise sales team struggling to sell digital marketing solutions to SMB prospects? Minimise the complexity; here are the 7 metrics that will help them sell. The post 7 digital marketing metrics your enterprise sales team needs to close more deals appeared first on Insites.
An illustrated yellow arrow is pointing up on a pink and black background to demonstrate an increase to demonstrate sales increase.
by Izzy Fletcher 4 December 2024
If managing the sales process is one of your biggest challenges, ask yourself: what could be automated? Too often, mid-large agencies with extensive sales teams let their sale reps spend more time on admin tasks, internal meetings, and lead qualifying, rather than on delivering value to customers. But remember: people buy from people. Your sales […] The post The growing need for sales automation in agencies appeared first on Insites.
Show More