Named as one of the top UK digital agencies for the third successive year by international review platform Clutch and also named as one of The Manifest’s Top 40+ SEO companies in the UK
An affordable SEO services
specialist that’s highly rated
Looking for results without asking how the results will be attained could seriously damage your site's search engine's rankings and even its presence
Choose your SEO wisely!
COVID 19 UPDATE
Ready Steady Go SEO has always, where practicable, adhered to a home working policy. Given the current outbreak the company is undertaking all prospect and client interface through email, phone and video confernecing platforms, thus providing an uninterupted service. The company will continually review government guidelines pertaining to the outbreak and will adopt all measures required to be compliant with UK Government instructions.
Small business SEO
cost-effective and results-driven SEO
whenever you want it
My name's Guy Willett and I've been working in digital marketing for over 15 years and I'm the founder of Ready Steady Go SEO. Since starting the company in 2016 I have made it my mission to provide SEO for small business owners by providing on a project by project basis in bite-size and cost-conscious packages.
So why choose Ready Steady Go SEO to be your small business SEO provider? Well, the key difference is that I undertake search engine optimisation very differently to most SEO agencies you'll encounter. Why? Well, the simple answer is I don't come from an agency background.
In fact, for many years I was, like you, an end client, who just didn't get value for money from the SEO agencies I hired. All too often I was locked into contracts where very little seemed to be done and even less seemed to happen in terms of results. When I questioned this, I'd frequently be met with a wall of technobabble or just told that I'd just need to wait just a little longer to see results.
Which made me think.
- Why can't I get SEO for a small business as and when I want them or when I can afford it?
- Why can't I obtain small business SEO where I know what's being done and how it will benefit me?
- Why can't I buy individual SEO packages where I can judge their impact prior to further expense?
That's when I started undertaking SEO for my own companies and not only got some great results but also really enjoyed doing it. So much so that after a few years I decided to become a freelance SEO consultant who has in the last four years worked with over 75 organisations improving their online visibility.
The reason for this success is simple:
I consult with you to understand your short & longer term goals
I then give you a plan with separate pay as you SEO projects in this plan
You choose as and when you want the work done to suit you
So what else makes your small business SEO so different?
Since work is done on a project by project basis you choose to work with me as and when you want. You're not committed to using me in anyway beyond the current project I'm working on for you. This means I have to deliver value EVERY SINGLE TIME. Additionally, it means I'm always looking at what value I can deliver for you in future projects we discuss.
No Account Managers, just the same person you meet is the same person who will carry out the work for you. So there's no layers of communication for misunderstandings to arise or an aptitude gap between who you speak with and who undertakes the work.
Working with you on a project basis means that there is clarity in why I'm doing the work and the anticipated results. This way, there aren't any unexpected surprises and I'll report back to you with results throughout the project.
It's fair to say that the overall process of search engine optimisation is a long term and ideally on-going activity but certain SEO activities can have a lot quicker impact than others. For instance, you can see the impact of the on-page optimisation of title tags, metadescriptions and header titles in a matter of days or even hours depending on when your site is next indexed by Google. However, the impact of backlinks can take many weeks or even months for their full benefit to be felt.
I adhere to Google's webmaster approved white hat ethical guidelines so you can be confident that the risk of receiving a Google penalty, or future penalty, has been minimised.
The majority of my career has been spent working in SME environments which has given me a good understanding of both the drivers and constraints that your typical SME faces. That's why my SEO services are geared towards
- working within tight budgetary constraints,
- showing a quick ROI
- as little financial commitment as possible
No work is farmed out to third parties so I have complete control, and responsibility, for the SEO projects I undertake for you. In addition, this also means I that all the work undertaken is entirely your property.
Since I offer project based SEO services I charge a day rate and this day rate can be broken down to the activity undertaken by the hour if needed. The difference between this approach and an on-going, possibly cheaper cost in the short term, is you know what work is being done which can be demonstrated. However, you'll always find cheaper SEO providers than Ready Steady Go SEO but I'm confident you won't find better value for money or ROI
I speak your language because I come from a client and not an agency background. I take pride in and enjoy spending the time with clients explaining the concepts and scope of work so there is a clarity in their understanding and expectations. I've never hidden behind the 'I could explain it to you but you wouldn't understand' smokescreen you may have encountered with other SEO providers.
Let's identify new clients with new keywords
Let me take the time to report these to you
Work with myself, as 75+ other clients have
Why being on page one isn't enough!
Feeling comfortable being on page one? Don't be! If you appear towards the bottom you might only be seeing about 3-4% of that traffic.
Then of course, what is the volume of searches for that keyword? Do you know? If you don't, I can share this information with you. This something many SEO agencies wouldn't dream of doing since they might not want you to be aware that they've focused their efforts on a page one result for a keyword that no one has searched for in the history of the Internet!
It's also important to understand the intent of the keyword. Does it fit well with my offering? Are they likely to proceed further or even convert? Where are they in the buying cycle if they type this?
Additionally, don't forget that organic ranking is now only one of the way's that you can reap the benefits by appearing on page 1. There's rich snippets, map packs and many more opportunities.
Small business SEO that's highly rated!
I'd urge anyone to scrutinise and research your prospective SEO provider before taking the plunge. By all means, ask for references and approach former or current clients to get their feedback.
Of course, they also look at their online reputation as well. I'm very proud of the feedback that I've received setting up Ready Steady Go SEO and feel free to look across GoogleMyBusiness, Bark, Yell, Facebook or Trustpilot to see how people feel about the work undertaken and advice given. See below for just a sample of the feedback I've received.
One particular review platform I'm proud to be featured on is Clutch. This isn't just because of the glowing reviews but also because clients are approached and are interviewed independently so their feedback is all the more impartial and welcome.
Moreover, from this independent research, Ready Steady Go SEO has been named as one of the top digital and marketing agencies in the UK three years in a row.
5* SEO services across numerous platforms
A B2B top digital marketing provider for two successive years
Happy to provide references from the 75+ clients worked with
“We have been working with SEO Company, Ready Steady Go since October 2018. We have found Guy to be professional and very knowledgeable and he has been a great help in improving all aspects of our website and marketing and we would highly recommend his services. In a short space of time we have seen a substantial increase in the new enquiries we are receiving some of which have translated into orders. Thank you Guy for all the work and time you have put into improving our company.”
Ready Steady Go SEO - by the numbers
3
Continents Served
334
SEO Packages
4
Website Redesigns
8
Years SEO Experience
76
Organisations Served
32
EMail Campaigns
Benchmark your competitors with your free SEO report!
I believe in helping you to make informed strategic SEO decisions. Its vital that reflecting my findings with you at each step helps ensure continued success and no more so then at the outset of our communication.
This starts even before working with you with a free no-obligation SEO report and 30 minute consultation that focuses on:
- Current keyword ranking
- Potential other keywords
- Average monthly search volumes
- Your backlink profile (mentions of your site elsewhere on the Internet)
- Analysis of your local listing status
- Social media profiles
What makes this an even more valuable document however is I can share the same information for your competitor's too which can give insights into new keywords, backlinks and overall strategy that you might wish to adopt.
Additionally included in the report
Conversion Rate Optimization
Discover if you're ranking for keywords that you're not leveraginig that might not be exploited
Real-Time Keyword Analytics
Though the report can show keyword rankings the consultation can also show live rankings for discussion
Online Reputation Management
Full analysis as to your online reputation that may present highlight issues the organisation may need to addrress
Tell me your key services/products
Tell me the regions/audiences you serve
Share with me 3 competitor websites you feel may rank better than your own
Timings to see ranking changes depend on the SEO service
Ensure you understand the activities being undertaken
Beware agencies not prepared to explain what they intend to do
But doesn't SEO take forever to work?
I've come across a lot of SEO agencies out there want you to believe this since it means they can expect you to continue paying over a long period of time without expecting any results. The truth of the matter is that different SEO activities have different timescales to have an effect. For instance, on-page optimisation can have a ranking impact within the time it takes for your site to be re-indexed by Goolge, as little as 48-72 hours, if not sooner!
Other activities say backlinking, can take many weeks if not months for their impact to be wholly felt since the age of the backlink is an important factor. So let's be clear, depending on the SEO activity being undertaken should have an impact on timescale for you to expect results.
One important consideration, however, is you may get ranking improvements from entirely unethical 'black hat' techniques' that may also get results for you fast but may likely be unsustainable and more importantly leave you at risk of receiving hugely rank damaging Google penalties. This then makes it all the more important to understand what SEO services are being undertaken on your behalf.
Study finds most SME sites have numerous SEO issues - with many quick win opportunities!
Given that there are certain SEO services that can have a fast ranking turnaround, this can frequently be even better news for SME websites. In a recent study of 200, admittedly US, SME websites there were some obvious issues that I assist clients with on a daily basis.
- 60% don’t include useful keyword phrases in SEO page titles
- 91% don’t feature keywords in image file names
- 89% don’t effectively use internal links
- 51% don’t have HTTPS secure websites
- 73% don’t include keywords in many of their page URLs
All of the above can be relatively easy to address and can result in ranking improvements in the space of weeks and sometimes even days.
Many issues can be remedied quicker and gain results than you might have thought
Lets discuss quick wins on issues your site is statistically likely to have
What is the best small business SEO service?
There is a wide range of small business SEO services available that can be implemented ranging from on-page optimisation like keyword research and technical SEO to more off-page optimisation SEO services like backlink building and local SEO. However, every client, and every client's website for that matter, is unique. So there's no one solution which is why an SEO audit is vital to determine not just what SEO services are needed, but just as importantly, in which order. For more details on how a typical SEO campaign runs then visit our Process page.
Maximize your presence on search engine results pages on a local scale through improving your directory listing profiles
Determining keywords already ranking and other keyword opportunities as well as the pages to be targetted
Once keyword research has been undertaken this then needs implementing across your site using a range of optimisation techniques
Competitor backlink analysis provides a valuable foundation for future backlinking efforts
Specialising in thorough backlinking campaigns offering directory population and article submissions
Reviewing website issues affecting the website speed and any issues impeding engagement
Our case studies
See all projects
Try to rank for keywords that are attainable
Review all your website page for ranking opportunities
Don't fixate on traditional SEO at the cost of everything else
Four small business SEO tips
Consider long-tail keywords, the longer the better
When I first ask prospects about the keywords that they’ve ranked, or tried to rank for, I generally find they’ve opted for the highest search volume keywords applicable to their sector. Nothing wrong with this but it ignores search intent. For instance, one prospect was keen on ‘cherry picker’ but overlooked that the phrase didn’t inform you whether they wanted to buy, hire, train or even know the definition of ‘cherry picker’. Given they were a rental company, I found that the best volume keyword was ‘cherry picker hire’. Dedicate say the Home page to this and then create pages say for this phrase but with a location for a branch and then you start to obtain not only people with an interest in hiring but also from areas where the company operates in or has coverage in. It’s fair to say that many long-tail keywords are needed perhaps to gain the same sort of traffic as a more generic high volume search phrase but the conversion rates tell another tale. The key is that it takes a lot of work devising landing pages that will only attract a few clicks each month but those will be clicks from highly motivated prospects. This is obviously a time-consuming exercise so determining certainty as to what are the best converting keywords is essential. One way to judge these is a small scale Adwords campaign linked to a relatively basic landing page that can prove which terms actually convert.
Don’t put all your hopes (and SEO) in your Home page
It’s a frequent mistake to expect a home page to mean all things to all people. As discussed in the first point, search intent can vary hugely as can where each person may be in the buying process. This can frequently mean that the website becomes a portal that will be burdened with having to answer all possible concerns. This can also mean that any SEO efforts also revolve solely around the fortunes of the Home page. For instance, all keywords determined become stuffed into the page and it’s metadata, all backlinks are focused on the Home page and all user behaviour is expected to flow from this common origin. No page should be the repository for all the keywords (or variants) that you’re trying to rank for since unless it’s one or two, then it will be a thoroughly confusing place for a search engine let alone for a prospect. In addition, building a website with a number of landing pages can also mean there’s scope to develop a number of tailored user pathways to conversion. Finally, with more landing pages you can more closely optimise for a keyword (or a family of keywords) that you’re trying to rank for as well as compartmentalise the development of each one, or for that matter, easy removal.
Don't forget local SEO, it’s not all about the organic listings
Almost all clients who want to use my services are wanting a boost in the organic rankings. This is obviously a reasonable expectation. However, when I explain that there is something that they can influence, generally more quickly, that is higher than the organic listings then they tend to get excited. Sometimes the Google searches that produces maps with nearby businesses has completely passed them by as an opportunity to be grasped. Frequently, they will have done little else for their local listing than verify their GoogleMyBusiness (GMB) listing, if that. However, with a fully populated GMB, with the most applicable categorisation, a good spectrum of photos and a few positive reviews; then you have the bare bones to a high ranking local listing. Harness this comprehensive listing with a range of other contributing directories and you have a powerful, that may be a greater traffic generation source than through the traditional organic listings!
Consider pay per click, that’s right I said Adwords
But surely the hiring SEO consultants is often to stop the perennial splashing out on pay per click! However, Adwords should be a definite consideration in the potential researching of big search volume (which often prove to be vanity) keywords. It may take double figure months, if not years, to possibly rank for certain highly competitive phrases. Adwords can be a great way to sanity check if the phrase is actually going to be the highly converting keyword of your dreams. And you’ll get the result almost immediately (well once you’ve devised a compelling ad, a highly optimised landing page and made any changes to the site to exploit this traffic). The good news is that of you do find that you have a gem then you’ve also pre-built much of the framework that can be exploited for SEO. In fact, with a pre-built highly optimised landing page you may have found that it’s already ranking in the organic listings!
SEO is more than just ranking for keywords - it's about strengthening your brand!
It comes a surprise to many prospects to discover that, on average, 80% of the traffic they receive organically comes from people who were looking for them anyway.
What do I mean by this? Well, the vast majority of non optimised sites receive almost all their traffic from people who were looking for them by their company or brand names.
Being aware of this makes it all the more important for so many of your non-website assets to be as claimed, optimised and populated as much as possible to maximise phone enquiries, website visits and even visits to your physical location.
Consider for instance your GoogleMyBusiness. This is much more prominent on Google searches, particularly on mobile devices where it is frequently shown above the organic results. Additionally, this asset is much more attention-grabbing than your own site in the organic results so it makes sense to invest time and effort into optimising this vital piece of real estate! Below are just a few things to consider.
- Does it have real pictures covering your team, exterior, interior and at work shots?
- Do you have glowing lengthy reviews that have been responded to?
- Do you showcase all your products and services?
- Do you post regular news, event and offer items here?
- Is your company name, opening hours, address etc all consistent with your data on your website?
All of these things help not only in your presence on the map pack but also make for a convincing portrayal that means your prospects will likely then go on to visit your website.
I'll identify the essential listings in your sector
I'll claim, optimise & populate on your behalf
I've done this for 65+ clients already
Are you sure you know who's actually undertaking your small business SEO?
How sure are you that the small business SEO services you commit to being done in-house? You might be surprised by the number of these services that are subcontracted out to white label offshore SEO agencies. The profit margins for an agency you employ may be very lucrative, but the impact can be immense since what control does the agency you're dealing with have over these subcontractors?
When interviewing prospective suppliers, I'd always recommend you determine this from the outset since it's your online reputation and existence that's at stake. For my part, all the work is done by myself so there aren't account managers who are then passing on, possibly incorrect, information onto their own technical staff or whoever they are using to undertake the SEO services.
However, should you want something from me that is a specialism of mine, say copywriting or a full-blown website then I can always put you in touch with some great suppliers I work within these areas that I'm confident will be able to do both a cost-effective and highly competent job.
Ask them categorically if or what they outsource
Do they tell you about their staff structure
Ask for assurances on any 3rd party suppliers
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It's not just small business SEO!
There's a lot more to digital marketing than just search engine optimisation services. It's worthwhile having a look at your other digital assets that might be already being used or possibly never considered. Every client has their own preferences and prejudices so it's well worth looking into how these channels may play their part in your overall digital marketing mix.
Is SEO worth it for small business?
The temptation is to look at areas of marketing that can be on the face of it free marketing, like social media or looking at fully paid marketing for immediate results, like Adwords and Facebook ads. However, search engine searches drive 22% of all website visits, making it “one of the largest traffic producers for most brands (if not the largest),” according to Merkle’s 2019 Digital Media report. Taking this into account, search is a huge sales channel to overlook. And it's not just Google, there are other search engines like Bing and DuckDuckGo to consider and even less obvious opportunities for optimisation including Facebook and YouTube.
Why is SEO important for small businesses?
There are frequently two types of small businesses in 2020. Either one that generally serves the local community or one that is largely solely dependent on online sales. Of course, there can also be a mixture of these two types. Both types have somewhat different SEO needs but both have a high reliance on their online visibility. For the local shop, their presence on GoogleMybUinsess can be crucial as can their reviews featured on it. Whereas the online small business will have a high need for exposure in Google Shopping snippets.
What is SEO and how does it work for small businesses?
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a range of techniques employed across a range of on-page (your website) or (off-page) other websites and platforms across the internet. This works for large and small businesses alike but the order and degree of these services can vary hugely depending on the size of a company. For instance, a single location local small business may need to have a greater concentration on its local SEO profile given that most of its sales are driven from traffic to its location.
How SEO helps your business?
SEO helps small businesses in a range of ways. It can help to raise awareness of the company with its own website's profile across a range of directory listings. It can improve and help in the conversion of customers by seeing their reviews across a range of platforms. With the publishing of articles and infographics, it can also help not only raise awareness but establish a small enterprise as a thought leader in its respective sector. Finally, it can help to determine what it's audiences are actually searching for so as to assist the small business in being visible for the prevalent search terms that the company may have overlooked.
Do you only work with small businesses?
I only undertake work for SMEs. However, given that the definition for an SME is up to 249 employees and makes up almost 99.9% of all UK businesses it's fair to say that I serve the majority of businesses. So why not larger enterprises? Given the frequent number of locations, normally huge number of product or service inventories and frequent high dependence on existing e-commerce platforms I believe that for such organisations there needs to be continual SEO undertaken which my business model doesn't do adequate justice to since for such organisations I'd be practically having to work full time which would mean I couldn't serve the rest of my client base. A sacrifice I'm just not prepared to make. That being said, I do serve much larger organizations where they are franchise based where I will serve one or a number of their franchises to assist in their local SEO presence.
