SEO Consultant for Small Businesses that Want More Enquiries
SEO consultant Dave Bell helps small businesses improve their search visibility and attract more relevant enquiries.
You'll work directly with me – someone who built search-led businesses to 6 million annual visits before successfully selling them.
I'll help you to understand what is holding your website back, improve the pages that matter and reach more people looking for your services.
I’m an independent freelance SEO consultant and co-founder of Hurry The Food Up, which was sold in 2025. I bring a business owner’s perspective to SEO. The work needs to support what you actually want to sell.
Direct access to me | One-off projects and ongoing support | Working with UK businesses
Practical experience behind the advice
These figures come from businesses I helped build myself. They taught me that visibility only becomes valuable when the content, offer and conversion path work together.
You probably do not need a longer SEO to-do list
Most businesses already have plenty of possible jobs. You could rewrite service pages, publish articles, fix technical warnings, improve your Google Business Profile, build links, add structured data or redesign the website.
The difficult part is deciding what deserves your time and money first.
In my experience, this is where good SEO consultancy creates the most value. A consultant should identify the actions most likely to improve visibility and enquiries, explain why they matter and help you avoid paying for work that is unlikely to make a meaningful difference.
That might mean fixing a technical problem, creating a missing service page or strengthening the evidence that helps prospective customers trust you.
Not every red warning in an SEO tool is commercially important.
Google recommends creating helpful, reliable content for people and using the words people search for in prominent parts of a page. You can read the principles in Google Search Essentials.
Work directly with your freelance SEO consultant
When you hire Found First, you work directly with me.
I learn about your business, conduct the research, decide what I recommend and explain the reasoning to you. You will not be passed from a salesperson to an account manager and then to someone you have never spoken to.
Useful SEO depends on understanding more than rankings. I want to know which services you want to sell, which enquiries are valuable and what you can realistically implement.
Perhaps you already have a developer but need someone to explain what should change. Perhaps you write your own content but struggle to decide which pages to create. Or perhaps you want an SEO freelancer to take responsibility for a clearly defined project.
We can shape the support around what you actually need.
My view is that a business should always be able to answer three questions about its SEO:
What are we doing? Why are we doing it? How will we judge whether it helped?
What does an SEO consultant do?
An SEO consultant examines how people search for your services, how your website currently performs and why competing businesses may be more visible.
The work can include:
The most useful result is a clear recommendation about what to do, why it matters, what order to do it in and what can safely wait.
I also think a good SEO consultant should be willing to say when SEO is not the immediate priority. More traffic will not repair an unclear offer, weak proof or a difficult enquiry process.
SEO consultancy and freelance SEO services
SEO strategy and prioritisation
My SEO consultancy starts by identifying where your business has the best opportunity to win relevant customers.
We look at your services, existing pages, competitors and search results. We then decide which improvements deserve attention first.
A local professional practice does not need the same strategy as an ecommerce shop, an online publisher or a company entering several international markets.
A keyword can attract traffic and still be a poor commercial target. A technically perfect page can still fail to produce enquiries.
In my opinion, SEO should be measured against the job it was hired to do. That usually means better enquiries, bookings, sales or qualified leads, rather than simply a larger traffic number.
SEO audits and clear priorities
An SEO audit identifies problems and opportunities across your website and puts them in a useful order.
I look at how your pages are found and indexed, how well they match relevant searches, what competitors are doing and where visitors may struggle to take the next step.
You receive an explanation of the findings, their likely importance and the work involved.
Service pages and commercial content
I help you identify the searches that fit your services and improve the pages those searchers should land on.
That can include keyword research, rewriting existing content, planning new pages and improving titles, headings and internal links.
I would usually prioritise a commercially useful service page over a loosely related article with a larger potential audience. The opportunity needs to make sense for your business.
Technical SEO and indexing
I review technical issues that may prevent search engines from finding, understanding or indexing the right content.
This can include indexing problems, redirects, duplicate pages, canonicalisation, internal links, website structure and technical signals that affect how search engines interpret the site.
Depending on the agreed scope, I can make suitable changes or prepare clear instructions for your developer.
Local SEO
For businesses serving a particular area, we can work on your Google Business Profile, local relevance, reviews, important local pages and the information customers need before contacting you.
The aim is to help people understand what you offer, where you operate and why your business is a suitable choice.
Generative Engine Optimisation and AI-search visibility
Generative Engine Optimisation, often shortened to GEO, considers whether AI systems can understand your business, verify its claims and recognise it as a relevant source.
I assess how your business appears in relevant AI-search results, which competitors and sources are mentioned and where your online presence may need strengthening.
SEO remains the foundation. Google says that established SEO practices remain relevant to AI Overviews and AI Mode, with no additional technical requirements for inclusion. You can read Google’s guidance on AI features and websites.
In practice, clear positioning, useful content, strong evidence, consistent business information and credible third-party mentions can support both traditional search and AI-assisted discovery.
Ways to work with Found First
SEO & GEO Visibility Audit
For businesses that need a clear diagnosis before deciding what to change.
I assess what is helping or limiting your search visibility and provide a prioritised action plan. This is usually the most sensible starting point when you know the website should perform better but are unsure what to fix first. You leave with a practical basis for deciding what to do yourself, what to delegate and where further support may help.
Growth SEO
For businesses that want continuing strategy and implementation.
The work can include priority pages, content, technical guidance, internal linking, local SEO and measurement. We agree the priorities and work through them in a realistic order.
Pro SEO
For businesses that need a broader and faster programme of SEO work.
This can include a larger programme of strategy, content development, optimisation and continuing review. The exact scope depends on your website, competition and internal resources.
If one of these options is not suitable, I will say so. Scope, deliverables and price are agreed before any paid work begins.
Prices exclude VAT where applicable.
Experience from building a search-led business
Before launching Found First, I co-founded and helped grow Hurry The Food Up into an international food and nutrition business.
The website attracted around 4.2 million visits per year, peaking at more than 6 million during the Covid period. We also built an email audience of more than 80,000 people and generated over 100,000 app downloads before selling the business in 2025.
That experience shapes how I approach SEO today:
The strongest opportunity is not always the largest keyword. It is often the search where the customer’s problem, your expertise and a useful next step meet.
SEO freelancer or SEO agency?
Both can be good choices. The right fit depends on the work you need and how you want to work together.
| Your priority | What to consider |
|---|---|
| Direct contact with the specialist | An independent SEO consultant usually provides a closer working relationship. Ask an agency who your regular contact will be and who will complete the work. |
| Several services delivered together | An agency may have SEO, development, paid media, design and digital PR specialists available within one team. |
| A focused project | An SEO freelancer can be a good fit when their experience and capacity match the scope |
| A large amount of simultaneous work | Ask about capacity, delivery times and whether other people will be involved. |
| Continuity | Ask an independent consultant how absence is handled. Ask an agency whether the people working on your account are likely to change. |
| Value for money | Compare the work, experience and implementation included in the price. |
Examples:
For a small business with a focused set of priorities, I think working directly with an independent SEO specialist can be a very practical arrangement.
Found First is intentionally founder-led. You work directly with me on the analysis, strategy and priorities. If a project needs expertise outside my own work, I will tell you.
How we get started
1. Tell me about your business
Send me your website and explain what you would like it to achieve.
Which services need more enquiries? What have you already tried? Where do you feel stuck?
2. I assess the starting point
I review the website and search landscape, then tell you whether I can help and what the most sensible first step appears to be.
3. We agree the priority and scope
That might be a Visibility Audit, improvements to priority pages or ongoing SEO support.
You will know what is included, what it costs, when it will be delivered and what I need from you.
4. We put the priorities into action
I explain the reasoning in plain English and set out the work in priority order.
Depending on the engagement, I can provide the plan, help implement it or work alongside your existing team.
5. We review what changed
We look at the available evidence, including relevant search visibility, enquiries and sales where tracking allows.
SEO results can be affected by several factors. I will distinguish what the evidence shows from what remains uncertain.
Is Found First the right fit?
My freelance SEO consultancy is likely to suit you if:
Found First will probably be a poor fit if you want guaranteed rankings, hundreds of mass-produced pages or a provider who agrees to every proposed tactic without questioning its value.
I cannot guarantee a particular position in Google. No responsible SEO consultant can and be very wary if they do. I can offer careful research, clear reasoning, practical work and an honest assessment of what is worth pursuing.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an SEO consultant cost?
Found First’s SEO & GEO Visibility Audit starts from £590.
Ongoing Growth SEO starts from £1,299 per month, with the broader Pro SEO programme starting from £2,149 per month.
The final cost depends on the size of the website, competition, goals and implementation required. I confirm the scope, deliverables and price before work begins.
Do you offer affordable SEO consultancy for small businesses?
Yes. The Visibility Audit provides a clearly defined starting point for businesses that are not ready for ongoing SEO support.
If your budget is limited, we can also discuss a focused project and decide which tasks you or your existing team can handle.
In my experience, a manageable first project is often the best way to control costs, make progress and find out whether we work well together.
Is hiring a cheap SEO consultant a good idea?
A cheap SEO consultant can be a sensible choice for a small and clearly defined task.
The price alone does not tell you whether an offer provides good value. Check what the price includes, who will do the work, whether implementation is included and whether you will need additional help afterwards.
I think the useful comparison is the total cost of getting the job done properly, rather than simply choosing the lowest quote.
Be particularly careful with offers based on mass-produced content, automated link building or guaranteed rankings. Poor SEO can create problems that cost more to repair later.
How do I choose the best SEO consultant for my business?
The best SEO consultant for your business should understand your goals, have relevant experience and explain their recommendations clearly.
Ask for examples of previous work, check references and find out who will actually complete the work.
Google recommends discussing previous work, expected results, measurement and communication when hiring an SEO. It also recommends checking references. See Google’s advice on hiring an SEO.
I would also ask:
“What would you prioritise for my business, and why?”
The answer should connect the website to your customers and commercial goals. You should be able to understand the reasoning even if you do not know the technical terminology.
What is the difference between an SEO consultant and an SEO freelancer?
“Consultant” describes the role someone performs. “Freelancer” describes how they work.
An SEO consultant may advise on strategy, diagnose problems and set priorities. An SEO freelancer works independently and may provide advice, implementation or both.
I work independently through Found First. Your proposal explains whether the project includes advice, hands-on changes or a combination.
Do you provide SEO consultancy for UK businesses?
Yes. I’m British and based in Germany, and I work online with businesses in the UK, Germany and other international markets.
Found First works in English and German. Research, competitors, keywords and content are adapted to each market rather than translated mechanically.
Can you work with my developer or content writer?
Yes. We can agree clear responsibilities and turn the SEO recommendations into practical tasks for the people working on your website.
Can I hire you for a one-off SEO project?
Yes. An audit or another clearly defined project can be a useful starting point. We can discuss continuing support afterwards if it would help.
How long does SEO take?
Some changes can have an effect relatively quickly, particularly when an important page has a clear technical or content problem. Competitive improvements usually take longer.
Google says some changes may take effect in a few hours, while others can take several months. In general, it recommends waiting a few weeks before assessing whether work has had a beneficial effect. See the Google SEO Starter Guide.
I prefer to set expectations after reviewing the website, competition and implementation capacity.
Can you guarantee first-page rankings?
No.
Search results depend on relevance, competition, website quality, authority, Google’s systems and factors outside any consultant’s control.
Google explicitly warns that nobody can guarantee a number-one ranking. A consultant should be able to explain the opportunity, the work and the measurements, but cannot promise control over a search result.
Can you help my business appear in AI answers?
Yes. I assess whether relevant AI systems mention your business, which competitors and sources they use, how clearly your website communicates its expertise and where your wider online presence may be weak.
Clear positioning, useful content, strong technical foundations and credible external evidence can support visibility across both search engines and AI systems.
Let's Do It Together
Talk to an SEO consultant about your website
If you are unsure why competitors are more visible, which pages you need or what deserves attention first, send me your website and a short note about the business.
I will take an initial look and tell you whether Found First appears to be a good fit and what I think the most useful next step would be.