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Guides

SEO guides for people buying it

161 guides · Written by an independent directory, not an agency

Plain English guides to what SEO costs, how to choose an agency, how search actually works, and how to tell whether the money is doing anything.

Start here

The three guides most people need first

How to choose an SEO agency Most bad SEO experiences start at the shortlist stage, not the delivery stage. Get the selection right and the rest becomes far easier to manage. 10 min read How much does SEO cost in the UK? Most UK small businesses pay between £500 and £2,500 a month for SEO. Where you sit in that range depends on your market, the state of your website and who is actually doing the work. 9 min read What is SEO? A plain English guide SEO is the work of making it easy for search engines to find, understand and trust your website, so that people looking for what you sell arrive on it. 9 min read

We run an independent directory of Bristol SEO agencies. We do not sell SEO, which means these guides can say things an agency would struggle to put in writing: when not to spend, what a cheap package really contains, and the point at which you should stop paying somebody.

If you already know what you need, you can compare SEO agencies in Bristol by rating and specialism, or request quotes and use the guides below to judge the answers you get back.

Choosing an agency

Choosing an SEO agency

How to shortlist, interview and appoint an agency, what to ask, and the warning signs worth walking away from.

Start here How to choose an SEO agency Most bad SEO experiences start at the shortlist stage, not the delivery stage. Get the selection right and the rest becomes far easier to manage. 10 min read Questions to ask an SEO agency You do not need to understand SEO to interview an agency well. You need the right questions and a sense of what a straight answer sounds like. 8 min read SEO agency red flags Most SEO disappointments are predictable. The warning signs turn up in the sales call, months before the first flat report. 7 min read SEO agency, freelancer or in house The right answer depends on your budget, whether you have anyone to execute internally, and how broad the work needs to be. 7 min read How to switch SEO agencies safely Changing agency is routine. Losing rankings while you do it is avoidable, and usually comes down to access, documentation and timing. 6 min read White label SEO, and why it matters to you A large share of SEO sold in the UK is delivered by somebody other than the company you signed with. That is not automatically bad, but you should know. 6 min read

Pricing and value

SEO pricing and value

What SEO costs in the UK, how it is priced, what a small budget can realistically buy, and how to work out the return.

Start here How much does SEO cost in the UK? Most UK small businesses pay between £500 and £2,500 a month for SEO. Where you sit in that range depends on your market, the state of your website and who is actually doing the work. 9 min read SEO pricing models: retainer, project or hourly Retainer, project, hourly or performance based. The model an agency proposes tells you as much about how they work as the number attached to it. 7 min read Why cheap SEO usually costs more A £200 a month SEO package is not a smaller version of a £2,000 one. It is usually a different product entirely, and often one that costs money to undo. 6 min read Measuring SEO ROI without fooling yourself You cannot judge an SEO retainer on rankings. You judge it on enquiries, on what those enquiries are worth, and on what would have happened anyway. 8 min read

SEO fundamentals

How SEO works

The plain English explanation of search, content, technical work and links, written for people buying it rather than doing it.

Start here What is SEO? A plain English guide SEO is the work of making it easy for search engines to find, understand and trust your website, so that people looking for what you sell arrive on it. 9 min read How long does SEO take to work? Three to six months before movement, six to twelve before it is commercially meaningful. Anything faster is usually either luck or a very uncompetitive market. 6 min read Keyword research for business owners Keyword research is not about finding popular phrases. It is about finding the phrases that a person ready to buy from you would actually type. 7 min read On page SEO basics On page SEO is everything you control on the page itself. It is also the part with the best return, because nobody has to give you permission to fix it. 7 min read Technical SEO explained Technical SEO is the plumbing. It rarely wins you rankings on its own, and it can quietly prevent everything else from working. 7 min read Link building explained A link is another site vouching for yours. That is why it works, and it is also why buying them in bulk does not. 7 min read SEO vs PPC: where to spend first Ads buy attention now and stop when you stop paying. SEO earns it slowly and keeps most of it. The right answer usually involves both, in a particular order. 6 min read

Local SEO

Local search and the map pack

Google Business Profile, reviews, citations and location pages: the fastest moving and cheapest part of SEO for most businesses.

Start here The local SEO guide for UK businesses For most businesses serving a place, local search is where the enquiries are. It is also the part of SEO that moves fastest and costs least. 10 min read Google Business Profile: a practical guide It is free, it takes an afternoon, and for most local businesses it produces more enquiries than the website does. 7 min read Reviews and SEO Reviews are the one ranking factor your customers control. The businesses that win at local search are usually the ones that ask, consistently. 6 min read

AI search

AI search and SEO

What AI Overviews, ChatGPT and the rest change about search, what they do not, and how to be the source they cite.

Start here AI search and SEO: what actually changes AI has changed how answers are presented, not how they are found. The pages that get cited are, overwhelmingly, the pages that already ranked. 9 min read Google AI Overviews explained The generated summary at the top of Google results is assembled from pages Google already trusts. Getting into it is a ranking problem before it is anything else. 7 min read How to become the source AI cites Assistants quote passages, not pages. Writing in self contained, verifiable passages is most of the work. 7 min read Generative engine optimisation: real or rebranded? Perhaps a fifth of what is sold as generative engine optimisation is new. The rest is the SEO you should already be buying. 6 min read Getting found in ChatGPT ChatGPT names businesses it can find and verify. Being findable, consistent and well reviewed is most of what you can control. 6 min read Perplexity and citation led search Perplexity shows its working. That makes it the best free diagnostic available for how AI systems see your site. 5 min read Should you block AI crawlers? Blocking AI crawlers removes you from AI answers. For most businesses that is a cost with no matching benefit. 6 min read llms.txt explained A plain text file describing your site for AI systems. Cheap to publish, unproven in effect, and worth doing only once the basics are right. 5 min read Structured data in an AI world Structured data removes ambiguity. When the reader is a machine deciding whether to quote you, ambiguity is expensive. 6 min read Zero click search and what to do about it Most searches have ended without a click for years. AI has accelerated a trend rather than started one. 6 min read AI Mode and conversational search Conversational search turns one question into a chain of them. Content built around a single keyword answers only the first link in the chain. 6 min read Measuring AI search traffic Some AI traffic is visible as ordinary referrals. Much of it is not, which makes proxy measures more important than precision. 6 min read Does AI written content rank? Google judges the content, not the tool. The problem with most AI content is not that a machine wrote it, it is that it says nothing new. 6 min read Using AI tools for SEO work AI is excellent at the parts of SEO that are tedious and terrible at the parts that require judgement. Knowing which is which saves a lot of wasted effort. 6 min read E-E-A-T, authorship and trust in AI answers Machines deciding whether to repeat your claims are implicitly judging how safe you are to quote. Trust signals are how you answer that question. 6 min read Why brand mentions now matter as much as links A model learns who you are from how the web describes you. Links help, and plain mentions count in a way they did not before. 6 min read AI and local search Somebody who needs a tradesperson today does not want a paragraph of prose. They want a business, a phone number and reviews. 6 min read Question led content and AI answers Assistants answer questions. Content organised around real questions, answered directly, is the easiest thing for them to use. 5 min read Eight myths about AI and SEO Most of what is said about AI and SEO is either an upsell or a misunderstanding. Here are the eight you will hear most. 6 min read Future proofing your SEO strategy Search will change again. The way to prepare is to spend on the things that were valuable before AI and will be valuable after it. 6 min read

SEO by industry

SEO by industry

A long form guide for every sector we cover, paired with the directory page listing the Bristol agencies that work in it.

Start here Does your industry change your SEO strategy? The mechanics of search are the same everywhere. What changes by sector is how people search, what convinces them, and what you are allowed to say. 8 min read SEO for plumbers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for plumbers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for solicitors: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for solicitors rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for restaurants: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for restaurants rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for estate agents: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for estate agents rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for accountants: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for accountants rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for builders: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for builders rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for electricians: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for electricians rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for gyms: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for gyms rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for hairdressers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for hairdressers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for opticians: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for opticians rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for physiotherapists: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for physiotherapists rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for cosmetic clinics: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for cosmetic clinics rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for care homes: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for care homes rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for nurseries: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for nurseries rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for landscapers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for landscapers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for removal firms: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for removal firms rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for cleaning companies: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for cleaning companies rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for locksmiths: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for locksmiths rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for glaziers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for glaziers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for heating engineers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for heating engineers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for scaffolders: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for scaffolders rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for kitchen fitters: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for kitchen fitters rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for bathroom fitters: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for bathroom fitters rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for painters and decorators: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for painters and decorators rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for flooring companies: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for flooring companies rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for architects: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for architects rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for surveyors: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for surveyors rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for financial advisers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for financial advisers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for mortgage brokers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for mortgage brokers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for insurance brokers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for insurance brokers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for recruitment agencies: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for recruitment agencies rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for IT support companies: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for IT support companies rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for software companies: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for software companies rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for manufacturers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for manufacturers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for wholesalers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for wholesalers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for retailers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for retailers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for cafes: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for cafes rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for pubs: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for pubs rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for hotels: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for hotels rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for wedding venues: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for wedding venues rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for caterers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for caterers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for photographers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for photographers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for florists: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for florists rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for garages: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for garages rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for car dealers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for car dealers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for taxi firms: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for taxi firms rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for couriers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for couriers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for letting agents: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for letting agents rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for property developers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for property developers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for charities: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for charities rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for schools: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for schools rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for tutors: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for tutors rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for therapists: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for therapists rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for pest control firms: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for pest control firms rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for security companies: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for security companies rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for barbers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for barbers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for beauty salons: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for beauty salons rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for nail salons: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for nail salons rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for tattoo studios: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for tattoo studios rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for spas: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for spas rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for osteopaths: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for osteopaths rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for podiatrists: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for podiatrists rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for counsellors: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for counsellors rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for hypnotherapists: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for hypnotherapists rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for acupuncturists: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for acupuncturists rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for dieticians: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for dieticians rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for personal trainers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for personal trainers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for yoga studios: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for yoga studios rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for pilates studios: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for pilates studios rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for martial arts clubs: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for martial arts clubs rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for dance schools: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for dance schools rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for golf clubs: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for golf clubs rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for sports clubs: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for sports clubs rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for butchers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for butchers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for bakeries: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for bakeries rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for breweries: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for breweries rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for coffee roasters: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for coffee roasters rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for farm shops: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for farm shops rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for delicatessens: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for delicatessens rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for wine merchants: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for wine merchants rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for nightclubs: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for nightclubs rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for event venues: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for event venues rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for theatres: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for theatres rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for museums: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for museums rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for travel agents: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for travel agents rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for coach hire firms: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for coach hire firms rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for car hire firms: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for car hire firms rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for cycle shops: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for cycle shops rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for motorbike dealers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for motorbike dealers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for funeral directors: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for funeral directors rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for will writers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for will writers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for conveyancers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for conveyancers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for barristers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for barristers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for HR consultants: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for HR consultants rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for health and safety consultants: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for health and safety consultants rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for translation services: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for translation services rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for print companies: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for print companies rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for signmakers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for signmakers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for packaging suppliers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for packaging suppliers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for engineering firms: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for engineering firms rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for plant hire firms: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for plant hire firms rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for skip hire firms: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for skip hire firms rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for waste management firms: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for waste management firms rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for solar installers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for solar installers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for EV charging installers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for EV charging installers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for insulation installers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for insulation installers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for window installers: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for window installers rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for tree surgeons: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for tree surgeons rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for fencing contractors: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for fencing contractors rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for driveway contractors: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for driveway contractors rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for carpet cleaners: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for carpet cleaners rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for storage companies: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for storage companies rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for coworking spaces: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for coworking spaces rather than for marketers. 6 min read SEO for garden centres: the complete guide What works, what it costs and how to choose an agency, written for garden centres rather than for marketers. 6 min read

Measuring and managing

Measuring and managing an agency

Reports, KPIs, audits and the first ninety days, plus how to tell whether an agency needs more time or replacing.

Start here SEO reports explained A good SEO report answers three questions: what did you do, what happened, and what are you doing next. Most reports answer none of them. 8 min read SEO KPIs that actually matter Most SEO reporting measures effort. The metrics worth agreeing up front measure whether the effort produced anything. 6 min read Google Search Console for business owners Search Console is free, it is your data rather than your agency’s, and four of its reports will tell you almost everything you need to know. 6 min read What an SEO audit should include A good audit is a prioritised list of decisions, not a hundred page export of everything a tool noticed. 7 min read Your first 90 days with an SEO agency The first quarter rarely produces results. It should produce evidence: a diagnosis, a plan, work delivered and measurement you can check. 6 min read When to fire your SEO agency SEO is slow, which makes it easy to tolerate an agency for a year longer than you should. These are the tests that separate patience from denial. 6 min read

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Who writes these guides?

The CompareSEO Bristol editorial team. We operate a directory rather than an agency, so we have no service to sell you at the end of an article. Where a guide recommends spending money, it is because that is our honest read of the situation.

Are the guides specific to Bristol?

Mostly not. Pricing, agency selection and how search works are the same wherever you trade, so the guides are written for UK businesses generally. Where Bristol genuinely differs, usually on price and on how competitive a local market is, we say so.

Where should I start if I have never bought SEO before?

Read what SEO is, then the pricing guide, then how to choose an agency. That sequence takes about half an hour and it is enough to hold your own in any sales conversation.

Do you accept payment to feature agencies in guides?

No. Guides never name or recommend a specific agency. The directory pages list agencies from public data, and our methodology page explains exactly how that data is collected.

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