I look at what is getting in the way, set sensible priorities and help make the pages that matter work harder.
SEO, or search engine optimisation, is the ongoing work of making a website easier for search engines to find, understand and show to people searching for relevant information, products or services.
SEO isn't a trick, a one-off task or simply adding keywords to a page. It joins up a technically sound website, clear and helpful content, sensible page structure and evidence that the business is credible.
I’m Keith McIntyre, a freelance digital marketing manager with more than ten years of experience. When you need support, you work directly with me: the person reviewing the website, setting priorities and helping move the work forward.
Why SEO matters
A potential customer might search for a service, check the cost, compare providers or look for reassurance before getting in touch. Your website needs pages that meet them at those points—not a homepage that tries to say everything at once.
SEO helps you see where the gaps are. Perhaps a key service is buried in the navigation. Perhaps a product category has no useful information. Perhaps people are finding a blog post when they should be reaching an enquiry page.
That work can improve the site for people as well as search engines. Better page structure, clearer information and fewer dead ends make a website easier for the business to use, too.
The four foundations
You don't need to tackle every possible SEO task at once. The first job is to work out what is genuinely holding the website back, then focus on that.
Technical SEO makes sure search engines can load the website, follow its links and understand which pages matter. It covers crawlability, indexing, speed, sitemaps, duplicate pages and structured data.
Some issues are small; others can stop a key page appearing at all. An SEO audit should separate the real problems from the long list of low-priority warnings that tools produce.
A service, product or area of expertise needs its own useful page. It also needs to be easy to reach from the navigation or another relevant page.
This may mean improving a page title, adding missing information or changing internal links. It can also mean stopping two pages from trying to rank for the same search.
People often need more than a sales page before they get in touch. A comparison, guide, FAQ or explanation can be useful when it answers a genuine question your team hears regularly.
There’s no prize for publishing more pages than your competitors. The useful question is whether a page gives someone information they couldn't easily get from the rest of your site.
Search Console and website analytics show what people searched for, which pages they used and where visits are coming from. That is more useful than watching a handful of rankings in isolation.
Over time, the findings shape the next job: improve a page, fix a technical problem, create something new or leave a page alone because it is already doing its job.
How search works
First, search engines need to be able to reach the pages that matter. Broken links, slow pages and accidental settings can get in the way.
They also need to understand what each page offers. Clear titles, headings and useful information make that much easier.
Then your pages are compared with other results. A good answer, a credible business and a website that works well all give you a better chance of appearing.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO is the work behind the scenes: checking that search engines can reach the site, use the right pages in results and move around without hitting dead ends. It doesn't replace useful content, but it stops avoidable problems holding good pages back.
I check whether important pages can be reached and appear in search, and whether anything is getting in the way. That includes robots settings, redirects, error pages and XML sitemaps.
Important pages shouldn't only be reachable from the main menu. Clear navigation and internal links help customers and search engines find the services, products and information that matter.
A slow or awkward website can lose visitors before they get to the useful part. I look for practical improvements that make key pages quicker and easier to use on a phone or desktop.
Duplicate URLs, old pages and site migrations can create problems quietly. I can help tidy them up and make sure valuable pages aren't lost when a website changes.
SEO for AI search
People now ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Google AI search the same questions they once put straight into Google. If your business is missing from those answers, it is worth finding out why.
The work is familiar SEO work, applied carefully: check that important pages can be crawled, make the business and its services easy to identify, improve thin or unclear pages, add useful evidence and track which sites or pages are being cited for the questions that matter.
There's no special AI schema or trick that forces a site into an answer. Google says its AI search features continue to use the same core search foundations. Read Google's guidance.
Keyword research
A keyword can be one word or a full question. It is the language someone uses when looking for an answer, comparing options or preparing to buy. Research helps identify the words and questions that matter to your customers, then decide what your website should say or do in response.
It saves you from guessing. You can see what people actually call the thing you do, which questions come up most often and where the website needs to be clearer.
The same subject can mean very different things. Someone searching “how does it work?” needs an explanation; someone searching “supplier near me” may be ready to make contact. That difference affects the kind of page you need.
Research looks at the searches your website already appears for, the terms competitors are visible for and the questions your customers ask in real life. It can uncover a missing service page, a common question you haven't answered or a term customers use that your website never mentions.
Each priority search needs a sensible home. Sometimes that is an existing page that needs improving. Sometimes it is a new service page, guide, category or FAQ. The important thing is to avoid building several pages around exactly the same idea.
The right level of detail
Broad terms often have more search volume, but they are usually more competitive and can mean several different things. More specific searches can show a clear need, especially for specialist services, products and local businesses.
Someone searching for a broad service may still be learning. Someone comparing two options, looking for a product category or searching for a service in a particular town is usually further along. Your website needs different pages for those different moments.
The same language can help elsewhere too. It can sharpen a service page, a product description, an email subject line or the wording in a paid campaign. Research gives you something better than a hunch to work from.
Local SEO
Local SEO helps a business appear when people search for a product or service in a particular place. It is especially useful for businesses with a physical location, businesses that serve a defined area, or anyone whose customers are more likely to choose a nearby provider.
It can affect the ordinary search results, Google Maps and the local business results that appear when someone searches for things such as “pub in Alnwick”, “Indian restaurant in Wooler” or a service plus a town or area.
Your Google Business Profile is the information people see in Google Maps and local results: name, category, address or service area, opening hours, phone number, website, photos and reviews. Keeping it complete, accurate and actively managed makes it easier for customers to decide whether to contact you.
Local keyword research looks at how people in the areas you serve actually search. It can inform useful service pages, location information and content that explains the places you cover—without creating thin, repetitive pages for every nearby postcode.
Search engines and customers need to see consistent, trustworthy business information. That includes accurate name, address and phone details where they are published, genuine reviews, clear contact information and relevant mentions from established local organisations or publications.
Local or wider reach?
Local SEO isn't only for businesses with a shopfront. A trades business, consultant or service provider that works across defined locations can still benefit from being clear about the areas it serves and the problems it solves there.
Some businesses need both local and wider visibility. For example, a retailer may want local customers to find its store and national customers to find its online shop. The right approach depends on how people choose you, rather than following a fixed local-versus-national formula.
It starts with the basics: who you want to reach, what they need from you and how your website can make that clear.
SEO support
Whether you need an SEO audit, a plan for local search or ongoing support, I can help you decide what will make the biggest difference first.
eCommerce SEO
Online shops can have thousands of URLs. The important thing is deciding which pages should appear in Google, then making them easy to find, useful to compare and technically tidy.
Category pages often carry the biggest search opportunity. They need clear navigation, sensible subcategories and enough useful information to help someone choose—not just a grid of products.
Product pages need to cover the detail a buyer needs: specifications, sizes, compatibility, delivery, returns and the reasons to choose it. That helps both search visibility and conversion.
Filters and product variants can create a lot of near-duplicate pages. I can review which ones should be visible in search, and how to handle discontinued or temporarily unavailable products.
SEO services
You may want someone to review a website that has stopped performing, fix a known issue or give your existing marketing team a clearer SEO plan. I can work around the job you have, rather than sell you a pre-set package.
The work can cover SEO audits, technical SEO, keyword research, page and content improvements, local SEO, eCommerce SEO, authority-building work and ongoing SEO management.
I review the site, current search visibility, customer questions and competitors. You receive a prioritised plan that says what needs doing first, who needs to do it and what is likely to make a difference.
I can make practical changes directly where appropriate, or write clear briefs for your developer, agency or internal team. You are not left with a report that nobody has time to use.
For websites that need regular attention, I can stay involved with planning, content, technical improvements and reporting. You have one person keeping track of the work and calling out the next thing worth doing.
Questions & answers
SEO is the practical work that helps search engines understand a website and helps the right people find it. It can include technical website health, page structure, content, internal links, structured data and reporting.
A technical SEO audit checks whether search engines can reach, understand and use the important pages on your site. It looks at indexing, redirects, internal links, speed, duplicate URLs and site structure.
Keyword research is the process of understanding the words, questions and phrases people use when looking for something online. It helps decide which existing pages should be improved, what new content is worth creating and how each page can better match the need behind a search.
SEO support starts at £300 per day. The final cost depends on the website, the level of competition and whether you need an audit, a focused project or ongoing support. Once I understand the work, I’ll set out a sensible scope and estimate.
Local SEO helps a business appear when people search for a service or product in a particular place. It includes the website, Google Business Profile, Maps visibility, accurate business information and local reputation signals such as genuine reviews and relevant local mentions.
Not always. Businesses that serve customers at their premises can use a business address, while service-area businesses can focus on the locations they cover without displaying a home address publicly. The approach needs to reflect how the business actually operates.
eCommerce SEO helps shoppers find product and category pages, while making the site easier for search engines to crawl and understand. It can cover product and category-page structure, filters, duplicate content, internal links, technical health and the information shoppers need before buying.
SEO is ongoing work rather than an instant fix. The timescale depends on the website, competition, existing website health and how quickly changes can be made. We’ll agree sensible priorities and review what is changing as the work progresses.
No. Search results change constantly and no ethical SEO provider can guarantee a particular position. The focus should be on useful work that improves the quality, clarity and accessibility of your website, with transparent reporting on what changes.
Usually, no. An audit can show whether the existing website has realistic opportunities for improvement, or whether a wider redesign or platform change needs to be considered. The right answer depends on the website and the business. If you’re looking for a new site, I also offer web design services.
Yes. Useful content is central to SEO. I can help improve the structure, content and links around the pages that matter most, as well as the technical foundations behind them.
Yes, as a supporting part of SEO. The focus is on making useful pages and clear business information easier for search engines and AI systems to understand, while tracking whether the business is being mentioned or cited. No one can guarantee an AI citation.
SEO support
Get in touch about an SEO audit, a focused project or ongoing SEO management. Send your website and a short outline of what you want to achieve, and I’ll let you know how I can help.