How much does SEO cost for a small business?

I work at $300/hour for strategic direction, $1,800–$3,500 for a full diagnostic and roadmap, and $1,500–$2,500 per month for ongoing management. That's less than most agencies charge for a junior account manager, because you're working directly with me — no account team, no ticket queue.

How long does small business SEO take to show results?

Google Business Profile and Map Pack movement often shows in 30–60 days. Broader organic keyword rankings usually take 4–8 months, depending on how competitive your market and industry are.

Can't I just do this myself?

You can do some of it — claiming your Google Business Profile, asking for reviews, writing basic pages. Where DIY usually breaks down is technical schema, keyword prioritization, and knowing which fixes actually move rankings versus which just feel productive. Most owners don't have the hours to test that themselves.

How is this different from a big agency?

Big agencies staff your account with a junior strategist and a template process built for volume. I keep 3 to 5 clients at a time, so you get direct access to someone who spent 20 years as a corporate operator, including a decade at JPMorgan Chase and 11 years serving the Fortune 100, rising to VP before doing this — not a rotating point of contact.

Do you work with businesses outside Metro Detroit?

Yes. I work with small businesses across Michigan, including Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Traverse City, Brighton, Northville, Plymouth, Canton, and Troy.

Small business SEO — Michigan

SEO for Small Businesses in Michigan — Built Like a Business, Not a Checklist.

Small business SEO isn't about chasing traffic charts or vanity keyword rankings — it's about being found by the specific local buyers who are ready to hire, book, or buy today. That means owning the Google Map Pack in your neighborhood, showing up when someone asks ChatGPT or Google's AI Overview for a recommendation near them, and having enough recent reviews to win the decision once they find you.

I run a boutique firm and keep 3 to 5 clients at a time, so you get direct access to me — not an account manager and a support ticket queue. Before this, I spent 20 years as a corporate operator, including a decade at JPMorgan Chase and 11 years serving the Fortune 100, rising to VP. Small business owners get that same strategic rigor, scaled to a budget that actually makes sense for a company your size.

You run the business. I run the search strategy that keeps new customers finding you.

Get My Free Visibility Snapshot Email Susan

Free Small Business Visibility Snapshot

Tell me your business and city and I'll send back where you stand in Google, the Map Pack, and AI search — plus the first two things I'd fix.

Call 248-308-5174 Email Susan

Small Businesses Don't Need More Traffic — They Need the Right Traffic

Your next customer is comparing you to two competitors on their phone right now.

Most small business owners have been sold generic "SEO packages" that produce a blog post a month and a monthly PDF report nobody reads. That doesn't move the needle on local search, where the real competition happens in the Map Pack, the review section, and increasingly, inside AI search answers.

A small business with a tuned Google Business Profile, a handful of well-built pages targeting the searches your actual customers use, and a working review system can outrank much bigger competitors — often within a single season.

What's Included for Small Businesses

Local Visibility & Google Maps: Most small business searches happen inside the Map Pack, not the blue links below it. Categories, service lists, photos, posts, and citations built to win the three-pack in your neighborhood and drive-time radius.
Keyword Strategy: Small businesses don't have budget to chase every keyword. I find the handful of searches your actual buyers use — and build the pages that own them.
AI Search Visibility: When someone asks ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, or Perplexity for a recommendation in your city, your business should be the one they name. That takes structured content and schema most small business sites never touch.
Technical Foundation: Fast, mobile-friendly pages with clean schema so Google and AI engines can actually understand what you do, where you do it, and who you do it for.
Review Systems: A steady stream of recent, specific reviews is often the single biggest lever for a small business — it's usually the deciding factor between three options that all rank fine.
Competitor Audits: I show you exactly what the business outranking you is doing differently — content, citations, backlinks, and review velocity — so effort goes where it actually moves the needle.

Michigan Markets I Serve

Detroit
Metro Detroit
Ann Arbor
Grand Rapids
Lansing
Traverse City
Brighton
Fenton
Auburn Hills
Holland
Plymouth
Canton
Troy
Sterling Heights
Royal Oak
Dearborn
Northville
Howell

Whether you run a shop in Detroit, a practice in Ann Arbor, a storefront in Grand Rapids, or a service business in Lansing, Traverse City, Brighton, Northville, Plymouth, Canton, or Troy, the strategy adapts to your customers, your market, and your budget — not the other way around.

Ways to Work Together

Single Strategy Session

$300 per hour

Best for: 1-on-1 strategic advisory working session based on your business goals and challenges.

1-on-1 strategic session for business owners who need guidance only and do their own maintenance
Keyword & local market direction
Google Maps & GBP roadmap
Live site review during the call

AI Search & SEO Sprint

$1,800–$3,500 one-time sprint

Best for: Increase local exposure through a complete local SEO and Google Map Pack audit, tailored JSON-LD schema, and competitor keyword/backlink gap review. It also features AI Search readiness evaluations, monitoring across ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews, 24/7 Semrush access during the sprint, plus a 60-minute briefing and action roadmap.

Complete local SEO & Map Pack audit
Custom schema architecture & implementation
Keyword & backlink gap analysis vs. direct rivals
AI search readiness assessment across ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews
60-minute strategic roadmap briefing

Monthly Visibility Maintenance Package

$1,500–$2,500 per month

Best for: Continuous Google Business Profile and local citation upkeep, plus technical website health checks, crawl tracking, and Schema maintenance. Monthly keyword and backlink gap reviews to uncover fresh opportunities. Monthly SEO/GEO content planning with topic briefs. Review-generation systems and trust-signal monitoring. 24/7 Semrush dashboard view access with a monthly call. Customizable based on client needs.

Ongoing Google Business Profile & listing maintenance
Technical health & schema upkeep
Monthly keyword & backlink checks
Monthly content strategy & topic briefs
Review generation frameworks
24/7 dashboard access + monthly call

Book a 15-Minute Strategy Q&A

Common Questions From Small Business Owners

How much does SEO cost for a small business?: I work at $300/hour for strategic direction, $1,800–$3,500 for a full diagnostic and roadmap, and $1,500–$2,500 per month for ongoing management. That's less than most agencies charge for a junior account manager, because you're working directly with me — no account team, no ticket queue.
Do I need a big budget to compete with larger companies?: No. Local and AI search reward relevance and consistency, not ad spend. A small business with a tuned Google Business Profile, a handful of well-built pages, and real reviews regularly outranks a much bigger competitor with a generic site.
How long does small business SEO take to show results?: Google Business Profile and Map Pack movement often shows in 30–60 days. Broader organic keyword rankings usually take 4–8 months, depending on how competitive your market and industry are.
Can't I just do this myself?: You can do some of it — claiming your Google Business Profile, asking for reviews, writing basic pages. Where DIY usually breaks down is technical schema, keyword prioritization, and knowing which fixes actually move rankings versus which just feel productive. Most owners don't have the hours to test that themselves.
How is this different from a big agency?: Big agencies staff your account with a junior strategist and a template process built for volume. I keep 3 to 5 clients at a time, so you get direct access to someone who spent 20 years as a corporate operator, including a decade at JPMorgan Chase and 11 years serving the Fortune 100, rising to VP before doing this — not a rotating point of contact.
Do you work with businesses outside Metro Detroit?: Yes. I work with small businesses across Michigan, including Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Traverse City, Brighton, Northville, Plymouth, Canton, and Troy.

Have a specific industry? See all SEO services or explore Detroit SEO, automotive SEO, auto repair shop SEO, contractor SEO, med spa SEO, or criminal defense attorney marketing.

Your Next Customer Is Searching Right Now. Let's Make Sure They Find You.

Based in Northville, I help small businesses across Michigan get chosen — on Google, in AI search, in reviews, and in the Map Pack.

Reserve a paid 15-minute Strategy Q&A to get 1–2 questions answered and decide whether this is the right next step. Investment: $25. If you book a service, that fee is credited toward it.

Book a 15-Minute Strategy Q&A