How long before I see results from managed SEO?

Most clients start to see meaningful movement between 3 and 6 months in, with stronger results building through 9 to 12 months. The exact timeline depends on how competitive your market is, how your website is currently set up and what keywords we're targeting. I'll give you honest expectations based on your specific situation from day one.

What's included each month and how does reporting work?

Every month you receive a clear report covering leads from organic search, keyword rankings, traffic changes, what was completed and what's planned next. It's written in plain English, not SEO jargon. You'll always know exactly what you're paying for and whether it's moving in the right direction.

How much do monthly SEO services cost?

My monthly SEO services range from $1,500 to $10,000 a month. Where you sit depends on how competitive your market is, the size of your website, how much content and link building is needed, and how many locations you have. Most small local service businesses sit toward the lower end. I'll give you a clear SEO retainer figure after our strategy call.

Do you offer managed SEO services in Toowoomba and Brisbane?

Yes. I'm based in Toowoomba and work with businesses across Toowoomba, Brisbane and the broader Queensland region. Local SEO for service businesses in these markets is a core part of what I do. I understand the local competition and how customers in these areas search.

How is this different from hiring an SEO agency?

With most agencies, you sign a contract, get onboarded by a senior person and then handed to a junior team you've never met. Your account becomes one of dozens. With me, you get the same person every single month: someone who knows your business and handles the work personally. That means faster decisions, clearer communication and no losing context every time someone new joins your account.

Is there a minimum contract length?

No. There are no lock-in contracts. I do recommend committing to SEO for 6 to 12 months, because it takes time to build and most of the payoff shows from month 4 to 6 onwards. I'd rather be upfront about that than promise quick wins that don't hold up.

Do you work with businesses outside Toowoomba and Brisbane?

Yes. While I'm based in Toowoomba and have a strong focus on service businesses in Queensland, I work with clients across Australia. SEO doesn't require us to be in the same city. Everything is managed remotely with clear, regular communication.

Managed SEO: Monthly SEO Services for Service Businesses

What you get

Everything your SEO needs,
handled for you.

Managed SEO is a complete, ongoing service. Here's what's covered every month.

Keyword Research

I find the exact terms your customers use when they're ready to buy or book. Focused on high-intent, local searches that actually bring in leads.

On-Page Optimisation

Title tags, meta descriptions, headings, internal links, page structure. Every page gets reviewed and improved on a rolling basis to keep pace with your competition.

Link Building

Quality backlinks from relevant, reputable sources. No link farms, no shortcuts. Just solid, ethical link acquisition that builds your site's authority over time.

Technical SEO

Site speed, crawlability, mobile performance, schema markup. The behind-the-scenes foundations that Google needs to rank your site properly.

Content Development

Service pages, location pages, blog posts built around what your customers are searching for. Content that ranks and converts, not content for content's sake.

AI Search Optimisation

Making sure your business shows up in Google's AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Gemini responses. The future of search is already here and your competitors are catching on.

Monthly Reporting

A clear report every month. Leads from organic search, rankings, traffic, what was done and what's next. Written in plain English so you always know what you're paying for and whether it's working.

How it works

A clear process.
No guesswork.

Every managed SEO campaign runs through four stages. Each one builds on the last. You'll know exactly where you are and what's happening at every step.

01

Weeks 1 to 2

Discovery and Strategy

Before I touch anything on your site, I get to know your business properly. I research your keywords, analyse your competitors, audit your website and map out exactly where the opportunities are. You get a clear strategy before work begins, not after.

Keyword and competitor research
Technical SEO audit
Content and backlink gap analysis
Priority page map and 90-day plan

02

Month 1 to 2

Fix the Foundations

Most websites have technical issues or on-page problems that quietly hold back rankings. I fix those first. There's no point building on shaky ground. This phase gets your site in the shape it needs to be for everything else to work.

Technical SEO fixes
On-page optimisation across priority pages
Internal linking structure
AI search and schema setup

03

Month 2 to 6

Build Visibility and Authority

With foundations in place, I focus on growing your visibility. That means building content that targets what your customers are searching for, earning quality backlinks and expanding your presence across both traditional Google search and AI platforms.

Content development targeting search demand
Ethical link building from relevant sources
Local SEO targeting Toowoomba and Brisbane
AI search optimisation for Overviews and LLMs

04

Ongoing

Refine and Scale What Works

SEO is not a set-and-forget exercise. Every month I review the data, identify what's gaining traction and put more effort into what's delivering results. What's not working gets adjusted. You get a clear report each month so you always know what's happening.

Monthly performance reporting in plain English
Ongoing keyword and content opportunities
Strategy refinement as data comes in
Proactive updates when search changes

Priorities may shift based on your website, market and algorithm changes. I'll always tell you why and what we're adjusting.

What clients say

Real results,
from real clients.

Fon has worked with business owners across strategy, SEO and digital marketing for over 14 years. Here's what it's actually like to work with her.

★★★★★

Fonthip is an excellent digital marketing professional who I would (and do) recommend to anyone who wants real results. Whenever we have any available marketing budget we turn to Fon and it feels like she waves a magic wand and then the leads start pouring in. Fon is always patient and informative with non-marketers who need help understanding things. Don't look anywhere else!

Sonja Meyer

Founder, Ethical Design Co.

★★★★★

Used this consultant for a SEO project for a Brisbane-based business a few years ago. Was able to get the increases to organic traffic desired, under budget and with a good timeframe. Would recommend them now they are also servicing Toowoomba.

Archie Ward

Search Manager, Stan

★★★★★

Fon audited our new website and built us an SEO strategy that finally gave us a clear direction. She has a way of explaining SEO without the jargon. My only regret is not bringing her in during the build phase. If you're planning a new website, talk to Fon before you brief your developer. You'll save yourself time, money, and a lot of headaches.

Tegan Guthrie

Head of Operations, Hemisphere Medical

See all reviews →

Is this right for you?

Managed SEO works best
for businesses like these.

If you recognise your situation below, managed SEO is likely a good fit.

✓

You're a service business, a tradie, clinic, professional service provider or local business that relies on people searching and finding you.

✓

You don't have time to manage SEO yourself, you know it matters, but between running the business and everything else, it keeps getting pushed down the list.

✓

You've tried SEO before without clear results, you've paid an agency, gotten vague reports and never really understood what was being done. If you're ready to move on, here's my guide to switching SEO providers without losing traffic or leads.

✓

You want to reduce reliance on paid ads, Google Ads can be expensive and stops the moment you stop paying. SEO builds something you own.

✓

You're based in Toowoomba or Brisbane, local SEO has real nuance. I know these markets and how people search in them.

Fonthip Ward, managed SEO consultant based in Toowoomba

Who you're working with

You work directly
with me.

When you sign on with Search Studio, you're working with me, Fon, not an account manager who passes work to a junior team you've never met. I've been doing SEO for 14 years. I've worked behind the scenes for Australian marketing agencies. I know what good looks like and I know what doesn't.

I keep my client list intentionally small so I can do the work properly. That means I know your business, your competitors and your market. Not because I've been briefed, but because I've been paying attention. Managed SEO suits businesses that want steady growth without running SEO themselves. That includes construction companies, medical clinics, aged care providers, accounting firms, law firms and B2B companies.

Every month I tell you exactly what I've done, what it's achieved and what I'm doing next. If something isn't working, I'll say so. That's what honest over impressive looks like in practice.

Book a Free Strategy Call More about Fon LinkedIn

FAQ

Questions about
managed SEO.

Most clients start to see meaningful movement between 3 and 6 months in, with stronger results building through 9 to 12 months. The exact timeline depends on how competitive your market is, how your website is currently set up and what keywords we're targeting. I'll give you honest expectations based on your specific situation from day one.
Every month you receive a clear report covering leads from organic search, keyword rankings, traffic changes, what was completed and what's planned next. It's written in plain English, not SEO jargon. You'll always know exactly what you're paying for and whether it's moving in the right direction.
My monthly SEO services range from $1,500 to $10,000 a month. Where you sit depends on how competitive your market is, the size of your website, how much content and link building is needed, and how many locations you have. Most small local service businesses sit toward the lower end. I'll give you a clear SEO retainer figure after our strategy call.
Yes. I'm based in Toowoomba and work with businesses across Toowoomba, Brisbane and the broader Queensland region. Local SEO for service businesses in these markets is a core part of what I do. I understand the local competition and how customers in these areas search.
With most agencies, you sign a contract, get onboarded by a senior person and then handed to a junior team you've never met. Your account becomes one of dozens. With me, you get the same person every single month: someone who knows your business and handles the work personally. That means faster decisions, clearer communication and no losing context every time someone new joins your account.
No. There are no lock-in contracts. I do recommend committing to SEO for 6 to 12 months, because it takes time to build and most of the payoff shows from month 4 to 6 onwards. I'd rather be upfront about that than promise quick wins that don't hold up.
Yes. While I'm based in Toowoomba and have a strong focus on service businesses in Queensland, I work with clients across Australia. SEO doesn't require us to be in the same city. Everything is managed remotely with clear, regular communication.