What does local SEO
actually cost in the UK?
Most SEO agencies quote you a number without explaining what it buys. This page breaks down the real UK market rates, what you get at each price band, and why the technical foundation under your site matters more than the monthly retainer you pay on top of it.
What you get at
each price band.
Honest breakdown of what UK agencies and freelancers typically deliver at each monthly price point — so you can benchmark what you're being quoted.
SEO on a broken site
is money wasted.
Every Google ranking signal is amplified or limited by the quality of the site under your SEO work. These are the four technical factors that most agencies ignore.
Site Speed is a Ranking Factor
Google uses Core Web Vitals as a direct ranking signal. A slow site drags every other SEO action down. Cardiff Media sites score 95–100 on PageSpeed — the baseline that makes everything else faster.
Mobile-First Indexing
Google indexes your mobile version first. A site that's not properly responsive — or that loads slowly on mobile — is ranked on those mobile scores, not your desktop version. Most older sites fail this test.
Clean Code Google Can Crawl
CMS platforms like WordPress load dozens of scripts and plugins that confuse crawlers. Static HTML is fast, predictable, and easily parsed — by Google and by AI search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity.
Security Signals
HTTPS is a confirmed ranking signal. Mixed-content warnings, expired SSL certificates, and sites served over HTTP all suppress your rankings directly. Cardiff Media sites include enterprise SSL and DDoS protection by default.
Start with the right
level of support.
Every plan starts with a custom site rebuild. Local SEO is actively managed on Plan 3. No long-term contracts — cancel anytime.
- Custom-built high-speed site
- Zero monthly platform fees
- Free global hosting included
- 100% code ownership, full handover
- Domain registered in your name
- Sub-second load times globally
- Enterprise SSL & DDoS protection
- GDPR compliance checklist
- Everything in Plan 1
- 24/7 uptime & performance monitoring
- Security monitoring & incident response
- Up to 3 content updates per month
- Privacy-first analytics, no cookie banner
- Monthly performance report
- Social media scheduling (1 platform)
- Everything in Plan 2
- Active local SEO — Google Maps + organic
- RepGro review management (25+ platforms)
- AI review responses & monitoring
- Social media — all channels, all posts
- Short-form video strategy
- AEO — cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI
- Monthly strategy call with Chris
- Competitor ranking reports
Everything you need
to make the call.
How long does local SEO take to work?+
Most businesses see measurable movement in Google Maps rankings within 60–90 days. Full organic search improvements typically take 3–6 months, depending on your competition and how much foundational work is needed. If your site is already fast and well-structured, results come faster. If the foundation needs rebuilding, we do that first — which is why Plan 3 includes a full site rebuild.
Do I need a new website before local SEO can work?+
Not necessarily, but your current site's technical health directly limits how fast and how far local SEO can move your rankings. A slow, poorly structured site acts as a ceiling on everything else. Cardiff Media's Plan 3 includes a full site rebuild because fixing the foundation first means every SEO action compounds faster — rather than fighting against a broken base.
What is the difference between local SEO and regular SEO?+
Local SEO focuses on ranking in Google Maps and the local pack — the results that appear when people search with location intent, such as "plumber Cardiff" or "café near me". These results show business name, rating, hours, and distance. Regular SEO targets broader keyword rankings in the organic blue-link results. For most UK small businesses, local SEO delivers faster and more measurable returns because the intent is immediate — people searching locally are ready to buy.
Is there a long-term contract?+
No. All Cardiff Media plans are month-to-month. You can cancel at any time without penalties or exit fees. If you cancel, your website files and domain remain yours permanently. We keep clients because the results compound — not because of contract clauses.
Ready to stop guessing
and start ranking?
Start with a free 60-second audit of your current site, or book a call to talk through which plan fits your business.