What's Actually Included in an Ongoing SEO and AI Search Retainer
Most of my client work starts with a project. But for businesses that want consistent progress without having to manage it themselves, a monthly retainer is worth considering.
It's not for everyone. But if search matters to your business, your industry is competitive, or you simply don't have time to keep on top of it — a retainer means the work keeps moving without you managing it.
Each month includes a consistent set of work. Technical checks cover crawl errors, broken links, site speed, and Core Web Vitals. Keyword tracking and Google Search Console monitoring keep an eye on how rankings are shifting. On-page improvements to existing content are addressed as opportunities arise.What sets this retainer apart is that AI search visibility (LLMO) is included as standard. That means optimising your site to appear in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews, not just traditional search. Most SEO retainers don't cover this.Each month wraps up with a plain English report. What was done, what changed, and what's coming next.
What a Monthly Retainer Actually Covers
A one-time SEO fix addresses what's wrong today. But search visibility is cumulative — every month of consistent work builds on the last. Rankings improve gradually. Pages compound. AI tools learn to trust well-structured, regularly updated sites.Clients on a retainer for six months or more see meaningfully different results than those who do a one-off project. Not because the project was wrong, but because search doesn't stop moving once you do.No lock-in contracts. If it's not working, we stop. But most clients find it's easier to keep the momentum going than to start from scratch later.
Why Consistent Work Outperforms a One-Off Fix
What's Included Each Month
Here's a breakdown of what's covered each month on an ongoing SEO and AI search retainer.
Monthly Technical Health Check
Each month I check for crawl errors, broken links, site speed issues, and Core Web Vitals. Caught early, technical problems don't turn into traffic drops.
Keyword Tracking & GSC Monitoring
Consistent tracking of your target keywords and Google Search Console data. You'll see where rankings are moving and where there's more to gain.
On-Page Content Improvements
Title tags, meta descriptions, headings, and body content refined over time. Pages improve incrementally. That's how SEO actually works.
AI Search Visibility (LLMO)
Most retainers stop at Google. This one doesn't. FAQ schema, structured content, and llms.txt keep your site visible in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Included as standard.
Content Strategy & Development
New pages, blog posts, and landing pages built around the questions your customers are actually asking. Content that earns rankings and answers AI queries.
Monthly Plain English Report
No dashboards full of vanity metrics. Each month you get a clear summary: what was done, what changed, and what's coming next.
Is a Retainer Right for You?
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Service businesses and local venues
Trades, professional services, health, hospitality — any business where enquiries come through search or customers find you by location. Local SEO and Google Business Profile work tends to have the fastest visible impact here.
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E-commerce stores
Shopify and WooCommerce stores that want sustainable organic traffic alongside paid ads. SEO compounds over time in a way ad spend doesn't.
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Businesses that have tried SEO before
You've paid an agency, seen a report full of rankings that didn't translate to enquiries, and want someone who can explain what's actually happening and fix it.
How the Work Gets Done
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Start with a baseline audit
Before we begin, I run a technical and content review to understand where your site stands today. This shapes the first month's priorities and sets a clear baseline to measure progress against.
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Month one: fix what's holding you back
The first month focuses on the highest-impact issues. Technical fixes, on-page improvements, schema markup, and getting your tracking and GSC data clean.
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Build and measure
Once the foundations are solid, the focus shifts to content, local signals, and link authority. I report in plain English, track the metrics that matter, and adjust the strategy based on what the data shows.
No lock-in contracts. No account managers. You deal directly with me at every step.
SEO is a long-term strategy. Many businesses notice small improvements within 3 months, but stronger, lasting results usually appear after 6–12 months of consistent work. The exact timeline depends on your industry, competition, and the current state of your website.
Most of my SEO work is quoted per project based on scope — a site audit, a set of page optimisations, or an ongoing monthly arrangement. As a rough guide, a focused SEO audit and fix package for a small business site typically starts around $500–$2,000. Ongoing monthly retainers vary depending on how competitive your industry is and how much work is involved. I'll always give you a clear scope and price before any work starts.
It depends on the scope of work. I quote per project, not by the hour, so you'll always know what you're getting before you commit. Get in touch and I'll put together a quote based on your site and goals.
I track progress through Google Search Console and GA4 — impressions, clicks, keyword positions, and traffic quality. You get plain English reporting so you can see what's improving and why, not just a spreadsheet of rankings that don't connect to anything meaningful.
A one-off audit or optimisation gets you a solid foundation, but SEO keeps moving. Competitors update their content, Google tweaks its algorithm, and new opportunities emerge. A retainer means someone is actively managing that on your behalf every month, not just handing you a report and walking away.
Yes. AI search visibility is included as standard. This means structuring your content and schema so your site is more likely to be cited by AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews. Most Melbourne SEO retainers don't include this.
No. I work with businesses across Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula, and beyond. Most of the work happens remotely. We communicate by email and phone, and you can always reach me directly.
Location
Serving Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula
I'm based in Mornington, which means I work with businesses across the full Melbourne metro area as well as locally on the Peninsula — Frankston, Mount Eliza, Dromana, Rosebud, Sorrento, and surrounds.
Most of my client work is done remotely, so location doesn't limit who I can help. But if you're a Peninsula or bayside business and want to meet in person, that's straightforward.
