Most business owners walk into an SEO consultation hoping for a quick fix. A switch the consultant flips. One thing they “just need to do.”
But SEO doesn’t work that way. A consultation isn’t a magic trick. It’s a working session. It’s you and the consultant looking at your business together and figuring out what needs to happen next.
If you want a sense of how I run these, here’s more about how I work as a freelance SEO consultant.
This guide keeps things simple. No jargon. No marketing talk. Just what you, as a business owner, should think about before and during your consultation so you walk away with real clarity.
What to think about before the consultation
Preparation matters more than the length of the call. When you know what you want, the conversation becomes sharp, focused, and actually useful.
Know why you want SEO help
Most people say “I want more traffic” but traffic by itself doesn’t pay bills. What do you really want?
More enquiries? More bookings? More people visiting your store? More qualified customers on your website?
The consultant needs to know what “success” means to you as a business owner.
Know your limitations
Your time, your staff, your content capacity, your technical skills — these shape the whole strategy.
If you can only work on SEO two hours a week, say that. If you can’t write content, say that. If you’ve been burned by agencies before, say that.
The more honest you are, the more practical the advice becomes.
Bring the pages that matter most
Your homepage. Your main service page. A product page you rely on. A location page. A page that feels “stuck.”
You don’t need everything. Two or three key URLs are enough to give the consultant a solid understanding of your business online.
Bring your real numbers
Even if they’re not perfect. Even if you barely understand them.
A screenshot from Google Analytics, a quick look at your top pages, or a note saying “most of our enquiries come from this page” is enough.
SEO is a data-driven thing. The consultant needs some sense of what’s happening under the hood.
Write down your questions
It sounds obvious, but almost nobody does it. When questions aren’t written down, people forget the important ones.
Come with your questions on a note in your phone or a piece of paper. It shifts the call from “general chat” to “real direction.”
How to open the consultation
The first few minutes of the call set the direction. If you’re clear, the consultant can give you deeper, more specific advice.
Lead with the outcome you want
Start with one sentence: “Here’s the result I’m hoping to get from this call.”
That one sentence keeps the whole session focused.
Show your biggest roadblock
The thing that frustrates you most is usually the thing that needs attention first.
Maybe it’s a dip in enquiries. A page that isn’t ranking. A competitor outranking you. People visiting the site but not calling.
Point the consultant toward the pain. That’s where the value comes from.
Share what you’ve already tried
If you’ve improved your website, paid for content, fixed technical bits, or worked with another agency, say that upfront.
It stops the consultant from repeating advice you’ve already attempted — and helps them diagnose what’s actually going on.
How to get the most value during the consultation
The best consultations feel like teamwork. You bring clarity on your business, and the consultant brings clarity on the strategy.
Be direct with your answers
The more straightforward you are, the faster the consultant can pinpoint the real issue. No long stories. No apologies for your website.
You’re not being judged. You’re being helped.
Ask for priorities, not a long list
SEO only works when you focus. A consultant’s job is to tell you what’s most important, not give you 50 tasks.
Ask: “What should I do first?” “What matters most right now?” “What can I ignore for the moment?”
Ask where your blind spots are
You run the business. The consultant sees patterns across dozens of businesses. They notice blind spots you can’t possibly see from the inside.
Ask: “What am I overlooking?”
Ask what you can stop doing
This question saves money, time, and stress. Most businesses waste effort on low-impact tasks they think matter.
Stopping the wrong things is often the easiest win.
Ask what will move the needle in the next 30 days
Ask for a short, clear list — not a whole SEO blueprint.
How to end the consultation with clarity
When a consultation goes well, you don’t leave with overwhelm — you leave knowing exactly what needs to happen next.
Confirm the 2–4 actions that matter most
You should walk away with a handful of steps. Not too many. Just enough to move your business forward.
Clarify what doesn’t matter right now
SEO gets messy when everything feels important. Ask the consultant which things you can safely ignore until later.
Write your notes straight after the call
Don’t leave it for later. Capture the key points while they’re fresh. This is where the consultation turns into action.
The takeaway
An SEO consultation works when you show up as a business owner who’s ready to understand what’s going on, what’s not working, and what to do next.
Come in with clarity. Share your roadblocks. Ask direct questions. Push for priorities. And leave with a focused plan — not noise, not overwhelm, not theory.
Do that, and even a short session can change the direction of your business over the next few months.