What does an SEO Consultant do?

An SEO consultant can provide an array of SEO services - typically a consultant may offer a full SEO service where they may sub-delegate things such as content production or link building, alternatively, SEO consultants can provide SEO guidance for things such as website changes, domain name changes or technical SEO issues, or, they can provide strategic analysis, support scopes or they may simply provide friendly SEO advice. What a consultant offers is really down to the consultant as some decide to niche down and specialise in an area of SEO i.e. technical SEO consultants, or, you may get some who offer a full hands-off, managed SEO service.

How much does SEO consulting cost?

Our hourly rate starts at $250. The more hours you book upfront, the lower the rate. 5 hours works out at $225/hour and 10 hours drops to $200/hour. There are no retainer fees, no minimum commitments, and no surprise charges. You book the hours, you use them and top up as you go if required.

How quickly can you get started?

In most cases we can have a consultant working on your project within 1 to 4 hours of booking. If you have an urgent issue such as a site that's dropped overnight, a migration that's gone wrong, or a penalty notice (i.e. manual action in Google Search Console), get in touch directly and we'll do what we can to turn it around faster.

What do I actually get from a consulting session?

That depends on what you need. Most clients get a focused working session via Slack, Teams, or a call, followed by a written summary of findings and a prioritised list of actions. If we're doing a technical review you'll get annotated notes, specific fix recommendations, and we'll stay available for follow-up questions while your team implements.

How many hours will I need?

It's hard to say without knowing your situation, but here's a rough guide. A focused issue like a traffic drop diagnosis or an indexing problem is usually 2 to 3 hours. A technical SEO review of a mid-size site is typically 5 hours. A full strategy review or migration planning engagement is usually 10 hours or more. If you're unsure, book a single hour to start, we'll scope it from there and let you know honestly what's realistic.

Can your consultants work directly with my in-house team?

Yes, and this is one of the most common use cases we see. A lot of clients have internal SEO resource but want a senior specialist to review work, challenge recommendations, or provide guidance on something outside the team's experience. We can join your Slack, sit in on planning calls, review briefs, and act as an extension of your team without stepping on anyone's toes.

What's the difference between SEO consulting and an SEO retainer?

Consulting is advisory and flexible, you bring us in for a specific problem or project, we help you solve it, and you're done. A retainer is an ongoing engagement where an agency handles regular execution: content production, link building, monthly reporting, and so on. If you have internal resource to action recommendations, consulting is almost always more cost-efficient. If you need an agency to do the work for you every month, a retainer makes more sense.

Do you offer consulting for businesses that already have an SEO agency?

All the time. Businesses bring us in to sense-check what their current agency is doing, review reports, evaluate strategy, or get a second opinion before making a big decision like a domain migration or a site rebuild. We're not going to poach your agency relationship, we're here to give you independent expertise when you need it.

Can you help if my site has been hit by a Google update?

Yes. Google core updates, Helpful Content updates, spam updates, we've worked through all of them with clients. The first step is always a proper diagnosis. A lot of businesses assume they know why they dropped when the real cause is something different entirely. Book a session, share your GSC data and analytics access, and we'll tell you what we actually see.

What industries do you have experience in?

We've consulted across eCommerce, SaaS, finance, gambling, legal, healthcare, hospitality, travel, education, and B2B. Our consultants aren't generalists who've touched every vertical once, most have deep experience in specific sectors. When we allocate a consultant to your project, we match based on your industry and the nature of your problem.

Can you help with AI search visibility, not just Google rankings?

Yes. Appearing in Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI-driven results is a growing part of what we cover. The fundamentals overlap with traditional SEO but there are specific considerations around entity clarity, content structure, and citation patterns that affect AI visibility. If this is a priority for your business, mention it when you book and we'll make sure it's part of the scope.

Do you work with US-based businesses?

Most of our consulting clients are based in the US. Our team covers US time zones and we're used to working inside US-based tools, teams, and business processes. The trust logos on this page include American clients across multiple sectors.

Is there a contract or minimum commitment?

No contract, no minimum term. You buy hours, you use them. If you need more you book more. If your problem gets solved in two hours you're done. That's the whole point.

How is Assertive different from hiring a freelance SEO consultant?

When you hire a freelancer you get one person's experience and availability. With Assertive you get a team, so if your issue requires a technical SEO specialist one week and a content strategist the next, we can cover that without you having to find and brief someone new. You also get the backing of a team that has been operating since 2007 and has worked across some of the most competitive niches in search.

SEO Consultancy Services

Expert SEO Consultancy

Expert, high-quality SEO consultancy for businesses seeking flexible, ad hoc support. Work on an hourly basis with no long-term commitments just straightforward access to experienced SEO professionals when you need them.

SEO Consulting from $200 an hourWe diagnose, audit & fix all issuesFlexible consulting when you need it

Book SEO Consultancy Learn More

Trusted by Leading Brands

SPECIALIST SEO CONSULTANTS

Get the SEO Support You Need When You Need it With Our SEO Consultants

Hire Assertive's SEO consultants on an hourly basis to help with any SEO issues. Flexible SEO consulting means you can book the hours you need when you need them with total flexibility, simply select what you want below, pick how many hours and provide a brief overview of what you need SEO support with.

We'll allocate one of our specialist SEO consultants for your SEO needs / project or SEO support scope. It's quick and easy to do + you get highly experienced specialists who have dealt with everything from ad-hoc consulting for SEO strategies through to audits, content reviews, domain and CMS migration support.

It's easy to book, you'll get a highly specialised consultant quickly & in a support scope that you need whether it's an SEO to join your SLACK or TEAMS, or whether you need one on site, over the phone, on whatsapp, we can help.

Specialist SEO Consultancy from $250 per hour
Book as few or as many hours as you need
Have a consultant ready to help within 1-4 hours
We support ALL SEO issues, needs & support scopes
Book and pay online, no hassle

Daniel Foley Carter

Founder / Senior SEO

25+ yrs experience

John Kyprianou

SEO Lead

12+ yrs experience

Stefan Krčelić

SEO Lead

10+ yrs experience

Joe Williams

SEO Lead

15+ yrs experience

Muhammad Usman

Senior SEO AM

10+ yrs experience

Mike Ruiz

Technical SEO

10+ yrs experience

Nely Mihaylova

SEO / Link Outreach

10+ yrs experience

Ivy Berezo

SEO Specialist

10+ yrs experience

Hassan Usmani

HARO & Links

10+ yrs experience

Aly Johnson

Head of Content

12+ yrs experience

Hannah O'Neill

SEO Copywriter

10+ yrs experience

Samantha Carter

Link Specialist

10+ yrs experience

Carl Panepinto

Senior Account Mgr

15+ yrs experience

George Hill

PPC Specialist

10+ yrs experience

Kelvin Graham

Writer & Copy Editor

10+ yrs experience

SEO Consulting Hourly Slots

Choose Your Consulting Package

Flexible SEO consulting with better rates for larger commitments. All packages provide the same expert support.

Single Hour Consultation

$250

$200/hour

1 hour of expert SEO consulting
Real-time support via your preferred platform
Technical SEO guidance
Content optimization advice
Link building strategy
Emergency issue resolution

Popular

Save 10%

5-Hour Package

$1,125$1,250

$225/hour

5 hours of expert SEO consulting
10% discount on hourly rate
Comprehensive technical SEO review
Content strategy development
Link building guidance
Migration support included
Multi-platform communication
Emergency issue resolution

Best Value

Save 25%

10-Hour Package

$2,000$2,500

$200/hour

10 hours of expert SEO consulting
25% discount on hourly rate
Complete SEO audit and strategy
Advanced technical optimization
Content planning and optimization
Link building strategy and execution
Migration planning and support
Priority emergency support

All packages provide the same comprehensive SEO support. Bulk packages offer better hourly rates for projects requiring more time.

The Process

How Our SEO Consulting Works

Getting started is quick and easy. Here's how our consulting process works from booking to support.

Step 1

Book Consulting Hours

Simply select how many hours you would like to book, add to cart and checkout. If you are unsure, get in contact and we can guide you on how many hours we think you'll require.

Step 2

Checkout & Pay

Add to cart, checkout and pay securely online. We also offer pay by invoice, contact us if you require pay by invoice.

Step 3

Submit Your Requirements

Tell us what you require assistance with. We'll ask you questions and potentially set up a call or request a scope/brief to understand your needs.

Step 4

Agree Communication Channels

We'll agree the best communication channels for your project, whether that's Slack, Teams, email, phone or on-site support.

Step 5

Consultant Allocation

We'll allocate you an SEO consultant best-suited for your requirements and situation, matched to your specific needs.

Step 6

Support Begins

Your dedicated SEO consultant begins work. If at any time more hours are required we'll let you know, you can book quickly via the website or pay by invoice.

Hourly SEO Consulting

Flexible. Expert-Led. Tailored to You.

Book hourly SEO consulting sessions or set aside monthly hours to use as needed. Our seasoned SEO consultants each with a minimum of 10 years' experience deliver accurate, reliable advice, insight, and hands-on support.

Key Features

Rates start from $250 per hour
Use hours as and when required
One-on-one access to an SEO expert
Support via Email, Slack, or Microsoft Teams
Book SEO calls to explore issues, challenges, or strategy
Able to evaluate SEO work, reports, content
Can support pre-existing teams
SEO training options
Can attend board meetings

Common Use Cases

Our flexible SEO consultancy can be used however you need it. Common use cases include:

Technical SEO audits and indexing issues
CMS or domain migration planning
Diagnosing traffic drops or ranking losses
Domain consolidations and changes
Reviewing and stress-testing existing SEO strategies
Technical SEO reviews
AI SEO & GEO Reviews
Spam or Manual Action Support
Backlink evaluation & feedback
SEO Work quality evaluation

Communication Channels

Our SEO Consultants can be available on:

On-site and in-premises
Slack channels
Teams channels
Jira, Notion, Monday etc.
Whatsapp
Telegram
Telephone
Any other collaboration platform

Get Started Today

SEO Consulting Case Study

How We've Helped Riderguide to Recover Lost Traffic & Rankings

Riderguide and their sub-brand Electric Scooter Guide were impacted by numerous Google core updates, losing a significant volume of clicks. We initially provided SEO consulting to help audit content, identify issues with content as well as technical SEO issues.

Using the consulting hours, we were able to advise on issues and provide clear instructions + a brief/strategy on forward actions. The consulting hours were then used to oversee work and subsequently the client has began to make a recovery with ongoing click gains.

During the SEO consultancy hours we provided audit support, analysis and guidance for the client.

Riderguide Google Search Console showing traffic recovery

Other Clients We've Consulted For

Why Choose Assertive for SEO Consultancy?

Businesses work with Assertive because we do exactly what we advise our clients to do. Our in-house SEO consultants bring deep, hands-on experience and proven results so when you book SEO consultancy with us, you're working with top-tier professionals who know how to deliver.

Here's a glimpse of one of our SEOs ranking #1 organically and in AI-generated answers for “SEO Consultant” we lead by example.

Daniel Foley Carter ranking #1 for SEO Consultant

Why Work With Us?

Competitive hourly rates starting from $250

Senior SEOs with 10+ years of experience

Ad hoc calls and on-demand support

Available via Slack, Teams, Email, and WhatsApp

Coverage across multiple time zones

Support for Google update-related ranking drops

Consultancy for manual actions and penalties

Advice on CMS migrations and structural changes

Guidance on domain moves and rebrands

Deep-dive technical SEO audits, reviews, and strategic input

SEO CONSULTING

What are SEO Consultants?

SEO consultant: SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization” and a consultant refers to someone who can be available to consult / provide support. An SEO consultant is someone who can provide 1 on 1 SEO support for any type of SEO issue. Usually SEO consultants become consultants after a few years of working in-house for agencies where they can build up their SEO expertise and knowledge through a mix of SEO training, SEO testing and of course, trial and error.

Today, SEO Consultants are specialists who will have in-depth knowledge of all facets of SEO from on-site (technical SEO) through to off-site SEO (backlinks, digital PR etc). An SEO consultant will be able to listen to your issues, understand what you need help with, what's gone wrong & can usually provide a diagnosis as well as supporting a client.

SEO Consulting Projects tend to be shorter-lived, are not commitment based and can be a lot more flexible than typical SEO retainers which require dedicated SEO specialists on a regular basis. SEO Consulting is beneficial because you get the expertise as and when you need it - which tends to be more efficient and cost effective over time.

At Assertive, we've built a specialist team of SEOs who have at least 10 years experience each, this means you are getting professionally vetted experts who work in and deliver SEO day in, day out, so you can be sure you are getting not only the best advice, but the right advice, which is crucial.

Inexperienced or weak SEO consultants who give bad or erroneous advice can have a significant impact on a businesses websites organic performance, therefore, like any specialist field, you wouldn't cheap out - as they say, pay less pay twice.

Here is our own head of SEO Daniel Foley Carter ranking in the UK market for “SEO Consultant” #1 in AI Overviews & #1 on the SERP.

Why Use Expert SEO Consulting?

Get specialist SEO support as and when you need it
Save time and money against traditional SEO retainers
Get support on-site or on a contact medium of your choice
Book hours as you go, run out? Book more in chunks to save
Instead of guessing, get expert SEO guidance
Support any internal teams with SEO needs
Report to stakeholders with 3rd party advice
Fresh set of eyes to tackle SEO issues
Get tailored guidance, advice & recommendations

SEO Consulting Use Cases

Access expert SEO support exactly when you need it, delivered by our dedicated in-house consultants. Whether you're facing a technical roadblock, planning a major change, or need an expert second opinion we're here to help.

Our 5-star consultancy service is available internationally, around the clock, so you can move fast no matter where you're based or what challenges you're facing.

Here are some of the most common areas where clients use our SEO consulting support:

1-on-1 SEO Support

Need real-time input from a seasoned SEO? We offer dedicated 1-on-1 support for clients looking to consult on the go whether it's troubleshooting, strategy, or planning. Whether you're building a new site, fixing an underperforming one, recovering from a penalty, or rethinking your SEO direction, our consultants work directly with you or your internal teams to provide tailored support. Our 1-on-1 sessions cover consulting, training, strategic reviews, and more designed to give you clarity, fast.

Technical SEO Issues

Facing technical SEO challenges? Our consultants are on hand to provide on-demand analysis and clear, actionable recommendations to help identify, resolve, and prevent both broad and specific on-page or technical issues. With tailored support, we don't just flag problems we help fix them. Our team can liaise directly with stakeholders, internal teams, and external developers, guiding the process from initial diagnosis through to resolution and final sign-off.

Ranking & Traffic Loss Support

Experiencing a drop in rankings or traffic? Book a consultation and share the details what's happened, what you've tried, and any relevant context. Our SEO specialists will help uncover the root cause and advise on the most effective recovery plan. Your dedicated consultant will work with you to understand the drop, identify contributing factors, and map out a path to regain lost visibility, traffic, and revenue. We've supported clients through everything from Google's Helpful Content updates to Core, Review, and Spam updates so you're in experienced hands.

Domain & CMS Website Migrations

Planning a domain change or migrating to a new CMS? Our SEO consultants provide strategic input, forward planning, and hands-on guidance to help you avoid costly drops in organic visibility. Whether you're consolidating domains or replatforming, we help assess risks, map out the best approach, and support you through every stage of the migration. SEO consultancy plays a critical role in mitigating potential issues and safeguarding performance throughout the transition.

Page Indexing Issues

Indexing problems are a common challenge for many websites and we're here to help resolve them. Our consultants regularly work with businesses to diagnose and fix issues preventing pages from being indexed. From identifying root causes to implementing solutions and validating fixes in Google Search Console, our SEO experts bring deep experience to every indexing challenge. If you're facing indexing issues and need flexible, ad hoc support, our consultancy service is ready to assist.

Manual Actions, Penalties & Spam

While less common today, manual actions and penalties still occur and they can severely impact your organic visibility. If you've received a manual action notice in Google Search Console or noticed a sudden drop in rankings, our in-house SEO team can step in to diagnose, troubleshoot, and guide you through the recovery process. Just book a consultancy session, share the details and GSC access, and we'll take it from there.

CASE STUDY

SEO Consulting Success Story

“We used Assertive's SEO consulting to help recover lost traffic”

We hired one of the Assertive SEO consultants (Daniel Foley Carter) to help us with an assessment regarding a loss of traffic after a Google core update. Daniel performed an extensive SEO audit, he identified lots of issues that we weren't aware of.

We booked additional time so that Daniel could support our team as we went through a content and link cleanup. We fixed a load of issues including non-indexed page reasons.

Since, we've started to see our traffic recover. I highly recommend, Daniel was extremely thorough and clearly knowledgeable.

Alina Busby

Apostalegal Casino

SEO consulting case study - traffic recovery

See Our Reviews

What clients and professionals say about our SEO expertise

“Solid webinar, 1000 out of 100 very detailed and superior content, highly recommend for anyone.”

Burhanuddin Mazher

“A lot of value from the bundle I bought. It was definitely worth the purchase for growing my SEO knowledge.”

Glen Chamisa

“Really good and detailed run through. I've been working with technical SEOs for 6 years and found this really insightful.”

Liam Porter

“Daniel's SEO courses have been so impactful for me, both theoretically and operational. Insight density is through the roof!”

Karl Eriksson

“Daniel's course is amazing, it was beyond my expectations. This course helps gain at least 2 years of experience.”

Abdelkader Tefridj

“Daniel Foley Carter is The GOAT.”

Vishnu Sharma

“Content is excellent. A lot of deep diving content that gives you multiple ideas how to make your client work better.”

Niko Karppinen

“Daniel's work is unquestionably valuable. He has been sharing his industry insights for quite some time.”

Jalal Ahmed

“Daniel has managed to dumb down complex SEO processes into actionable insights in just a few webinars.”

Daniel Petersen

“Daniel's professionalism and knowledge are outstanding. I recommend his webinars for SEO professionals at all levels.”

Roni Malaska

“Daniel, as always the best, has wonderfully crafted the course which is helpful for digital marketers like us.”

Binila Babu

“Daniel Foley Carter is a master teacher of SEO and should be a primary source for anyone looking to learn the practice.”

Ryan Purkey

“I've learned so much from Daniel. Can't recommend any of his content enough!”

Brian Oddo

“I am very grateful for this SEO course. The depth of knowledge shared is incredible.”

Felipe Monsalve

“Daniel's exceptional expertise shines through. Highly recommended for improving your SEO skills.”

Rumenigo Fernandes

“The authenticity and depth of these webinars enabled me to increase my service costs. Genuine knowledge sharing.”

Justin Snyder

“Practical, non-fluff content covering Google Search Console, audits, and AI integration. Extremely valuable.”

Qaaim Goodwin

“Course quality is outstanding and the content is always up-to-date. Really appreciate the depth.”

Noor Gharib

“We used Assertive's SEO consulting to help recover lost traffic. Daniel was extremely thorough and knowledgeable.”

Alina Busby

“Daniel's webinars offer incredible value. They are amazing. Anyone interested in SEO should check them out.”

Verified Buyer

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