Freelance SEO Consultant in Brighton
Local SEO from someone who actually lives here, not an agency account manager three cities away.
I'm James, a freelance SEO consultant based in Brighton, working with businesses across the city and the wider Sussex area, from Hove and Kemptown to Lewes and Shoreham. If you want more local customers finding you on Google, without signing a 12-month agency contract or paying for a team of juniors you'll never speak to, that's what I do.
Why work with a Brighton-based freelancer instead of an agency
Being local isn't just a nice-to-have for SEO - it's part of the strategy. I understand the Brighton market: the seasonal footfall around the seafront and Lanes, the competition between independent businesses and national chains moving in, and how local search behaviour differs between areas like Hove, Kemptown, and the North Laine.
- You get me, not a rotating account manager. Every audit, strategy, and piece of content is done by me personally.
- No lock-in contracts. If the work isn't delivering, you're free to walk away.
- Local knowledge, not a template. I know which directories, publications, and local link opportunities actually move the needle for Brighton businesses.
- Honest, jargon-free reporting. You'll always know what I've done and why it matters to your bottom line.
Local SEO services for Brighton businesses
Google Business Profile Optimisation
Getting your GBP listing fully optimised - categories, services, photos, posts, and Q&A, so you show up in the Brighton "map pack" for the searches that matter.
Local Keyword Research
Finding out exactly what your Brighton customers are searching for — including "near me" and area-specific terms — and building content around it.
On-Page & Technical SEO
Making sure your website itself is fast, crawlable, and structured so Google (and AI search tools) understand what you do and where you do it.
Citations Consistency
Building consistent NAP (name, address, phone) citations across relevant directories.
Reviews & Reputation
Helping you build a steady stream of genuine Google reviews, one of the strongest local ranking signals there is.
International SEO
Setting up hreflang and international targeting so the right pages rank in the right countries.
Why work with a Brighton-based freelancer instead of an agency
Being local isn't just a nice-to-have for SEO, it's part of the strategy. I understand the Brighton market: the seasonal footfall around the seafront and Lanes, the competition between independent businesses and national chains moving in, and how local search behaviour differs between areas like Hove, Kemptown, and the North Laine.
Results from the work, not the pitch
These are real campaigns I led before going freelance. Client names and identifying detail have been removed at their request, but the numbers and the strategy are exactly as they happened.
Recovering visibility for a global streetwear retailer
A well-known fashion retailer was losing organic ground across three markets. I ran the technical audit, found the pagination issue blocking crawlers from deeper product pages, and rebuilt the content and internal linking strategy across 100+ collection pages.
- 36% increase in organic impressions
- 40% lift in non-branded clicks YoY
- 8% growth in organic revenue share
- Diagnosed and fixed a pagination fault blocking crawler access to product pages
- Built a scaled content workflow to write region-specific copy for AU, UK and US collection pages without duplicating content
- Rebuilt site navigation and taxonomy around actual user search behaviour
- Rolled out an internal linking framework to strengthen key category pages
Defending a long-term B2B programme through a Google update, then pushing it to a new high
I took over this account partway through an existing multi-year organic programme. Within the first year, a Google Helpful Content update hit the site hard. I led the recovery, then rebuilt the strategy around AI-era search behaviour, taking the account to its best-ever result by the end of my time on it.
- 2024 Helpful Content update impact absorbed and diagnosed
- 5 pillar strategy built for AI-era search visibility
- New high organic performance reached by the end of the engagement
- Diagnosed the cause of a 2024 Helpful Content update hit and rebuilt the recovery plan
- Designed a five-pillar strategy to keep the account visible as search shifted toward AI-generated answers
- Maintained the account's local footprint and category authority across depot regions while rebuilding
- Took the programme from its Year 4 low point to its strongest year of organic performance by Year 6
Building topical authority without a product catalogue
A national trade supplier had strong brand recognition but no product catalogue to compete on search with bigger retailers. I built collection-level content to establish authority establish authority instead, and overhauled local listings across 60+ locations.
- 185% growth in category keyword visibility
- 144% YoY growth in local store visibility
- 33 content pieces written to build authority
- Wrote 30+ collection-level content pieces to signal trade expertise without individual product pages
- Refined headings, metadata and FAQs across key commercial pages
- Optimised Google Business Profiles across every store location
- Ran a full technical audit and fixed crawlability issues holding pages back
Who I Work With
Two ways of working. One point of contact.
I work in two ways: as a strategic SEO consultant guiding the direction of your campaign, or hands-on across longer, broader projects. Either way, you deal with me directly.
Brands & SMEs
Agencies
Freelancers & Independents
FAQs
Brighton Based FAQs
Do you only work with Brighton-based businesses?
No. I'm based in Brighton and love working with local businesses, but I also work remotely with clients across the UK. Being Brighton-based just means I bring local market knowledge to any business that serves this area.
How much does local SEO cost in Brighton?
It depends on your starting point, goals, and competition. After a free initial call and audit, I'll give you a clear, fixed proposal, no vague "it depends" retainers.
How long before I see results from local SEO?
Most Brighton clients start seeing movement in Google Business Profile visibility within 4–8 weeks, with broader organic ranking improvements building over 3–6 months.
Can you help if I'm competing with national chains in Brighton?
Yes, this is one of the most common challenges for independent Brighton businesses. Local SEO (GBP, reviews, local content, and citations) is exactly how smaller businesses compete with bigger budgets on "near me" searches.
Do you also do technical or ecommerce SEO for Brighton businesses?
Yes, alongside local SEO I offer technical SEO, ecommerce SEO, and full SEO consultancy.