Online Marketing for Small Businesses — honest levers, not 24-month contracts

Typical project flow

First calls and Maps clicks in 2–4 weeks — not 6 months.

1. search

   Phase 1 — Audit & quick wins

   Month 1

   Google Business Profile maxed out (categories, photos, posts, Q&A), automated review request (QR/SMS after service), NAP consistency across directories, quick site check (mobile, speed, click-to-call).

2. document

   Phase 2 — Focused visibility

   Month 1–2

   1–3 focused service-city landing pages instead of 30 thin pages, structured data (LocalBusiness, FAQ), first brand-defense campaign live (€5–15/day).

3. code

   Phase 3 — Direct channels

   Month 2–3

   Existing-customer newsletter set up (GDPR-compliant), optionally WhatsApp Business as a lead channel, Google Ads expanded to the 5 most important buy-intent keywords with local targeting.

4. sparkles

   Phase 4 — Sharpen & defend

   Ongoing

   Monthly reporting on calls, enquiries and Maps views (not abstract rankings). GBP upkeep, review responses within 24h, GEO/AEO optimization for visibility in ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Mode.

Frequently asked questions from small businesses

I once worked with an SEO agency — paid for 12 months, nothing happened. Why would it be different now?

We hear this a lot. The standard model '24-month minimum, monthly retainer, quarterly PDF' has a built-in incentive to do as little as possible. We work differently: monthly cancellable, clearly defined work packages per month (e.g. 'GBP optimization, 2 landing pages, review automation'), reporting that shows what actually happened — not just what could theoretically develop. If after 90 days there is no measurable movement in calls, enquiries or Maps views, we have a problem we fix — or you leave.

We only have €500/month — is it even worth it?

At €500, honestly not for classic SEO with content build-out. For that budget there are two levers that often deliver more for small businesses: Google Business Profile plus automated review pipeline (complete profiles get up to 7× more clicks, one extra star = 5–9% more revenue) and a small, focused Google Ads campaign on the 5 most important buy-intent keywords in your city. Both bring calls in weeks, not months — scale later.

Isn't Google Business Profile plus a bit of Facebook enough?

GBP really is the single biggest lever — around 76% of 'near me' searches lead to a visit within 24 hours. Facebook delivers almost no organic reach for local businesses today. More effective: GBP + review routine + a fast website with clear service pages, so Google shows you even without 'near me'. Optionally WhatsApp Business as an enquiry channel with 90%+ open rates instead of 25% on email.

Google AI Mode now shows answers directly — isn't SEO dead anyway?

Fair question. Click-through rate on position 1 in Germany dropped from 27% to 11% since AI Overviews — around 265 million fewer organic clicks per month (SISTRIX). But: for local searches ('hairdresser Cologne', 'yoga studio near me') AI Overviews barely apply — Maps and Local Pack still dominate. And brands cited in AI answers (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Mode) gain extra visibility. That's exactly where we work: lock down local visibility, structure content so the LLMs cite you.

We have no time to constantly approve texts or write briefings.

Understood. That's why we run a single onboarding session (60–90 min) plus optionally a 20-min call every 4 weeks. Texts go live with a proposal — you can ask for changes after publishing instead of approving before. Images come from your GBP, your site and optionally a short on-site smartphone shoot. If we need more from you, we ask once per month bundled — not every other day by email.