Steve Johnston

Services

I work as an independent internet consultant offering the following services:

1. Google Consultancy

Much of my current workload is focused on helping organisations create a foundation for solid Google (and other search engine) results in the future that are built with integrity. The need these organisations have is often triggered by a realisation of how important search engines are at creating customers for their products and services or by the loss of a previously valued high-ranking position in the Google results pages.

Integrity

Integrity in Google optimisation is critical. You will find me working with you only in an ethical way, when it comes to the use of techniques to improve Google results performance.

I consider Search Engine Optimisation to be a marketing discipline underpinned by technical disciplines, and not the other way around. And as a marketing discipline, I will want to talk to you about marketing objectives and audiences before being able to determine which direction a Google strategy should take you.

Google Optimisation

For further details of the Google Optimisation service I offer, particularly in terms of the detailed issues surrounding web site content, visibility and reputation, please visit the Google optimisation page.

Fees

I pride myself in being an incisive consultant, who can, at very modest levels of commitment in terms of time and money, help direct a Google strategy that will meet the objectives a client may have.

Initial project briefing and site reviews are an important part of my assessment of both the size of the challenge for the site in question to perform better in the search results for a target market, and, excitingly, the size of the opportunity should the results improve significantly.

As such, I am unable to do such reviews at risk and require a commitment from prospective clients to underwrite this initial review. This initial briefing fee is not charged at full rate, but at a significantly discounted rate. This initial effort is not a full site audit, nor does it cover the development of Google strategy. Payment below will guarantee the the review and feedback within 7 days of payment date.

Google Strategy

Once an initial review is complete a proposal can be developed for the execution of a comprehensive strategy to build a solid foundation for present and future high performance on the results pages of Google. Such a strategy development differs considerably from client to client and is negotiated at proposal stage. Fees vary from £2000 to £8000 for a typical strategy development.

Service - Initial Site Review Fee
1. Take initial brief, review target site, review Google results pages and feedback challenge/opportunity (appox 5 hours effort at discounted rate) £500

I work as an independent internet consultant also offering the following services:

2. Internet Strategy

As a result of my career as a strategy and development director for internet businesses I have been exposed to most 'new' online business models and am well placed to help business use the internet to do business better. Whether this amounts to a strategic change or a strategic focus for a business can vary, but always there are surprises for organisations who do not have dedicated senior or experienced web executives about what is possible and how easy it is to make many improvements.

Business Planning & Board Level Buy-In

I have worked with the senior teams of a number of businesses in which the primary goal of the project is to compose a commercial strategy that was both cost-effective, but critically, in keeping with the ethos and mentality of the organisation. Creating such a shared vision within a management team leads to its rapid acceptance at board level and the necessary budget and operational support a major project can require.

Fees

The extent of effort for the development of an internet strategy varies from business to business. Typical engagements can include major changes to the existing web presence and back-office systems of an organisation. As such it is very difficult to give example fees. My time, however, is charged on an hourly/daily basis.

3. Agency Mentor

I am assisting a number of web design and technical agencies in the development of their skills and on the strategic direction of their client-based SEO work.

Typically such work takes on a 'cobbler's children' personality as the agency site is usually the first to be assessed and improved as it is often the most neglected. As with the review and assessment of end client sites (see above), agency reviews cannot be undertaken entirely at risk. If you are an agency and would like to take a few steps down this route, I recommend the following service which is charged at a discounted rate and the feedback report is guaranteed to be provided within 7 days of payment receipt.

Service - Initial Agency Review Fee
2. Take initial brief, review agency site, review Google results pages and feedback challenge/opportunity (appox 4 hours effort discounted rate) £480

4. Google SEO Training

I have a great deal of experience outlining the principles of building web sites so that they are optimised for Google, to junior, senior, marketing, technical and executive personnel. In response to demand from my clients I have pulled together an introductory Google SEO Training workshop programme. It is designed for teams of up to ten people, and covers the fundamentals for preparation and management of web sites so that they are inherently Google-friendly and so that a team understands the importance of managing a site on Google principles of optimisation. Click on Google SEO Training to view a sample agenda, but please bear in mind that I tailor each workshop to the specific needs and marketplace of the client's organisation.

Google Training guideline pricing: Preparation and 4 hour workshop = £1200

5. Web Development Consultancy in the South West of the UK

If you are local to me (I have recently escaped London and am on the Somerset / Wiltshire border between Bath and Bradford-on-Avon in the South West of the UK) then I am also always interested in assisting small and medium businesses with general internet planning, particularly in new web site builds, including supplier selection and briefing and project management. Fees dependent on level of requirement.

Copyright Steve Johnston 2005.
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