SEO for Small Business: It’s the Right Traffic That Counts
Marc Brookland built SEO Locale after his dad lost his website to a big agency. He explains the right traffic, month-to-month contracts, and how to hire an SEO agency without getting burned.
Host: Bernie Franzgrote
Marc Brookland of SEO Locale explains small business SEO on Knack 4 Business: why the right traffic beats more traffic and how to avoid agency traps. Listen.
GROWTH CATEGORY: Marketing & Branding
Brought to you by: Canada Growth Network, Profit10™, and Gentry Learning.
You pay an agency every month, but you cannot say what you got for it. That is how Marc Brookland’s dad lost his website. Marc built SEO Locale so that no small business owner gets treated that way. In this conversation, he shows what good SEO looks like and how to spot the bad kind.
Marc started his agency in 2015 from a laptop and cold called his way to 14 clients in his first 30 days. His father once lost his website after cancelling a big agency, because he never owned it. That story shaped how Marc works today: month-to-month contracts and a client dashboard that shows every metric.
Watch the full conversation here:
Small businesses often pay for SEO and cannot tell if it works. Marc Brookland, founder of SEO Locale, says the goal is the right traffic, not more traffic. This episode shows how to check results, spot agency red flags, own your website, and plan a monthly budget.
Who this is for
SMB owners, solopreneurs, corporate escapees, and leaders building systems.
Key lessons
1. The right traffic beats more traffic.
Marc says a good SEO is about the right traffic. Start with what your buyer types. A shopper and a vendor search in different ways, so they need different pages.
2. Own what you pay for.
His dad paid for years, then cancelled and lost the site. All he owned was the domain. Before you sign anything, ask who owns the website, and get it in writing.
3. Make the agency prove it.
Marc keeps contracts month to month. That puts the work on the agency to show results. Be wary of anyone who promises results in 30 days, or who locks you in for 12 months.
Practical steps
- Ask who owns your website and your domain. Get the answer in writing.
- Check that Google Analytics tracks calls and form fills, not just visits.
- Write down the three searches your best customer would type. Check that a page on your site answers each one.
About the guest
Marc Brookland is the founder of SEO Locale, and he offers K4B listeners a free technical audit and SEO review.
Connect: LinkedIn · Instagram · YouTube
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Partners on this episode
- Canada Growth Network — a business community plus a robust CRM platform, $47 CAD a month.
- Profit10™ — a free Profit Snapshot. Ten questions show where your business leaks profit.
- Gentry Learning — real estate education, listings and an Investor Club from Fred Crouch.
FAQ
How long does SEO take?
Marc says about six months, and it varies. Save a budget for a year.
How much should a small business spend?
Marc’s clients average around $1,000 a month, and he starts at $500 a month. Tools like Semrush or Moz cost a couple hundred a month for those who go it alone.
Does AI search replace SEO?
No. Marc calls it the next phase of SEO. You still need a findable website and useful content.
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K4B acknowledgements
Carl Richards · Fred Crouch · Jovan Strika — @Hive · Melanie Webber
