What $489 a Month Actually Gets You in SEO — No Fluff, Just Facts

Before anyone signs up for anything, they want to know exactly what they're getting. That's reasonable. So here's a straight answer — no sales language, no vague promises about "dominating Google."

Here's what $489 a month gets you at Lean SEO, and what it doesn't.

What's Included

4 SEO-optimised blog posts per month

Two product-focused posts targeting keywords related to your specific services. Two industry-focused posts targeting broader topics your customers search for. Each post is:

• Researched with real keyword tools (not guessed)
• Written to match search intent — the reason someone types that query
• Structured with proper heading hierarchy (H1, H2, H3)
• Between 1,000–1,500 words — enough to rank, not padded for length

Keyword research for every post

Before anything gets written, we identify the specific keyword each post targets, the search volume, the difficulty, and the intent. You get content built for keywords that real people are actually searching — not keywords that sound good but have no traffic.

Meta title and meta description for every post

The two lines Google shows in search results. Most businesses ignore these or let their CMS auto-generate them. We write them deliberately — keyword-included, within character limits, and written to earn the click.

On-page SEO checklist applied to every post

Internal linking, image alt text, URL slug, heading structure, keyword placement. Every post is checked against a standard before it leaves our hands.

Monthly SEO performance report

Rankings, traffic trends, what's moving, what isn't. Keeps you informed without requiring you to become an SEO analyst.

Custom SEO strategy plan within 24 hours of signup

Before the first post is written, you receive a strategy document outlining the keyword targets we've identified for your business, the content plan for month one, and the reasoning behind it.

What's Not Included

Equally important:

• Link building — acquiring backlinks from other websites is not part of this plan. It's a separate discipline and a significant cost driver at agencies. For most NZ small businesses, consistent quality content is the higher-priority foundation.
• Technical SEO audits — fixing site speed, crawl errors, Core Web Vitals issues. If your site has technical problems, those need to be addressed but are outside this scope.
• Social media — the content we produce is for your website. Distribution is your call.
• Paid ads — this is organic SEO only.
• Website changes — we deliver the content. Publishing it is on you or your dev.

What Realistic Results Look Like

Honest timelines matter. Here's what to expect:

Month 1–2: Foundation. The strategy plan is live, content is publishing, and Google is starting to crawl and index your posts. Don't expect visible ranking movement yet. This is normal — not a problem.

Month 3–4: Early signals. Some posts will start appearing in search results, often on pages 2–4 for their target keywords. Traffic will be modest. The content library is building.

Month 5–6: Traction. If the keyword strategy is sound and content is consistent, you'll start seeing page 1 appearances for lower-competition terms. Traffic starts to become meaningful.

Month 9–12: Compound growth. The library is now large enough that posts start linking to each other, building internal authority. Rankings for harder keywords become achievable. This is where the investment really starts to pay off.

The businesses that quit at month 3 never see month 9. That's the honest reality of SEO.

Who This Plan Is For

Lean SEO at $489/month works best for:

• Local service businesses (tradies, clinics, professional services) who need to rank in a specific city or region
• Niche ecommerce with specific product categories to rank
• Professional services firms (lawyers, accountants, consultants) building authority in their sector
• Any NZ small business that currently has no SEO content strategy

It's not the right fit for:

• National brands competing in high-volume, highly competitive categories (you'll need more volume and a bigger budget)
• Businesses that need SEO results in 30 days (that's not how SEO works)
• Anyone who wants full-service digital marketing — this is content and on-page SEO, not a full agency relationship

Key Takeaways

• 4 posts/month, keyword research, meta copy, on-page checklist, monthly report, and a strategy plan — all included
• Results build over 6–12 months, not 6–12 weeks
• No link building, no technical SEO, no social — this is content-focused organic SEO
• Best fit for local service businesses, niche ecommerce, and professional services in NZ
• Month-to-month — cancel before your next billing date with no penalty

If that matches what you need, the next step is straightforward.