SEO in the UK, Built for Google and the AI Answers Now Above It
FactoryJet is an SEO agency for UK businesses. We rank you in Google and get you named inside the AI answers your buyers now read first, with technical, on-page, local, and ecommerce SEO on every account, plus the AI visibility work most agencies still ignore.
An SEO agency gets your business found when people search for what you sell. It combines on-page, technical, local, and off-page work so search engines rank your pages, and increasingly so AI engines quote them. The 2026 shift is that ranking now shares the page with an AI answer, so being named in that answer matters as much as ranking below it.
The change that matters in 2026 is where the answer gets read. For years the goal was a high spot in a list of links. Now a growing share of buyers read a written answer at the top of the page, or ask a chatbot, and never scroll. Ranking still counts. Being the source the engine names when it writes the answer counts just as much, and most SEO agencies are not built for it yet.
Buyers are reading the answer, not just the links
The way people search changed faster than most agencies did. In the UK, the communications regulator Ofcom reports that about 30 percent of searches now show an AI Overview, and more than half of adults say they see these summaries often. When the answer sits at the top of the page, the ten blue links below it get read less.
The click gap is measurable. Pew Research tracked real browsing and found people clicked through to a website about 8 percent of the time when an AI summary appeared, against 15 percent when it did not, roughly half as often. A source link inside the summary was clicked just 1 percent of the time. Ranking below the answer is worth far less than being named inside it.
Meanwhile ChatGPT drew 1.8 billion UK visits in the first eight months of 2025, up from 368 million a year earlier. Your next customer may build a shortlist inside a chatbot before they ever open Google. Modern SEO makes sure your business is on it, and still ranking in the results below.
What professional SEO includes in 2026
Ranking is not one trick, and neither is getting quoted by an AI engine. It is a stack of work that makes your business the easiest correct answer to find, read, and trust. Every FactoryJet SEO programme covers all eight.
Technical SEO foundation
Site speed, mobile performance, crawlability, indexing, and structured data. We clear the errors that quietly stop pages from ranking, and ship fixes in server-rendered HTML so Google and AI crawlers read them without running JavaScript.
On-page and content SEO
Each page targets one clear thing people search for, states the answer near the top, and reads like the source an engine would quote. We build genuine depth around real buyer questions, not padding that adds nothing.
Local SEO
Google Business Profile, consistent name, address, and phone signals, local reviews, and pages built for the areas you serve. For any business with a location or service area, this is often the fastest route to enquiries.
Ecommerce SEO
Category and product pages, clean handling of filters and variants, fast loading, and product schema so your items appear in search and shopping results, and get named when shoppers ask a chatbot for the best option.
Links and digital PR
Credible mentions on sites the search engines and AI models already trust. Quality beats quantity now, so we earn relevant, real links rather than chasing volume that can quietly hurt you.
AI answers and GEO
Entity data, schema, answer-first structure, and the wording that decides whether ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews name your business. This is the part a traditional SEO agency usually skips.
Keyword and competitor research
We map the exact phrases your buyers use with live UK search data, weigh difficulty against intent, and study who is ranking now. The output is a short list of terms you can realistically win.
Reporting and measurement
Regular reporting on rankings, organic traffic, and enquiries, plus where you appear in AI answers and AI Overviews. Plain language, tied to your business, readable in five minutes.
Seven things we do to get you ranked and cited
A repeatable method, not a black box. Here is the work, in the order we do it.
- 01
Audit and benchmark
We check the technical health of your site, where you rank today, and where you show up in AI answers, so we know the starting line before we touch anything.
- 02
Research the demand
We map the exact searches your buyers use with live UK data, weigh difficulty against intent, and separate the quick wins from the terms worth a longer fight.
- 03
Fix the technical foundation
Speed, indexing, crawlability, and structured data, confirmed in the raw HTML both Google and AI crawlers read. This is usually where the fastest gains hide.
- 04
Optimise pages for search and answers
Each target page targets one clear query, states its answer up top, and is structured so an engine can rank it and lift a clean answer from it.
- 05
Build topical depth
We cover the surrounding questions so search engines and AI models treat you as the authority on the topic, not a thin page hoping to get lucky.
- 06
Earn links and mentions
Digital PR and citations on sites that already have trust, because being named elsewhere is a large part of being ranked, and of being named in an AI answer.
- 07
Measure and compound
We track rankings, enquiries, and where you get named across engines month on month, double down on what moves, and keep the content fresh so you stay found.
FactoryJet vs a traditional SEO agency vs doing it yourself
From audit to ranked and cited in four stages
- 01
SEO audit
We check technical health, rankings, and AI visibility, and show you where you appear today and where a competitor is ahead.
- 02
Foundation
Technical fixes, on-page structure, schema, and crawler access. The fast wins that change how engines read you within weeks.
- 03
Content and authority
Answer-first pages, topical depth, local and ecommerce work, and credible links that get you ranked and named in AI answers.
- 04
Measure and compound
Monthly reporting on rankings, enquiries, and AI visibility, with the plan tuned to what is actually moving.
UK businesses that need to be found where buyers now look
SEO pays off fastest for businesses whose customers research online before they buy. Three groups make up most of our work.
Ecommerce and DTC brands
Stores whose shoppers search Google and now ask a chatbot for the best option before they buy. We rank your category and product pages and get your brand named in those answers.
Professional services and B2B
Firms where a buyer builds a shortlist from a search or an AI answer. We make sure you are on it, with the expertise and trust signals Google and the models want to cite.
Local and small businesses
Focused businesses that can be the clearest answer to a specific, local search. We pick the terms you can win, build the local pages, and make you the option engines reach for.
Businesses are searching for SEO help, and the demand is specific
Search demand for SEO in the UK is large and specific. "seo agency uk" alone draws thousands of searches a month, while local and ecommerce terms like "local seo services" and "ecommerce seo agency" sit lower in difficulty and are winnable quickly. These are buyers looking for help right now, not people browsing definitions.
That mix is the plan. We chase the low-difficulty local and ecommerce terms for fast movement, then build toward the harder national terms over time, for businesses in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and across the UK, with the same senior team on every account. London is the deepest and most contested of those markets, so it gets its own breakdown of the search demand and how the work changes borough by borough: read SEO services in London.
UK SEO agencies worth knowing
We would rather tell you the truth than pretend we are the only option. Here are UK agencies doing real search work, including us. Talk to a few and pick the fit.
- 1
FactoryJetThat is us
That is us. A UK SEO agency that builds pages to rank in Google and to be quoted by ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews, with AI visibility tracked as a first-class metric.
- 2
The SEO Works
A long-running Sheffield-based SEO and digital agency working with brands and SMBs across the UK.
- 3
ClickSlice
A London SEO agency known for technical SEO and link building for small and mid-sized businesses.
- 4
JDR Group
A Midlands agency that pairs SEO with inbound marketing for B2B, manufacturing, and industrial firms.
- 5
Go Up
A London SEO and digital PR agency with a strong content and press-coverage footprint.
- 6
First Place SEO
A UK SEO specialist focused on measurable organic growth for small businesses.
Agencies named from live UK search results for SEO agency terms, July 2026. Listing is not endorsement, and we are one option among them.
What shapes an SEO engagement
We do not sell one-size SEO packages, because a local firm chasing a handful of searches and a national brand fighting for a whole category are different jobs. What shapes the work is where you are starting, how competitive your market is, and how much content and authority you already have to build on.
A business with a healthy site often needs mostly on-page, technical, and answer-first structure to start climbing. A newer site needs foundations first. We scope it after a short call and a free SEO audit, so the plan matches your situation rather than a template, and you know what the work is before you commit.
SEO questions UK founders actually ask
SEO basics
What does an SEO agency actually do?
An SEO agency helps your website show up when people search for what you sell. That covers four things: fixing the technical health of your site so Google can crawl and index it, improving the content and structure of your pages, earning links and mentions from other sites, and tracking what ranks. A good agency ties all of it to real enquiries, not vanity keyword positions.
How do you do SEO for a small business in the UK?
Start with the basics done well. Claim and fill out your Google Business Profile, make sure each page targets one clear thing people search for, write genuinely useful content that answers real questions, and earn a few links from local or industry sites that already have trust. Fix anything slow or broken. Then track which pages bring enquiries and do more of what works.
What is a backlink, and do they still matter?
A backlink is a link from another website to yours. Search engines still read them as votes of confidence: a link from a respected UK publication or industry body tells Google your business is credible. They matter, but quality beats quantity now. Ten links from real, relevant sites do far more than a hundred low-value ones, and spammy link buying can actively hurt you.
How do you do keyword research?
We look at the exact phrases your buyers type, not the ones you assume they use. Using live UK search data we map demand, how hard each term is to rank for, and buyer intent, then separate the quick wins from the long plays. The goal is a short list of terms you can realistically win that lead to enquiries, not traffic for its own sake.
Do you do technical SEO?
Yes, and it is usually where the fastest gains hide. Technical SEO covers site speed, mobile performance, crawlability, indexing, structured data, and fixing errors that quietly stop pages from ranking. We audit all of it, prioritise what actually moves visibility, and make sure the fixes ship in the server-rendered HTML so both Google and AI crawlers can read your pages without running JavaScript.
What are the main types of SEO?
Most teams split SEO into four parts. On-page SEO is your content and page structure. Technical SEO is speed, crawling, and indexing. Off-page SEO is links and reputation. Local SEO is maps and location searches. In 2026 we add a fifth layer: making all four legible to AI engines and answer boxes, so you are named in AI answers as well as ranked below them.
SEO vs AI search
Is SEO dead or just evolving in 2026?
Evolving, firmly. What changed is where the answer gets read. In the UK, Ofcom reports that about 30 percent of searches now show an AI Overview, so the answer often sits above the links. SEO is not dead, but ranking alone is not the finish line any more. Being named inside the AI answer now matters as much as ranking below it.
Is SEO being phased out?
No. Search engines and AI answers both still learn from the open web, and Google AI Overviews are built on the same index that ranks normal results. What is being phased out is the old assumption that a top-ten ranking guarantees clicks. The work is shifting, not disappearing. Businesses structured to be found and quoted are getting more visibility, not less.
Will AI kill SEO?
AI is changing SEO, not ending it. More than half of UK adults now use tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, so a growing share of buyers form an opinion inside an AI answer before they reach your site. The click is getting rarer, the visibility is not. The winners are businesses built to be the source the engine quotes. That is a change in method, not the end of search.
Do you also do AI SEO and GEO?
Yes, and it is our edge over a traditional agency. Alongside classic SEO we do generative engine optimization, which shapes how AI models describe and cite you, and answer engine optimization, which structures pages so an engine can lift a clear answer. We track whether ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews actually name you. If you want that focus on its own, see our AI SEO page.
Is SEO better than paid ads?
They do different jobs. Paid ads buy visibility the moment you switch them on and stop the moment you switch them off. SEO builds an asset that keeps working, compounding over months at a lower cost per enquiry once it lands. Most businesses we work with use ads for speed and SEO for durable growth. If you can only pick one for the long run, SEO usually wins on return.
Local & ecommerce SEO
What is local SEO?
Local SEO is the work of showing up when someone searches for a service near them, like "SEO agency Manchester" or "plumber near me". It centres on your Google Business Profile, consistent name, address, and phone details across the web, local reviews, and pages built for the areas you serve. For any business with a location or a service area, it is often the fastest route to enquiries.
Can I do local SEO myself?
Yes, the basics are very doable. Claim your Google Business Profile, keep your name, address, and phone consistent everywhere, gather genuine reviews, and write a clear page for each area you serve. Many small businesses get real results this way. Where an agency helps is competitive areas, technical fixes, and the ongoing content and links that keep you ahead once the easy wins are done.
What is ecommerce SEO?
Ecommerce SEO is search optimization for online stores. It covers category and product pages, site structure, fast loading, clean handling of filters and variants, and product schema so your items can appear in search and shopping results. Increasingly it also means being named when a shopper asks a chatbot for the best option. Done well, it brings buyers with intent, not just browsers.
Are you an ecommerce SEO agency?
Yes. We work with Shopify, WooCommerce, and custom stores, optimising category and product pages, fixing the technical issues that hold ranking back, and structuring pages so both Google and AI engines surface your products. We also build the content around buying decisions that pulls in shoppers earlier. If you run a store, our ecommerce SEO and Shopify SEO work is built for exactly that.
Do you work outside London?
Yes. We are a UK SEO agency working with businesses across London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, and beyond. The work is handled remotely with regular video reviews, so a company anywhere in the UK gets the same senior team and the same standard. Where you are based does not change the quality of the work, only which local searches we target for you.
Do you cover SEO in Manchester and other cities?
We do. We run SEO for businesses in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, London, and across the UK, and we build local pages and Google Business Profiles for the areas each client serves. City-level SEO is mostly about local intent and proximity signals, so we target the exact searches your customers in that city use, wherever our team happens to sit.
Results & working with us
How much does SEO cost for a small business in the UK?
It depends on scope, not a fixed price tag. A local business chasing a handful of searches is a smaller job than a national brand competing in a crowded category. What shapes it is where you are starting, how competitive your market is, and how much content and authority you already have. We scope it after a short call and a free audit, so the plan matches your situation rather than a template.
How much should a small business pay for SEO?
Enough to fund real work, not so little that nothing meaningful gets done. Underfunded SEO usually means thin content and low-value links that can do more harm than good. The right level depends on how competitive your market is and how fast you want to move. We would rather scope honestly to your goals than quote a figure that sounds nice and delivers nothing. The free audit shows you what the work involves first.
Is SEO worth it for small businesses?
Often more than for large ones. A focused small business can be genuinely the clearest answer to a specific search, where a sprawling competitor is vague. SEO brings people who are already looking for what you sell, at a lower cost per enquiry than ads over time. It is not instant, but for most small businesses the compounding return makes it one of the best-value channels available.
How long does SEO take to work?
Technical and structural fixes can change how you rank within weeks. Meaningful movement on competitive terms usually takes a few months, because content depth and trust build over time. We front-load the fast wins so you see early progress, then compound it. Anyone promising page one in days is either targeting terms nobody searches or selling something that will not last.
Do you guarantee rankings?
No honest agency can, and you should be wary of any that does. Search engines decide rankings, not us, and the algorithms change constantly. What we guarantee is the work: the audit, the fixes, the content, and transparent reporting on where you actually move. A track record across 500-plus projects is how we build confidence, not a promise no one can keep.
How do you report results?
Clearly, and tied to your business, not vanity metrics. You get regular reporting on rankings, organic traffic, and enquiries, plus where you appear in AI answers and Google AI Overviews. We show what moved, what we did, and what is next, in plain language. If a report needs a glossary to understand, it is hiding a lack of results. Ours are built to be read in five minutes.
Who actually does the work?
A senior team, with the founder on every account. You will not be handed to a junior after the sales call, and the work is not quietly offshored to a content mill. That is deliberate: SEO that gets you ranked and quoted in AI answers takes judgement, not a template. When you email, the founder replies, and the person planning your strategy is the person doing it.
How do we get started?
Send your name and work email through the form on this page. The founder replies within 24 hours to book a short call, and runs a free SEO audit on your site: what is holding your rankings back, where you show up today, and where a competitor is ahead. That first look is genuinely useful whether or not we end up working together.
See where your business really ranks
Send your name and work email. The founder replies within 24 hours with a free SEO audit: where you rank in Google today, where you show up in AI answers, and where a competitor is ahead. No spam, no obligation.