When I tell people I used to run a wedding and events floristry business before moving into SEO, I usually get one of two reactions. Either mild confusion — what does one have to do with the other? — or a kind of immediate recognition from other small business owners who get it straight away.

If you've ever opened Google Search Console to check your website hits, glanced at the clicks and impressions numbers, and closed the tab feeling none the wiser, you're not on your own. Most business owners I work with know the report exists, know it's "important," and have no real idea what they're supposed to be looking for beyond whether the numbers went up or down.

The headline numbers only tell you a small part of the story. The useful insight is usually means clicking a little deeper.

Here's what I actually look for when I open a client's report each month.

If you've started a small business and you don't have a website, or perhaps you’ve had a business a while and not quite got around to it, here's what usually happens. You search "how to build a website for my business" and within about four clicks you're being told you need SEO, branding, copywriting, a logo, a content strategy, a Squarespace website keyword research, and probably a newsletter too — and yes that can be overwhelming!

If you’ve decided your business needs help with SEO, the next question is usually: what should I look for when hiring an SEO consultant?

There are plenty of SEO consultants and agencies out there, all offering slightly different services, approaches and prices. And if you’re a small business owner, knowing who to trust can feel particularly overwhelming.

You don’t necessarily need the biggest agency or someone promising to get you to number one on Google.

You need someone who understands your business, understands your customers and can create an SEO strategy that helps you get found by the right people.

So, what should you actually look for when hiring an SEO consultant?