Questions Clients Ask Me

About me

What does Steven Wilson-Beales do?

I'm a UK-based SEO, AI visibility and content strategy consultant for publishers and brands. I help teams get found in Google, Discover and AI assistants like ChatGPT, and build content strategies they can actually run. More about me.

Who do you work with?

I work mainly with publishers, newsrooms and digital media brands. Clients include LADbible Group, Flashes & Flames, Global South World, Atlantico and Clarivate. See my clients.

Can you help if we're not a publisher?

Yes. All of my services are open to brands as well as publishers. A publishing background is useful for any brand that relies on content to reach its audience.

What experience do you have?

I've spent more than 20 years in editorial, SEO and product. I spent almost 12 years at Global, finishing as Head of SEO & Editorial Product, and before that I ran the MSN UK entertainment desk at Microsoft and was Head of Internet at Ministry of Sound. I'm a former Co-Chair of the AOP Journalism Advisory Board. Read my background.

My approach

How are you different from an agency?

I work on my own, so the person you speak to on the first call is the person who does the work. I've also run editorial teams, so I write recommendations with your editors, product managers and developers in mind.

Can't I just ask ChatGPT for an SEO audit?

You can, and it may find some real issues. But it won't know your CMS, your team's workflow or which fixes your developers can actually ship. I start from your data and templates, then give you a prioritised list your teams can turn into tickets. Jo-Anne Rowney, Director of Editorial at LADbible Group, valued my ability to "communicate complex ideas to the tech and editorial teams". About technical SEO audits.

Do I need an AI visibility tool before hiring you?

Not usually. Many brands have simple fixes available first, and a tool won't tell you which ones matter. I'd start by checking whether AI systems can read your site, what they say about you and who they cite instead. Then you can decide whether a tool is worth paying for. About AI search visibility.

Should we fix SEO or AI visibility first?

Usually SEO, because AI visibility builds on the same foundations. If your site is hard to crawl or unclear about what it covers, AI work can quickly become disconnected from the basics. Once those are sound, I look at the extra steps specific to AI assistants and answer engines.

What I can do for you

Why has our traffic dropped?

It may not be one thing. An algorithm change is one possible cause, but drops can also come from technical problems, your publishing system, workflow bottlenecks or a proposition that has lost focus. I look at those together, so you don't fix the wrong thing. See my services.

What do I get from a technical SEO audit?

You get a prioritised list of fixes, written so your teams can understand it and scope it into production tickets. I can also talk through the recommendations with your content, product and development teams, including the likely impact and effort of each fix. About technical SEO audits.

Can you train my team?

Yes. I've been training editorial teams since 2018. Sessions can be an hour a week with new starters, an in-person training day, a practical workshop or ongoing advisory sessions, shaped around your team. About SEO training.

Can you help with content strategy as well as search?

Yes. I can help with audience and user-needs analysis, editorial positioning, competitive analysis and content planning. A clear proposition also makes it easier for search engines and AI systems to understand what you're about. About content strategy.

Can you help with Google Discover?

Yes. I help publishers optimise for Google Discover, and it's part of my work with LADbible Group. I also cover it in my training, including what makes a great Discover article. About SEO training.

Can you help with YouTube?

Yes. I look at what's happening in your competitor space to work out which videos are worth commissioning, then help you optimise them. About content strategy.

Working together

What does it cost?

It depends on what you need and how far along you are, so I don't publish set prices. Clients usually come to me for one of three things: a short project to research where you stand and what to do next, a focused project or retainer for a specific problem, or a monthly retainer for ongoing improvement. You can start with any of them. After a free 30-minute call, I'll recommend the right fit and send you a written proposal with the scope and cost. Three ways to work with me.

How long does a project take?

A short project to get clarity usually takes one to two weeks once we've agreed the work. Timescales for focused projects depend on the problem, and I'll set them out in the proposal. Retainers run for as long as they're useful.

How do we get started?

Book a free 30-minute call, with no obligation. Tell me what's happening and what you'd like to change. I'll then recommend a next step and send a written proposal with the scope and cost.

Who isn't this right for?

My work isn't right for anyone looking for link buying or quick tricks. I focus on lasting improvements: finding what's holding your content back, fixing what matters most and giving your team a plan it can keep using.