What I do
Get found on Google
Local search and your Google Business Profile, tuned so you show up when someone nearby needs exactly what you do.
Get recommended by AI
People ask ChatGPT who to call now. I work on the reviews, mentions and site structure that put your business in the answer.
Ads that earn their keep
Google Ads on a sensible budget and a tight leash. A campaign that doesn't pay for itself gets switched off.
Hours back every week
Simple automation for quotes, follow-ups and review requests, so the admin stops eating your evenings.
Who it's for
Trades and home services
Hot water, aircon, carpentry, the lot. When something breaks, your next customer searches once and calls whoever they find. Most of your competitors aren't really trying, so that search is easier to win than you'd think.
Other local businesses
Physios, lawyers, mortgage brokers, event companies, breweries, celebrants. Same story: someone nearby needs what you do, and they go with whoever turns up first.
What clients say
★★★★★
"Most of my bookings used to come through word of mouth. Since Salt & Search started working on my website and SEO I've been getting enquiries straight from Google, from couples who never would have found me otherwise."
Wedding celebrant · Kingscliff
★★★★★
"Phone calls have definitely picked up since we started using Salt & Search. Good to work with a local too. Should've done it a year ago."
Landscaper · Pottsville
★★★★★
"Our website was just sitting there doing nothing. David got us turning up when people search for a commercial plumber around here, and the calls started coming. Explains it all without the jargon, which I appreciated."
Commercial plumbing company · Tweed Heads
About
Work with a local small business
I'm David. I live in Casuarina with my wife and kids, and I've spent twenty years building websites and apps, including a stint at a global search engine called DuckDuckGo.
Now I help local businesses around here get found when people are searching, and I've started helping a few of them use AI to take some of the admin off their week. More about me.
Simple process
- 1
A quick chat or messageGive me a call or send a message. I'll ask you a few questions about your business and what you're trying to do (happy to grab a coffee if you're nearby).
- 2
A plan for your budgetI can work with your budget and give you a written plan of how I can help your business. I've worked with big and tiny budgets before so we can start anywhere and adjust from there.
- 3
I get to workI'll get a good understanding of your business, your goals and start the work. Happy to go month to month and I'll give you regular updates of the work done and progress.
Pricing
Packages from $199 a week
I've got a few standard examples of what the work can look like, but you don't have to pick one. We'll talk about what you're trying to achieve and how much you want to invest, and I'll put together something that fits.
It's ongoing rather than a one-off, and the budget can move whenever you need it to.
Read more about packages and pricingBased in Casuarina
Tweed Coast and Northern Rivers
I'm based in Casuarina and work with businesses in Kingscliff, Tweed Heads, Byron Bay and plenty of places in between.
Happy to meet up for a coffee and a chat if you're nearby, otherwise give me a call or send a message. I love working with local businesses around here.
Areas: Tweed Coast, Kingscliff, Gold Coast, Northern Rivers, Byron Bay
Frequently asked questions by local businesses
How can I show up higher in Google?
Depends where you're starting from. For most local businesses it comes down to your Google Business Profile and what your website actually says you do. I'll have a look and tell you what's holding you back.
Can you help my business show up in Google Maps?
Yes, and it's usually the quickest win. Maps comes down to how complete your Business Profile is and whether your reviews are real and recent. Most businesses never finish setting theirs up properly, so there's usually ground to make up quickly.
How can I get ChatGPT to recommend my business?
AI tools recommend businesses they can verify. That means your details match everywhere they appear, and your website plainly says what you do and where you do it. It's the same work that lifts your Google ranking, so nothing is wasted.
Can you help me with Google Ads or Facebook ads?
Yes. I keep them small and pointed at the work you actually want. If a campaign isn't paying for itself I'll switch it off rather than let it quietly run.
I'm not sure I've got the budget. How do I know what it'll cost?
Tell me what you can spend and I'll tell you what I can do with it. Packages start at $199 a week, and you'll have a written number before anything starts.
Am I locked into a contract?
No. Month to month, and if the work stops paying for itself we stop. You keep everything: the website, the profiles, the ad account.
What do you actually need from me?
Not much. Access to your website and your Google listing, and half an hour to tell me about the business. After that I'll get on with it and only bother you when I need something.
No website yet?
I build them too. A simple one doesn't have to cost much, and I can do something more involved if that's what the business needs. Happy to show you a few I've done around here.