How much does a digital marketing agency in London cost?

London digital marketing agencies typically charge £2,500–£15,000 per month for retained services. Project-based work for web design starts at £4,500 and apps at £25,000. Meridian publishes transparent pricing on every service page.

How long does SEO take to work in a competitive market like London?

For competitive London terms, expect meaningful organic traffic gains in 4–6 months and full ROI by month 9–12. Local SEO and long-tail terms often produce results within 6–8 weeks.

Do you work with startups or only enterprise clients?

Both. Dedicated startup track from £2,500/month alongside enterprise programmes for established London brands.

Which London boroughs do you cover?

All 32 London boroughs plus the City of London. Particular depth in Shoreditch, Mayfair, Canary Wharf, King's Cross and Camden.

What is GEO and AEO and why do they matter in 2026?

GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) are the disciplines for being cited in AI search — Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude. Around 60% of Google searches now end without a click; on AI-Overview queries that figure rises to 80%+. Being the answer the AI quotes is increasingly more valuable than ranking #1.

SEO16 April 20267 min read

How to Choose an SEO Agency in the UK: The 2026 Vetting Guide

How to evaluate and choose a UK SEO agency. What to ask, what to check, red flags, and how to tell if an agency actually knows what they are doing.

Choose an SEO agency by evaluating their own organic rankings, asking for revenue-attributed case studies (not just traffic graphs), and verifying they do GEO/AEO work alongside traditional SEO. Any agency that guarantees specific rankings should be immediately disqualified.

The 5-question vetting process

Can you show me revenue-attributed results, not just traffic? Traffic without conversion data is meaningless. Good agencies report against leads, revenue, and ROI.
Do you do GEO/AEO work? In 2026, 25–35% of commercial queries show AI Overviews. An agency that only does traditional SEO is leaving value on the table.
Who will work on my account? Will you get a senior strategist or a junior account manager? Ask to meet the person who will actually do the work.
What does your first 90 days look like? Good answer: technical audit, keyword strategy, content roadmap, quick wins. Bad answer: vague promises about "ongoing optimisation."
Who owns the content and backlink profile? You should own everything. An agency that retains ownership of content they create for you is creating lock-in.