How long does SEO take to work? Usually several weeks to a few months before meaningful movement, and longer in competitive markets, because search engines need time to recrawl and trust changes. Is SEO better than paid ads? They serve different goals: ads deliver instant visibility you pay for continuously, while SEO builds traffic that lasts but takes time, and many businesses use both. Do I need to pay an agency? Not necessarily; a small business can handle the basics itself, such as a complete Google Business Profile, clear service pages, and consistent details, before deciding whether expert help is worth it. How many keywords should each page target? Focus each page on one main topic and a small group of closely related phrases rather than dozens. Will more pages always mean more traffic? No, a few strong, useful pages beat many thin ones. Do reviews affect SEO? For local businesses, yes, review volume and recency influence rankings and customer trust. How do I know it is working? Track organic traffic, rankings for your key service terms, and enquiries using free tools like Google Search Console and Analytics rather than guessing.