An SEO and Copy Guide for UK Food and Drink Businesses

If you’re a food and bev brand that wants to get ahead online, find out if I’m The One to help 

Part of my ‘Manual of Me’ series 😀

If you've found your way here, to my humble online abode, welcome. I assume it means you're thinking about working with an SEO expert and copywriter to progress the success of your UK food or drink business. Lovely stuff. 

Before we chat, it's worth you knowing how I work — and who I work best with.

Consider this your menu for today (one that’s maybe a little bit out of order). Have a read, see if it gets your appetite going, and if it does, I'd love to hear from you.

The amuse bouche – you need to easily describe your business to me

Before I can write a word for you or build any sort of SEO strategy, you need to be able to tell me exactly what you do, who you do it for, where you do it, and what you want it to do. Not in marketing speak — I don't believe in that anyway — but in your own words, in like, a proper conversation.

That conversation is our discovery call, where we'll figure out whether we're a good fit for one another. If we both like each other, I’ll put together an agreement and a contract for you to sign, and we'll go from there.

If your business or aims are fuzzy (like a little peach), your goals are a bit vague, or you're not quite sure what you want yet — then we might need to put things on hold for a little while. There's no point rushing things. 

Good copy and good SEO come from a clear vision, and clarity sometimes takes a little bit of time, so I'd rather wait until we're both certain than do something half-baked that doesn't work for either of us.

The bill: how paying for SEO and copywriting works

I like to keep this simple and upfront — literally.

For SEO work, you pay in full upfront for the first month. SEO is ongoing, monthly work — usually six months minimum — and I'll keep you in the loop with regular check-ins, so you always know what's happening and why.

For copywriting, I ask that you pay 50% of whatever we've agreed upfront. I'll then turn each piece around within two to three working days, and the price includes one edit and one rewrite if needed. Once you've signed off on the work, you pay the final amount — and then we can agree a new piece of work if you like!

In both cases, payment is due within five days, so we can both get on with our work. 

Who I love dining with (in an SEO kinda way)

The practical stuff matters, but so does fit – so, here's a rundown of my ideal client. See whether you recognise yourself in any of these traits:

💛 You're a smallish-to-medium or founder-led food or drink business. I love working with the people who actually built the thing. There's a passion and a directness there that big corporate structures just can't replicate. I'm not against working with bigger companies, but for me there needs to be a direct line between the product and the people I'm talking to.

💛 You're someone who plans your tea while eating your lunch. Food and drink isn't just your business — it's your life. What’s the best flavour combo, where do you get the best ingredients, who are your food heroes, what’s your go-to comfort dish?

💛 You have a life outside work, too. Other hobbies and interests really matter to you. Well-rounded people make for better collaborators, in my view — and we can create better stories together.

💛 You don't rush, leave things to the last minute, or dollop on undue pressure. Calm, considered working relationships produce absolutely the best results. Deadlines matter, but panic helps no one.

💛 You trust your fellow freelancers and business owners. When you bring someone in to do a job — like me — you let them do it. I'm not saying you have no involvement at all: you can suggest things and talk things through with me, and I'm always very happy to learn. But mutual trust is non-negotiable. Rest assured, I'm the expert in your corner, and I just want to help you as best I can with what I know.

💛 You're an introvert, an ambivert, or you genuinely appreciate those personality types. Not everyone does their best thinking out loud, and you understand that.

💛 You're a food brand in touch with mental health. You take it seriously — yours and other people's. Work should support a good life.

💛 Ideally, you love retro stuff. Retro stuff, sitcoms, music and style, or, at the very least, you can appreciate them from afar. Bonus points if you can quote a classic British sitcom at me; go on, gimme something from Only Fools and Horses or The Royle Family.

💛 You're a fellow feminist, whatever your gender. Simple as that.

💛 You're an animal lover. Oh, and I love cats and dogs equally, so either’s cool. 

The meat and potatoes: why all of this matters so much

You might be wondering why I've gone into so much detail about the non-work stuff. Well, this kind of work can only happen when you're happy, and I'm happy. The extracurricular things I've listed might seem irrelevant at first, but they're crucial. With the right people and businesses, I work better, I work smarter, and we will work more effectively together.

I'll be honest at this point — I've had bad work experiences in the past, the kind where it feels like you're abandoning yourself just to get the job done. It's part of why I went freelance, and I never want that again — for me or for the people I work with. I want to work with someone whose business or product is as much a part of them as anything else in their life. 

Do you see yourself in this blog post?

If you've read this far and found yourself ticking those boxes, then I think we'll get on smashingly, and we should have a chat. 

If you’re a UK-based food and/or drink business, get in touch with me here on my website and tell me 

💛 about your brand goals

💛 your favourite comfort food

Then we can book a discovery call, see if we're a good match and take it from there.

I look forward to quoting comedy and planning meals with you soon!