What can you help with?

Websites and Shopify stores, local SEO and your Google Business Profile, and the admin automation behind a small business. One person across the lot, so the site, the search side and the back office actually talk to each other.

How much does it cost?

A website or portfolio site starts at $1,800 AUD, and an online shop starts at $2,500 AUD. Brand identity, SEO, automation and ongoing support are quoted on the actual scope. Either way, you get a fixed number in writing before anything starts.

Do I need to be technical?

Not at all. You never need to understand how it works, only that it does. I handle everything and explain it in plain language.

How long does it take?

A landing page goes live in about a week, a multi-page site in two to three. A full bespoke project, brand and site built together, is usually a few weeks. You get a fixed timeline with the quote.

Will I own everything when it’s done?

Yes. Everything is in your name and your accounts: code, domain, hosting account, Google accounts, lead-tracking sheets. If you decide to walk away tomorrow, you take it all with you. No vendor lock-in, no hostage data.

Why no monthly subscription?

Because most people don’t need one. I charge per project, one-time, so you only pay when there’s real work to do. If you genuinely need ongoing help we can set that up, but it’s the exception, not the default.

Why not just build it myself on Squarespace?

Honestly? If you only need a one-page portfolio, go ahead. I come in when the site has to do real work: capture enquiries, integrate with the tools you already use, rank in search, and look like nobody else’s. It usually pays for itself the first time it books a job while you’re busy.

What if I already have a site?

Tell me about it. Sometimes it just needs a polish, speed, SEO, a few fixes. Sometimes new things shipped. Sometimes a rebuild. I look at it honestly and tell you what actually moves the needle, and what doesn’t.

Google Business Profile for Melbourne artists: do you need it?

In short: most Melbourne artists who run a studio, host workshops, take commissions, or sell from a market stall should claim a Google Business Profile. It is free, it is run by Google, and it appears above regular search results in the local map pack where most artists' competitors have not claimed theirs. Setup takes about 20 minutes plus a one-week verification wait. Monthly upkeep is around 15 minutes. Artists who only ship internationally and have no physical address to share can skip it.

Probably yes, if you're working out of a Melbourne studio and you want clients, students, or curators in the city to find you. Probably no, if you ship internationally and have no physical address you're willing to share.

That's the short answer. The long answer takes the rest of this piece.

What is a Google Business Profile, in plain terms?

It's the box of information that shows up when someone Googles your business name and you have a verified listing. The box with the map pin, the hours, the photos, the reviews, the call now button.

It's free. It's run by Google. It is one of the highest-leverage SEO moves a Melbourne creative can make, because it appears above the regular search results in the map pack, and most artists' competitors haven't claimed theirs.

When does GBP matter for a Melbourne artist?

If any of these are true, it matters:

You teach workshops or run open studios.
You take commissions or consultations and clients sometimes visit.
You sell from a market stall, a shared studio, or a permanent retail space.
You want to be found by people typing ceramic studio Brunswick or jeweller in Collingwood.

In those cases, GBP doubles your local visibility. People who would never have scrolled to your website see your photos, hours, and reviews on the very first screen of a Google search.

When can I skip Google Business Profile as an artist?

GBP is less useful if:

You don't have a physical address you want to publish (and you're not registered as a service-area business).
You sell only online and ship internationally. Your customers aren't searching with a location modifier.
You're an emerging artist with no studio and no commissions yet.

In those cases, the time is better spent on Pillars 1 and 3 from the SEO piece.

How do I set up Google Business Profile in 20 minutes?

Here's the short version. The Google interface changes regularly, so use this as a guide, not a script.

Go to google.com/business and sign in with your Gmail.
Search for your business name. If you see it, claim it. If not, create one.
Pick the right category. Artist exists. Ceramicist, Jeweller, Photographer exist too. Pick the most specific one.
Enter your address (or set yourself as a service-area business if you don't want the address public).
Verify the listing. Google usually sends a postcard with a code, or verifies by video walkthrough. This step can take a week.
Once verified, add hours, a phone number, a website link, and at least 10 photos.
Write a 300-character description that uses your keywords naturally.

That's the setup. The next part is harder: keeping it alive.

What should I do on Google Business Profile every month?

A GBP listing that gets updated outranks one that sits frozen. Once a month, do these three things:

Post. Google calls these updates. A new piece, an open studio date, a workshop. Two minutes.
Photos. Add one or two new photos of recent work or the studio. Google rewards fresh imagery.
Reviews. Ask one or two recent clients for a review. Reply to every review you get. Reviews drive ranking hard.

Three things, once a month. Maybe 15 minutes total. The compounding effect on local search visibility is real.

What if my Google Business Profile gets suspended or flagged?

Common issues I see:

The address gets flagged because it doesn't match the address on your domain registration or your invoices. Fix: make them consistent.
The listing gets suspended for unclear reasons. Fix: submit a reinstatement request through the Google Business Profile help section.
A competitor claims your listing by mistake. Fix: contact Google support; this happens more than you'd expect.

If you don't want to deal with any of this, I can set up and manage your Google Business Profile as a service. But honestly, most artists can run it themselves once it's set up.