There are thousands of SEO agencies in the UK and most "best of" lists are written by one of them. This one is too. So here's how we've tried to make it useful anyway: the criteria are published, every other agency is described the way it describes itself, and we've linked to the results they publish rather than paraphrasing them into something grander.
The right agency depends on your sector, your size and what you actually need fixed. A national retailer, a regional law firm and a B2B software company should end up with different names.
The 10 best SEO agencies in the UK at a glance
| Agency | Based in | Best for | Built for AI search (AEO/GEO) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Nomada Digital | York | B2B and specialist brands that need to rank and be named in AI answers | Yes - core to the model |
| 2. Impression | Nottingham | Scaling brands wanting SEO joined up with paid and CRO | Yes |
| 3. Rise at Seven | Manchester / London | Consumer brands wanting SEO and digital PR together | Yes |
| 4. The SEO Works | Sheffield | Mid-market businesses wanting full-service SEO | Yes |
| 5. Blue Array | Reading | Brands wanting a search-only specialist | Yes |
| 6. Propellernet | Brighton | Consumer and travel brands wanting SEO plus PR | Yes |
| 7. Reboot Online | London | Competitive sectors needing digital PR-led SEO | Yes |
| 8. Re:signal | Remote UK team | Retail and ecommerce brands | Yes |
| 9. Exposure Ninja | London / Nottingham | SMEs wanting a productised, transparent service | Yes |
| 10. Hallam | Nottingham | B2B firms wanting SEO inside a wider marketing programme | Yes |
Nomada Digital publishes this list. We've explained the reasoning below rather than pretending to be a neutral party.
How we built this list
Five criteria got an agency onto it.
1. A UK base, checked on the agency's own site.
2. Named client results published on the agency's own site - not just logos.
3. SEO as a core service, not a side offer.
4. A public position on AI search, because buyers increasingly ask ChatGPT and Google's AI answers before they click.
5. A clear way of working, so you know what you're buying.
Who we left out: directories and lead-generation sites, freelancers, overseas-headquartered agencies, and agencies we couldn't verify from their own site.
Results quoted below are as each agency publishes them. Awards are self-reported on agency sites. There are no paid placements, affiliate arrangements or reciprocal link deals on this page.
If you're specifically a B2B business, our list of the best SEO agencies for B2B goes deeper on that.
The 10 best SEO agencies in the UK
1. Nomada Digital
Based in: York, working with clients across the UK and the US. Best for: B2B and specialist brands that need to rank on Google and be named in AI answers.
Nomada is an SEO and AI search agency. We work out which searches and AI prompts your buyers use, then win them with on-site work, content and placements on the pages that already rank and get cited. Published results include Novuna at +163% qualified leads, Vibe Retail moving from outside the top 100 to number one on Google in three months, and Imogen Pope London at +76% organic traffic year on year. See the case studies.
Worth knowing: a lean senior team, so we take on a limited number of clients.
2. Impression
Based in: Nottingham, with London, Manchester and New York offices. Best for: scaling ecommerce, B2B and travel brands wanting SEO joined up with paid and CRO.
Impression is a performance marketing agency of 120+ people covering SEO, paid media, PR, CRO and analytics, and a B Corp. Its published work includes a generative engine optimisation programme for Tensar that it reports secured over 47,000 clicks in a year, and it lists Independent Agency of the Year 2026 among its awards.
Worth knowing: a large integrated agency - meet the people who'll run your account.
3. Rise at Seven
Based in: offices in Manchester, London and New York. Best for: consumer and ecommerce brands that want SEO and digital PR as one programme.
Rise at Seven describes itself as a search-first content agency covering SEO, digital PR, content and social, with an AI visibility and GEO service. Its published work includes Magnet Trade (a reported 174% increase in new account sign-ups) and SIXT (a reported extra 3 million regional clicks through SEO).
Worth knowing: strongest where brand, PR and search all need to move together.
4. The SEO Works
Based in: Sheffield, London and Leeds. Best for: mid-market UK businesses wanting full-service SEO with AI search reporting.
The SEO Works was founded in 2009, has 80+ specialists and is employee-owned. It offers SEO, GEO and AEO alongside PR, PPC and web, and publishes AI search case studies including work for DHL.
Worth knowing: broad client base across B2B and B2C rather than a single-sector specialist.
5. Blue Array
Based in: Reading, with London and Seville offices. Best for: brands that want a search-only specialist.
Blue Array focuses on organic search - SEO and GEO, technical SEO, digital PR, CRO and training - and is a B Corp. It publishes results for Pepper Money (+119% organic traffic) and Iwoca (+356% non-branded organic traffic).
Worth knowing: search only, so you'll need other partners for paid and brand.
6. Propellernet
Based in: Brighton. Best for: consumer and travel brands wanting SEO, digital PR and AI visibility together.
Propellernet combines digital PR, SEO, AI search and paid media, and runs its own AI visibility tool. It publishes work for PureGym, AutoTrader and Remitly, and has been a B Corp since 2021.
Worth knowing: PR-led, so it suits brands with a story to tell.
7. Reboot Online
Based in: London, with a remote team. Best for: competitive sectors such as finance and travel that need digital PR-led SEO.
Reboot Online is an SEO and GEO agency with a strong digital PR and link building practice. It publishes work for Alan Boswell Group (a reported +194.72% LLM referral traffic) and Liquidation Centre (+92% tracked leads year on year), and lists Best Large SEO Agency at the 2026 Global Search Awards.
Worth knowing: most effective where links and PR are the bottleneck.
8. Re:signal
Based in: a remote UK team. Best for: retail and ecommerce brands.
Re:signal is an ecommerce SEO and GEO agency covering search across Google, retail platforms and AI. It publishes work for ASICS, FatFace (a reported 96% increase in organic revenue) and Vivobarefoot (£2.76m in organic sales).
Worth knowing: ecommerce-focused, so less suited to lead-gen businesses.
9. Exposure Ninja
Based in: London and Nottingham, with a remote team. Best for: SMEs wanting a productised, transparent service.
Exposure Ninja offers SEO, AI search and PPC alongside content and CRO, publishes a lot of its thinking openly and is a B Corp. It lists SEO Agency of the Year at the Global Agency Awards 2026.
Worth knowing: a process-led model, which suits businesses that want clear deliverables.
10. Hallam
Based in: Nottingham and London. Best for: B2B firms that want SEO as part of a wider brand, web and paid programme.
Hallam is an employee-owned B Corp covering technical SEO, content, digital PR, AI search, paid, web and brand. It publishes work for Safer Food Group (organic revenue up 60%) and Protrade (31% revenue growth).
Worth knowing: breadth is the draw - check who leads SEO on your account.
Also worth a look: ClickSlice (London), Brave Bison (which acquired Builtvisible), Kaizen (London and Manchester) and Aira all do credible SEO work.
What an SEO agency costs in the UK
None of the agencies above publishes standard pricing, so these are UK market ranges, not quotes.
| Engagement type | Typical monthly range | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| One-off audit or strategy | £2,000-£8,000 (one-off) | Teams with in-house capacity who need a plan |
| Small specialist or freelancer | £1,000-£3,000 | Small businesses with a narrow focus |
| Specialist agency | £3,000-£8,000 | Most UK SMEs and scale-ups |
| Large integrated agency | £8,000-£20,000+ | Multi-channel, multi-market brands |
Ask what the fee buys in senior hours, and whether link building and digital PR are included or billed on top.
The gap almost every agency still has
More buying decisions now start with an AI answer. Someone asks ChatGPT or Google for the best supplier in their category and gets a short list before they see a results page.
Every agency on this list now talks about AI search, which is good. The question to ask is how they measure it. Can they tell you what share of relevant AI answers name you today, which pages those answers cite, and how they'll change that number? If the answer is a slide about "AI-ready content", keep asking.
How to shortlist an SEO agency
| What to check | What a good answer looks like |
|---|---|
| Results in your sector | Named clients with leads, sales or revenue - not just traffic |
| Who does the work | You meet your day-to-day team before you sign |
| AI search | A measured share of AI answers naming you, and a plan to move it |
| Reporting | Monthly reporting tied to commercial outcomes |
| Contract | Rolling or short initial terms with a clear exit |
| Links and PR | Clear on whether they're included in the fee |
The honest caveat
We rank ourselves first on a list we publish. Weight that accordingly.
We're a lean team, and several agencies here can staff a large programme faster than we can. We don't do paid social, brand creative or large web builds. If you need one partner for all of that, an integrated agency like Impression or Hallam is the better call.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the best SEO agency in the UK?
There isn't one answer. The best agency for a national retailer is different from the best for a B2B software firm or a regional law firm. Match the agency's published results to your sector and the problem you need solved.
How much does an SEO agency cost in the UK?
Most UK SMEs and scale-ups spend £3,000-£8,000 a month with a specialist agency. Smaller businesses can start from around £1,000 a month; large integrated programmes run well above £8,000.
How long does SEO take to work?
Typically three to four months for early movement and six to twelve months for meaningful commercial results, depending on competition and your starting point.
Should I choose a large or a small SEO agency?
Large agencies offer breadth and capacity. Smaller specialists usually give you more senior attention. The deciding factor is who actually works on your account, so ask to meet them.
Do SEO agencies handle AI search too?
Most now say they do. Ask how they measure it - a good agency will report the share of AI answers that name you and the pages those answers cite.
The takeaway
The best SEO agency is the one with proven results in a business like yours, a clear plan for both Google and AI answers, and people you'll actually work with.
Want to see where you stand first? Book a 30-minute call. We'll show you where you rank and whether AI answers name you - even if the right agency for you is another one on this list.
Nomada Digital is a B2B SEO and AI search agency. The views here are practitioner-level and based on real client data.