Understanding your role and knowing who needs your expertise are key to success! In this module, we’ll dive into the important details of your work and help you pinpoint your ideal audience. This groundwork is essential for SEO and making your marketing efforts shine — anytime, anywhere.
SEO-SOS: Guided SEO Implementation for Creatives & Solo Business Owners Looking to Attract the Right Audience…Without Relying on Social Media.
SEO-SOS is a hands-on, personalized program for solo small business owners, creatives & reluctant marketers who want their website — not social media — to do the heavy lifting.
This is not a video-only course or a quick-fix SEO hack. It’s a blend of teaching, creation, and implementation for people who want to do meaningful, sustainable work with calm, expert support. There's some focused setup initially, followed by about 15 minutes of simple monthly maintenance to keep things working well over time.
Enrollment is limited to 10 participants so each person gets a one-on-one strategy session, specific feedback on their work, and ongoing access for questions and walkthroughs.
Your website should be one of your most effective tools for growing your business.
Anyone can build a website these days, but many sites don’t actually help a business grow. It doesn’t matter how beautiful it looks or how much traffic it gets — if your site isn’t clearly speaking to the people you want to reach and giving them an easy way to stay connected, it’s not doing its best work for you. At the same time, social media often asks for more and more of your energy while delivering fewer real results.
If promoting yourself feels like climbing a mountain, you're not alone, and it doesn't have to feel that way.
If you have a viable business and a website that isn’t helping it grow, it’s not because you’re a terrible marketer; you just need a better strategy that offers an easier path.
There’s a more powerful way to reach people — by improving your website through search engine optimization (SEO). But often, it's intimidating or overly technical because it’s rarely explained in plain language. Thankfully, once you strip away the mystery, it becomes a more intuitive, thoughtful way to help the right people find you.
A few key adjustments can help your website:
- Reduce marketing time and expense
- Ease that "always behind" marketing feeling
- Attract more of the clients or customers you actually want to work with
- Build more genuine, long-term connections
- Offer visitors a clear, natural next step
Trying to figure this out on your own, though, can feel like a lot.
Technical language and mixed advice make it hard to know what actually matters. Generic tips don’t always apply to your specific business, so it’s easy to waste time on things that don’t move the needle. Without the knowledge, it's hard to see what’s a helpful tweak and what might create problems later. Many business owners turn to quick fixes or gimmicky advice, which can backfire when algorithms change, leaving them worse off. Some give up.
A practical system can make everything feel lighter.
Thoughtful, well-structured websites have always been a core part of my client work, and strong SEO is the secret sauce that boosts marketing efforts. By looking closely at the sites that performed best, I realized that bringing a few key elements together into a simple system helped them reach more of the right people without adding more to their plates.
Rather than juggling endless marketing tasks, my clients are able to spend more time on the work they actually enjoy.
Once it’s set up, SEO works in the background to bring in the right audience and support real connection, while you focus on your business. It also helps reluctant marketers promote their work in a way that feels honest and aligned, without feeling pushy, performative, or “always on.”
Watching my clients succeed with this approach made me want to help more people.
SEO-SOS grew out of the same methods I’ve used with clients — translated into creative exercises and clear, step-by-step guidance that someone new to SEO can follow. This is the same approach that has helped clients get discovered by the right people without compromising their values or depending on social media. There is some focused setup in the beginning, but the work builds on itself. Over time, the results compound, and maintaining it takes only about 15 minutes a month. SEO becomes something that quietly supports your business, instead of becoming your full-time job.
SEO-SOS: Your Lifeline to Easier, More Meaningful Marketing
...With Little to No Social Media
A Framework That’s Simple, Organized & Sustainable
(Sure, SOS is a call for help, but it also describes the solution!)
This human-focused SEO program helps you stand out and reach the people who genuinely need what you offer — on your terms. You’ll learn how to sustainably improve your website and content using a system that fits your strengths and values, and capacity.
This work leads to more clarity, consistency, and genuine connection, helping you:
- Step off the social media hamster wheel.
- Stop wasting time and money on ineffective marketing.
- Avoid common mistakes, pitfalls, and frustration from trying to figure it all out alone.
- Build engagement and connection that can support your business for years.
Focus on the work that truly matters, in a supportive, friendly environment, with personalized guidance — without the pressure or cost of done-for-you services.
This Program Is for You if:
- You've been working in your field or business within a sustainable market for at least a year.
- You know who your ideal customers or clients are.
- You're empathetic and can put yourself in others' shoes.
- You struggle with marketing and prefer not to be glued to social media.
- You want clear, simple tools for improving your website’s visibility.
- You don't want to be spammy or salesy.
- You’re willing to roll up your sleeves and do the work — with support along the way.
This Program Is Not for You if:
- Social media is your preferred form of marketing
- You want shortcuts or hacks
- You’re looking for instant results without setup
- You don't want guidance or feedback
Why SEO? Why Now?
SEO remains one of the most effective and accessible ways to connect with your audience — especially as search becomes even more human-centered with tools like ChatGPT and AI search (ironically). High-quality websites with trustworthy, helpful content come out on top. This is great news for creatives and small businesses.
CLIENT STORIES
The Creative Entrepreneur
Ana designed a beautiful, high-end weighted blanket, but didn’t want her business to depend on constant promotion or social media. However, her website wasn’t reaching the right audience. By refining her messaging and SEO strategy, her site started attracting ready-to-buy customers, and her product sold out. She expanded production without compromising who she was.
The Videographer
At first glance, Howard’s website looked okay, but it wasn’t performing well. Upon closer inspection, I saw there was no actual text on his site. The words were all inside graphics, which search engines can’t interpret. After converting everything to searchable text and implementing effective SEO, things started to improve for him, and his services began to rise to the top of local search results.
The Day Spa
Teresa’s website wasn’t really connecting with the clients she wanted to reach. After making some changes and implementing her SEO, her site started bringing in more of the right visitors, and engagement steadily increased. Over the next 15 years, she grew from a handful of website visitors to hundreds of targeted visitors and a fully booked day spa. When she eventually sold the business, her strong SEO and consistent traffic were a meaningful part of its value.
Successes are often quiet instead of flashy & rely on steady, consistent growth over time.
How This Program Works
SEO-SOS is a high-touch, guided 6-8 week program where you choose your pace. It includes five modules, weekly live support, short, asynchronous video training, a one-on-one strategy session, and personalized feedback.
Here’s What You Get When You Enroll:
- One-on-One Strategy Session & Website Assessment
- Weekly Live Support with Q&A
- Individual Feedback
- Email Access to Me for Questions Between Sessions
- Additional Walkthroughs When Needed
- Creative Exercises, Checklists, Templates & Simplified Guides
- Training Videos That Show You How To:
- Turn your website into part of a simple system that regularly brings in the right visitors, engages them, and creates clear pathways for connection.
- Clarify your messaging and content so it resonates with the people you’re trying to reach.
- Write SEO in a way that feels natural and grounded, not robotic.
- Identify your strengths and develop a marketing style that feels natural.
- Implement and maintain your system so it feels manageable over time.
- A Bonus Introduction to Optimizing for AI Search
- Bonus Content on Keyword Tool Usage & Content Planning
- A Supportive Mastermind Community
- Access to Recordings and Training Videos for Three Years
By the End You'll Have:
- A custom plan tailored to your business
- A solid SEO foundation
- 2–3 optimized website pages
- The knowledge and confidence to continue on your own
Hiring someone to fully set up and maintain your SEO at this level would typically start around $6,000.
SEO-SOS gives you the chance to learn how to do this work yourself — with guidance — so you understand what’s happening and can keep building on it for the long term.

Choosing the Right Way to Learn SEO
(and Why This Isn’t for Everyone)
There are lots of ways to approach SEO. The best one for you depends on how much guidance you want, how hands-on you like to be, and how comfortable you are figuring things out on your own. Some people enjoy self-paced video courses and don’t mind a bit of trial and error. Others prefer to hand everything off and not think about it at all.
SEO-SOS is for business owners who want to understand, implement thoughtfully at a realistic pace, and receive expert support to prevent costly missteps. This is a guided implementation experience, not a quick fix or a passive, watch-and-forget course. It’s designed for people who value clarity, support, and long-term sustainability over shortcuts.
SEO-SOS Compared to Other Common Approaches:
- VIDEO-ONLY SEO COURSES: Great for self-learning, but involve trial and error, and it’s easy to overlook important nuances or get stuck without feedback.
- CHECKLIST / TEMPLATE-BASED SEO PROGRAMS: Useful for learning basics, but often too generic for the specifics of your business — especially if you’re in a creative or values-driven field.
- DONE-FOR-YOU SEO SERVICES: Helpful if you want to outsource and not think about it. These can work well, but they’re often expensive and don’t always leave you with the skills to maintain or adapt your SEO over time.
- SEO-SOS - GUIDED IMPLEMENTATION WITH SHARED RESPONSIBILITY: Designed for business owners who want to implement SEO thoughtfully with expert guidance, personalized strategies, and feedback, so they aren’t guessing or following irrelevant advice. The work is yours, but not done alone.
What Makes This Program Different
This isn’t about gaming the algorithm or chasing trends. It’s about aligning your online presence with what people are already searching for. I use straightforward, fun discovery tools to walk through each step. In the workbooks, you’ll find questions about your business and audience, along with creative options for more exploration. For instance, one question asks for details about your ideal audience so your SEO can speak directly to them. Here's one of the optional creative exercises that builds on that:
Most importantly, I’m here to support you with guidance, feedback, and answers to your questions.
If you feel stuck, confused, or overwhelmed, we address it, sometimes with extra walkthroughs or clarification beyond the regular sessions.
Expert Guidance for Everyday People
- No need to be a tech whiz or marketer. (Honestly, being a reluctant marketer is an advantage here.)
- No buzzwords, chasing trends, or creating endless reels.
- No one-size-fits-all tactics.
- No hacks or gimmicks.
- No pressure to “perform,” go viral, or write like a marketer.
Just a clear system, a gentler path, and a knowledgeable guide with practical, creative tools to help your audience find you.
SEO has long been gatekept by jargon, overwhelm, and ongoing expense.
It doesn't have to be that way.
THE MODULES
Click each below for more details:
Let’s get creative! This module focuses on discovering the words and phrases that make you and your work unforgettable, creating a go-to resource for developing SEO and content that connect with your audience and differentiate you. This will boost your SEO success and make marketing feel meaningful, natural, and enjoyable.
SEO without a strategy is like hiking a mountain without a trail — you know where you want to go, but it’s hard to get there. In this module, you’ll have a one-on-one strategy session to help you create a clear, actionable plan that aligns your goals with your audience’s needs, and explore marketing opportunities beyond social media so you can choose what fits you best.
It's time to put your plan into action. Using simple, step-by-step templates, you’ll optimize your website content and craft SEO that truly connects. I’ll share tried-and-true techniques to ensure every word aligns with your goals and captivates your audience. This module sets you up for long-term success and will make your website truly work for you.
You’ve got the tools, strategy, and content — now it’s time to bring it all together! In this final module, we’ll break down the steps to implement your strategic SEO and track your progress without the tech headaches. With clear tutorials, helpful resources, and support, you’ll leave this program feeling empowered to manage and monitor your SEO over time.
Meet Your Guide
I’m Kristen Schwartz, your guide and collaborator. I’ll walk you through a discovery process that will ultimately boost your online visibility and enhance your marketing efforts. With 35+ years in visual communication, including over 20 in SEO and web design, I’ve worked with clients ranging from resorts to entrepreneurs, but my heart is with solo, small business owners and creatives who want to be found without huge budgets or marketing degrees.
Marketing can feel confusing and exhausting — I’ve been there. I started as a creative entrepreneur, exhibiting art for 15+ years, creating nationally selling notecards, and working as an illustrator and writer. I know what it’s like to build something from scratch and wonder how anyone will ever find it.
That gave me insight into the challenges of marketing personal, meaningful work.
When I began learning SEO, it felt like stepping into a different universe — full of jargon, algorithms, and tech talk that seemed far removed from real human experience. But at its core, it's about clarity, empathy, and helping people. These principles shape the strategies I develop for my clients and my own business, and they're the foundation of what I teach in this program.
My role is to help you cut through the noise so you can create clear, sustainable SEO that feels like you.
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What People Are Saying About Kristen's Guidance:
"I so appreciate how slowly Kristen builds up something I thought was too technical and scary. It’s not!" ~Dante Hookey - Author/Illustrator
"I really appreciate the way you treat SEO as a communication tool instead of a buzzword trap to trick people into clicking." ~Ha Pham - Illustrator
"It’s not confusing at all, it’s clear, and the real-world examples are really helpful. It’s so motivating!" ~Mahala Urra - Illustrator/Copywriter
"Never thought I'd be excited about SEO! You made everything so achievable!" ~Nastaran Namei - Video Game Artist
Frequently Asked Questions:
Nope! This beginner-friendly, jargon-free program covers SEO basics, how it makes the internet better, and how to boost your online presence step by step.
Absolutely! The SOS method breaks it down into simple, doable steps. If you're interacting successfully with your ideal customers or clients and know your business, you’re ready!
Don’t worry! We’ll leave the funnels and magnets at the hardware store and focus on clear, straightforward tasks. I'll explain any new terms as they come.
Plan for about 3-5 hours per week. That includes our live group Zoom calls, videos, and assignments. I don’t want anyone to feel rushed. During Q&A sessions, I meet you exactly where you are. Don’t worry about perfection; “practice makes progress.” You don’t have to do this perfectly to start seeing results.
No extra paid tools required. If you can update your website, you can apply what you learn.
Not at all. If you can log in and make changes to your website, you'll be able to apply what you learn. If you use WordPress, you might need a plugin unless your theme or framework already includes SEO features, but I have a recommendation for a simple, free one.
When you’re starting from scratch, it usually takes a few months to see results. I’ll show you what to focus on in the meantime and how to set yourself up for long-term success. This isn’t a “quick win” course that fizzles out. A little patience and consistent effort now can lead to results that only need minutes of monthly maintenance.
No problem. All calls are recorded, so you can catch up when it works for you. If you know you’ll miss a call, you can send your questions ahead of time and I’ll make sure they’re covered.
The videos are available for 3 years, so you’re always working with current information, and feel encouraged to actually use the program instead of saving it for “someday.” This course is designed to give you a lasting marketing foundation. I want you to complete it, build on it, and benefit from it sooner rather than later. You can keep blank copies of your workbooks so you always have access to the most important pieces.
Are You Ready To Roll Up Your Sleeves & Get To Work?
This is your lifeline out of the marketing chaos and your chance to connect with the people who are looking for exactly what you offer.
If you’re feeling lost in marketing advice and want a grounded, human way forward, this program is designed to give you a structure and a guide.
Space Is Limited So Everyone Gets Support
Enrollment is limited to 10 participants, ensuring each student gets a one-on-one strategy session, detailed feedback, and ongoing access for questions and walkthroughs.
Meeting Times: Mondays at 11am Pacific Time
Next Cohort: February 2 - March 30, 2026
Enrollment for this cohort is closed.
If you’d like to know when the next round opens, and get monthly SEO tips in the meantime, sign up below:
Not sure if your business or website is a good fit for this program? Feel free to send me your web address and I'll take a look. I'm also happy to answer any questions you have.
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