StudioHawk-grade SEO for growing Australian businesses.
I'm Tyler Waugh, a Senior SEO Strategist. After two and a half years at StudioHawk — Australia's most awarded SEO agency — I bring that same methodology to small and medium businesses, built for how people search now: Google and AI. You get a dedicated team on the work, with my direct oversight on strategy, quality and results.
★★★★★ Five stars from every client who's reviewed my work
Businesses from the EarlyBird & StudioHawk book
About
I got into SEO running my own online store.
Before EarlyBird, I ran my own e-commerce business. SEO wasn't a theory to me — it was how I got customers through the door, so I had a pretty good reason to figure out what actually works (and quietly ignore what doesn't).
So I build every strategy around what you're actually after — more customers, not a prettier dashboard. The focus stays on the work that moves rankings and revenue, and you'll always get a straight read on what's working and what isn't.
Working with me means StudioHawk's systems, my senior strategy behind every account, and a dedicated team delivering the day-to-day — month to month, no lock-in.
"He took the time to understand our brand, our goals, and the unique challenges of our niche. His SEO strategy was clear, targeted, and super effective — within just a few months, we started seeing a real boost in search rankings and traffic."Greg Redmond — Owner, Mystic Party Entertainment
Selected results
Real numbers from the book.
A snapshot from the EarlyBird & StudioHawk client book — the playbook, systems and strategists I work within. Figures reflect measured Google Search Console performance over the stated period; full context available on request.
How search is evolving
Search has changed more in the last 3 years than the previous 20.
And it's still changing. To drive revenue tomorrow, you can't run a playbook from 2015. Here is my thesis on where search is going, and what it means for your business.
Ranking on Google meant ranking everywhere. Backlinks were currency, keyword density mattered, and position 1 meant the majority of clicks. The entire discipline was built around a single, predictable interface.
Google began answering questions itself. Featured snippets, local packs, and People Also Ask meant 'ranking' alone was no longer sufficient — you had to earn the feature. Zero-click searches became the norm.
ChatGPT signalled a shift in behaviour: millions discovered they could ask AI directly and skip the search engine entirely. The question was no longer if search would change, but how fast.
AI-generated answers now appear before organic results — and across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and AI Overviews alike. The prize isn't a citation link. It's being the business the AI recommends by name in its answer.
AI agents browse, compare, and transact on a user's behalf. Structured data, verified reviews, and a trustworthy entity footprint decide who gets chosen — before a human ever sees a list of options.
AI surfaces businesses before a search is even made. Brand authority, entity consistency, and genuine expertise signals become the primary ranking layer — not keyword placement.
Services
What we deliver
StudioHawk-backed execution. Transparent reporting. Dedicated account management.
Get found when customers in your area are ready to buy. We optimise your Google Business Profile, local citations, and review signals to dominate the local pack — including the new AI-powered local results.
Revenue-focused search strategies for online stores. We build product page optimisations, intuitive category architecture, and technical crawl efficiency based on actual buyer intent — not just empty traffic volume.
A technically sound site is the foundation of everything. We audit and fix crawlability issues, Core Web Vitals, and schema implementation so Google can actually understand and index your site without friction.
Full-service strategy and execution for businesses that want to compete without an in-house team. We handle the research, planning, and heavy lifting, and report strictly on what matters: your ROI.
SEO-led content that earns rankings and builds authority. From topic clusters to service page copy, we produce AI-search-optimised formats that get your business cited in AI Overviews and generative answers.
White-hat link acquisition that builds genuine, needle-moving authority. Digital PR, industry directories, and niche-relevant editorial placements targeted to outrank your specific competitors.
From clients
In their own words
"Working with Tyler has been a game changer. He took the time to understand our brand, our goals, and the unique challenges of our niche. His SEO strategy was clear, targeted, and super effective — within just a few months, we started seeing a real boost in search rankings and traffic."
"Cannot recommend highly enough! Masters of the 'dark arts' of SEO — huge improvements to our results and just keep continuing to deliver."
"We had a great experience and the results showed! I would definitely recommend for your business."
"Thanks Tyler and team, it has been great working together!"
Pricing
Transparent, monthly retainers
Most agencies hide their pricing. We don't. Choose the level of velocity your business needs.
+ GST · month-to-month
Best for building strong SEO foundations.
- Keyword research (10 terms) & 2 competitors tracked
- 2 pages optimised/month + 2 blogs/month
- Foundational technical & Local SEO setup
- Essentials-level reporting & quarterly strategy sessions
+ GST · month-to-month
Best for building momentum and establishing online authority.
- Keyword research (15 terms) & 3 competitors tracked
- 2 pages optimised/month + 2 blogs & 1 backlink/month
- Technical SEO consult & fixes
- Custom landing page each quarter
- Detailed reporting + insights & quarterly strategy sessions
+ GST · month-to-month
Best for brands ready to scale aggressively with advanced strategy.
- Keyword research (20 terms) & 5 competitors tracked
- 4 pages optimised/month + 3 blogs & 2 backlinks/month
- Advanced technical SEO audit
- Custom landing pages where necessary
- Deep-dive reporting & monthly strategy sessions
All prices in AUD, excluding GST. Month to month — no lock-in contracts. Plans are delivered through EarlyBird, with my strategy and oversight on every account.
FAQ
The questions everyone actually asks.
How long until I actually see results?
I'll be straight with you: SEO is a build, not a quick win. Most businesses start seeing meaningful movement within three to six months, and the bigger compounding gains come from around month six onward. If someone's promising you page one in a fortnight, they're either overselling or about to earn you a penalty.
Can you guarantee I'll rank #1 on Google?
No — and I'd steer clear of anyone who does. Nobody can control Google's algorithm, so a guaranteed #1 is a red flag, not a selling point. What I can promise is a strategy built on what genuinely moves the needle, and honest reporting on how it's tracking.
How will I know it's actually working?
You'll get clear, plain-English reporting tied to what actually matters — rankings for the terms your customers search, traffic that converts, and enquiries coming in. No 50-page PDFs stuffed with numbers that don't mean anything. And if something isn't working, you'll hear it straight, and we'll change tack.
How is AI changing search — and what does it mean for my business?
This is the shift my whole approach is built around, so I don't treat it as a footnote. More and more people now start with ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity or Google's AI Overviews instead of a page of blue links — and those tools recommend a handful of businesses by name rather than listing ten for you to pick from. If you're not one of the names they surface and trust, you're effectively invisible, no matter how well you used to rank. Getting your business understood, cited and recommended by these systems — Generative Engine Optimisation, or GEO — is now core to how we work, not an add-on. Moving early is the entire advantage.
My business is pretty niche and small — is SEO even worth it?
Often, yes — niche can be a real advantage, since there's less competition for the exact terms your customers are typing. And if you're local, ranking in your patch is very winnable. If SEO honestly isn't right for you, we'll tell you that upfront rather than take your money.
Get in touch
Let's talk about what you're working on.
Most enquiries get a reply within one business day. Whether you're a local business wanting more foot traffic, an e-commerce store chasing rankings, or an SMB that's been burned by previous agencies — you'll get an honest picture of what's possible and what it actually takes.
Message received.
I'll reply within one business day. If it's urgent, email me directly at tyler@earlybirdagency.co