01What Is the New SEO Agency Model?
The new SEO agency model is a way to run your agency that mixes productized SEO services with paid social ads and lots of AI automation. In this episode, Ryan Stewart explains how he has changed his agency, Webris, from being 60% SEO to focusing more on Facebook ads and using Claude AI to handle the busy work.
The old way of selling SEO as a custom service is getting harder. Google is changing, and the share of voice you can get is smaller. The new model is about putting your service on a string—using AI to automate tasks like technical audits, content writing, and proposals.
This way you can reduce your prices but keep your profit the same. You also add paid social because it works better than SEO for most clients today.
02Key Features of the New Agency Model
The new agency model has three main parts. First, you productize everything you offer. Instead of a custom SEO campaign for each client, you make a flat fee package.
This makes it easy to sell and deliver. Second, you use AI like Claude to do the heavy lifting. Ryan says Claude can build dashboards, write content, and run technical audits that used to require SQL or BigQuery.
Third, you add Facebook ads as a core service because they give better results than Google for most businesses.
- Productizing your service: Turn your SEO offer into a flat monthly fee. This lets you cut prices and still make money.
- AI automation: Use Claude to automate proposals, onboarding, project plans, and content. You still need human oversight.
- Paid social focus: Facebook ads are cheaper and more effective than Google Ads for local businesses and agencies.
Ryan says the goal is to become an agency of record. Your clients trust you to handle everything—SEO, paid social, local service ads. You build a long-term relationship and charge a higher retainer.
03How to Set Up the New SEO Agency Model
To set up this new model, you need to restructure your agency's processes and tools. Ryan walked through his method in the episode. Here are the steps he recommends:
- Audit your current offers. Look at what you sell and how you deliver it. Find the parts you can automate with AI. For example, technical audits on a 20-page WordPress site can be done by Claude.
- Create a productized package. Ryan's Blueprint Training charges $200 a month for full access. Your SEO package could be a flat fee like $1,000 or $2,000 a month, including all core services.
- Set up Claude workflows. Use Claude to generate proposals, plan projects, write content, and create reports. Build stopgaps so a human reviews everything before it goes to the client.
- Build a video creative bank for Facebook ads. If you serve a vertical like HVAC or law, film templated videos. Stand in front of an air conditioner or in a law office and talk to the camera. These native, phone-filmed videos work best.
- Run ads to a clear offer. For Ryan, the hook is “we’ll help you sign more cases using Facebook ads in 30 days or less.” Test guarantees like “rank number one or you don’t pay” to lower your cost per lead.
04How to Use the New Model: Examples From the Episode
Ryan shared how he uses the new model for two businesses: Webris (his agency for law firms) and Blueprint Training (for SEO agency owners). For Webris, he only pitches SEO to about 10% of leads. The rest are for Facebook ads.
He books calls at $350 each and converts 30-50% of them. His cost per acquisition is about $3,000. He is willing to lose money on the first month because clients stay six months on average.
For Blueprint Training, it is a direct response funnel. He runs ads that educate people, then sends them to a checkout page for $200 a month. No sales call needed.
The key is to use native video: vertical, filmed on a cell phone, with no fancy production. People on social media want authentic content, not 8K ads with slow motion.
Ryan also uses AI to turn a proposal into an entire onboarding plan. The proposal already has keyword research and an audit. Claude pulls that into a project plan.
Then Claude writes content and does the technical audit. The human team focuses on client communication twice a week. Clients see the deliverables and know you are working hard, even if results take time.
05Results and Comparisons: SEO vs Facebook Ads
Ryan shared specific numbers from his agency. Facebook ads book a Calendly appointment for $350. About 70% of those appointments are qualified. 50% get a proposal.
The cost per acquisition is around $3,000. On Google Ads, that same $350 would buy only three clicks. He says the CPC on Google is so high that only big law firms can afford it.
Some pay $500 a click.
The results from SEO are harder to get. In competitive markets like Miami personal injury, you cannot beat firms like Morgan & Morgan that spend $2 million a month on billboards. They have 10,000 reviews and huge brand recognition.
Ryan says most clients will never get results from SEO because the top spots are locked. Facebook ads are more democratized. If you make good video creative, you can win.
Ryan also compared AI avatars for video. Using an AI avatar to give “AI news” works because the audience accepts it. But using an AI avatar to teach SEO or give legal advice fails.
People want a real expert when the stakes are high. His tests with AI avatar channels for SEO got less than 10% of the views of human-created content.
06Tips, Limits and Mistakes to Avoid
Ryan gave several warnings from his 15 years of running agencies. First, do not pitch SEO to every lead. Qualify them first.
Only pitch to clients that have brand authority, good reviews, and resources. Most small law firms will not rank. You will waste time and get berated on weekly calls.
Second, use AI but do not fully automate. Ryan builds stopgaps into every Claude workflow. A human always reviews the output.
Clients can tell if you are just pushing a button. They want communication. You must reach out twice a week and send deliverables.
Even if they never read them, they see you tried.
Third, avoid fancy production for video ads. Ryan says agencies that charge $50,000 for three polished videos are wasting money. People scrolling on Instagram and TikTok want native, authentic video filmed on a phone.
Do not try to trick people with AI avatars for serious services. Be honest that you are using AI if you do. Ryan only uses AI avatars for AI-related content where the audience expects it.
07Who This Agency Model Is For and Why It Matters
This new SEO agency model is for owners who want to scale without hiring a big team. Ryan runs Webris with about 18 people. Half of his team is in Eastern Europe, especially Macedonia.
He does not have an office. He takes 100% of sales calls himself. He works from home and watches his son grow up.
The model lets him cap his revenue but keep a life he enjoys.
It matters because the old model of selling custom SEO is dying. Google's share of voice is shrinking. Google is all in on AI and ads.
The top players gobble up all the organic traffic. Ryan says the future is being an agency of record that offers SEO, paid social, and local ads. You productize everything so you can lower prices and still make profit.
You use AI to eliminate busy work. You focus on communication and accountability to retain clients even when results are slow.
Ryan's Blueprint Training teaches this whole system. It costs $200 a month and includes templates, training, and community. The goal is to help agency owners break free from the chaos and build a sustainable, enjoyable business.
