Should I start with SEO or social media?

Start with whatever brings customers fastest for your kind of business: often search and AI visibility for services people look up, social media for shops, cafés and anything visual. Email comes in once you have customers to keep in touch with.

How much time does each take per week?

With AI help: an hour or two a month to work through SEO fixes, and a few minutes a week to approve social posts. Doing it all yourself typically takes several hours a week.

All guides

Guide4 October 2026 · 6 min read

SEO, social media or email — what should a small business do first?

A simple way to decide where to start with your marketing, based on where you are today — and which crew member to start with.

My AI CrewJoe, Susy & Mark

There are three parts to marketing a small business online: being found in Google and AI assistants, staying visible on social media, and bringing customers back by email. You don't have to do all three at once. Here's how to pick.

Step 1: Do people find you?

Search Google for what you sell in your area, and ask ChatGPT the same question. Are you named? If not, you're invisible to the people who don't already know you. That's where SEO Joe starts: he checks both, tells you why, and fixes what he can.

Step 2: Do they remember you?

Social media keeps you in people's minds between purchases, shows you're active, and gives new customers a feel for who you are. If your last post was months ago, Social Susy gets you back to a steady rhythm in an afternoon.

Step 3: Do they come back?

Your easiest sale is to someone who has bought from you before. A short newsletter or a well-timed offer reminds them you exist. If you have customers but never email them, that's Mailer Mark's job (coming soon): he'll help you build a list, write the emails in your voice and send them at a good time.

Then add the next one

The crew works best together: Joe gets you found, Susy gets you talked about, Mark brings in customers. Read how the crew works together for the full picture.

Questions and answers

Should I start with SEO or social media?: Start with whatever brings customers fastest for your kind of business: often search and AI visibility for services people look up, social media for shops, cafés and anything visual. Email comes in once you have customers to keep in touch with.
How much time does each take per week?: With AI help: an hour or two a month to work through SEO fixes, and a few minutes a week to approve social posts. Doing it all yourself typically takes several hours a week.

Try the crew free for 3 days

SEO Joe gets you found on Google and recommended by AI. Social Susy runs your social media. Mailer Mark, for email marketing, is coming soon.

Start with Joe Start with Susy