Marie Haynes Consulting

What Marie Haynes Consulting does

Marie Haynes Consulting Inc. is a privately held, owner-operated SEO and AI Search consulting practice incorporated in Ontario, Canada, founded in 2008 by Dr. Marie Haynes, a former veterinarian who has studied Google's search algorithms for 18 years and consulted on site quality for 16. The company helps businesses adapt to Google's AI-driven ranking systems (AI Overviews, AI Mode, Navboost, E-E-A-T, SpamBrain) through a mix of one-time diagnostic assessments, recurring monthly advisory retainers, a published book and accompanying course, a portfolio of digital workbooks, and a community subscription product called The Search Bar. It is a deliberately small operation: the founder retired a prior agency that at peak had 12 staff and a multi-month waiting list in 2022, and now operates as a solo practitioner serving a small roster of high-touch clients globally.

The core technology stack is an AI-augmented consulting workflow rather than a software product. It combines Google Search Console and Google Analytics 4 data analysis with LLM-powered tooling, including a custom Gemini Gem trained per client on each Strategy Review, proprietary GPT assistants distributed with the Gemini Era course, and agentic workflows built personally by the founder on Google's Antigravity IDE and Anthropic's Claude Code. The company does not offer a public API, SDK, or partner-facing integration; its "product" is the strategic assessment, ongoing advisory access, and the educational IP (book, course, workbooks, newsletter) surrounding those assessments.

The business model is a multi-stream hybrid. Revenue is generated through (1) one-time assessments at $2,500 (Traffic Drop Assessment) and $5,000 (AI & Search Strategy Review); (2) recurring monthly advisory at $3,500-$5,000/month, gated behind completion of a Strategy Review; (3) a paid newsletter at $18/month; (4) one-time digital product sales ranging from $20 workbooks to a $625 course bundle; and (5) book royalties via Amazon distribution. Go-to-market is hybrid: application-based, founder-led sales for high-touch consulting, supplemented by content marketing (blog, podcast, YouTube), a community-led funnel (The Search Bar), a paid and free newsletter, a conference speaking circuit, and earned media. Customer segments include businesses preparing for agentic search, site owners hit by Google algorithm updates, SEO professionals, and YMYL publishers.

Name

Marie Haynes Consulting

Legal name

Marie Haynes Consulting Inc.

Website

https://mariehaynes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Marie Haynes Consulting is a solo SEO and AI Search consulting practice founded in 2008 by Dr. Marie Haynes. It helps businesses adapt to Google's AI-driven algorithms via diagnostic assessments, monthly advisory retainers, educational products (books, courses, workbooks), and a community called The Search Bar.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

SEO and AI Search Consulting Services

NAICS

Marketing Consulting Services (541613), Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services (51929)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

E-commerce SEO (Category/Product SEO, Merchant Feeds) (BPAFAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Data, Analytics & AI Consulting (BPAHACAI)

Keywords

• SEO consulting services
• AI search strategy
• Google algorithm audits
• E-E-A-T optimization
• Organic traffic recovery

Headquarters

HQ city

Carp

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Traffic Drop Assessment (one-time): One-time diagnostic engagement priced at $2,500; applicants submit site details, complete a follow-up document, and receive a written report. May convert into ongoing consulting.
2. AI & Search Strategy Review (one-time): $5,000 USD one-time assessment including a written strategic report, a companion landscape guide, and a personalized Gemini Gem. Typically 2–4 week turnaround; paid via credit card, PayPal or ACH.
3. Monthly Advisory Retainers: Recurring monthly advisory: "Monthly Intelligence" starting at $3,500/month (monthly briefing, quarterly strategy call, email access) and "Advisory Partnership" starting at $5,000/month (adds monthly strategy call and priority access). Both require completion of the AI & Search Strategy Review first.
4. Paid Newsletter ("Marie's Thoughts" / "Search News You Can Use"): Paid newsletter subscription at $18/month unlocking subscriber-only content, including books (e.g., the Spam Updates workbook) and Marie's private weekly Google doc.
5. Online Course Sales: Self-serve sale of "SEO in the Gemini Era" course ($500), bundle with workbook and book ($625), and workbook ($175 bundle). Includes community membership options (Search Bar Pro, Marie's Notes, SEOs in the Gemini Era Group).
6. Book Sales: "SEO in the Gemini Era" book sold for $30 via her own checkout (Convertkit/Commerce) and on Amazon in physical and Kindle formats.
7. Workbook and Guide Sales: One-time sales of workbooks and guides via PayPal/Stripe, including the QRG workbook ($20, reduced from $99) and the Spam Updates workbook ($20, or free with paid newsletter subscription).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Marie Haynes Consulting delivers high-touch SEO and AI Search consulting to a small roster of business clients, anchored by a one-time AI & Search Strategy Review ($5,000) and Traffic Drop Assessment ($2,500) that produce written strategic reports and a personalized Gemini Gem. The firm also sells an ecosystem of educational digital products — a book ("SEO in the Gemini Era"), a 280+ page course, workbooks, a $18/month paid newsletter, and a paid community (The Search Bar on Circle) — that support SEO professionals and site owners in adapting to Google's AI-driven and agentic search systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Search Bar: Paid online community at community.mariehaynes.com for SEOs and site owners, with both free and paid (Search Bar Pro) tiers
• Search News You Can Use
• AI News You Can Use
• SEO in the Gemini Era
• AI & Search Strategy Review
• Traffic Drop Assessment
• Understanding Google's Spam Updates
• Google's Quality Raters Guidelines book

Products and services

• AI & Search Strategy Review A $5,000 one-time strategic assessment for businesses preparing for AI-driven and agentic Google Search, including a written strategic report, a companion landscape guide, and a personalized Gemini Gem trained on the client's business and Marie's recommendations.
• Traffic Drop Assessment A $2,500 one-time diagnostic engagement for site owners whose organic Google traffic has dropped, identifying which Google update caused the loss and whether recovery is viable in the AI era.
• Monthly Intelligence Advisory A recurring monthly advisory engagement starting at $3,500/month for former Strategy Review clients, providing a monthly intelligence briefing, quarterly strategy call, and email access to Marie.
• Advisory Partnership A premium recurring monthly advisory starting at $5,000/month, including everything in Monthly Intelligence plus a monthly strategy call and priority access.
• Marie's Thoughts (Search News You Can Use) Paid Newsletter A $18/month paid newsletter covering Google algorithm changes, AI/Search news, and Marie's private research, hosted on Convertkit.
• SEO in the Gemini Era Book The book "SEO in the Gemini Era: The Story of How AI Changed Google Search," sold for $30 via Marie's own checkout and on Amazon in physical and Kindle editions.
• SEO in the Gemini Era Course A 280+ page self-paced course built around the SEO in the Gemini Era book, including Marie's "People-first Topical Authority" method and custom GPT AI assistants. Priced at $500 standalone or $625 in a bundle with the workbook and book.
• Put Yourself in the Shoes of a Searcher Workbook A 46-page Google Doc template workbook that accompanies the SEO in the Gemini Era book and course, sold standalone or in a $175 bundle.
• Understanding Google's Spam Updates Book A workbook explaining Google's October 2022 spam update, SpamBrain, link spam, the disavow tool, and recovery. Free for paid newsletter subscribers; $20 standalone.
• Google's Quality Raters Guidelines Book A workbook distilling Google's Quality Raters Guidelines (QRG) with practical instructions for site owners, priced at $20 (reduced from $99).
• The Search Bar Community (Search Bar Pro paid tier) A Circle-based community for SEOs and site owners with a free public tier and a Search Bar Pro paid tier, hosting podcast, discussions, and topic-specific sub-groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• Many clients who act on strategic recommendations see meaningful improvements (illustrated with client screenshots, no specific metric disclosed)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Google (Danny Sullivan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022In 2022, Google's Danny Sullivan reached out to Marie to discuss a change that became the Helpful Content System, helping shape her strategic shift away from running an agency to full-time machine learning research. The result became her book, "SEO in the Gemini Era."
• AmazonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon is the third-party distribution channel for "SEO in the Gemini Era" book in physical and Kindle formats. Marie Haynes earns royalties on Amazon sales while the primary checkout lives on her own site.
• Convertkit (now Kit)coreTechnology or IntegrationConvertkit powers the paid newsletter "Marie's Thoughts" at newsletter.mariehaynes.com. Marie migrated paid newsletter hosting to Convertkit, though she noted difficulty migrating legacy paid subscribers.
• CirclecoreTechnology or IntegrationCircle hosts "The Search Bar" community, including the free public space, Search Bar Pro paid tier, and the SEOs in the Gemini Era group.
• Google (Antigravity / Gemini)coreTechnology or IntegrationMarie Haynes is a heavy user and self-described advocate of Google's Antigravity IDE and Gemini models. She has built a full Antigravity guide and uses Gemini for client work (e.g., personalized Gemini Gems for each Strategy Review client).
• WixminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWix ran an SEO competition in 2019 which Marie Haynes' company won, providing brand recognition and visibility into the Wix ecosystem.
• MozminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarie is a frequent contributor to Moz.com, appeared on Moz's Whiteboard Friday (E-A-T and the Quality Raters Guidelines), and was named one of the top five industry influencers by Moz founder Rand Fishkin.
• Search Engine LandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarie is a regular Search Engine Land contributor/author, including a March 2019 piece on the March Core Quality Update and ongoing algorithm update analysis.
• Search Engine Round Table (SERoundtable)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarie Haynes is a recurring reference on SERoundtable, including an author profile and multiple mentions/links by Barry Schwartz that contribute to her E-E-A-T signals.
• HARO (Help a Reporter Out)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarie recommends HARO as a channel for site owners to connect with journalists and earn authoritative mentions that contribute to E-E-A-T.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ahrefs: Major SEO/Search toolset (crawl, backlink, content, rank tracking) with strong educational content on Google algorithms. Comparable as a broadly-recognized SEO authority brand serving overlapping SEO and content-marketing audiences, though it sells software rather than advisory.
• Moz: Established SEO software platform (Moz Pro) and media brand; comparable as a leading authority in Google's algorithms and E-E-A-T, and as the company founded by Rand Fishkin, who named Marie a top-5 industry influencer. Overlaps in audience and thought leadership but competes as a platform, not a solo consultancy.
• SEMrush: Large SEO and digital-marketing platform with comparable content-marketing and SEO-audience overlap. Operates in the same broad SEO ecosystem and competes for the same end customers (SEOs and site owners) that MHC targets with its courses, newsletter, and community.

Others

• Search Engine Roundtable: SEO news site run by Barry Schwartz, frequently referencing Marie Haynes' work. Comparable as a top-of-funnel Google-algorithm news source for the same SEO audience MHC serves via the Search Bar community and newsletter.
• Search Engine Land: Leading SEO/SEM news publication that regularly features Marie Haynes as a contributor. Comparable as a Google-algorithm news and education channel for SEO professionals, and adjacent in monetization (events, paid content) — an ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.

Emerging players

• MarketMuse: Content intelligence platform focused on topical authority and E-E-A-T — the exact framework MHC teaches in its Gemini Era course and workbooks. Comparable as it sells tooling around the same E-E-A-T/topical-authority thesis to overlapping SEO/content audiences.
• Surfer SEO: AI-driven content optimization platform targeting content marketers and SEOs. Comparable as it sits at the intersection of AI tooling and SEO workflow, serving overlapping buyers (SEOs and content teams) that MHC reaches through courses and the Search Bar community.

Direct peers

• Sterling Sky: SEO agency specializing in Google penalty recovery, algorithm-update impact analysis, and E-E-A-T audits. Directly comparable to Marie Haynes Consulting in service offering, customer profile (brands hit by Google updates), and E-E-A-T/quality-recovery specialization.
• GSQi (Glenn Gabe): Solo SEO consultancy run by Glenn Gabe specializing in diagnosing Google algorithm-update impacts and recovery strategy. The most directly comparable peer — a recognized authority on Google core updates, with a personal brand and consultancy model very similar to Marie Haynes'.
• Orainti: Boutique international SEO consultancy founded by Aleyda Solis, serving enterprise clients with technical SEO and international strategy. Comparable as a high-end solo/founder-led SEO consultancy serving sophisticated brands, though with a broader international-SEO focus versus MHC's algorithm-recovery niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/marie_haynes
• Facebookfacebook.com/MarieHaynesConsultingInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marie-haynes-consulting-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Marie Haynes Consulting