This summary provides a high-level overview of how Make Me Local works with you and what you can expect from our services.
The sections that follow set out the full detail of the Service Agreement.
Our service types
We offer two service types under this agreement:
Retainer Clients
Ongoing digital marketing services, including website hosting, account management, and proactive work aligned to agreed business goals.
Hosted-only (Brochure Website) Clients
Website hosting and infrastructure only, without ongoing marketing, optimisation, or account management.
Website hosting
All websites are hosted on dedicated servers provided by trusted third-party infrastructure partners.
While we actively manage security and maintenance, 100% uptime cannot be guaranteed due to factors outside of our direct control. This is standard across the industry.
Website hosting remains active while invoices are paid in line with agreed terms.
Website builds: content, design, and development
When we build a website, delivery follows a structured onboarding process designed to keep projects clear and on track:
We always write website content using a research-led, performance-focused approach
Content is approved within a defined review window before design begins
Design is approved on a layout and template basis, not page-by-page
Development takes place on a staging site while the existing website remains live
Final approval is required before launch
Clear approval milestones help protect quality, timelines, and scope for both sides.
Working together
To help projects run smoothly, we ask clients to:
Review and approve content, designs, and staging builds within agreed timeframes
Provide clear, consolidated feedback
Check website functionality (such as contact forms and enquiries) after launch and updates
Ensure website content is accurate, compliant, and up to date
We’ll guide you through each stage and let you know when your input is needed.
Website changes and updates
All website change requests should be sent to updates@makemelocal.com.
We aim to complete straightforward changes within 72 working hours.
More complex requests are reviewed and scoped with delivery timescales and costs agreed in advance.
Payments and billing
All payments are taken via Direct Debit
Invoices are issued in line with agreed terms
In some cases, services (including hosting) may need to be temporarily paused until balances are cleared
Ownership and responsibility
Once invoices are paid, you own your website and content.
Digital performance can be influenced by external factors such as platform changes, competition, and market conditions. We focus on best practice, experience, and long-term results rather than guarantees.
Full agreement
This summary is provided for convenience only.
The full Service Agreement that follows sets out the detailed terms that govern our working relationship.
This Service Agreement explains how Make Me Local will work with you, what you can expect from us, and what we need from you in order to deliver the best possible results.
2.1 Retainer Clients (includes hosting)
Retainer Clients receive ongoing digital marketing services, which include website hosting, account management, and proactive work as outlined in this agreement.
2.2 Hosted-only (Brochure Website) Clients
Hosted-only clients receive website hosting and infrastructure services only, without ongoing digital marketing, optimisation, or account management.
This section applies to all clients, including Retainer Clients and Hosted-only (Brochure Website) Clients.
Hosting environment
All websites are hosted on dedicated servers provided and managed through third-party infrastructure partners.
We take reasonable steps to ensure website stability, performance, and security. However, we do not own or operate physical servers, and website availability is dependent on external data centres, network providers, software platforms, and other third-party services.
As a result, we cannot guarantee 100% uptime. This is standard across the digital marketing and web hosting industry.
Availability and uptime
While we actively monitor server performance and respond to issues within our control, we are not responsible for downtime or service disruption caused by:
Data centre outages
Network or connectivity failures.
Software or platform updates
Third-party provider issues
Events outside of our reasonable control
We will take reasonable steps to restore service as quickly as possible where issues fall within our remit.
Security and maintenance
We maintain server-level security, updates, and monitoring to help protect websites from common threat
This does not include:
Management of client passwords or user access
Security issues caused by compromised credentials
Third-party plugins, integrations, or software installed at client request.
Clients are responsible for keeping login credentials secure and limiting access to authorised users only.
Backups and data protection
Website backups may be taken as part of our hosting environment. These are provided as a best-effort safeguard and are not a guaranteed backup or restore service.
We cannot guarantee the availability, completeness, or successful restoration of backups in all circumstances. Any data restoration requests may be chargeable.
Clients remain responsible for maintaining their own copies of critical website content and data.
Suspension for non-payment
Website hosting is conditional on invoices being paid in line with agreed payment terms.
If payment is overdue, we reserve the right to suspend hosting services and take websites offline until outstanding balances are cleared.
During any period of suspension, we accept no liability for:
Website downtime
Loss of data
Loss of leads, revenue, or business interruption
Service will be reinstated once payment has been received.
This section applies to all clients, regardless of service type.
Content accuracy and compliance
You are responsible for ensuring that all content provided to us, or published on your website, is:
Accurate and up to date
Legally compliant
Not misleading or false
Compliant with any industry, regulatory, or advertising standards that apply to your business.
This includes, but is not limited to:
Pricing and offers.
Claims and guarantees.
Accreditations and qualifications
Terms, policies, and disclaimers
We are not responsible for verifying the legal or regulatory compliance of your content.
Website functionality and form testing
You are responsible for testing and verifying that all website functionality is working as expected, including but not limited to:
Contact forms.
Booking or enquiry forms
Email notifications
Call tracking
Make Me Local integrations
This responsibility applies:
After website launch
After any updates or changes
On an ongoing basis
We are not responsible for missed enquiries, leads, or communication failures where issues have not been identified, reported, or tested by you.
Feedback and approvals
You are responsible for providing feedback, approvals, and requested materials within a reasonable timeframe.
Delays in providing feedback, content, approvals, or access details may result in project delays. We are not responsible for missed deadlines or extended timelines caused by delays on your side.
Access and credentials
You are responsible for:
Providing accurate access details when required
Ensuring login credentials are kept secure.
Limiting access to authorised individuals only
We are not responsible for issues caused by:
Shared or compromised login details
Changes made by third parties
Access removed or altered without our knowledge.
Communication
All requests for website changes must be sent to updates@makemelocal.com.
Requests sent via other channels (including phone, WhatsApp, or social media) may not be actioned.
You are responsible for ensuring requests are clear, complete, and authorised.
Requests for changes to a website need to be sent to updates@makemelocal.com.
We will aim to complete all changes within 72 working hours but for anything that is more complex we will confirm a delivery date once received.
We will confirm what the cost for any amend is prior to completion.
How we work with you
6.1 Account management
You will have a dedicated Account Manager who will allocate deducted time each month to your account. This time is ringfenced and used for proactive work that supports your agreed goals, as well as dedicated time to handle any website change requests.
6.2 Monthly strategy meetings
You will have a 30-minute online meeting with your Account Manager each month via Microsoft Teams.
These meetings focus on proactive advice, performance review and next steps based on your KPIs.
This time is reserved for your business. If you cannot attend, the meeting will still take place, it will be recorded, and the recording will be sent to you. It cannot be moved or reallocated.
Over the month, should any changes to your website take the time allocated to your account over the allocated time, then additional time will be chargeable at £75+vat per hour, agreed in advance.
Larger items (new pages, design changes, structural changes) are quoted separately or the time re-allocated from the allocated SEO hours.
To manage time effectively, we always recommend noting any requests or questions and bringing these to your monthly meetings.
We will respond to email or phone requests within 24 working hours (9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday).
Performance tracking and reporting
6.3 KPI-led approach.
We will agree measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) with you and track them quarterly.
As much as we wish we could, we cannot predict what changes there will be to search engine algorithms, any economic challenges, or shifts in consumer behaviour. As these scenarios happen, we will work with you to help push through these challenges.
KPIs will include, but not limited to:
Organic traffic
Total traffic
Outcomes
Scope of work
6.4 Monthly work mix
Digital marketing requires some flexibility. Our commitment is to work in the best interests of your goals. We will adapt the mix of activities (within your agreed plan and time) to support traffic, leads and long-term growth.
Ongoing Content and Account Management (Retainer Clients Only)
6.5 Ongoing content approval – account management
After onboarding, to reduce the time element from our service and therefore dedicate more time to proactive work on your account, we will publish content directly to your website for you to review and edit once live.
Content examples for this are, but not limited to:
Blogs
Service pages
Case studies
Minor content updates
You are free to edit content yourself once it is live.
If you wish to review content prior to publication, this will incur an additional charge of £225+vat per month (3 hours).
We send you content each month for review.
You have up to three rounds of amendments per content piece.
Any additional rounds will be chargeable at £75+vat per hour.
7.1 Website Content – Onboarding and Approval Process (All Clients)
This section applies to all website builds carried out by Make Me Local, regardless of service type.
Content creation approach
All website content is written by Make Me Local.
Website content is created following a research-led strategy designed to give the website the best possible opportunity to be found online and to generate enquiries. This includes consideration of search behaviour, messaging, tone of voice, and the positioning of the business.
The purpose of website content is to support performance and lead generation, not simply presentation.
Content approval routes
At the start of a website project, one of the following content approval routes will be agreed.
The agreed route forms part of this contract and governs how content feedback and amendments are handled during onboarding.
Client-led content edits
Under this approach, Make Me Local will write the website content and provide it to the client in an online document for review.
The client is responsible for:
Reviewing the content
Making any required changes directly within the document
Completing all edits within the agreed review window
The content review window is a maximum of 14 days from the date the content is provided.
On day 15, the website design process will begin using the latest version of the content available at that time.
Any content changes requested after this point must be made on the live website and are outside of the onboarding content process.
Managed content amendments (white-glove service)
Under this approach, Make Me Local will manage content amendments on the client’s behalf.
This includes:
Up to three rounds of content amendments
Changes made by Make Me Local based on client feedback
Refinement of tone, messaging, and structure during the onboarding phase
This approach uses additional time from our team and is provided as a chargeable service, agreed in advance.
Once the agreed amendment rounds are completed and content is approved, the content is considered final for onboarding purposes.
Content lock and transition to design
Once the content review window has closed or content has been approved (depending on the agreed approval route), the content is considered locked for onboarding.
At this point:
Website design and build will proceed
Content changes will no longer pause or reset delivery timelines
Any further content changes must be made on the live website
Late content changes, re-writes, or additional amendments are not included within onboarding and may be chargeable.
Responsibility and delivery impact
Delays in providing content feedback, edits, or approvals may impact project timelines.
Make Me Local is not responsible for delays caused by:
Late content feedback
Requests for changes outside of the agreed approval process
Content changes requested after the onboarding content stage has completed
7.2 Website Design and Development – Review, Approval and Delivery Process (All Clients)
This section applies to all website builds carried out by Make Me Local, regardless of platform (WordPress or Jamstack) or service type.
Design and development environment
All website builds are completed on a staging environment.
The existing live website will remain in place until:
Design and development are completed
Final approval is received
The website is ready to be launched
This approach ensures continuity of service and minimises risk during the build process.
Design phase overview
The design phase translates the approved website content into a visual structure and layout ready for development.
Design focuses on:
Page layout and structure
User experience and usability
Visual hierarchy and consistency
Presentation of approved content
Design does not include:
Rewriting or restructuring approved content
Changes to agreed strategy or scope
Functional development or feature builds
Design structure and page approval
Website designs are reviewed and approved on a template and layout basis, rather than on an individual page-by-page basis.
A set of representative page types will be designed and shared for review. These may include, but are not limited to:
Homepage
Core service page
Secondary or supporting page
Content or blog page (where applicable)
Design approval confirms that:
The approved layouts and structures may be applied consistently across the website
The approved design system may be used across all pages using the approved content
The application of approved designs across multiple pages does not constitute additional design work.
Design reviews and amendment rounds
You are entitled to up to three rounds of design amendments, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Each amendment round:
Must be provided as a single, consolidated set of feedback
Must focus on layout, structure, and presentation
Must be provided within 5 working days of designs being shared
Delays in providing feedback may impact delivery timelines.
Requests that:
Introduce new design directions
Alter approved layouts or structures
Fall outside the agreed scope
May be treated as additional work and quoted separately.
Design approval and transition to development
Once design amendments are completed, formal design approval will be requested.
Design approval confirms that:
The layout, structure, and visual presentation are approved
The design phase is complete
The project is ready to move into development
Once design approval is given:
The design is considered final for onboarding purposes
The project will move into development on the staging environment
Design changes will no longer pause or reset delivery timelines
Development phase overview
Following design approval, the website will be developed in either WordPress or Jamstack, based on the agreed technical approach.
Development includes:
Building the approved designs
Implementing approved content
Configuring agreed functionality
Cross-browser and device testing
Development does not include:
Design revisions
Structural changes
New features or functionality not previously agreed
Development timelines
Once development begins, a typical website build will take 4 to 8 weeks, depending on website size, complexity, and platform.
This timeframe assumes:
Approved content and design
Timely client feedback
No material scope changes
Where a project differs significantly from this range, delivery timelines will be discussed and confirmed in advance.
Development review and final sign-off
Once development is complete, access to the staging website will be provided for review.
The review period is 5 working days from the date staging access is provided and is intended to:
Confirm the website has been built in line with approved designs and content
Identify technical issues or implementation errors
During this phase, you may request:
Fixes for functional issues
Corrections to layout inconsistencies
Resolution of build errors
Requests for:
Design changes
Content rewrites
Structural changes
Are not included at this stage and may be chargeable.
Final approval and launch
Once staging review is complete and final approval is received, the website will be scheduled for launch.
Launch includes:
Replacing the existing live website with the new website
Final checks to confirm the site is accessible and functioning
Following launch:
Responsibility for content accuracy, enquiries, and ongoing testing passes to the client
Any further changes are handled via the standard website updates process
Changes after approval and impact on delivery
Requests for changes made:
After design approval
During development
Or following final sign-off
may:
Impact delivery timelines
Require rework
Be quoted as additional work
Make Me Local is not responsible for delays caused by:
Late feedback
Requests outside of the agreed approval process
Changes requested after approval milestones
7.3 Onboarding and Project Delivery
7.3.1 Onboarding process
Our Projects team will guide you through onboarding and will actively push to complete everything as quickly as possible.
A new website typically takes between 6 and 14 weeks to build, dependent on website size and complexity. The main cause of delay is usually waiting for content or design approval. It is your responsibility to provide feedback promptly.
7.4 Photography (where included)
If photography is included as part of your project:
Shoots are booked in blocks of 3 hours.
The photoshoot will take place on a single day.
Travel is included for locations within London and North West Kent.
If the photoshoot covers more than one location, travel time between locations is included within the overall shoot time.
Cancelling a photoshoot requires a minimum of 24 hours’ notice. Cancellations with less notice may incur a fee.
8.1 Links and Citations
We will ringfence time within your service to work on link acquisition. This time is used for outreach, relationship building and securing links from third-party websites to yours to help improve website authority and performance.
Link acquisition is a manual and time-intensive activity. Wherever possible, we will prioritise earning links organically. In some cases, paid placements may be required and are considered a secondary option.
The ringfenced allocation relates to time spent, not a guaranteed number of links. We cannot guarantee that links will be secured each month. In some cases, it may take several months of outreach and relationship building to secure a single high-quality link. All allocated time will be used towards achieving this.
If we identify a link opportunity that requires more time or cost than the agreed allocation, we will discuss this with you in advance and request approval for any additional budget before proceeding.
Links are typically secured for around 12 months and often remain live for longer. However, links are hosted on third-party websites outside of our control and we cannot guarantee the longevity of any link.
We use specialist third-party software to manage your business citations (online directories). Should our working relationship end, access to this software will cease and citations managed through it may be amended or withdrawn by the software provider, which is outside of our control.
Call tracking and outcome recording.
As part of our service, you may have access to our call tracking software.
We will share a dashboard of the calls you receive and use this to understand which leads are right for you.
Your plan includes 10 hours of recorded calls per month to 01 or 02 numbers. Calls over this will be charged at 6p per minute.
Diverting calls to a mobile or an 08 number will incur a surcharge of £100 per month.
8.2 Google Business Profile (GBP)
We will post monthly to your Google Business Profile; the content will not be sent for approval prior to posting.
Suspensions of any Google Business Profile is determined by Google, not Make Me Local. We will advise you with appeals and guidance, but the Google listing ultimately belongs to you and the responsibility to lift the suspension sits with you as the owner.
8.3 Review Booster
As part of our service, you may have access to our platform to help you collect reviews from your customers.
We will provide the software, initial setup, and training.
It is your responsibility to:
Request reviews from your customers; and
Respond to the reviews that are left.
Make Me Local provides platform access, initial setup & training.
Client is responsible for sending review invitations and responding.
Your Account Manager will review this activity in your monthly meetings and support you in how to build your reviews effectively.
We do offer this as a managed service should you wish, where you provide us with an Excel file of your customers each month at an additional cost of £225+vat per month.
Google Ads management
If we manage your Google Ads, we will request access to your Google Ads account.
You will fund the ad spend directly in your own Google Ads account.
We will invoice you separately for the management fee that covers strategy, setup, optimisation, and reporting.
Social Media
Our social media service is provided as a content production and scheduling service only.
We offer two service levels:
Two posts per week
Three posts per week
Each month, we will create a full month of social media content based on the agreed service level and send this to you for review and approval. Once approved, content will be scheduled and published one month in advance.
Content will be duplicated across channels, so the same post will appear on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn if you have these accounts.
Content production time is allocated based on volume. As a guide, approximately eight pieces of content take around four hours to produce, and twelve pieces of content take around six hours. The service cost reflects this time allocation.
Our social media service is a low cost, content production service and does not include:
Strategy planning
Video creation
Responding to direct messages
Responding to comments
Interacting with other accounts
Community management or engagement
Posting into third-party groups
Following or unfollowing accounts on your behalf
Reactive or ad-hoc content during the live month.
Responsibility for engagement and interaction on social media channels remains with you.
If reactive content is required (for example, content related to events), this can either be added by you directly or created and scheduled by us at an additional cost of £50+vat per post.
All content is created and approved one month in advance. For example, content published in June will be created and approved in May. Any content requests or suggestions provided during June will be scheduled for publication in July.
You can send us content to use, and we actively encourage this, we will then plan that content for the following month. If you do not send content we will use previously supplied imagery, create graphics, or pay for stock imagery licenses on your behalf (no extra cost).
If you require a more comprehensive social media management service, this can be discussed separately, or we can recommend a third-party provider.
8.6 Google Analytics and Google Search Console
We will request access to your Google Analytics and Google Search Console accounts, either directly or via your current provider.
This access allows us to accurately track performance and make informed decisions.
8.7 Email accounts
We do not provide email hosting or email account provisioning.
We recommend businesses use Microsoft 365 (or similar) for email services.
We can recommend an IT partner who can support you with email hosting, migration, and ongoing support.
This section applies to clients who engage Make Me Local for website hosting only, without an ongoing digital marketing retainer.
Hosted-only services are designed to provide a stable, secure environment for your website to operate, but do not include proactive marketing, optimisation, or ongoing account management.
Website hosting and availability
We provide website hosting on dedicated servers managed by third-party infrastructure providers.
While we take reasonable steps to maintain availability and performance, we cannot guarantee 100% uptime. This is standard across the industry, as hosting services rely on external data centres, network providers, and software systems that are outside of our direct control.
We do not own or operate physical servers.
Hosting includes:
Server-level maintenance and monitoring
Security updates at server level
Website availability subject to third-party infrastructure performance
Hosting does not include:
Proactive website monitoring for leads or enquiries.
SEO, performance optimisation, or analytics review.
Content updates or design changes
Strategy, advice, or account management
Website changes and updates
Hosted-only clients may request website changes by emailing updates@makemelocal.com.
All change requests:
Are chargeable.
Will be quoted in advance.
Will only be completed once costs are approved.
We aim to complete straightforward changes within 72 working hours (Monday to Friday). For more complex requests, we will confirm a delivery timeframe once the request has been reviewed.
No changes are included as part of hosting-only services.
Forms, enquiries, and functionality
It is your responsibility to test and verify that all website functionality is working as expected, including but not limited to:
Contact forms.
Booking or enquiry forms
Email notifications
Call tracking or Make Me Local integrations.
We are not responsible for missed enquiries, leads, or communication failures where issues have not been reported or tested by you.
Client responsibilities
As a hosted-only client, you are responsible for:
Ensuring all website content is accurate, compliant, and up to date.
Testing forms and enquiries on a regular basis
Reviewing the website after any updates or changes
Ensuring any claims, pricing, or regulated information displayed on the website meet legal and industry requirements.
This section applies to all clients, regardless of service type.
As part of our services, we use and integrate with a range of third-party platforms, software, and tools.
These may include, but are not limited to, website plugins, hosting infrastructure providers, analytics platforms, advertising platforms, citation software, call tracking systems, and social media networks.
Third-party control and limitations
Third-party platforms are owned, operated, and controlled by external providers. We have no control over their availability, performance, functionality, pricing, policies, or terms of service.
We are not responsible for:
Platform outages or downtime.
Account suspensions or restrictions.
Changes to platform algorithms, features, or policies
Data loss, reporting discrepancies, or tracking inaccuracies.
Platform-initiated removals, edits, or limitations.
This includes, but is not limited to, platforms such as Google, Meta, Microsoft, social media networks, hosting infrastructure providers, and specialist software tools.
Google platforms and listings
Google products and services, including Google Business Profile, Google Ads, Google Analytics, and Google Search Console, are governed by Google’s own terms and policies.
Any suspensions, restrictions, or changes imposed by Google are outside of our control.
While we will provide guidance and reasonable support where possible, responsibility for ownership, compliance, and resolution of Google account or listing issues ultimately remains with you.
Plugins, integrations, and software
Websites may rely on plugins, themes, integrations, or third-party software to function.
We are not responsible for:
Failures or conflicts caused by third-party plugins or software.
Changes made by plugin or software providers.
Security vulnerabilities introduced by third-party tools
Discontinued or unsupported software
Any work required to repair, replace, or update third-party tools may be chargeable.
Software access on termination
Where third-party software or platforms are provided or managed through our systems, access to those tools may cease if our working relationship ends.
This includes, but is not limited to:
Citation management platforms
Call tracking software.
Review platforms
Any tools licensed or managed under our accounts.
We are not responsible for changes, removals, or limitations applied by third-party providers following termination of services.
We use AI technology as an assistant to support our work and improve efficiency, for example in research, ideation, and data analysis. However:
Human expertise and validation are at the centre of everything we deliver.
All strategic decisions, recommendations and final outputs are reviewed and validated by our team.
Make Me Local may use AI tools to assist with research, drafting, or images, but humans remain responsible for final quality.
Our guiding principle is:
AI Powered – Human Validated – Results Focused.
12.1 Invoicing and payment method
Our Agency hourly fee is £75+vat per hour.
All figures quoted are excluding VAT. We are VAT registered and will be passing on any VAT that is paid to HMRC.
All payments are taken via Direct Debit – should you wish to opt for a different payment method we will apply a surcharge of £150 per month.
We do not have an internal bookkeeping team; using Direct Debit allows payments to be reconciled automatically in our banking system. This helps control our costs, which in turn keeps our fees competitive for clients.
12.2 Contract term and notice
We operate 3-month rolling contracts.
Notice must be given in writing. During the notice period, services will continue and invoices will be issued as normal.
All content created by Make Me Local for your business is owned by you once invoices are paid. This includes blog posts, website content, photography, and other materials created for you as part of our service.
Imagery may be used on blogs and could be AI generated based on the content produced, you can change these images to your own imagery yourself.
You own all Intellectual Property relating to your website.
This section applies to all clients, regardless of service type.
No guarantee of results
We do not guarantee:
Specific rankings, traffic levels, leads, or sales.
Performance outcomes from SEO, advertising, or marketing activity
Continuous availability of websites or third-party platforms
Results may be affected by factors including, but not limited to, market conditions, competition, platform changes, algorithm updates, user behaviour, and client-side delays.
Exclusion of indirect losses
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Make Me Local will not be liable for:
Loss of revenue or profit
Loss of business, contracts, or opportunities
Loss of data
Loss of anticipated savings
Business interruption
Reputational damage
Liability cap
Our total liability to you, for any claim arising from our services, will be limited to the total fees paid by you to Make Me Local in the three months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim.
This cap applies in aggregate and includes all claims, actions, and liabilities.
Client indemnity
You agree to indemnify and hold Make Me Local harmless against any claims, losses, damages, or expenses arising from:
Content supplied or approved by you
Claims, guarantees, or representations made on your website.
Breaches of law, regulation, or third-party rights relating to your business
Nothing in this agreement limits liability for:
Death or personal injury caused by negligence.
Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
Any liability that cannot be limited or excluded under applicable law.
