★★★★★ Garnett Banfield — Google Local Guide Level 7 · 7.5M+ views across NYC · Harlem-built, New York See the proof →
Please note: Per Google's terms & conditions, if Garnett has left a review for your business as a Google Local Guide, Meridian SEO cannot provide it services. Check the reviews list ↗ — if your business isn't there, you're good to go.
Exclusive by design · one business per category, per area

Website design in Harlem, New York.

I'm Garnett — and I build the whole machine for businesses that want their category: a premium website that gets found on Google and inside ChatGPT and AI search, with a CRM whose AI agents work every lead so you don't have to. One client per category, per area — projects start at $100,000 per location, and your competitors can't buy what I build for you.

A premium, SEO-optimized site — first draft in under 72 hours, not 12 weeks.
Found on Google and in ChatGPT, Perplexity & AI search.
A custom CRM with AI agents that never lets a lead go cold.
What I do

Three services. One growth engine.

Most places sell you one piece and leave you to figure out the rest. I don't work that way — I handle the whole thing: getting you found, making you look premium, and turning the people who visit into booked clients.

01

Google Business Profile Optimization

Win the Map Pack — the 3 local results that get the calls. I optimize the profile, categories, posts, and reviews that decide who shows up first.

  • Primary category + service mapping
  • Review generation, never gated
  • NAP consistency across the web
Learn more →
02

Custom CRM with AI Agents

Every inquiry captured, scored, and followed up — automatically. AI agents qualify leads, draft replies, and alert you the moment a hot one lands.

  • AI lead scoring (hot / warm / cold)
  • Instant alerts — email & Telegram
  • Auto-drafted, compliant follow-ups
Learn more →
03

Website Design — SEO · AIO · GEO Optimized

A production-grade site that looks like you paid five figures — built to rank in Google and get cited by AI search, with schema baked into every page.

  • Mobile-first, WCAG-accessible
  • Schema + llms.txt for AI search
  • Multilingual (EN / ES / FR)
Learn more →
How we do it

The exact process — start to growth.

No black box. Here's every step, and the real tools behind each one — including live keyword data pulled straight from the Keywords Everywhere API, never guessed.

01

Audit & SEO Strategy

We start with a full technical SEO audit and competitor research (up to 3 competitors) to identify exactly what's holding your site back and build a roadmap tailored to your goals. This includes crawling your site for indexing errors, broken links, missing metadata, structured-data gaps, and Core Web Vitals issues — then benchmarking your performance against your closest competitors.

Start the $497 audit →
02

On-Page Optimization

Next, we optimize your content, meta titles and descriptions, heading structure (H1–H6), internal linking, image alt text, canonical URLs, and every other on-page factor that influences how search engines and AI systems evaluate your site. Each page gets a keyword-targeted strategy based on real search volume and competition data pulled live from the Keywords Everywhere API — never guesses, never estimates.

03

Off-Page & Link Building

To build your topical authority, we use white-hat outreach to earn placements on reputable, high-quality websites. Your existing citations (already listed on your dashboard) are integrated into this strategy, and every backlink opportunity is evaluated for relevance, domain authority, and alignment with your target market.

04

Continuous Monitoring

Sustainable growth requires ongoing attention. We monitor your keyword rankings, traffic, and page-level performance on a regular schedule and adjust strategy based on the results. Ads-competition scores and monthly search volumes are pulled directly from the Keywords Everywhere API for your tracked pages and categorized as low, medium, or high competition — giving you a clear picture of where wins are realistic and where effort should be redirected.

New · Coming soon

Make videos that get found — right in your dashboard.

A full browser-based AI video editor: upload clips, record a voiceover, pull stock footage, or generate new clips with AI — then optimize the title, description, and chapters to rank on YouTube and get cited by AI search. In final testing now.

Preview: AI Video Studio — Version 1. Bring your own AI key, or use Meridian credits (pricing coming). 1-on-1 setup training included.

Problem → solution

You have the problem. I built the whole solution.

The problem
"I'm invisible on Google and losing leads."
Topical Authority

Clusters of expert content that make Google treat you as the authority on your topic.

AI Agents

Tireless agents that follow up, answer, and book — 24/7, so no lead goes cold.

Keyword-Researched Articles

Fresh keyword-researched articles every week — aimed at the searches you can actually win.

Custom CRM ★

Not a contact form — it captures, scores, and works every lead for you.

The result
Found, followed-up & booked.

Want it fully custom, built for you? See the Custom Build →

The edge

Nine things most website builders skip entirely.

Not marketing claims — the nine cards below name the actual feature, and most template-based builders don't offer it at all.

01

We remember your brand voice

Your brand voice is stored as a vector embedding — every regeneration learns from the last. Your third page is more on-brand than your first.

02

Built for AI search (AEO / GEO)

Direct-answer blocks, FAQ structure, schema, and an llms.txt file on every page — the signals ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews use to cite a source.

03

Keyword & intent research

We map the keywords and search intent your customers actually use — by neighborhood — so every page targets real local demand, not guesses.

04

Local SEO + the Map Pack

Your website and Google Business Profile are built to work together to win the local Map Pack — the three results that get the calls.

05

Mobile-first, scored

We render mobile first, then desktop. No more cropped heroes where 70% of your traffic actually lives.

06

Built-in accessibility

Every site we build ships with Listen Mode that reads the page aloud, plus WCAG AA out of the box (AAA available).

07

Multilingual, native

English, Spanish, French — written in the right register, not Google-Translated, with a built-in language switcher. Separate indexed pages with hreflang available where you need to rank in each language.

08

One system, not five tools

Website, SEO, Google Business Profile, CRM, and AI agents in one place — no duct-taping a site builder, a mailer, and a separate CRM together.

09

Topic Architecture Planner

A complete 50-article content plan for your industry in minutes — built to earn the topical authority Google rewards.

From the founder

"I've spent years documenting New York's businesses. Now I'm building the tool that finally serves them."

I'm a Google Local Guide Level 7 — my photos and videos on Google Maps have been viewed over 7.5 million times across NYC. What I noticed: most small businesses have terrible websites, not because they can't afford a good one, but because the tools they're sold are generic templates. Meridian is what I wish I could have handed to every business I've ever photographed.

Here's the honest truth: I love this work, and I love helping people win. I built websites for a Harlem pharmacist for years — at no charge — before she ever paid me a dime, because I believed in her. That's just how I'm wired, and it's why my prices are affordable: I'd rather you win and tell a friend than squeeze you on day one. When we meet in person, I don't talk corporate — so this site won't either.

Disclaimer: Due to Google's terms and conditions, if Garnett Banfield has left a review for your business as a Google Local Guide (Level 7), he cannot provide Meridian SEO services to that business. Not sure if yours is on the list? Check Garnett's Google reviews ↗ — it's a long list (7.5M+ views), so scroll through; if your business name isn't there, you're good to go.

10% of every dollar goes back to Harlem food pantries — a receipt, a number, every ninety days.

In her words
"Garnett, I find it very hard to get rid of you — I need to keep you. You're so valuable to me: knowledgeable, trustworthy, very patient."

— Marcia Codling · Registered Pharmacist, Harlem — known across the five boroughs

She once asked me, "Garnett, what do you do for a living?" I gave her the honest truth: "I can't promise you anything — but over time, you'll see." Then one afternoon in her store, I logged into her POS and caught it quietly double-charging her, every month, for three years — about $650 she never knew she was losing. I found it, and I got it back for her. That's trust. That's how I work — and it's what I meant by "over time." lol

A site I built

This is Marcia's new website.

I built it for her — a real Harlem pharmacist — to get found on Google and bring people through her door. The same system I'd build for you.

naturalessentialswellness.com
✦ Your first 15-minute visit is complimentary — walk in or book online today
Natural Essentials & Wellness
HARLEM · NATURAL HEALTH
Products ▾Sea Moss ▾Blood Work ▾Services Book a visit
Harlem's Natural Health Store & Pharmacist

Natural Essentials And Wellness Health Consultant In Harlem

Feel better — the natural way. Dr. Marcia is a Harlem pharmacist who listens, looks at your whole body, and helps you heal with real herbs and care.

Book Your Complimentary 15-Minute Visit ☎ Call (212) 222-0437
★★★★★  5.0 on Google · Open 7 days · We speak English, Spanish & French

Logo placeholder while her brand mark is finished — her site goes live shortly.

A box of donated fresh food — bread, apple, and greens — with a heart, in front of Harlem brownstones, marked 10 percent gives back
Our promise

10% goes back to Harlem.

Every quarter, we transfer ten percent of our profits to Harlem food pantries — and publish exactly how much, with the receipt. Not performative: a number, a receipt, every ninety days.

Build with Meridian, and you feed your neighbors too.

Pricing

One client per category, per area — projects start at $100,000 per location.

Meridian builds the whole machine for a small number of businesses: a premium website, a custom CRM with AI agents working every lead, and the year-one search & AI-visibility program. Every engagement begins with a paid audit that credits forward in full — the diagnosis never costs extra.

🔒 Exclusive by design

One business per category, per area.

When you sign, Meridian will not take another client in your primary service category in your neighborhood market — it’s written into the agreement, not a marketing line. Your competitors cannot buy what we build for you. That’s what the number buys: a closed category, not a vendor.

Done-For-You — the flagship
From $100,000/location

The whole machine, built and closed to your competitors. A bespoke premium website. A custom CRM configured to your booking workflow, with AI agents capturing, scoring, and following up on every lead. The year-one search & AI-visibility program — keyword-researched content, Google Business Profile management, and AI answer-engine (AIO/GEO) work so ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and Gemini can find and recommend you. Launch production: a quarterly on-site photo and video day. Scoped per client in a written proposal with options at different investment levels; every audit fee you’ve paid is credited in full, and a meaningful portion of every payment schedule is withheld until you approve the launch.

Book a scoping call →   The full ladder, every number →

The ladderPriceWhat it buys
Website & AI-Visibility Audit$497Every finding with its exact fix, plus whether four AI engines mention you — in minutes. Credits in full toward the $2,000 audit.
SEO · AIO · GEO Audit$2,000The human diagnosis: 3 competitors benchmarked, a severity-graded roadmap. Credits in full toward the Evaluation or the project.
90-Day Evaluation$7,500/mo3 months — or $20,250 up front (10% off). We implement your roadmap’s top priorities and report results monthly. Never auto-renews.
Done-For-YouFrom $100,000/locationThe flagship above — exclusive in your category and area.
Signature Brand FilmFrom $10,000Per video. Fully crewed production, scope quoted in writing before booking.
Every audit fee credits forward — the diagnosis never costs extra A meaningful portion of every project is withheld until you approve the launch Nothing auto-renews — continuation is always a new decision Existing clients keep the terms they signed under
Start the $497 audit →  See the full pricing page →
The Journal

Learn the playbook. Openly.

Plain-English guides on getting found, getting booked, and using AI the right way for a small business.

Read the Journal →
Questions, answered

You ask, I answer.

Why do projects start at $100,000 per location?+

Because the engagement is exclusive and complete: a bespoke premium website, a custom CRM with AI agents, the year-one search & AI-visibility program, launch production — and a written commitment that I will not take another client in your category in your area. The exact fee is scoped per client in a written proposal, and every audit fee you’ve paid is credited in full.

What if my business has more than one location?+

Each physical location is its own Done-For-You engagement — its own proposal, its own signed agreement naming that location, and its own project fee starting at $100,000. A restaurant group or event-space brand with two or three locations signs one agreement per location, not one for the whole brand, and each location gets its own category exclusivity in its own neighborhood.

Do you work with restaurants and event spaces?+

Yes — venues are a specialty. I’ve spent thirty years in live production as a lighting designer and AV technician, and I trained at The Juilliard School through its professional stage lighting technician internship — so for New York City restaurants and event spaces the $2,000 audit can add an in-person room walk: sound, lighting, and video assessed alongside the digital diagnosis. A room that’s too loud or too dark produces short visits, flat reviews, and no guest photos — and reviews and photos are exactly what Google and AI search read. Where the room itself needs work, I can refer independent AV technicians; that work is quoted separately and is never part of the Meridian agreement.

Do I need my own AI account (API key)?+

No. Your project ships with its AI agents configured and running. Prefer to run them on your own provider account — Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT, Groq, or Grok? I set that up for you, you pay your provider directly, and I never mark up API costs.

How fast will my website be ready?+

Your first website draft is delivered in less than 72 hours, not weeks — and you review and approve every page before anything goes live. Nothing publishes without your say-so.

Will AI search engines actually find my site?+

I can't promise rankings — no honest company can. What I can do is build your site the way AI search engines reward: a direct answer on every page, FAQ structure, schema, an llms.txt file, topical authority, and the keywords your customers actually search. That gives you a strong, structural chance of being found and cited — far better odds than a generic template.

What's the difference between SEO, AIO & GEO?+

SEO gets you found in classic Google results. AIO (AI optimization) and GEO (generative engine optimization) get you cited inside AI answers like Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. I build for all three on every page.

Do you optimize my Google Business Profile?+

Yes. The project includes Google Business Profile setup and monthly management through year one — posts, updates, and review responses — so you compete for the local Map Pack in your neighborhood.

What is a CRM with AI agents?+

A CRM is one place that captures and tracks every lead. Mine adds AI agents that score each lead hot, warm, or cold, draft a reply in your voice, and alert you instantly — so no inquiry goes cold. You always review before anything sends.

Do I need any technical skills?+

None. If you can use email, you can use Meridian. You answer a few questions about your business and review the pages I generate — I handle the technical side.

Can you build my site in Spanish or French?+

Yes. Your site comes in English, Spanish, and French — written in the right register, not machine-translated — with a built-in language switcher. For markets where you need to rank in each language, I can build separate indexed pages with hreflang.

Do you require a long contract?+

The project is a one-time engagement paid on the schedule in your accepted proposal, with a meaningful portion always withheld until you approve the launch. The 90-Day Evaluation never auto-renews. Ongoing service after year one is optional and quoted separately in writing — nothing renews automatically.

How is the exact project fee set?+

From your audit. The $2,000 SEO · AIO · GEO audit benchmarks your top three competitors and produces a prioritized roadmap; from those findings I prepare a written proposal with scope options at different investment levels, starting at $100,000 per location. Every audit fee you’ve paid is credited in full against the project.