You’re about to invest in Search Engine Optimization services, but you’re unsure what to expect when it comes to SEO pricing.
That’s understandable. SEO costs can vary greatly depending on several factors, including your business goals, the provider you choose, and the services you need.
In this post, we’ll break down the factors that affect SEO pricing.
Then, you can make informed decisions that align with your marketing budget and business objectives.
Is SEO Free?
Because organic placement on search engine results pages (SERPs) doesn’t cost anything, some people naively consider SEO to be “free.”
Bottom Line: Nothing of value is free.
SEO comes with costs in any scenario. You’ll have to build your expertise, and then put forth a great deal of time and effort to rank and maintain rankings on search engines.
Or, you’ll have to pay someone to do it for you. Either way, there’s nothing free about it.
The Hidden Costs of DIY SEO
So let’s say you choose not to hire SEO professionals. Ah, the hidden costs will show themselves soon enough!
You’ll need to invest time in learning about SEO, which will eat up a lot of your valuable time.
If you think you’ll skip all of that, beware. You may end up making mistakes that actually harm your domain’s rankings and reputation.
Free SEO tools and resources can only take you so far.
Without a deep understanding of SEO principles and strategies, you may struggle to achieve meaningful results, ever.
Even more importantly, the time you spend on DIY SEO efforts could be better spent on other areas of your business, such as product development or customer service.
By outsourcing SEO to a professional, you can focus on what matters most.
Leave the SEO heavy lifting to experts who can deliver tangible results.
But Wait Tommy, What About Using AI for my SEO?
Ah, the question we get the most these days.
Yes, AI can add value to your SEO efforts in several ways.
It can write content for you. It can even create drafts of meta tags for you to consider using.
BUT, you can’t just hand your SEO to AI and think it will be fine.
AI has many problems still, including:
- The need for highly skilled prompt engineering to get what you need out of it
- A propensity to believe inaccurate information on the internet, and handle it as factual
- Terrible writing habits such as an overuse of passive tense and corporate jargon, using valueless sentences to fill in word count, a tendency to lean on hyperbole (everything is crucial, essential, vital, etc.), and sometimes, failing to make sense at all!
So the answer is no, you cannot just hand SEO over to AI for “Free.” You will get what you pay for.
So, let’s move forward understanding that SEO skills are worth investing in. But just how much?
General SEO Pricing Benchmarks
You’re probably wondering what kind of budget you need to set aside for SEO services.
The good news is that there are some general benchmarks you can reference.
Industry Averages for SEO Services
Internationally, the blended rate for all levels of SEO services was approximately $134-139 per hour back in 2022.
Keep in mind that this estimate includes all skill levels, from college interns to people who’ve worked with websites for 20-30 years.
You’ll also find higher average prices in the US, where the number is closer to $144-147 / hour.
For the services priced lower than these averages, buyer beware.
In reality, the best of the best will charge you at least $200-$300 / hour for open consulting and in the thousands of dollars for projects, depending on scope and time commitments.
Factors Influencing SEO Pricing
Along with these general benchmarks, there are several factors that can influence the cost of SEO services.
These include:
- Whether you do certain tasks yourself / AI or outsource them to an expert
- The type of SEO provider you choose (agency or freelancer)
- The provider’s location and level of experience
- The specifics of your business, such as its size and industry
- The services you need, such as on-page SEO, technical SEO, content creation, link building, or local SEO
- The pricing model you select, such as project-based or monthly retainer
This list is not exhaustive, but it gives you an idea of the key factors that can impact SEO pricing.
Among these factors, be aware that each of them can influence the cost separately.
For instance, a small business in a highly competitive industry may require more extensive SEO efforts to stand out from the crowd, which can increase costs.
Similarly, a business with a large website may require more technical SEO work, which can also impact pricing.
So now you can see that the actual cost of SEO services can vary widely depending on your specific needs and goals.
What Are SEO Prices Based on?
Let’s dig into the key factors in more detail here.
Whether You Do Anything Yourself
Around 40% of businesses handle SEO tasks in-house, which can significantly reduce costs.
By doing some SEO tasks yourself, you can save money and allocate it to other important areas of your business.
The SEO Provider You Choose
On the other hand, the SEO provider you select can greatly impact your costs.
Even experienced freelancers may charge lower rates than agencies, but their expertise and resources might be limited.
Be sure to consider the actual value of the provider before balking outright at how much they charge.
You’ll find that more experienced SEOs can do much more strategic work, and far faster, than early career freelancers still learning their craft.
The Specifics of Your Business
Your particular business and it’s chosen niche are important factors to consider when selecting SEO providers.
Agency professionals will assess your business goals, industry, and target audience to provide a tailored quote.
If you can find someone with hands-on experience in your industry or business type, they will provide more value than someone just starting out.
You might pay more for this specialized knowledge, but your ROI will be higher in the end.
Our founder, for example, has worked with nearly any industry you can think of. But he has deeper experience in key niches such as SaaS software, cybersecurity, home and local services, computer/networking hardware, and eCommerce.
The Services You Need
You’ll need to be aware of exactly which SEO services you need before setting a budget.
Some examples of specialties you may want to consider include:
- Keyword Research
- Content Creation
- On-Page Optimization
- Off Page / Link Building
- Technical SEO (performance, Core Web Vitals, Mobile Optimization)
- User Experience
- Buyer’s Journey and Conversion Optimization
- Local SEO
Many providers can help you with one or two of these SEO sub-disciplines.
If you find someone who can do it all, you can expect their pricing to be higher and well deserved.
One-Time Fees for Specific Projects
Business owners often prefer one-time fees for specific projects, as they provide a clear understanding of the costs involved.
Industry-specific requirements, project complexity, and the expertise of your provider will influence the cost of one-time fees for specific projects.
We offer many of our services on a per project basis, and we price them according to website size or overall complexity of the industry.
Examples of projects include:
- SEO Audits
- SEO Strategy
- Content Marketing Keyword Strategy
- Local SEO Optimization
In many cases, you can handle some big pieces as projects, and then move to maintenance plans or link building as…
Ongoing SEO Services and Support
Regardless of how you decide you want to budget for SEO, ongoing is typically a good idea for you to continue progressing over time.
You could opt to follow our recommended model, of up front projects and website optimization as an initial push. Then a shift to ongoing as I outlined above.
Alternatively, many businesses prefer a more dynamic approach via a monthly retainer.
This model is good if you require flexibility and adaptability to changing business goals or a fast shifting market.
It can also work for businesses that need day to day assistance on undefined SEO-related tasks, but who already have the big initial work in place.
Both approaches to ongoing can work, and we have offered each in the past.
Hourly SEO Services / A La Carte
We offer hourly services in addition to projects, retainers and campaigns. But my personal preference is that these are reserved for special cases.
No business owner wants to end a month with a huge surprise invoice for hourly work. Projects and campaigns avoid this by clearly setting the budget up front.
Of course, sometimes an SEO surprise needs immediate attention, and the resolution may not be easy to scope.
In those cases, it’s best for the SEO company to estimate the worst case on the hours. They can still do the work and bill only for hours rendered, but at least the owner will understand their exposure going in.
Demand the same from your chosen SEO provider. Transparency goes a long way.
Pay-for-Performance SEO Models
This billing model has grown in popularity in recent years, but my only comment here is caveat emptor (i.e. buyer beware).
I’ve written about pay-for-performance SEO in the past. You can read that post for the full story, but bottom line: It’s black hat and you should avoid it at all times. End of story.
The Impact of SEO Pricing on ROI
I’ve alluded to this point before, but let’s revisit the concept of pricing vs. ROI for SEO services.
Why Measure the Return on Investment for SEO
75% of users never scroll past the first page of search engine results.
If your website isn’t ranking on page one, you’re missing out on potential customers.
By measuring your ROI for SEO, you can see how your efforts are paying off and make data-driven decisions to improve your strategy.
Components of ROI for SEO
True return on investment is a long term play. You need to have measures in place to determine progress toward that end goal.
I like to look at it in a multi-tiered approach, as follows:
- Leading Indicators: The early metrics that show progress when you’re first starting out with new SEO efforts (increase in keywords ranked and pages indexed)
- Lagging Indicators: The next level of metrics that logically come after #1 above (keywords on page one, growth in organic traffic)
- True ROI: Conversions and closed sales derived from the overall growth in organic
You sometimes have to start by ranking more keywords on page 8, 9, or lower before you’ll get those terms on page one.
But if you are seeing more pages indexed and more overall keywords ranking for your domain, even if they’re way below page one, you are starting in the right direction.
You can accomplish #1 with good technical and on page SEO.
But those keywords won’t move up until you tackle other areas of search engine optimization.
And until those keywords move up to page one, you’ll be stuck in growth mode on SEO, and advertising for conversions and sales.
You can see here that this is a continuum. Plan to measure accordingly.
Common SEO Pricing Mistakes to Avoid
Many businesses make mistakes when it comes to SEO pricing, which can lead to wasted resources, ineffective campaigns, and poor ROI.
By understanding these common mistakes, you can make informed decisions about your SEO budget and avoid costly errors.
Underestimating SEO Costs
Around 50% of SEO providers require a monthly retainer of less than $3,000 per month.
You may or may not get the results you need at this price point.
Be prepared to invest in quality SEO services that align with your business goals and needs.
Overpaying for SEO Services
Below the surface of seemingly affordable SEO packages, you may find hidden costs, low-quality services, or unrealistic promises.
Don’t fall for cheap SEO services that can harm your online presence and reputation.
Be wary of extremely low prices. Lower prices generally mean lower quality of services. Or inferior skills.
Or maybe, in the worst case, they’ll just spam the internet with black hat SEO, then take your money and run.
Instead, look for providers who offer transparent pricing, clear communication, and a focus on delivering measurable results.
The Benefits of Transparent SEO Pricing
Your business deserves to know exactly what you’re paying for when it comes to SEO services.
Transparent pricing helps you understand the value you’re getting and ensures that you’re not surprised by hidden costs.
Understand What You’re Paying For
With transparent SEO pricing, you’ll know exactly what services you’re receiving and how much each one costs.
This helps you prioritize your budget and make informed decisions about which services to invest in.
Here at Return On Now, we voluntarily spell out every step in our projects and the deliverables you can expect, before you sign on the dotted line.
Demand the same of any other SEO providers. You deserve to know exactly what you are getting in advance.
Conclusion: SEO Pricing is Complex When Done Right
If you want to make informed decisions that align with your marketing budget and business goals, you’ll need to understand exactly how much it costs to get SEO done properly.
Sure, it can be cheap (or free with AI, which is very risky), but you very well may need to spend $5K or more per month to see real results.
There is simply no one size that fits all.
Once you take into account how much you can do in house, what level of experience you need, whether or not your SEO provider has niche-specific skills, etc., you’ll see that SEO pricing can vary quite widely.
In the end, choose the best resource your budget allows, and expect transparency and excellence. This is your best path to positive ROI on search engine optimization efforts.
Tommy Landry
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