Do you have a business that you want to make more visible online or boost its credibility and searches? In that case, you should look into what is SEO and how it works while exploring how it can help your business. Although extremely helpful in raising a company’s credibility, visibility, and brand awareness, SEO services come at a price. If you want to know how much does SEO cost, you have come to the right place!
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and can help you build a more reputable brand by making it easier to understand and analyze for all search engines, including Google, Bing, Microsoft Edge, and others. Some of the most common SEO services you might have heard of include on-page and off-page optimization, keyword research, social media account management, etc.
Depending on the services you decide to use for your business, you can determine the actual search engine optimization cost per month.
We say this because SEO is not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. It has numerous variations, so it is essential to consider everything before determining the perfect SEO strategies for you and your business. To learn more about all the essential considerations, keep reading!
SEO Services & Costs
If you try contacting an SEO agency, the first thing it will want to know is your specific needs, existing online presence, the current state of your website, etc. That is because there are several types of SEO services, including on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO, so you and the SEO agency must determine whether you need all or only one.
The pricing for all three types of services is quite similar. On-page SEO and technical SEO projects usually have a starting price of $1500 and can go up to $5000. As for off-page SEO, we have found reports that prices start as low as $5 but can also go up to $2000, depending on the services included.
Combined, the three types of SEO services can give the quickest and best results, but you can also choose one or the other, depending on your needs. Let’s look into each one:
On-Page SEO
On-page SEO has to do more with what you see on an existing page once you click on it. It can be a company’s landing page, a specific guide, or a review you open and look into. If you want it to be SEO-optimized, you will have to look into the following:
- Ensure you have high-quality content that brings value to the reader, not fluff.
- Ensure your content is optimized for the relevant keywords.
- Ensure the URL fits the content and topic of the page and that it is not random.
- Ensure you have at least a few internal links leading to other relevant websites.
- Ensure you use the proper HTML tags when creating the content.
- Ensure you have a proper meta title and meta description that accurately represent what the guide is about.
- Ensure you also use relevant images to fit your present data or information.
It’s vital to remember that the data you use should be optimized so that search engines will rank you higher, but also because you want all your visitors or readers to learn the correct information and the information they need. If you are not relevant or current, neither search engines nor regular people will read your content.
Off-Page SEO
Off-page SEO is also essential to raise the visibility levels of your website. It is more demanding from a technical standpoint as it requires backlinks. What this means is that the SEO company or individual working on your business will need to find respected, high-authority websites that can link to your website or one of your guides as a way for you to get more exposure.
Apart from backlinks, off-page SEO includes various other ways to promote your business, whether through social promotion, various PR campaigns, or possibly some guest posts. Guest posts are a great way to establish your credibility as an industry expert, but they can also help you create content you can use for link building for your company. A win-win situation if you ask us!
You cannot improve off-page SEO in a day, so you must pay a monthly retainer or hire an experienced SEO freelancer or agency to work for you for a long time. It shows why SEO costs for websites can be pretty high.
Technical SEO
Finally, we have technical SEO, which deals with your company or brand website. If you hire someone to improve your technical SEO, you must communicate all your needs so they know what to include in your specific SEO package. It can include services from improved website structure to better data structure, indexing, faster load speed, and better responsiveness.
Here is an example of why technical SEO is important – when you go on a search engine and look something up, are you likely to wait for 15 minutes for a web page to load fully, or will you go back and look into the web pages that open right after you click on them?
This is where SEO comes into the conversation and helps you have a better brand and online presence since everything will be fully optimized to fit users’ needs. Such examples show why SEO is so expensive, and they justify the costs immediately.
How Much Does SEO Cost per Hour, Month…?
Now that we’ve briefly explained what kinds of services are a part of a standard SEO package, we also want to tell you more about the costs of investing in SEO. Granted, there’s no correct answer to the question of how much does SEO cost, but there’s a way to determine the approximate costs you are looking at.
First, there are three general types of pricing models. One is based on an hourly rate, another includes one-and-done projects, and the third includes a retainer and a monthly or annual ongoing plan that covers all your SEO needs. Here’s more on each one:
- Retained-based pricing model: The SEO agency and business requiring its services can agree on a monthly or annual retainer depending on the services needed. The best thing about this pricing model is that it provides long-term improvement. Furthermore, it comes with SEO audits, showing which services provided the best outcome and which need further improvement. The price of this model usually varies between $500 and $1500, depending on the size of the business and the provided services.
- Hourly pricing model: The hourly pricing model is also quite beneficial, especially if the company agrees to pay the SEO agents based on the hours they deliver. This model is usually between $75 and $100 but can reach $300 if you hire reputable, experienced SEO experts. Neil Patel reportedly charges up to $5000 per one-hour consultation, but this is way too much for any business that is not a Fortune 500 business.
- Project-based pricing model: The project-based model is best for companies that are not entirely sure what their preferred SEO strategy is but still want to fulfill some goals using SEO services. This allows them to set up projects to help them reach their goals, pay for them, and then determine whether they want anything further. However, the price of such projects varies the most, depending on the SEO company and what the project includes. You can expect to pay between $2500 and $10000 for a single project, while some more demanding projects with various SEO services can cost up to $30000.
Local vs. Global Audiences Costs
Not every business has the same needs, so it is essential to consider the preferred audience. Some companies focus more on promoting their brand in their local communities, while others want a global reach to attract customers worldwide.
This is why you need to consider your audience preferences and whether you are prepared to pay the cost for them. Usually, local SEO is more affordable, but it can vary depending on the area where the business is located. It is not the same to try and raise brand awareness and credibility for a business in California as opposed to a business in Central or South America.
Also, it is essential to consider the SEO company’s whereabouts and how they charge for your area. It is well-known that companies outside of North America charge less for their services, so you can lower the SEO cost for your website or specific project if you contact them.
But remember this – sometimes, the price is directly connected to the expertise and professionalism you will be getting, so consider if it is worth paying more to get better, quicker, more long-term results.
How Industry Competition Impacts SEO Costs
Each business can feel the benefits of SEO right after implementing the services. This is regardless of the industry to which that business belongs. However, our research shows that some industries are more competitive and can bring a higher cost of even the most basic SEO services.
Not only that, but we also need to consider that the rising popularity of SEO practices has also led to the opening of various online SEO companies that offer packages and benefits and promise to deliver the best results. All that competition can lead to higher prices, so exploring your options and finding the best cost-effective solution that includes all your needed services is essential.
You can browse through the best competitor companies and look into the prices, but aside from that, there are also a few things we recommend you focus on to determine your best option easily. Here’s a detailed checklist that can prove helpful in such situations:
- Consider the company’s experience and the expertise of the SEO agents.
- Look into the company’s portfolio and browse similar projects to see the results.
- Look for reviews from previous customers or ask for references or testimonials to determine the level of satisfaction the company generally achieves.
- Consider the certifications and determine whether they are from well-established and reputable companies.
- Consider whether the company offers fair contract terms and allows you to tailor the projects depending on your needs.
Impact of an Existing Website’s Condition on SEO Costs
If you have a new company or website and hire SEO agents right away, you might be able to lower the initial costs. This is because your business will almost be like a blank page, allowing the agents to create the best project based on your needs.
The agents will have their work cut out for them if they need to work on an existing website that is not in the best condition. This usually includes poor website structure that deters users. Also, if you have not consulted an SEO manual during content creation, it will mean that the agents will have to go through your content and add links and keywords, optimize the title tag and meta description, and what else not.
This will all add to the overall cost, but it can be extremely beneficial, especially considering that your brand will be much better. Ensure you allow the agents to do their thing with the on-page and off-page SEO while also requesting that they deal with the technical SEO and improve the loading speed and page responsiveness.
In conclusion, a poor existing website can make it more challenging to make things work SEO-wise and may raise the costs, but it will surely be worth it in the end!
Hidden Costs and Considerations
Even though transparency is highly valued in all types of businesses, some SEO agencies do not reveal all costs up-front. We recommend not using the services of such agencies but rather going for fully transparent companies that help you avoid all hidden costs and considerations.
When you start working with an SEO agency, you can request an SEO pricing guide to help you determine the expected price for your project. Then, you can also inquire about how long does it take to implement SEO and see the results to determine whether you need a long-term pricing model or a one-time project to fulfill your goals.
The implementation of SEO can include various services, from simple content creation and optimization to full-on SEO strategy development, analysis, and audits. So, you must also consider what goes into the project and the price you have agreed upon. It is not fair to ask for some services only after the agency finishes the project, as it is also a bad look to have a company deliver a project without a service you have demanded and paid for.
Although we stressed this once, we want to say it again – not every company or freelancer is worth your time and money. You must thoroughly research all SEO companies and agents before determining the one that can give you the best value for your money.
Going with the cheapest option can sometimes lead to the opposite of what you want to achieve, meaning a brand that does not look credible, is not easily visible, and cannot measure up to the competition.
Final Thoughts
We hope this guide taught you a lot about what SEO is and how it works, what services it includes, and the expected costs for most of the services based on the three general pricing models you can come across.
The bottom line is that you always have various companies to consider, so it is wise to look for one that can tailor the projects based on your needs. That way, you can eliminate all unneeded costs and focus only on the services most essential to you and your brand. Also, before going for the most affordable option, consider the expertise and approach of the SEO freelancer and company and determine whether it is best for your company.
If you are still unsure about how much SEO costs and the types of SEO services you need, go to SEO.com.ph and look into the free website analysis option to help you get started. The company offers many excellent services to cover the SEO needs of all kinds of companies, from small businesses to content creators and SEO enthusiasts. So, contact us with any inquiries you might have!
FAQs
Paid SEO is worth it for any business. However, the price can vary depending on the business, location, the needed services, and the company employed to help improve the website’s SEO. It’s essential to consider these factors before determining which company and services you need for your company.
The minimum SEO cost can be as low as a few dollars, but you must consider whether the person employed to work on your project has the expertise to achieve the desired results. It might be wiser to pay more to get better results.
SEO services can help small businesses establish better brand awareness and reach a broader audience in their area or even globally. We recommend that starting or small businesses focus on the most essential services and expand the list as they grow and gain a larger following.
