By now, we’re sure you’ve heard that SEO has become a vital component of digital marketing strategies. Small enterprises, on the other hand, often neglect it, with just half of them include it in their overall budget.
Whence does this originate from? It’s possible that this is due to the complexities around SEO cost. Because there isn’t a set price, agencies are free to charge what they want. As a result, the onus is on you to determine which companies are providing the most value for your money.
There are about 5.6 billion searches on Google every day, and the majority of people only look at the first page of results, thus investing in an SEO strategy is well worth your time and money.
Here you’ll learn about typical SEO costs, what you can expect to receive for your money, and what to look for when hiring a firm. (Hint: go with Seologic agency that specializes in SEO.)
If you’re impatient, here’s a quick rundown of what we’ll be discussing:
Models of SEO pricing
In the world of internet and search engine optimization, there are plenty companies providing a wide range of services. Using keyword analysis, content development, and link building, they try to improve the website’s rating in search engine results pages (SERPs).
It’s best to double-check each SEO price model to see what’s included before choosing one, since each SEO firm and SEO consultant will have minor variations.
Here are the three most common SEO price models:
Per hour
For SEO services, you could be charged on an hourly basis. This approach is more popular among independent contractors or freelancers that provide SEO services to smaller customers rather than agencies or internet marketing firms.
The amount you pay is determined by the number of hours you spend on each job. A summary of what the business has done during that time period may help you determine whether or not you have been charged properly.
Hourly SEO costs range from $100 to $250 on average.
Per month
Larger search engine optimization and marketing firms often charge on a monthly basis. You’ll agree to pay a set fee for the agency’s services in exchange for them actively working on your site’s SEO.
Professional services are often included in monthly SEO packages, and they may include things like keyword and competition research, SEO copywriting, technical audits and content marketing audits. They may also include services like link building and digital PR. Some organizations, on the other hand, let you design your own plan and agree on a monthly fee in advance.
A monthly retainer costs, on average, about $10,000 in total costs each month. In case you’re wondering, our enterprise-level pricing at Accelerate starts at $200,000 per month and goes all the way up to $8,000.
Per project
A one-time cost for a specific SEO operation may be charged by an SEO company. Before deciding on the project scope and budget, you would first talk about your SEO requirements and objectives. This choice gives you even more freedom of expression.
Project-based SEO services may cost anything from $1,000 to more than $1 million dollars on average. Local SEO may cost as little as $1,000 a month for a small business. Enterprise-level businesses will have to fork out tens of millions of dollars each month to use our services
What are the most vital aspects of SEO? What are you going to spend your money on?
As there are so many diverse factors to consider, search engine optimization (SEO) is a tough process. If you believe that it is just a matter of tossing some keywords around, think again! Although small companies do not need to spend a huge amount of money on SEO, it is necessary to provide sufficient resources to ensure that all components of the plan are covered.
Background research
The first step in developing an SEO strategy is determining who you want to target. The content you produce must be relevant and helpful to your target audience, as well as simple to find for new visitors through search engines like Google.
Gaining an understanding of your audience is critical; thus, part of the background research process should involve soliciting input to determine what your site’s visitors want. You’ll also need to do market research in order to identify current trends and stay one step ahead of the competition.
Despite the fact that some of this research can be done in-house, small companies will find it to be very time-consuming—but SEO experts can assist with this, as well as with the other aspects of SEO.
Keyword and competitor research
SEO also requires a significant amount of time-consuming keyword research. It is essential that your website include the appropriate keywords; otherwise, it will not appear in Google searches, resulting in a loss of significant visitors to your site.
When doing keyword research, it is important to consider how prospective consumers may search for your company. Identifying direct rivals and determining which keywords are generating traffic to their websites are also critical steps in the process.
This can be done for free using Google’s Keyword Planner, but for more in-depth research, you’ll need to pay for a service like Ahrefs. Paying for tools may rapidly add up, therefore it’s best to hire a SaaS SEO firm to handle everything for you in a streamlined manner.
Optimization of the site’s architecture
The next step is to apply the findings of your study to the design of your website’s structure. In addition to being SEO-friendly, it must provide visitors with a positive user experience, with no broken links or pictures that take too long to load.
If you’re experienced at coding, you could do this yourself, but the majority of company owners discover that they need the help of SEO experts. They’ll be familiar with all of the techniques, such as reducing the number of clicks from the main page, using internal links, and keeping URLs as short and sweet as possible.
Content creation and optimization
In order to satisfy Google algorithms, your website must also include a large amount of high-quality content. Higher rankings are achieved via the creation of new, original, and updated content.
However, even though you have some excellent writers on your team, keeping up with content creation and optimization is a full-time job. In addition to coming up with new ideas, you must regularly update existing content to ensure it contains the most recent popular keywords and the most recent statistical data available.
An SEO firm that focuses in content marketing (like accelerate) will incorporate a SaaS content strategy as part of their service offering.
Link building and Digital PR
You create links with other websites to drive referral traffic and to inform Google that your site is worthy of reference (thus allowing you to rank higher in search results). Link-building is an important part of SEO. This may be accomplished via excellent content, influencer reviews, and partner connections.
Listed below are helpful tutorials on link building for beginners, link building for SaaS businesses, and 7 unique link building techniques that may be used across all industries and verticals.
Analytical and Reporting Services
Maintaining compliance with Google analytics best practices is also essential for staying on top of your site’s performance and that of your competitors—another element of SEO that requires time and effort, as well as some technical knowledge. You’re better off delegating this task to experts who can assist you in building useful backlinks while remaining compliant with Google’s rules.
We’ve put up this helpful tutorial on how to utilize Google Analytics for SEO.
What will the cost of SEO be in 2021?
The cost of SEO is dependent on a variety of factors. Before quoting a fee, an SEO firm will assess your current brand recognition and visibility in organic searches, as well as your company objectives and target audience demographics.
Pricing is also determined by the level of competence of the SEO provider; like with so many other things in life, you get what you pay for in this case as well. US agencies typically charge between $100 and $250 per hour, or $2,500 and $30,000 per month, on average, although the cost varies widely.
If you’re a sole owner, you may decide to take care of SEO on your own. And it’s possible that this will work—but only if you’re willing to put in a significant amount of time and effort.
Because there are many resources available online, elements such as keyword research and content production may be learned on one’s own to a certain degree. However, you may find it difficult to deal with the more technical elements like analytics, link building, and site architectural optimization, which are discussed below.
Essentially, this is only a choice for companies who are quite cash-strapped. If you have even a little amount of money left over in your marketing budget, invest it in expert SEO services.
SEO at a low cost
Small businesses may be tempted to go with the lowest option available, but they should take precautions. When it comes to “affordable SEO,” it’s often simply too good to be true. SEO is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process, so if a firm promises ridiculously cheap rates, it’s likely that they’re cutting corners somewhere. Price ranges for “affordable SEO” services typically vary from $200 to $500 per month.
A content creation firm that charges so little will not put in the effort to produce high-quality material. Creating blog material that performs well takes effort and connections with external sites that are known for their authority. “Cheap SEO” companies are unable to devote the necessary time and resources to creating blog material that promotes development.
Not only is this a waste of your money, but it also has the potential to do harm to your website. Corner-cutting SEO tactics, often known as “black hat SEO,” are designed to improve site ranks in a deceptive manner, using methods such as hidden content, artificial links, and keyword stuffing to do this.
Google’s algorithms are well-versed in this kind of behavior, and they may punish you by lowering your ranks or removing your listing entirely from the search engine results page. This results in a loss of organic traffic, which may have a negative effect on your income.
When you were trying to enhance your SEO, this was not the outcome you were hoping for. A look at various “black hat” and “white hat” SEO techniques is provided below.
SEO services in the mid-range
As a result, we have determined that low-cost SEO is not worth the risk. Prices in the middle range are more secure, but you should always do due diligence and verify the agency’s qualifications. On average, a mid-range SEO project or month will cost you between $4,500 and $8,000 (per project or month).
Typically, mid-level SEO focuses on resolving current issues with a website, such as improving the site’s design and adjusting the information it contains. For small websites in areas with minimal competition, it is an excellent choice.
SEO firms will offer a content marketing plan to clients at the higher end of this market segment. They’ll be creating new material on a regular basis, as well as updating old content. They may also provide a digital public relations service, which involves generating backlinks via outreach and social media amplification.
A mid-range SEO will generate material that is suitable for certain company requirements, but it will not produce content that is long-lasting or engaging in nature. Even if your budget does not allow for it, there are superior alternatives that will take into account the whole narrative of your business.
High-end search engine optimization
With a big budget and great objectives, it is worthwhile to invest in high-end SEO from one of the best firms. These search engine optimization experts have the tools and experience to provide a complete solution at every step of the optimization process.
This kind of SEO is often used by big ecommerce websites in highly competitive sectors. It is also used by small businesses. A high-end agency may be charged with addressing technical SEO issues, improving your analytics tools, or mitigating the negative effect of Google penalties on your website.
Premium content from high-end SEO firms will be extremely relevant to your audience’s customer journey, and it will be delivered on time. You may anticipate instructional materials and informative content that will help you decrease churn and improve conversion rates.
Typically, you’ll sign up for a long-term plan that’s tailored to your particular SEO objectives and needs. High-end SEO companies are often well-established and dependable, but it is important to ensure that they are able to deliver on their promises.
Enterprise SEO
Enterprise SEO is a completely different creature. Enterprise SEO, regardless of the size of the site or the size of the company, requires more responsibility. You may expect to see an increase in traffic, an increase in conversions, and an increase in feedback from stakeholders. Because of the high degree of SEO effort required, you may anticipate to spend $30k to $1 million or more each month.
In order to effectively manage enterprise SEO, it is necessary to alter methods rather than just scaling up small company SEO techniques. Enterprise SEO necessitates the use of knowledge and vision in the procedures, mindset, and frame of reference. You need to work with a business that develops a full-funnel approach that produces long-term outcomes.
Unique content, high-authority digital PR, sponsored search, link building, and in-depth site optimization are all components of a comprehensive full-funnel plan that must be implemented at the corporate level. However, you may generate a significant amount of organic traffic to your website if you partner with a business that understands what it’s doing.
It is at this point that we come in. We at Seologic are fluent in the language of corporate SEO, and we have the results to back up our assertion. We were able to assist RingCentral in increasing their organic traffic by 1324 percent.
How? First, we identify the specific problems and possibilities that your business faces. It is compared against detailed competition information to see where you may get an advantage.
Following that, we develop a strategy plan that is specific to your online presence. We consider the whole picture in order to provide an integrated solution that works across all touchpoints. Every square inch of your website has been optimized with unique content and a backlink network of high-authority, high-value sites.
Why is SEO complex and expensive?
If you’re tempted to spend money on paid search rather than SEO, be aware that it becomes more expensive. Not always do the outcomes pay. Paid search traffic, often known as search engine marketing, or SEM, is used to finance low-end SEO efforts.
Good SEO isn’t cheap. Nor should it—you’re paying for both knowledge and time. Let’s look at why SEO costs what it does and why it’s worth the investment.
Provider’s experience
As stated before, the more you spend, the better the service. Experienced SEO firms may charge more as they provide results. It also helps to select a company with industry expertise.
Our achievements at Seologic show our expertise. Brightpearl boosted non-brand organic traffic by 950 percent in one year with us. Our SEO, on-site content, website migration, and high-profile content collaborations all contributed to our success.
Don’t trust your SEO to a shady firm that may damage your rankings and cause Google penalties. It pays to hire professionals who know what they’re doing.
Provider’s location
Location is vital. A company based in a city would generally charge more than a provider located in the countryside, but this is due to overhead, not superior service.
Instead of getting dazzled by the dazzling lights, examine what each business provides. But avoid using low-cost foreign SEO firms.
Pricing model
Hourly SEO fees are tempting, but they quickly add up. A set monthly charge or a predetermined per-project pricing may deter small companies. In contrast to hourly pricing, you may agree on what is included and budget accordingly.
Client company size
If you’re an enterprise, you’ll need the finest enterprise SEO plan, and your selected firm will price accordingly. When establishing a cost, they’ll evaluate your company’s size and income, as well as your business goals.
Prices may also vary by industry. Some are more suited to internet marketing than others, and standing out in a crowded, competitive industry takes more SEO effort.
SEO plan (past, present, future)
An SEO firm will examine your past actions (or inactions). If you haven’t paid much attention to SEO, the agency will have to create a plan from beginning.
The more assistance you require (fixing technical difficulties, removing Google penalties), the more you’ll spend. You can expect to spend more if you have high expectations for your SEO strategy.
The ROI on SEO
Before hiring an SEO firm, you should know the expected return on investment (ROI). But SEO ROI is difficult to calculate since it involves gaining exposure, not buying it.
The first measure is the investment cost. Then you must monitor and value your conversions. Google Analytics calculates income from each search channel and gives conversion rates for every website visitors.
The ROI formula is: (Revenue – Cost of investment) /
So, if you made $70,000 in sales and spent $50,000 on SEO, your ROI would be 40%.
You can also calculate monthly profit by deducting the average monthly cost of SEO from the anticipated monthly revenue.
Remember that SEO takes time to work its way up the SERPs, so expect a little return on your effort.
The best SEO solution for you
What works for one company may not work for another. Ask your SEO agency whether they can offer national or local SEO, content development, sophisticated analytics or all of the above.
As shown, you should not scrimp on SEO services. Ask mid-level or high-end agencies for instances of their achievements. Check reviews and make sure they haven’t used any questionable methods.
Try to speak with the SEO team rather than simply the sales person. So you may talk to the people who will handle your SEO account and make sure they understand your goals.
If you have the time and money, you might compare a few firms by buying separate SEO audit services. If not, do your homework on the agency you select.
Is SEO still valuable in 2021?
With Google’s new algorithms and SERPs, there’s much more to consider if you want to rank #1.
Updates like BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers, in case you care) utilize natural language processing to better comprehend search context. With new SERP features like highlighted snippets, your site may be lost in the shuffle.
However, if you hire SEO professionals, their duty is to stay up with the changes and optimize your site’s potential. So a properly optimized site will run nicely.
Organic searches provide 53% of all site traffic, while voice search and AI are increasing possibilities. With smartphones, anybody can look up your company at any moment.
That’s why SEO is still one of the best long-term tactics.
The finest SEO results
To be #1, you need a great strategy—and you need to be willing to pay for it. Avoid cheap bargains and “black hat” tactics that may harm your visibility.
While certain SEO tasks may be done on a DIY basis, it is not a long-term strategy. It’s better to leave SEO to the experts. Call us to learn why our SEO and content marketing services are worth every penny.