As more and more people purchase online for safety and convenience, it’s no wonder why search engine optimization or SEO is becoming popular. The internet is growing fast, and ranking high on search engines like Google is now more important than ever.
If you’re searching for an SEO agency to trust with your website optimization, you must first get familiar with what is an SEO consultant or specialist. Before you delve into the price, check what SEO services you can get from your investment.
What Is an SEO Consultant?
A “consultant” is an expert in optimizing websites for search engines. They’re paid to give advice on how you can get higher rankings, more targeted traffic, and more profits for your business. If it’s your first time and you just want to try things out, try to look for an SEO consulting price with a “no strings attached” monthly agreement.
SEO Costs and Pricing
SEO pricing is messy and all over the place. How much SEO packages cost depends on their payment model. But on average, the cost in 2021 ranges from $5,000 to 30,000 for every project, $750 to $2,000 monthly, or $80 to $200 hourly.
According to Ahrefs’ SEO Industry Statistics, the most popular pricing tear for monthly retainers is $501 to $1,000 per month. A retainer package is a recurring pricing agreement that makes it easier for an agency to target long-term digital marketing goals. It’s ideal pricing to make consistent progress towards your marketing goals while optimizing your marketing budget.
Pricing Models
Whether you avail of an affordable monthly retainer SEO from another country or a local SEO agency, there are different SEO pricing models you can choose from. Here are the most common:
a. Packages
If you simply want a specific number of links or a one-time SEO audit, getting a package may work. For business people who don’t have any background in search engine marketing, SEO agencies charge and offer packages like Bronze, Silver, and Gold for clients to choose from and pass all the work to them.
Packages are a convenient way for SEO agencies to get into a process and work out a client’s profit margins. However, remember that not all packages are tailor-fit to improve your website’s online visibility.
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Many agencies and consultants offer monthly retainer contracts to have enough time to develop the best SEO campaign for your business without being constrained. SEO is a long-term process that impacts your website’s performance, so you can’t expect to see significant changes overnight.
A monthly retainer lets an SEO specialist strategize several months in advance, reflect on the work done and the results, then progress at least monthly. This type of SEO pricing focuses on producing results rather than delivering a certain amount of work each month. You can ensure that your partner SEO company always works on what will provide the greatest return on investment than on a mere number of backlinks.
c. Hourly Rates
If you are looking to pay per hour, it may be wise to hire a consultant instead to perform the SEO audit. Then, you can pay hourly rates for specific SEO services needed by your website. However, if you need immediate results with a website with little existing exposure, you can supplement your SEO efforts with paid advertising, like a Google Ads campaign.
Don’t fret. If your budget allows you only to employ SEO services per hour, try to talk to a consultant first and see if they can work around your budget.
How Much Should You Pay?
As you may have noticed, SEO services cost runs on different ranges. To help you find the number of what to expect to pay, ask yourself these questions.
1. What’s your goal?
A small business website won’t need as much work as one from a big corporation. If you have a small business and just want to start an ongoing SEO in-house, an hourly consultant or per project price may be all you need. However, if you want a more effective, ongoing strategy, a monthly or yearly plan is more cost-effective.
2. What’s your budget?
For a starting business, you probably don’t have room in your budget for full-service digital marketing. But still, if you want to grow your business, SEO is one of the important things to consider.
You can start working with a part-time expert, per project, or a basic package from an agency for the first few years. And once your business grows, so will your SEO needs and budget.
3. Does any of your staff know SEO?
One of the reasons why SEO consultants are valuable is because of their years of experience growing online businesses. However, if your organization is tech-related, chances are, you have people who know how to optimize your website, so you can save on the SEO cost and do it in-house. But if your business isn’t SEO-related, then it’s best to leave it to SEO professionals.
Are You Ready To Be Found?
Building a good website isn’t enough. You also need a strong SEO plan to position your business higher on search results. Doing so helps you attract the attention of your target customers and bring them into the sales funnel.
On average, SEO pricing can be expensive, but it’s because the process involves plenty of channels. Link building, keyword research, and other services — require consistent effort applied over time and skill set honed over years of experience to get good results.
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Micheal Suarez
Very well presented. Every quote was awesome and thanks for sharing the content. Keep sharing and keep motivating others.