How much, is probably the fundamental questions when it comes to SEO services. It is the first question usually asked and the only one many business owners or managers are interested in. It’s understandable, decision makers need to be responsible. They need to make sure the money is well spend. After all, business is about making money, not about wasting it. So, how much do SEO services cost?
Business owners, and business managers, have certain mindsets. There is a target, a goal, that needs to be achieved. These goals are achieved in order for the business to be profitable. Business that doesn’t make money is a failed business.
Problem with SEO
SEO is a buzzword that nearly every business knows but rarely understands. It’s important, businesses are told. You need to consider it if you have website. If you want to be found. Simple, isn’t it?
The problem with SEO is twofold:
- Search engine optimisation activities are quite difficult to explain to someone who doesn’t know much about it (and that’s why they hire you!)
- SEO is a long game, there are no immediate gains and shortcuts
The first part is quite easy, SEO specialists needs to work on conveying the message, on communication. The business needs to see benefits, not the cogs of the machine. Business owners don’t really want to know about page speeds, H1 tags, spam back links. Communicating properly is a key here.
The second one is more difficult. Our respondents usually understand that it takes time but it is difficult to find a balance between promising something we cannot really promise and keeping the business interested in our work when it can take months to get there.
1st Pate Google Rank
Most of businesses, and not only businesses, look for only one thing, to be on Google, on the first page. That’s the ultimate goal of doing SEO. 1st page ranking pays off. This is what the client wants and this is what we. SEO experts, are trying to deliver. That’s the key word here: trying.
When digital marketing agencies sell their seo services they usually have to make some amendments for what a potential client wants to hear and what others offer. The reality is that there are many “services” offering miracles, meaning 1st page on Google in a month! Without checking the competitiveness of the niche, difficulty of keywords, without analysing website they are going to position.
The thing is, it may actually work. For a while. Search engine optimisation can be done in many ways but often what works in a short term can harm you in the long run.
How much do SEO services cost?
There are many businesses deciding to go with SEO experts from countries like India, Pakistan or Bangladesh simply because of competitive pricing. It’s not unusual to get an offer for around $150 per month. There is nothing wrong with it. Business is business and if it costs less, it is worth to consider.
The services offered are usually the same as what any agency would offer: on-page SEO services, SEO content creation services, link building, technical SEO. They offer good rates and are often able to win customers over. The price difference is huge. Agencies in Ireland or the UK would usually start their pricing around €500 (or £500 in the UK) per month for a small website. Comparing it with $150 and we have a winner.
Do SEO services from India or Pakistan work?
Does it work though? Well, the answer is you get what you pay for. The costs in India or Bangladesh may be lower but also level of spoken language and access to resources. Content is king and a lot of SEO activities are focused on content. This means a business owner has to consider what is he, or she, paying for. Low cost SEO services for small business are possible but the key is to get value. One may end up paying small amount of money and get the same, small and unsatisfying results. In the long run these offers hurt the market as such business will be unlikely to engage a SEO specialist again. After all, paying small amount over a long period of time without results makes a lot of money wasted.
When selling SEO services, agencies have to take into account affordability but they also need to think about costs. Having good content costs, having great one costs more. Getting tools to monitor and react, costs. Doing initial research costs. The work and the results, well, come at a cost. Nothing is free in this world. Unfortunately.
So, how much do SEO services cost?
The simple answer is, it depends. When SEO specialist assesses the project there are certain factors that need to be taken into consideration. some of them:
- How big is the project (website)?
- How competitive is the market?
- What does the competition do?
- What’s the state of the website?
- Were there any penalties applied?
Once the SEO specialist analyses the site, niche, market, keywords, competition (and more), the quote can be produced. Some marketing agencies produce the quote immediately, but the reality is, that initial work needs to be done. It needs to be done properly to produce results. Without proper analysis of where the business is, the strategy will be missing the standing. Sure, a lot can be promised, but after few months the client will be looking for results. If that preparatory stage is done incorrectly, the job cannot be done properly.
The rule of thumb is, bigger and more competitive market, more expensive it is. A small business can expect probably €500-€1,000 setup cost and ongoing cost of around €500 per month while a big online store has to budget thousands per month to cover SEO costs. That’s the reality.