How much does SEO cost in 2024? Let’s find out with a detailed analysis of various SEO billing models and the factors influencing final SEO pricing.
There’s a huge disparity in prices when it comes to SEO costs. In most cases, the scale and extent of SEO needed to position a page in SERP play a huge role in determining the final cost.
Consequently, most SEO projects cost between $2000 to $25000, depending upon the size of the website. Most agencies charge $70 to $900 an hour for SEO consultation.
Given the huge variations, it’s essential to know about the intricacies of SEO expenditure. It helps businesses follow an approach that aligns with their SEO objective and budgetary consideration.
Let’s dive in to understand the nuances of SEO cost and gain insights to extract maximum ROI from SEO campaigns.
SEO Cost – In a Nutshell
Different SEO aspects have different pricing. Below is an average estimate of SEO cost to give you a quick overview.
| SEO Audit Price | $700 – $25000 |
| Keyword Research | $300 – $700 ( one-time) |
| On Page SEO | $950 – $5000 |
| Off Page SEO ( Link Building) | $600 – $4000 |
| Content Creation | $25 to $100 per page |
| Local SEO | $600 – $2000 |
| Technical SEO | $700 – $6000 |
| Ecommerce SEO | $800 – $10,000 |
| SEO Consultation | Average $100 per hour |
| Monthly SEO Packages | $3000 – $30,000+ |
How much does SEO cost – Different billing models?
Different SEO billing models exist and are tailored per the business size, requirements, the extent of seo project, location, and region.
Price per hour of SEO services
It’s one of the most popular service models, and most agencies in America and Europe, as well as SEO professionals in these regions, follow the hourly billing model.
The average hourly rate of SEO comes to $80 to $120. However, hourly rates can also range between $150 – $400 depending on the business size and niche. And in certain circumstances, SEO professionals ( 1% as per Ahrefs) can even charge as high as $900 per hour.
One thing of note here is that freelancers charge less than agencies. Ahrefs found that 58% of agencies charge $100 and upward for an hour compared to 36% of SEO freelancers.
BONUS: Also Learn about how much does SEO Specialist earn.
Monthly Fee for SEO Services
SEO is an ongoing process that requires continuous efforts to maintain ranking and visibility. That’s why the monthly retainer is also a popular billing model in the SEO industry. On average, SEO monthly retainer ranges between $500 to $1500 for small businesses.
The monthly SEO retainer costs between $1500 – $3000 for mid-range businesses. For more comprehensive SEO projects, agencies even charge upward of $5000 to $10,000.
And if you are looking specifically for the US and Canada markets, the prices are generally high. The minimum monthly retainer SEO cost in the US and Canada comes out to be upward of $1000. In specific cases where the scale of an SEO project is comprehensive, agencies also charge between $25000 to $45000.
Again if we compare agencies and freelancers, the former charges as much as 50% and more than the latter. On average, agencies charge $ 5000 for an SEO monthly retainer, while freelancers charge about $2600 for monthly SEO projects.
Price for Complete SEO Project
Agencies and freelancers also bill their service on a per-project basis. These projects often have a set SEO objective, and agencies and freelancers quote their prices accordingly.
Ahrefs found that nearly 20% of agencies and freelancers charge between $2500 – $5000 for a complete SEO project. However, prices vary a lot and mostly depend on the geographic location. For example, in India, SEO professionals bill SEO projects at only $1500. While in Central and South America, it’s between $10k to $25k.
US and Canada have the highest per-project SEO charges going as far as $50k to $75k for each project.
SEO Cost In Different Countries?
The region where you are seeking SEO services has a significant impact on the final SEO costs. Here is a breakdown of SEO costs based on different regions;
| Country | Average SEO Cost ( Monthly) |
|---|---|
| South America | $1500 – $3500 |
| Central America | $1000 – $2500 |
| United States | $2500 – $50000 |
| Canada | $2000 – $45000 |
| United Kingdom | $2500 – $50000 |
| Europe | $2000 – $25000 |
| India | $1000 – $1500 |
Note – The above data is from the Ahrefs study about SEO cost in different regions worldwide.
Why is it crucial to know the SEO cost?
SEO is a specialized sector that requires expert intervention to achieve desired results. When businesses or individuals seek SEO services, it’s often to fill the expertise gap and ultimately utilize the service to solidify their online presence and achieve better visibility.
But lack of expertise or the absence of an SEO expert poses a challenge – how to determine the SEO budget and best course of action needed to full SEO objectives. It may lead to selecting an SEO service that overpromises but delivers subpar results.
Here are some other key reasons why it’s crucial to know the SEO cost;
- It helps businesses allocate an appropriate budget that is enough to fulfill their marketing objectives.
- It helps assess the return on investment from the SEO campaigns.
- Knowing the cost upfront helps avoid hidden costs.
- It facilitates the comparison of services provided by different SEO agencies and gauges their viability to the business.
- Understanding the SEO cost and its various associated tasks helps you evaluate the scope of work.
- It ultimately helps you set realistic expectations regarding the outcomes of SEO campaigns.
BONUS: Click here if you are interested to know some of the top SEO Agencies.
How to evaluate the SEO service cost?
Most experts advise a systematic approach while evaluating the SEO service cost. It ensures that you will get the best value for your investment in SEO. Here are some pointers to assist you in effectively evaluating SEO service costs;
- Have a clear SEO objective – it could be traffic, ranking for specific terms, generating leads etc.
- Research for different SEO service providers.
- Once you have shortlisted a few SEO services, reach them and ask for a detailed proposal.
- Next, review the proposal, the services it includes and the price it involves.
- Avoid SEO services that promise unrealistic results – like ranking within days etc.
- Ensure that the service is transparent about its pricing and the various costs involved.
- Evaluate the experience, past results, and customer testimonials to identify the credibility of the service provider.
What factors influence SEO cost?
Several factors come into play when deciding the final SEO cost. Let’s understand them all;
- SEO Goals – Your SEO goals directly impact the SEO cost. If you wish to rank for a competitive keyword, it will require more effort and hence the SEO cost will increase.
- Complexity of Site – The ease of implementing SEO techniques also impacts SEO costs. An ecommerce site with thousands of products will require more technical optimization pushing the cost higher.
- Size of the Website – The size of the website also impacts SEO price. A small business website with a few pages will have lower SEO costs than an enterprise website with several sections and hundreds of pages.
- Age of the Website – In SEO, the age of the website matters a lot. A fresh website with no authority will take more time to rank than a website with higher domain authority.
- Website Content – The quality and relevance of a website impact SEO. SEO costs will increase if your website needs extensive content creation or optimization.
- Backlinks Profile – It’s an obvious fact – clean backlinks profiles boost SEO. If your site needs a major revamp regarding its link profile or requires an extensive link-building campaign, the overall SEO cost will increase.
- Competition in the Niche – You will need a comprehensive SEO campaign to outrank your competitors if you are in finance, travel or similar niches with extensive competition. The efforts will require more resources and time, impacting the cost.
- Current Ranking In SERP – Your site’s current positioning in SERP also affects the SEO cost. It is also related to your SEO goals and the competition in your niche.
- Time Required – SEO is a time-intensive process. If you desire specific results in a short time frame, SEO agencies will ask for more budget. It’s because the task will require more intense and cost-intensive efforts.
- Regional and Languages – If your site targets multiple locations, it will need more elaborate SEO efforts. The SEO strategy must factor in additional keyword research and increased localization efforts, significantly influencing the cost.
What Does an SEO Service Include?
SEO services is an umbrella term that includes a broad range of activities – but the main aim is always higher ranking in search results and more traffic.
Here’s what an SEO service includes;
- Keyword Research
- Detailed technical audits
- Content audits and optimization.
- Optimizing website speed and core web vitals.
- Analysis of the current link profile and its optimization.
- Link-building campaigns to acquire new and quality backlinks.
- Keywords tracking and monitoring of various SEO matrices.
DIY SEO vs Professional SEO Service – Can SEO Be Free?
It’s possible to do SEO on your own – like every other skill, you can learn SEO and implement it on your website. But SEO is not free – even DIY SEO requires specific skills, training, and time. Therefore, even if you won’t be hiring an expert, the time spent learning SEO and implementing it on the website is also an investment.
On the other hand, SEO professionals or agencies bring skills as well as experience to the table. Due to exposure to different SEO projects and their in-depth knowledge of various SEO tools, they can easily craft customized SEO strategies specific to your requirements. This enables businesses to focus on core growth activities while at the same time achieving better online visibility and online success.
Pro Tip: Even if you hire a professional person for SEO, it is advisable to learn SEO for yourself. Here is our quick guide to DIY SEO that will help you boost for website’s ranking and visibility.
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Conclusion – It’s all about Quality and ROI
SEO can be a powerful lever to attain a better position in search ranking, but only when done right. Therefore, adopting a capable and experienced SEO service with a proven track record and a portfolio of happy clients is crucial.
The above analysis indicates that it’s not easy to pinpoint SEO cost – a lot depends on the website, content, competition, as well as the agency and professional providing the SEO services.
However, keep in mind that SEO is all about ROI. Therefore, it is better to opt for costly services renowned for delivering results instead of cheap and unrealistic offerings with no measurable results to show.
FAQs
It’s not necessary, but it’s recommended. You can learn SEO, but the specific experience that an SEO professional or an agency has can’t be matched by a website owner. Therefore it’s always recommended to trust SEO with an adept agency or consultancy.
There’s no fixed time. It all depends on the individual project, scope, the competition in the niche etc. In any case, a good SEO strategy takes about 5 to 8 months to show desired results.
The minimum costs vary based on the nature of the project and the industry where it operates. On average, an SEO project to rank an online store in Google will cost a minimum of $1000.
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