SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation, and it’s central to every digital marketing strategy out there. With SEO, you improve the organic search engine performance of your website. Implementations are made to ensure your site is perfectly set up to rank well across a range of targeted keyword searches. In simple terms, the aim is to get you in the top ranking spots for searches most relevant to your business.
The benefits of SEO are widely known; you can drive more traffic to your website, which can then be converted into leads, and transformed into sales. You also boost brand awareness by making yourself more visible, and being in the top rankings spots gives your brand an increased sense of authority.
So, all in all, SEO is pretty important. But, how much should you pay for it? SEO pricing will vary from business to business, but there are a few key things that need to be considered. As such, we’ve created this guide to help explain SEO costs for you in more detail.
How much does SEO cost?
The cost of SEO depends on a few factors. Naturally, the main thing is your objectives. What are you hoping to achieve from SEO services, and how fast do you want to achieve it? If you demand some pretty extravagant goals in a short space of time, then it will inevitably cost more than a service for reasonably achievable objectives spread out over the same period.
More often than not, SEO is charged on an hourly basis. This works out as how many hours will need to be spent on your particular project per month. Hourly rates differ from business to business, with some companies charging as much as £200 per hour for their work.
We currently charge £50 per hour, making us one of the most affordable options around. You will sometimes come across SEO services that are advertised at as little as £50 per month, but you get what you pay for here. No SEO expert will do a good job for just £50 a month, it usually means you get an extremely basic, low-level service that won’t help you in the long run.
The average UK price depends on the level of SEO. Recent figures suggest mid-level SEO costs around £2,000 to £4,000 per project, with high-end SEO averaging at £7,000.
What’s included in the SEO cost?
This is something a lot of people want to know as they feel like SEO services can be quite costly. On the face of it, paying thousands of pounds does seem like a lot of money, but it’s actually a great value investment. You see, many things go into an overall SEO package, which is why some are priced more than others.
For example, with our service, we charge an hourly rate that takes into consideration the planning stage, building the strategy, and SEO management fees as well. So, you’re not just paying £50 an hour for someone to do one thing – it’s many things rolled into one package.
The planning stage involves listening to your needs and coming up with a plan of action that targets all your specific goals. When everyone is happy with this, we move into actually building the strategy and setting the wheels in motion. This is where you’ll start to see the benefits of an expert SEO service. Then, the SEO management fees refer to continued management of the strategy. We don’t just build it and leave it with you, we need to keep an eye on things to ensure everything is on track and you meet your goals.
How is the cost calculated?
When you understand what’s included in the overall hourly rate for SEO, it’s easy to know how the cost is calculated. Taking our service as an example, we think about how much time will be spent on planning, building, management, and implementation per month.
What do we base this on? Well, it’s primarily from past experience. Once you’ve worked with many clients, you understand how long it takes to do specific things. This allows us to work out how many hours it takes to do them. So, we can add up the estimated hours to form the overall quote. You see how many hours we need per month, and you can work out the cost by timesing it by £50.
What affects SEO pricing the most?
As mentioned earlier, many things can influence SEO pricing. Something we didn’t mention is the location. Just like pretty much everything else, the location of the agency will dictate the general price bracket. For example, SEO services in London are generally more expensive than anywhere else in the UK.
But, as we said, the main influencers are the objectives and timeframe. This is because your goals will significantly influence the level of SEO you receive. People with serious objectives will want a high-end service that demands close attention, meaning the agency has to call upon as many SEO techniques as possible. Naturally, this is going to take up more of their time, particularly when compared to a client with fairly average objectives.
For example, if a client has the aim of reaching the top ranking spot for one search, then this is easier to achieve than someone who wants to be the top for multiple searches, have a specific increase in web traffic, and so on. It demands more attention, leading to more hours, and more money.
How do you know if the SEO Cost is worth it?
This is probably the most significant question; how do you know if the cost is actually worth it, or if you’re being ripped off. Well, you can start by looking around at what different companies quote for the same service. We offer free quotations that calculate how many hours we’ll need to work each month for your project. This gives you an idea of the overall costs, which can be compared to other companies.
Now, if other companies quote a higher price, but don’t really offer anything extra, then they’re not worth it. Likewise, a company with a lower rate, but a lower standard of service, are also not worth it.
Mainly, as long as the quoted cost falls into the UK average for the level of service, then it’s worth it. You just have to pay attention to what the company offers you. If you’re looking for a high-end service to really revamp your current SEO strategy, then be prepared to pay for it. The worst thing you can do is cut corners and settle for a lower-end service – it won’t give you the results you desire!
Summary - SEO Pricing Explained
Hopefully, this gives you a look at how much SEO costs in the UK right now. To summarise, companies charge an hourly rate for their services. The SEO cost is dependent on how many hours they need to work per month to achieve your objectives in the allotted timeframe. Prices vary depending on the level of the service, the amount of commitment required, the location of the agency, and the client’s objectives.
If you’re looking for affordable SEO, then please feel free to get in touch with us today. We charge £50 per hour, and this includes the planning, building, and management of your strategy. We even provide a free SEO audit before we begin, and you can get a quote for the number of hours we shall need every month. We’ll happily answer any extra questions on our SEO pricing as well, so don’t be afraid to call us or send an email! Learn more about our SEO services here
