SEO is a popular marketing method that can increase traffic to your website. However, the cost of SEO services is not cheap. Depending on the scope of your project, you can either opt for a monthly retainer or go for a performance-based pricing plan. To avoid any unpleasant surprises, it is important to research the pricing of your SEO services before you hire them.
Pricing varies depending on the scope of project
Pricing for a digital project can seem like an exercise in futility, but it doesn’t have to be. By breaking the project down into manageable phases, you can achieve maximum benefits with minimal expenditure. However, this approach comes with its own set of problems, such as scope creep and conflicting expectations.
Monthly retainer plan
When calculating your monthly retainer plan for SEO, one of the most important factors is determining how much work you’ll be able to handle each month. Not all clients will be able to pay the same amount every month, so make sure to set a limit for how much work you’re willing to take on.
If you’re looking for a professional SEO team, monthly retainer plans are an ideal choice. These plans allow you to engage an SEO expert for ongoing support and maintenance without taking on an entire implementation project. This approach gives you the opportunity to meet your SEO needs on an ongoing basis and makes the agency feel like an extension of your own in-house team. The goal is to make them your go-to resource and trusted partner, rather than a subcontractor.
A monthly SEO retainer plan typically costs between $10,000 and $25,000 per month. These costs include technical strategies, SEO content strategies, custom designs, and landing pages. The monthly fee can increase based on the size of your business. Larger enterprises may pay as much as $100,000 per month for extensive SEO services. While these costs are high, the average salary for an SEO is surprisingly low.
Performance-based pricing
Performance-based pricing for SEO is a welcome change from charging for services or keywords that may not rank. It is also a step closer to charging according to what a business needs. In the past, the industry has been dominated by web-geeks who are all too happy with their ranking reports and laundry list of services.
The downside to performance-based pricing is that it complicates the sales process. It makes it difficult for prospective clients to understand how the price of an SEO campaign is determined. It is standard practice in many industries to charge according to the number of pages they rank for, but this model adds a layer of complexity to the sale.
When evaluating SEO agencies, look for a firm that offers performance-based pricing. Some agencies charge for set-up fees and investment, but fail to deliver relevant results. In addition, they often use vague definitions of what “performance” means, making their pricing methods misleading. Make sure to compare quotes from different companies and understand the pricing schedule before you sign a contract.