Is SEO Expensive?
Is SEO expensive? That is usually the first question that a website owner will ask when they are looking to use SEO services. While every website owner wants their website to appear at the top of the search engine results, it is a process which costs money and no one wants to spend more money than they have to.
It is nearly impossible to pinpoint an exact price for SEO services. Every professional has their own set of prices and provides quotes based on the project which is being presented to them and the time it is going to take them to complete the optimization to your website.
When SEO is concerned, most professionals work on an ongoing basis. Websites do just get optimized once and then the project is complete. It is a process which is continuous and ongoing. After the initial optimization is performed, you may not need a professional as often as you do in the beginning, but you still need someone to maintain and make future SEO changes to your website.
SEO is normally done in “campaigns” and can last anywhere from a month to years. An SEO campaign is a marketing campaign for your website. When looking for an SEO professional or company, there are many to choose from. Some have been in business for many years while others only for a few months. A professional who has not been in business for very long will usually cost less than those who have been in business longer.
SEO projects are normally contracted for a certain period of time. The time period can be as short as one month or as long as six months or a year. Most SEO professionals charge on a monthly basis. Some charge by the hour while others charge by the project.
Now let’s get down to the actual cost. In the United States, prices typically range from a few hundred dollars per month to over a thousand dollars a month depending on the professional and the total scope of the project. Larger websites (think major online shopping stores and major news outlet websites) can run thousands per month for SEO.
Do not let this scare you however. Most SEO professionals will tailor a package that will suit your needs. If your website is well optimized but is lacking inbound links and quality content writing, you can have a package designed around those two items.
Much like buying a car, with SEO, you get what you pay for. While good SEO professionals have prices which vary, you should be hesitant of any company which offers you prices which are way below what other companies have quoted you. You want a company that will get you results, not one which will provide you the lowest prices.
For small to medium sized companies who would like to use SEO to market their websites, the cost can be intimidating. The cost however is not any more expensive than traditional marketing methods such as print ads and television commercials. Your website needs SEO to make it to the top of the search engine results. After your website is at the top, the cost of SEO will seem minimal.
