Best SEO Pricing: How Much Does SEO Cost in 2023?

SEO pricing 2023 varies a lot by industry, location, what’s included in the SEO package and more.

Without knowing a lot about your company, it’s hard to give a concrete answer on exactly how much you should budget for SEO in 2023. However, we can give you a general idea.

Based on the average cost of SEO services in 2023, you can expect to spend:

• $2,000 to $7,000 per month for an average monthly SEO package
• $100 to $350 per hour for SEO consulting
• Starting at $2,000 for project-based SEO work

It’s a wide range, we know. A lot depends on the industry and needs of your company, as well as the breadth of experience of the SEO agency you choose.

It’s also important to understand what those numbers mean, because cheap SEO services are almost always too good to be true and cost you more in the long run.

Quality SEO is complex work that requires specialized expertise and tools.

To further help you decide your SEO budget, we’ve broken down the information further. We hope this helps you better understand exactly where your SEO costs should fall. We’ll go over:

1. Why you should invest in SEO
2. What actually goes into pricing an SEO package
3. What a decent monthly SEO package must include
4. SEO consulting: The alternative to a done-for-you SEO package
5. How much small businesses should be spending on SEO
6. Red flags to watch out for when it comes to low-cost SEO
7. Ways to keep SEO costs down without cutting corners

Let’s take a detailed look at how much SEO costs in 2023.

1. Why Should You Invest in SEO?

Fact: organic search accounts for 53% of all web traffic on an average website. Meaning if you’re not showing up in Google Search, you could be losing out on more than half of your potential customers.

And SEO is the most reliable, long-term strategy for getting your website seen by the people who buy what you sell.

That’s not to say it’s a magic bullet. SEO doesn’t work overnight. But when it’s done well, SEO is an incredibly powerful marketing tool that works alongside PPC advertising, social media marketing, and email marketing delivers lasting (and often increasing) value over time.

• Pay-per-click advertisements get your name out there quickly, but at a cost, and that cost fluctuates as the ad auction changes. SEO takes time, but once it’s established, it delivers a steady flow of relevant traffic for free.
• Social media platforms are powerful, but different platforms go in and out of fashion all the time. SEO leverages the value of stable search engines (mainly Google and Bing) that continue to gain influence on our lives.
• Email marketing gives you the freedom to say almost anything, but you can only communicate with existing leads and customers. SEO helps get your message out to new people who are specifically interested in what you offer.

It’s not so much a question of whether SEO pricing is worth it in 2023, but of how much you should invest in SEO based on your business’ needs and goals. Understanding the different types of SEO services available and how those services are priced will help you make an informed decision.

2. What Goes Into the SEO Pricing and SEO Packages?

Pricing for SEO packages largely depends on:

• SEO Agency Experience: You get what you pay for. Seasoned agencies tend to cost more, but they also know what works. They won’t waste your time on unproductive or outdated SEO strategies.
• Project Scope: Large-scale SEO campaigns will not only need more content, but also more labour and resources, while small-scale campaigns have a smaller price tag.
• Location: SEO agencies charge different rates depending on the demand for their services and the number of potential customers or clients in their area. This is where remote work is advantageous for agencies and clients alike — it lets agencies reduce operational costs without sacrificing quality or talent, which translates into cheaper rates for you.
• Pricing Model: There are different SEO pricing models, and each impacts the cost of SEO in a different way. An hourly or project-based model may be more cost-effective for you if you only need a few specific SEO fixes.
• Business Size (Startup vs. Mid-Market vs. Enterprise): Larger enterprises tend to require a broader scope of work, including more extensive website optimization, content writing and link building, so they require more expensive SEO packages.
• Existing SEO Strategy: SEO pricing depends on the state of your existing strategy, including existing website, backlinks, and content. Starting from scratch will obviously require more work and a greater cost since there’s more ground to cover. Having to reverse an existing SEO penalty will also require specialized penalty reversal work before or concurrent with SEO optimization.
• Goals: Want to dominate a particular keyword? Overtake specific competitors? Get a certain volume of traffic per month or year? Your goals play a big part in how much SEO costs, since you’ll need different approaches depending on where you want to end up.

Ultimately, what you budget for SEO isn’t just about what others are spending. Instead, it’s about what you need and want from your SEO campaign.

3. What Does a Monthly SEO Package Include?

A monthly SEO package usually includes a mix of SEO tactics to support an SEO strategy created based on your business’s current SEO standing (rankings, work already completed, penalties, etc.), goals, budget, and competitive landscape.
An SEO package priced at the higher end of the SEO pricing spectrum ($7,000 per month) will include more services than one at the lower end ($2,000 per month.) It could also include going after more, or more competitive, keywords.
When a company is new to SEO and starting from scratch, monthly SEO services will likely include research and setup tasks that lay the groundwork for success, including:

• Keyword and competitive research
• SEO Audit (on page SEO, technical SEO, off page SEO)
• Set up analytics

After the foundation is laid, monthly SEO services tend to transition to technical fixes that improve the health of your website to maximize SEO results, including:

• On-Page SEO fixes
• Off-Page SEO fixes
• Technical SEO fixes

Afterward, the focus generally shifts to ongoing optimization and content creation. Depending on your needs, it might take the form of a specific number of content pieces per month, or ongoing on-page and off-page SEO optimizations.
Overall, what a monthly SEO services package includes is subject to your company’s current and future goals, as well as your budget. Get in touch to learn more about the SEO services we can provide you on a monthly basis within your budget.

4. What’s Included in SEO Consulting?

If you already have an in-house marketing team with some SEO or content writing experience, you may be able to benefit from SEO consulting services, including:

• SEO Audit: The first step in implementing an SEO strategy is a detailed SEO analysis of your website that identifies exactly what’s preventing you from getting the results you want.
• SEO Recommendations: Second opinion on your current SEO plan with recommendations on tactics and keywords, etc.
• SEO Training: Providing training on SEO content, linking, technical SEO, and other SEO tactics to your in-house marketing team.
• SEO Implementation: Usually project-based services which can include fixing an SEO penalty, performing SEO audits and fixes, working on keyword projects, and compiling reports as needed

If you’re not sure if you need SEO consulting or a full SEO package, we offer free 20-minute consultations — for those who are interested in learning more about our professional SEO services without the commitment.

5. What Should SEO Cost a Small Business?

There is no reason why a small business can’t invest in SEO, even if you’re starting with a smaller budget.

In fact, small businesses can often benefit the most from SEO since they can’t just throw money at advertising like their large competitors can.

Generally, a small business’s SEO costs fall within this average range:

• $2,000 to $7,000 per month for a monthly SEO package
• $100 to $350 per hour for SEO consulting
• Starting at $2,000 for project-based SEO work

SEO agencies usually offer tiers of service, with the most comprehensive option costing more than the most basic.

Small businesses that are just getting started in SEO often start with a smaller package that includes things like keyword research, monitoring, and a focus on a small number of realistic keyword targets , then scale up once they see results.

6. Are Cheap SEO Services Worth It?

We mentioned above that you can expect a monthly SEO package from a professional SEO agency to range from between $2,000 and $7,000 per month.

Professional SEO Consulting runs from $100 to $350 per hour.

What if that’s just too much? Is it worth digging to find an even cheaper SEO service?

Here’s why the answer is always no.

While they may seem like a great deal at first, cheap SEO services often use manipulative tactics that go against search engine guidelines and cost you more in the long run.

Google and Bing are well aware of these shady practices. In fact, they deploy advanced machine learning algorithms to actively hunt down and penalize websites that use manipulative black hat SEO practices.

That can cause you to lose traffic, get blocked-listed, and potentially forfeit all of your future search traffic to your competitors.

Cheap SEO services are a huge risk to your company and brand so it’s important to know how to avoid them. The biggest red flags that you’re dealing with shady, cheap SEO providers include:

• Big Promises for Low Price Tags: Long-term SEO success takes a lot of manual work that can’t be done on a budget. You either have to settle for a small number of keywords or pay more later for the work that needs to be done.
• No Long-Term Strategy: Cheap SEO companies offer short-term solutions, but this isn’t realistic. Either they aren’t doing their job or they’re just looking to get quick and easy money from unsuspecting customers.
• No Transparency: Having visibility over the SEO process allows you to assess the results and make necessary changes. Never trust an SEO company that isn’t transparent with you.

If you’re looking for a quick fix to your online marketing strategy, don’t fall for cheap SEO pricing. Contact a reputable agency and see what can be done quickly and on your budget.

7. How to Keep SEO Costs in Check & Get the Best ROI

You don’t want to risk your business’s success by hiring an agency that offers SEO on the cheap.

At the same time, quality SEO doesn’t have to break the bank.

If you’re on a tight budget, making smart decisions in a few key places can help keep your costs down in order to get the most bang for your buck.

Here’s a quick lowdown on keeping costs in check while still getting the best SEO ROI:

• Focus on High-ROI Keywords: The best keywords to target aren’t always long-tail keywords or even competitive keywords — just the words and phrases that have the best chance of producing a good return on investment for your business. Any SEO work you pay for should start with solid keyword research to inform decisions about what to target.
• Test Keywords with Advertising First: Keyword research is important but not always foolproof. One way to test the viability of target keywords is to bid on them through paid search (e.g. Google Ads) before investing in SEO for that same keyword. That way, if the keyword turns out not to be profitable, you won’t waste your time or money chasing it organically.
• Keep an Eye on the Competition: Studying what your most successful competitors are doing can provide valuable insight on your own SEO strategy. Always insist on competitor research as part of your SEO package.
• Play the Long Game: SEO is a long term investment and it’s important to be realistic about ROI. This is especially true for small brands who may need a little more time than larger brands to rank their content. You should be prepared to invest in SEO for at least 6-8 months to see results. If you don’t have enough time or budget for that, stick to other digital marketing tactics like PPC or email marketing to get your brand in front of the right people sooner.

At TrafficSoda, we are committed to helping you get the best ROI with a strong, strategic approach. Get in touch to learn more about SEO pricing and how businesses can keep their costs low while still achieving solid results.

Want More Specific SEO Pricing? Request an Estimate to Find Out How Much SEO Will Cost You in 2023

The average cost of professional SEO services ranges between $2,000 and $7,000 per month for a monthly SEO package, or between $100 and $350 per hour for SEO consulting.

SEO pricing in 2023 varies depending on the scope of your SEO needs, the competitive landscape, and your goals, as well as external factors like location.

If you’re still not sure how to budget for SEO in 2023, we’ll do the hard work for you. Contact us now for an estimate of what you can expect to pay for professional SEO services tailored to your needs.