How much should a small business spend on SEO?

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SEO (search engine optimization) is a small business necessity. It's not an unnecessary expense; it's an investment that can pay off in the long run. While it can be complex, this is no excuse to avoid it.

Think about it this way: SEO is like a marketing campaign. You wouldn't launch a campaign without first doing your research, would you? Of course not! The same is true for SEO.

You need to understand how it works before you can start implementing it into your business. And once you have a basic understanding of SEO, you can refine your strategy and make it work for you.

But how much should you be spending on SEO? That depends on your business. Small businesses typically don't have the same budget as larger businesses, so you'll need to find a way to make SEO work within your budget.

If you're interested in SEO and want to learn if it fits your budget, then you're in for a treat. Here are some factors that determine how much SEO costs for your business.

What can you afford?

The cost of SEO services varies depending on the size and complexity of your website, as well as the competitiveness of your industry. Generally, you can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $5000 per month for a full-service SEO campaign.

Small businesses likely don't have room for full-service SEO services. Even so, your business website still needs to be found online so that your customers can find you and if you want to grow.

So, how can you go about this? You may find that contracting a basic SEO package from an agency or working with a freelance consultant is enough for the first few years as you get your website up and running.

These professionals can help you identify your website's weaknesses and strengths, and then develop a plan of action to improve your site's search engine ranking.

But as your business grows, so will your website, company size, and SEO needs. You'll then need to invest in a more comprehensive SEO package.

What's the objective of your SEO strategy?

Your SEO strategy is your plan of action to improve your website's visibility and organic search traffic. The main objective of any SEO strategy is to increase website traffic and boost sales or leads.

However, there are a variety of other objectives that you may have for your SEO campaign, such as increasing brand awareness, improving website usability, or even gaining links from high-quality websites.

How much you spend on SEO also depends on your SEO strategy. Why? Because some tactics, like link building, can be pretty costly. Also, the more competitive your industry is, the more you'll need to invest to stay ahead of the competition.

Project-based SEO consultants could be all you need if you have a small website or a limited budget. But if you're looking for a more comprehensive and long-term SEO solution, you'll likely need an in-house SEO team or an agency.

We are an SEO marketing Agency, and we can help you with your SEO needs. We offer a project-based pricing model and will help you achieve the results you are looking for.

How much SEO do you know?

One of the reasons why the top SEO companies are valuable and appealing is because they have years of experience and knowledge in SEO. Also, that's what makes them expensive.

Successful business owners and marketing professionals know that in order to be successful, they need to invest in their website and make sure it's properly optimized for the search engines. They, themselves, invest in learning about SEO.

Knowing and understanding the basic ins and outs of SEO is a great way to get started. However, in order to be successful and stay competitive, you need to continue learning and keep up with the latest trends and changes in search engine algorithms.

Many courses online are available to help you learn more about SEO. And once you have an idea of what works behind the scene, you may be able to cut down the cost of your SEO services.

You don't need to be an expert on everything, but understanding the basics of SEO will help you make more informed decisions when working with an SEO company. And remember, the best way to learn is by doing. So get started today and see the results for yourself!

How much is SEO per project, per month, and per hour?

Take note that no two SEO consultants or agencies price their services the same. Your business model, company size, and SEO needs will determine the scope of your SEO project and the corresponding price.

But there are several basic SEO pricing models that many consultants and agencies use to dictate how much their SEO services will cost. The typical ones include project, monthly, and hourly-based.

Project-based SEO services

Project-based SEO services are not as common as you might think. It's usually only offered by larger SEO agencies with more resources and manpower. The price for this type of service is usually a one-time fee that can range from $5,000-$30,000.

Monthly-based SEO services

Monthly SEO services are the most popular pricing model. For a flat monthly fee, you get all of the SEO services you need to improve your website's ranking. This price usually ranges from $750 to $5000/month, but can vary depending on the size and complexity of your website.

Hourly-based SEO services

The hourly pricing model is the most flexible and affordable option. You only pay for the services you need when you need them. For example, if you only need help with On-page optimization, you can hire an SEO consultant to work on your project for a few hours each week. The average hourly rate for SEO services is $80-$200/hour.

Small businesses and startups often choose the hourly pricing model because it allows them to budget for SEO services without breaking the bank. However, this option can be less effective than project or monthly services, since tasks may not be completed in a timely manner.

Per Link building price model

This pricing model is common among SEO agencies that offer content marketing or link-building services. If you're looking for information on how much it costs to build links, you could have come across of some mix information, and you have been wondering how much it'll cost to hire someone to do it manually. This answer is different.

Some agency and freelancers price it based on the number of links, while others focus on domain rating (DR) or domain authority (DA) link tiers.

The average cost per link in various on industries and Tier level:

  • $150-$350 for easy industries and Lower tier links (DA 1-20)
  • $350-$600 for more competitive industries like real estate, business, tech, and legal and Mid-tier (DA 30-50)
  • links $600-$1500+ for Top tier links (DA 50-95)

We calculate using Ahrefs traffic value  by looking at the monthly Organic traffic value, which is the monthly cost of traffic from all keywords that the target website/URL ranks for if purchased through PPC rather than organically.

Formula: Traffic value per month * cost per click= Lifetime link value

Example: We want to rank for “Local SEO services Los Angeles” the potential keyword traffic is about 320 per month and the cost per click is $11.78, so if we use the formula: 320 Traffic value per month * 11.78 cost per click= $3,769 Lifetime link value

The average cost of acquiring a backlink from a website is $361.44, according to Ahrefs (excluding labor and outreach expenses).

Conclusion

The right SEO budget will depend on what your business can afford and what it wants to achieve. Let's say you're a small business with a limited budget. You can still achieve good SEO results by focusing on the basics, like keyword research and creating quality content. You may not be able to compete with the big brands, but you can still rank well for relevant keywords.

If you have more money to spend, you can invest in more advanced SEO tactics like link building, technical SEO, and local SEO. These strategies can help you rank higher for specific keywords and attract more visitors from your target market.

If you're looking for the Best SEO Services In Los Angeles or Los Angeles SEO companies, give us a call. Our SEO agency can help you identify the right SEO budget and digital marketing strategies for your business to generate more leads and sales.