Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is becoming an essential service for businesses that want a presence on the internet. It is not enough to have a website. Without SEO, having a website is just like having a business in the middle of nowhere, with no signs or directions for potential customers.

Quality SEO

Good quality SEO work does not happen overnight. For real, lasting results, plan on a long term SEO campaign. You probably will not see any significant results in the first month. If the internet presence of your business is important to you, then SEO is essential, and not a do it yourself project. The world of search engine rankings is highly competitive. Only those who are experts at SEO can ensure that your business stays on top.

SEO Billing Types

• Hourly – An hourly fee is set for certain services. Hourly SEO services usually start at $100 per hours and can be as high as several hundred per hour.
• Project Pricing – Custom services and pricing are decided upon to fit the exact need of the client. The cost of these projects are completely variable. Most projects will start at around a thousand dollars and complex projects may cost tens of thousands of dollars.
• Contract Services – SEO services usually have a standard, sometimes advertised price. The price depends on the service being offered. Copywriting may range from 15 cents to 50 cents per word. The cost to set up a social media site can range anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
• Monthly Retainer – A fee is paid each month for certain routine SEO services, such as keyword research, link building, and regular reports. A small range of services can be obtained for a little over $700 per month. For a complete line of SEO services, expect to pay closer to $5,000 per month.

Too Good To Be True?

If you find someone willing to do SEO work for significantly lower that the above price estimates, it may be too good to be true. Be especially careful if they guarantee that you will have the top spot in the search engine rankings in a short period of time. Not even the best SEO experts can make promises like that, because the search engine ranking factors are constantly changing. If you come across a cheap SEO marketer who makes outrageous promises, they are probably using “black hat” SEO tactics, which could end up getting you severely penalized in the search engine rankings.