SEO stands for search engine optimization, a process designed to improve a site’s placement in the SERPs (search engine results page). SEO services are designed to enhance your web presence by increasing your website’s traffic through search engine ranking improvement. SEO a highly specialized service that can be done through an SEO Expert who will optimize your web pages, make them more attractive to potential customers, and increase the trust of your website with Google.
How much does SEO cost?
SEO fees will vary by provider and experience. Less experienced providers who may not implement Google’s best practices generally bill a few hundred dollars per month or less. Besides having a lack of experience, low-cost SEO providers typically cut corners in areas like link development which can leave a website prone to a Google penalty.
Besides experience, SEO cost vary by industry a market. That is because the level of competition can change drastically depending on what you do, and who you market to. For local businesses, legitimate SEO firms will charge no less than $500 per month. A national or international campaign will require a minimum budget of $2,500 to $5,000 month.
Is SEO a Cost?
Contrary to popular belief, SEO is an investment rather than a cost. A well tuned SEO campaign should not only pay for itself, it should give you a significant return on what your investing. If it’s not, it might be time to consider a new SEO.
How Long Does SEO Take?
The time it takes to see drastic improvement really depends on the condition of your website. Here are some things we look at when determining how long your SEO campaign should take to pay for itself, and more…
- How long has your website been live?
- Do you do any additional advertising?
- Have you worked with an SEO before?
- Are your backlinks toxic, or helpful?
- Is your industry competitive?
- What’s the gap to fill between your site and your biggest competitor?
- How large is your target market? Is it one city, is it small, is it big, is it national or international?
All of these questions can help us better understand how and when your site will react to SEO.
According to Google, you should allow 4 to 12 months for your SEO to first implement improvements to your website, and see meaningful results from those efforts.
Here’s an example of a local SEO campaign that improved quickly. In less than a month, this client achieved the top 3 positions. This client had the following items in their favor:
- The website (domain) was more than a year old
- The client did not have prior SEO or toxic links
- The clients market size was less than 300,000 people
- The clients competitors didn’t have great SSEO
As you can see from Feb to March the site for tracked keywords improved in Google by 1,337 positions across 27 keywords. Most of these keywords landed #1 or #2 spots.
Your results can vary but hiring a qualified, and experienced SEO will help determine whether or not your website will rank quickly.
