SEO Pricing

I update this today, December 2020, this content to try to capture so many and so many conversations with people who are looking for a SEO budget during the last months. I’m going to be quite clear and of course I’m not going to point fingers or expect anyone to be offended, nor is it my style neither do I have any interest in doing so. This is a sector that, like many others, lends itself to deception, smoke and easy money. I will start with a “spoiler”:

Let’s explain in depth what this is and everything you need to keep in mind to avoid false expectations and throwing away money on SEO.

My job is to help my clients increase Google’s revenue through SEO recommendations. My specialty, I do this through short, 100% actionable work cycles to bring about results.

I will try to help all those people who are looking for a SEO budget to understand both the way of budgeting that I consider more accurate and whether or not they need a budget in the project situation they are in, and if they need it, which SEO services I consider would be the most appropriate.

SEO should not be treated as an expense, but as an investment.

Initial objective of the SEO project: to generate income that covers the SEO investment as soon as possible.

Agency or freelance consultant SEO budget?

First thing: do you need a SEO agency or a freelance SEO consultant? These are two things that, although they seem the same, have quite a few differences.

I am a SEO consultant, if you work with me you hire me directly, with my virtues and my defects, with my mistakes and my successes and mainly, with my multi-sectorial experience accumulated in all of them of so many years specialized.

Be careful with: real results, experience, time / dedication available

At the same time, I have created a SEO agency where the only difference is that I have support in those areas of SEO implementation and execution, such as content creation, CRO, web development, UX and communication campaigns or link building. I consider that these disciplines require a specialization in themselves and to apply them to a project I need a team trained and specialized in each of them. This is my concept of SEO agency.

Be careful with: structure and costs to be reflected in the budget, experience of the assigned consultant (intern vs. SEO consultant), commercial ratio / SEO specialists, marketing techniques of “dubious reputation” where they assure you impossible results or where they sell you long term results to guarantee that time of invoicing.

In our case we make SEO budgets according to each client, assigning to the project only the hours it needs and at the pace it needs.

How do I make a SEO budget?

Let’s look at the steps and points to consider when budgeting.

The first step is to talk about your needs and objectives, which is fundamental. We need to build a briefing as complete as possible that allows me to analyze everything and build a budget adapted to your business.

Briefing SEO: Before budgeting

The briefing is sometimes a simple phone conversation where we go over certain important issues, and other times it becomes a document where we gather all the technical and sales information of your business. It is usually accompanied by a confidentiality agreement or NDA (Non-disclousure Agreement) if deemed necessary for the peace of mind of both parties.

This documentation process can include a meeting or a call to get more information about the business. It must be:

• Brief.
• Clear.
• Avoid ambiguity.

In addition, it must include data such as name or company name, address, contact telephone and email.

On many occasions, we have an RFP (Request For Proposal), a document that contains a request for the technical and/or economic proposal for a project. With this, all the suppliers budget exactly the same, to facilitate the best choice for the proposal.

Concepts of a SEO budget

These are the key points that, depending on each case, should be paid to an SEO agency.

Types of SEO budgets

Hourly SEO Budget

One of the most frequent that I do. Both for specific tasks such as audits, migrations… when a monthly follow-up or anything similar is not required.

This type of budget is in the end implicit in any other. Every professional works by the hour, no matter what trade he or she is in. Any “monthly fee” at the end is a set of hours, or any task to be budgeted involves a series of time that takes to be done. Professionals sell time and experience.

More than 10 years of working sectors give us a very strong vision of the needs of a business in a given sector to achieve results. We are able to make SEO strategies adapted to your needs and resources.

Monthly Fee

When the project needs a SEO consultant to follow up on the project on a monthly basis, trace strategies and recommendations, ensure their proper execution and try to lead the project to ensure results.

I value the amount (the fee) per month depending on the complexity and objectives of the project, we convert it into hours and spend a monthly fee to achieve them. It is also usual to know the monthly investment capacity in this channel for the project, so that we can draw up a customized SEO plan to achieve your objectives.

We do not work under any permanence contract.

The usual standard is that the first month a greater investment is made to cover audit costs and the initial studies of the project.

• Advantage
  • Facilitates payment of the full amount of the contract
  • Monthly project control, allowing us to pivot faster if something happens.

Full campaign budget

The client pays the total or partial amount of the contract at the beginning of the project. Generally, campaigns are carried out between 8 and 12 months.

• Advantage
  • It allows us to allocate a greater number of resources from the beginning, as well as greater control long term.
  • Absolute involvement.

Variable budget

At least part of the payment will depend on the results of the project. It comes with a contract where a commitment to collaboration is established.

• Types:
  • Incentives on an agreed objective
  • Incentives over certain target ranges
  • Bonus-malus: X% extra if we exceed a certain target or X% penalty if we fall below a certain level.

• Advantage
  • Greater alignment with our clients’ objectives.

SEO budget by tasks

It would be very similar to an hourly budget, with a weighting of a few hours estimated for the tasks to be performed, either on a monthly basis or on a one-off basis to solve a specific problem. This type of budget is very common in marketing agencies that outsource our services looking for SEO specialists.

SEO budget by objectives or X% with the company

On many occasions we have been offered to work by objectives or for a % of benefits. As far as going as a percentage with the company, we have certain projects that we have made our own along with other companies in which we have followed this formula, but as with all projects, it must be studied in detail, and we must reach commitments of investment and minimum resources guaranteed by both parties.

Multi-sector experience

It is important for many clients to know about experiences in the same or different sectors. Except for those clients with whom we have signed confidentiality agreements that prevent us from doing so, in the rest we will be happy to provide you with the information you need.

Ways of budgeting not recommended

Factors influencing total project hours

You should not forget that, although we do not believe in a predefined SEO fee, these services are generally paid by the hour. For this reason, and so that we don’t fall into mistrust, we will give you a series of factors that influence our calculations.

Size of the project, total number of URLs

You have to be clear about one thing: it’s not the same to have a website with 30 pages as one with 100,000. Time is money, of course. That’s why, both for the initial audit and for the SEO strategy, this factor has an influence.

Industry and competition

The main objective of hiring a SEO consultant is to get top positions in search engines; however, not all niche markets are the same. Web positioning will not be the same for some keywords as for others, and this translates into working time.

We will analyze the competition, their strengths and weaknesses, and we will have to invest as much or more than them to get results. We cannot underestimate our competitors.

Inherent responsibility

It is not the same that the SEO project is one more leg of the company’s strategy, which is 1% of the business to 100% of the income source.

National or international target

Working with local SEO is not the same as working with a national or international SEO strategy. The more markets you cover, the bigger the budget you need.

Website status

In IngenieroSEO we will give you the keys and we will show you the weak points that your site has, then it is your decision if you want us to work on it or if you want to do it yourself. Depending on the status of your site, we will have to solve problems and therefore derive more or less budget to these actions. Is your time is gold? Then leave it in our hands.

Amount of content needed

If you want a SEO strategy to work you have to have a content calendar that covers the necessary content that your potential customers need to consume. Do you want us to guide you and you do it? That’s perfect.

But if you prefer, #AmazingContent, post written by specialized SEO writers and corrected by qualified journalists. In addition, if you want they can also go with copy. If you do not have time or do not like to write, we do it for you!

Frequently asked questions you should know

Is the SEO quote the same for everyone?

Of course not. Who is your competition? What are your goals? How do they improve your project? These types of questions will make your needs and therefore your investment to achieve the expected results vary.

What will be my actual costs?

The tools can be paid by you or usually by the consultant or the company, since it can be redeemed better. Then there are usually costs in programming and content.