How Much Does SEO Cost in 2023?

How Much Does SEO Cost?

One thing that rarely gets discussed when considering SEO for your website is the cost. Certainly, you can hop from one provider’s site to another and compare figures directly, but what sort of ballpark figures are out there, and what can you expect for your money?

 

Depending on the requirements and goals of a business, the cost of SEO can vary drastically. Generally, it is estimated that a business will spend anywhere from £50 to £5,000 pcm per month on SEO services. However, it’s important to note that this estimate is based on the most basic form of SEO services, which includes keyword research and on-page optimisation. For more comprehensive services such as link building, and content creation, the cost can be much higher.

Businesses should take into account the financial implications and time commitments associated with SEO. It may be advantageous for those with limited resources or time to consider reaching out to an SEO agency to inquire about costs.

Prior to seeking the services of an SEO agency, it is advisable for business owners to possess a comprehensive comprehension of their business objectives and financial assets.

 

Understanding the Cost of SEO

The cost of SEO services is determined by various factors, including industry and level of competition for chosen keywords. To accurately assess expenses, it is important to consider company requirements, website structure, as well as industry and competition.


What Factors Affect SEO Pricing?

There are a few key factors that can influence the cost of a particular SEO services:

  • The size of your website and the number of pages
  • The competitiveness of your target keyword phrases
  • The number of content you need to create for your website
  • Your industry

What exactly do SEO packages entail?

SEO Packages are different pricing models that can be used for SEO. Here’s a quick look at the most common ones:

  • Flat Rate: This is the simplest and most straightforward model for calculating your SEO costs. It involves charging a fixed, one-time fee for a set of services agreed upon beforehand.
  • Hourly Rate: In this model, you pay an hourly rate based on the time spent working on SEO. This is usually used for longer-term projects that require more intense work or ongoing maintenance.
  • Retainer: This model involves paying a set amount of money every month in exchange for specific services. It’s ideal for businesses that need ongoing SEO support but don’t want to commit to a long-term contract.

Common SEO Pricing Models in the UK

SEO can be an incredibly powerful tool for businesses looking to increase their visibility online and improve their organic search engine rankings. While there are a lot of options in the market, we understand that it can be difficult to choose the right one.

Well, that’s where we come in. Here is a useful breakdown of the common pricing points of various SEO packages available in the UK today.

Do-It-Yourself SEO (Cost: free)

Some people don’t even consider paying for SEO. Either their budget simply doesn’t allow for it, or they are sufficiently tech-savvy to go it alone. Certainly, there’s no reason not to attend to your own SEO, so long as you have the knowledge to do so and the time to not only monitor its progress, but also keep abreast of developments in the industry. This is best-suited to individuals with a strong tech background.

Cheap SEO (Cost: £50 to £2,000 pcm)

Cheap SEO services are often targeted at micro businesses, start ups and SMEs with lower marketing budgets. These businesses tend to be focusing on growing their web traffic, often without any previous optimisation having been carried out on their website. Many of these businesses will be targeting a local audience, so the competition may be lower for their target keywords.


For this money, the SEO strategy often involves focusing on your local ranking, and aiming for natural, organic growth. The strategy may include more of a focus on improving user experience, increasing the amount of content available to search engines through content and blog creation, Google My Business optimisation, and encouraging backlinks from local and industry websites and influencers. SEO providers in this price range are often smaller companies themselves and can provide a more personal service.

Mid-Range SEO (Cost: £2,000 to £4,000 pcm)

This is for more established medium-sized enterprises with a larger marketing budget. A mid-range SEO solution concentrates on further developing the optimisation implemented by a lower cost SEO package; expanding the reach of the campaign into more competitive, harder to achieve areas.

 

The focus of a mid-range SEO package may include features such as custom development of the website, brand awareness building, and a higher focus on national, high-competition keywords.

High-End SEO (Cost: £4,000+ pcm)

If you’re investing in a high-end SEO solution, you are most likely a large enterprise with high volumes of traffic already.

 

At this level, the purpose of the SEO company is to maintain highly competitive keyword positions on a national or even international basis.

 

A high-end SEO plan may include a full-package of SEO and web development services to fine-tune your SEO strategy at the most minute level. Features may include multiple SEO specialists generating a high level of website content, optimising large numbers of website pages, continuous bespoke technical development of the website, advanced visitor intelligence analysis and a high level of offsite brand and reputation management.  

The True Cost of SEO

SEO can be an expensive endeavor for any business, but the rewards can be great if done properly. It’s important to carefully consider the cost of SEO services and compare them to the value they can bring to your business. But the best way to determine how much SEO will cost for your business is to speak with a qualified expert who can assess your needs and create a customised plan for you.


Here at 123 Ranking, we have a range of SEO packages that all fall comfortably into the low-cost SEO bracket. We work alongside SMEs, micro-businesses, and start-ups, providing a cost-effective SEO solution that achieves noticeable results within a realistic budget.

We also offer many of the services provided in higher priced SEO packages as stand-alone services – so you can create a bespoke package including just the services you need.

For more information, take a look at our SEO packages. Alternatively, get in touch with us to discuss your requirements or to get a free, no-obligation quote for our services.