Talk to any digital marketing expert and they’ll immediately tell you that SEO is worth any price. SEO, or search engine optimisation, is the core of digital marketing. Given that industry statistics suggest 68% of all online experiences today begin with a search engine, this really matters to your company. Almost half of your web traffic will come from a search engine, so you just can’t afford to ignore optimisation. Small businesses, though, typically look at the costs that come with optimisation and balk. After all, it’s quite an expense, and it’s sometimes tough to see results quickly. Despite that fact, though, finding the right SEO package for you remains a must.
The Potential Cost of SEO Packages for Small Businesses
Knowing exactly what you might spend on SEO is a bit difficult for a few reasons. First, it’s important to understand that there are several cost structures for SEO packages. Some SEO companies offer only an hourly rate. This is usually when an SEO agency is working on a particular project (like addressing problems found in an SEO audit), so you’re billed for every hour they spend on the project. Some SEO companies, though, offer you a cost per project. They’ll usually offer you a list of things they’ll be doing to your site over a period of time, and let you know what the entire thing is going to cost. This only works well for things like local SEO packages that are focused on a very specific outcome. Far more common, though, are monthly SEO packages
. This is the most typical pricing structure you’ll see, and the goal here is to provide your site with the continual SEO updates needed on an ongoing basis so you can achieve better rankings.
Despite the different cost structures, there are some average numbers you can work from. The cheapest SEO packages UK businesses might find run somewhere between £50-£2,000 per year. These usually, though, only encompass basic audits and recommendations, not actual fixes. Unfortunately, most in-house tech teams don’t have the experience necessary to implement those suggestions, so it’s often wasted money. Mid-range SEO can provide better results for between £2,00 and £6,000 per year, but it can be tough to find a company that can actually deliver real results. It is certainly possible, though, especially if you’re an established business that has some online presence, but you’d really like to see more results. At the high end, you could pay up to £10,000 a year, but that’s only necessary if you’re looking for incredibly high traffic volumes.
What’s Included in the Best SEO Packages
As you talk with various optimisation companies, they’ll likely have a few different SEO packages. London companies often have a tough time deciding exactly what services they need, but the best packages always have a few different things in common. Initially, they should all start with an audit. Any company should offer to analyse your current site and learn more about your weaker points so you can refine your strategy. Similarly, they should all offer a competition analysis service so you can better outrank your competitors. Beyond that, make certain your package includes a solid mix of onsite SEO like internal linking, content development, and image optimisation with a good mix of offsite SEO like link building and directory enhancement. Finally, you’ll want to get regular reports from your SEO company to make sure the package you’re purchasing is actually worth it.
How to Make Sure Monthly SEO Packages Are Actually Meeting Your Needs
After just a few months, you’ll want to know whether all of that money you’re paying is actually helping your company, and the best way to make certain it is means looking at the reports the company is showing you. They should be highlighting things like backlinks, increased revenue, and (naturally) a higher page rank. Keep in mind, though, that page rank isn’t everything. There are lots of different ranking factors that can point to overall success, and understanding what your SEO team is trying to show you month after month is the only way to know if your site is actually performing well and the money you’re paying is worth it.
