SEO pricing is a difficult beast at best, and we often encounter skeptical clients who aren’t sure what the final cost is going to be, or whether the promised work is being performed, and then if it’s going to pay off.
It is important to bear in mind, that just because SEO pricing is complicated, it does not mean that it is unfair, unreasonable, or inflexible. In reality, a degree of complexity can actually benefit you, provided there is integrity and transparency.
Here are 5 of the most FAQ’s we hear regarding pricing:
We hope they shed some light on the subject for you.
Why is SEO so expensive?
Sticker shock is not uncommon when a new client sees the monthly campaign costs. Remember, though, SEO is a long-term investment, and the potential returns must be factored in – in leads and revenue. Another consideration, SEO is very labor-intensive, it takes many many hours from analysts, designers, content writers, link-building specialists, outreach specialists, and project managers to actually execute a campaign. Honestly, a really cheap campaign is one to be wary of.
Are package SEO deals a good option?
No, Nope, not even a little bit. We’ve covered about this topic ad nauseam — read this analysis of package SEO deals to get a handle on the many disadvantages. Beware! One-size-fits-all SEO packages produce substandard results at best, and at worst, can actually harm your rankings.
Why can’t I just do a month-to-month contract?
We understand – it’s scary to get locked into a contract with a firm you’ve just hired. In reality, there are some very logical reasons contracts make sense. Primarily, it can take a few months for a campaign to start getting traction and produce measurable results. Next, a quality SEO campaign requires a significant amount of detailed work from the outset – a cost the agency spreads out over the duration of the contract. It possible that with a month-to-month contract, the vital initial tasks might get skipped. Read this article to get further insights on month-to-month SEO deals.
Why won’t the agency guarantee results?
Any SEO firm that guarantees results is a fraud. Because there are so many unknowns and variables, results can never be reliably predicted. One example? Your SEO agency cannot possibly predict changes a competitor might make to their SEO campaigns, how effective your company website will be at converting visitors into leads, how keyword volumes vill change, or whether you will see rankings climb in three months, or ten. The one thing an SEO agency CAN guarantee is that will perform the work in exchange for its fees. In many aspects of business, a pay-for-results pricing model makes sense, but not with SEO, due to the unpredictability of results. This is my transparent reporting that details the activity and work on the campaign should be part of your contract.
What work is actually going to be done for this big monthly investment?
The actual tasks in a given SEO campaign will vary in type and degree depending on each client’s situation (one reason why package deals don’t work), but in general, the agency will be doing some combination of the following:
- On-site optimization, both technical and also keyword-driven content additions.
- Off-site optimization, consisting mainly of article publishing for link building, but also non-content activities.
- Content thematic development, writing, editing and publisher outreach.
- Traffic analysis and analysis of other campaign KPIs.
- Testing, campaign modifications and ongoing keyword target refinement.
- Client communication, including gathering input, brainstorming, reviewing reports and seeking feedback.
At AdInfusion we have assembled a team of experts eager to help by providing you with a free customized website report and our expert advice on how we can aid you in reaching your goals.
We look forward to working with you and your company and helping to guide you towards a profitable year!
