How Much Does SEO Cost in 2024? | Fiverr (2024)

Search engine optimization (SEO) services can improve your brand’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs).

But how much does SEO cost?

On average, businesses pay SEO service providers $500-$10,000 per month, $50-$200 per hour, or $1,000-$10,000 per project. What you’ll pay depends on several factors, including your business size, SEO goals, campaign scope, service provider, and pricing model.

This comprehensive pricing guide covers SEO expert costs, factors influencing SEO pricing, and typical services included in an SEO package.

How much do SEO services cost?

SEO expert costs range from $500-$10,000 per month, $50-$200 per hour, or $1,000-$10,000 per project.

How much you’ll pay for SEO and the services you’ll get depends on several factors, such as:

• Business size

• SEO goals

• Campaign scope

• Industry and competition

• SEO service provider

• SEO pricing model

• Location

• SEO budget

For example, HawkSEM, a digital marketing agency, determines its SEO expert costs based on clients’ goals, timelines, competition, and account size. The agency charges $1,500 monthly for local businesses looking to dominate their geographic area, while larger brands pay $10,000+ per month owing to campaign complexity, scale, and resources required.

Now that we know the average SEO service costs, let’s discuss how SEO experts structure their prices.

What are the most common SEO pricing models?

SEO freelancers, contractors, and full-service agencies structure their rates based on the following pricing models:

• Monthly or retainer: Paid per month for SEO services performed

• Hourly rates: Fees paid per hour for SEO services performed

• Project-based: Fixed fees paid for completing a specific SEO service or project

The best pricing model depends on your SEO campaign scope, the service you need, the choice of provider, and budget. But some SEO service providers offer different bundles, plans, and packages.

To estimate the cost for your business, we’ll walk through SEO service costs per pricing model and provider.

How much do monthly SEO services cost?

On average, SEO costs $500-$10,000 per month depending on business size and goals, campaign scope, and the choice of service provider.

“Monthly costs are tailored based on the average cost per lead for each industry because not all industries are created equal,” says Andrew Jenkins, owner of Catalyst RVA Marketing Agency. “Some industries are significantly more competitive and require an increase in workload that we factor into a rough 'cost per lead' that leads to our pricing.”

• Growth Ramp’s SEO pricing survey shows experts charge $1,000-$4,000 monthly.

• Ahrefs’ survey shows in-house SEO specialists working for companies and agencies earn $44,169-$56,789 on average

• Glassdoor’s $48,000-$76,000 yearly estimates are similar

However, monthly SEO costs vary tremendously, depending on the service provider’s expertise and years of experience. For example, technical SEO experts, like SEO directors, can earn anything from $25,000-$229,652.

What are the hourly costs for SEO services?

SEO services cost $50-$200 per hour on average. Sixty-two percent of Growth Ramp’s survey respondents charge between $76-$150 an hour, while Ahrefs’ survey estimates the average hourly rate at $75 to $100.

Many SEO experts we interviewed for this piece prefer monthly or project-based over hourly rates.

Taylor Scher, an SEO consultant at TaylorScherSEO, for instance, dislikes the variables in hourly pricing: “There are too many variables that can affect your budget and how you can use it,” says Scher. “Plus, it creates a whole mess of issues like micro-management and rushing projects to not go over budget.”

How much does SEO cost per project?

Project-based SEO expert costs are usually between $1,000-$10,000, depending on the project’s scope, requirements, and timeline.

Location also influences per-project SEO costs. For example, Ahrefs found that SEO experts in India charge $1,500 or less compared to experts in the U.S. and Canada, who charge at least $1,001 or as high as $75,000 per project.

Some SEO providers also offer per-day rates for their services. A prime example is Vixen Digital agency, which charges a daily rate of £650 or $830 (1 Pound sterling=1.28 USD at the time of writing).

“We set the pricing for all our SEO agency services at a daily rate, with the minimum service requirement being 2 days a month and the average retainer at £2600 (or $3,300),” says Emina Demiri-Watson, head of digital marketing at Vixen Digital. “We also do one-off projects priced at a daily rate. These costs will vary depending on the project. For example, our technical audits are very detailed and take us two days to complete, while someone who wants to review and optimize their Google Business profile could pay for a day’s work.”

When looking for an SEO expert, don’t just look at cost-effective rates. Ask for case studies and testimonials from previous clients to gauge their know how effectiveness.

Which SEO pricing model is the best?

There’s no one-size-fits-all SEO pricing model. The payment plan you choose will depend on your business and SEO goals. However, each plan has its best use cases:

• Monthly retainer: Best for businesses with ongoing SEO needs. For example, if you want to grow organic traffic or increase brand awareness.

• Hourly rates: Best for small businesses with small SEO projects. For example, if you want to optimize your web pages for search and user-friendliness.

• Project-based: Best for businesses with a defined scope of SEO work, clear deliverables, and timelines. For example, an SEO audit is ideal for project-based pricing.

Note: TheseSEO expert costs are estimates. The actual costs will vary based on several factors, including the scope and complexity of your SEO project, business goals, choice of SEO service provider, and location.

SEO costs by services offered

SEO costs depend on who you hire for the job and what they provide. In fact, 81% of Growth Ramp’s survey respondents say they change their rates based on the service they offer.

For example, Rivmedia, a UK-based digital marketing agency, charges separate fees for SEO services depending on client needs.

“Our rates hinge on scope, complexity, and the client's long-term goals,” says Adam Hardingham, CEO of Rivmedia. “We price our services across several SEO facets, like on-page SEO, which starts at $1,000/month, off-page SEO from $1,200/month, ecommerce SEO from $2,000/month, and enterprise SEO, which typically starts at $5,000/month.”

Here’s a summary of the most common SEO services and their average costs:

The above isn’t an exhaustive list of all the SEO services you can expect to get from an SEO expert. Providers’ rates will vary based on whether they focus on just one type of SEO or offer an all-in-one SEO service.

For instance, Preeti Gupta, founder and SEO lead at Packted, bundles her SEO services into a single package: “If someone is looking for a custom offer, I'll include everything they need, which includes but is not limited to content, on-page, local SEO, technical SEO, and more, at a onetime cost of $1,500,” says Gupta.

What do SEO services typically include?

The SEO services you get depend on the provider you choose, the pricing model, and your SEO goals. For example, for an SEO audit, you can hire a freelance SEO consultant at an hourly rate or work with an SEO agency on a project-based arrangement.

Typically, SEO services should include:

• SEO strategy

• SEO audit

• Keyword research

• On-page and off-page optimization

• Technical SEO

• Competitor analysis

• Link building and outreach

• SEO reporting

• Local SEO

• Content creation and optimization

• Return on investment (ROI) tracking

Other common types of SEO services include:

• Video SEO: Optimizes video content to rank highly in SERPs

• Ecommerce SEO: Optimizes ecommerce websites for online shopping

• Voice SEO: Optimizes sites for conversational voice search results

Many SEO service providers create custom SEO packages to meet their clients’ unique needs.

Here’s a summary of SEO services and deliverables based on monthly, hourly, or project-based pricing models.

• Monthly retainer: This is popular for deliverables like SEO audits, keyword research, on-page SEO, off-page SEO, technically SEO, content creation, reporting and analytics.

• Hourly rate: This is most common for SEO audits, SEO recommendations or implementation projects, and reporting.

• Project-based: This is popular for SEO audits, project-based optimizations, and reporting.

What are the key cost factors in SEO pricing?

Many factors significantly contribute to SEO expert cost pricing. Here’s an overview of the key considerations:

• Business needs and budget: Your business size, goals, and budget determine the scope of the SEO work and pricing. If you have a limited budget or ambitious goals, adjust your expectations or pick the most suitable pricing approach.

“SEO costs are nuanced and deeply dependent on the client's objectives, market, and competition level,” says Filip M., founder of Radiant Web Design & Digital Marketing Agency. “For instance, we've partnered with clients whose SEO budgets ranged from just around $1,500 per month for local-focused SEO efforts to upwards of $10,000 for more aggressive, broad-spectrum campaigns. Such variances underscore the tailored approach required in each case.”

• Industry competitiveness: The competition level in your industry will influence the effort needed to achieve your SEO goals and desired results. Industries with low competition may need less extensive optimization tactics than highly competitive industries, which cost more.

• Project scope and complexity: More complex projects, like big sites, with a larger scope and more technical challenges, often need more resources, effort, and time, resulting in higher SEO costs.

• Location: An SEO service provider’s location can significantly lower or increase SEO service costs. Location is also considered when pricing local SEO services, since different businesses may target a smaller or wider geographical area, which impacts overall SEO costs.

• SEO service provider’s expertise and experience: The level of expertise and experience of your preferred SEO service provider can influence how much you’ll pay for SEO. Established SEO experts may charge higher owing to their reputation, expertise, and proven results.

• SEO software and tools: SEO experts use various SEO tools to help their clients’ businesses and sites rank. These tools, like Ahrefs and Semrush, can cost anywhere from $35 to $150 per month and offer several services, including keyword research, recommendations, monitoring, and more. Some SEO companies also factor the skill and expertise required to use these tools into the overall cost of SEO services.

• Time to results: SEO takes time compared to other paid tactics, like pay-per-click (PPC) or content marketing services, which is why it costs more.

• SEO services and packages: The number of SEO services or plans a provider offers also determines the price you’ll pay. Some SEO experts offer all-in-one packages, while others offer a specific type of SEO service.

“We deal specifically with off-page SEO, delivering digital PR campaigns and expert commentary campaigns,” says Mark McShane, marketing expert and digital PR agency owner at Cupid PR. “We offer three services: digital PR Campaign at $4200 per campaign, reactive PR at $2880 per campaign, and expert commentary at $2000 per campaign. Our pricing is typically based on the time spent to complete these campaigns and the number of links they generate.”

In the long run, price isn’t the only factor guiding your decision to hire a specific SEO service

provider. After all, some offer cheap SEO services, which are ineffective and can cost your business, even if you’re starting out. Instead, invest in a reputable and experienced SEO agency or hire SEO experts for your project.

Unlock the benefits of SEO expert services with Fiverr

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Don’t know where to start? Use Fiverr to connect with talented freelance SEO professionals who create solid SEO plans that improve your organic search ranking and high-quality content that generates conversions—no matter your SEO marketing budget.

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Join Fiverr today to find and hire SEO experts across multiple SEO categories for your next campaign.

SEO expert costs in 2024: FAQs

How long does SEO take?

Typically, SEO services start delivering an ROI within 4-6 months, according to WebFX. But this timeline varies based on your site, SEO provider, and SEO plan.

Is it better to get SEO services from a freelancer or agency?

The SEO expert you choose to work with will depend on your SEO needs, project scope and duration, and budget. Freelancers work best for onetime, small SEO projects, while SEO agencies are best for long-term, ongoing SEO projects. Fiverr offers access to experienced and talented freelance SEO experts with a proven track record for any SEO project needs and budget.

How do I measure the effectiveness of SEO services?

Measuring SEO effectiveness depends on your SEO needs, service expectations, and business KPIs. Metrics like traffic, rankings, leads, sales, or revenue can also help you measure whether an SEO expert’s services were worth it or not