Read our Guide on SEO Services Pricing to help you make an informed decision, and request a Free SEO Audit to get your journey started today.
What Drives the Cost Up for SEO Services?
Unfortunately, there’s no exact answer when it comes to the cost of SEO Services. There are so many variables… however, we will do our best to inform you as much as possible!
The amount of time (which equates to an increase in the cost) you’ll need to invest in SEO may depend on how quickly you want to get found on search engines, the level of competition, your target areas, as well as the complexity and size of your website.
The thing about SEO is that it’s not just a one time thing. It requires ongoing effort, which in turn, increases your monthly payments on an ongoing basis.
Your Target Area
In terms of your target area, National SEO may drive up the cost in comparison to Local SEO Services. This is because you are targeting a broader area, and there will likely be higher competition across the UK as opposed to focusing on your local area, meaning it will take longer for your website to rank. You may find that you need to up your SEO efforts, and therefore, investment in SEO services.
When competing against businesses from across the country, it requires more time and effort to achieve your desired position on Google, especially with more competitors compared to local areas. Plus, once you achieve a coveted top spot on search engines – there’s no guarantee you’ll stay there.
Cities, such as London, might be more competitive and take longer to rank, whereas smaller towns or villages could be easier to get your SEO investments to work quickly.
Your Competition
Speaking of competition, if you work in a competitive industry, this will also drive up SEO Services pricing, especially if your competitors are also investing in SEO, just like you. Essentially, the more competition in your industry, the harder it will be to rank above your competitors. Therefore, you may need an SEO company to generate more content for your website on a monthly basis, which will increase the cost of their services.
For example, if a competing company is also investing in SEO, who’s to know which one will get ahead? You may find that investing in one day of SEO per month is not enough. Whilst they may have a tried-and-tested SEO strategy, other SEO companies do, too, so the only way to beat your competitors will be to create lots of fresh, high-quality content for your website and have a strategy for link building with top-quality backlinks.
Your Timeframe
We cannot stress this enough – SEO is not an overnight process. If you’re looking for quick results – PPC might be the way to go. However, if you have a budget set aside and are willing to invest a bit more per month, this will drive up the cost of SEO Services, but will help to accelerate your website’s progress.
Your Website’s Complexity
If your website is poorly designed and past the point of no return, your SEO company may very well recommend a brand-new website, which would certainly increase the pricing. Alternatively, if you decide to keep your old website, it might not be completely up to scratch, meaning it will take a significant amount of time and effort to fix any issues.
Additionally, if your website has hundreds of product pages with eCommerce functionality or your company offers numerous types of services, this will add to its complexity. The more web pages you have, the more keyword research your SEO company will need to do. That’s before they get down to making sure all your web pages, copy, and images are fully SEO-optimised with appropriate internal and external links, SEO titles and descriptions!
| Cost Driver | Description | Impact on SEO Cost |
| Time Invested | Amount of time needed to get found on search engines, ongoing effort required | Increases cost with more time and ongoing monthly payments |
| Target Area | National SEO vs Local SEO, targeting a broader area increases competition | National SEO drives up cost compared to Local SEO Services |
| Competition | Level of competition in your industry, competitors also investing in SEO | More competition increases cost, may require more content monthly |
| Timeframe | Desire for quick results vs willingness to invest more per month | Accelerating progress increases monthly cost |
| Website Complexity | Poor design, need for a new website, number of product or service pages, eCommerce functionality | Increased complexity raises cost, more keyword research and optimisation needed |
What Drives Costs Down for SEO Services?
One-Off SEO Tasks
Whilst ongoing SEO is essential if you want to be found on search engines, if you’re just looking for one-off SEO tasks, this will keep the ongoing costs down.
For example, if you simply want a basic SEO Audit, many SEO companies offer free audits with suggestions on how to improve your website.
Alternatively, if you want a complete overhaul of your website to make sure that it is fully SEO-optimised by experts from the ground up, this might involve a large upfront payment, but then the rest is up to you if you decide to go down the DIY route. A complete SEO Audit might include:
- Keyword and competitor research
- Rewriting your web pages and meta content
- Renaming, geotagging and reuploading images
- Assessing your website’s loading speed and security
- Redirecting URLs
- Testing on all devices, including smartphones
- … and more!
Other one-off SEO tasks might be:
- Link building (quality backlinks)
- Populating online listings across the web, including Google Business Profile (ensuring your Name, Address & Phone Number (NAP) is consistent)
- Writing a Blog, Geopage, Local Service page, Case Study, etc.
Lower Competition & Smaller Target Area
As mentioned above, your local competition and target area will drive costs up for SEO services. Therefore, if you are targeting a smaller, local area or your industry is less competitive, the cost of your SEO Services could potentially be lower, as you’ll be able to invest in less time per month to keep your website on the first page of Google.
Your Business’s Services & Website Size
The number of services you offer, which, in turn, affects your website’s size, may also impact your SEO costs.
For example, if your business only specialises in four services instead of ten or even twenty, you could potentially spend less time or days on your monthly SEO. The fewer services you provide, the fewer keywords you will likely target, and the smaller your website, meaning less work for your entire site in comparison to larger eCommerce websites, which could potentially have hundreds or even thousands of product pages.
Doing It Yourself
Another option to keep the costs of SEO Services down is to try to do it yourself! However, while you are an expert in your line of work, you won’t be an expert in SEO. When you put the time and effort in, there’s no guarantee that what you are doing will work or if you are doing the completely wrong thing altogether!
As the old adage goes – time is money, so you will likely be better off focusing on growing your business rather than on SEO, especially if you don’t know what you are doing. Leave it to the experts!
| Cost Driver | Description | Impact on Cost |
| One-Off SEO Tasks | Basic SEO Audit, complete overhaul, keyword and competitor research, rewriting web pages and meta content, renaming, geotagging and reuploading images, loading speed and security assessment, redirecting URLs, device testing, link building, populating online listings, writing blog/geopage/local service page/case study | Keeps ongoing costs down, may involve large upfront payment for overhaul, free audits available |
| Lower Competition & Smaller Target Area | Targeting a smaller, local area or less competitive industry | Potentially lower cost, less time per month needed |
| Business’s Services & Website Size | Number of services offered, website size (e.g. four services vs. ten/twenty, small site vs. large eCommerce) | Fewer services/keywords = less work, lower cost; larger sites = more work, higher cost |
| Doing It Yourself | Owner does SEO themselves, not an expert, time and effort required, uncertain results | May keep costs down, but time is money, risk of ineffective work |
Why Are Some SEO Companies So Expensive?
The thing about SEO is that there’s no exact science, so when an SEO Company gets it right, you’ll know about it because you found them on search engines, and that is quite literally their job. And based on the fact that there are over 5,758 SEO Companies in the UK – they can’t all appear on the first page of Google!
Comprehensive SEO Tools
SEO Companies will have a whole host of SEO tools to help them research your competitors and keywords, analyse your website’s data, and provide monthly reports on your website’s performance. Some might limit themselves to just using basic, free tools, such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Google Keyword Planner, whilst others may invest in comprehensive tools that come at a cost, such as Semrush, Ahrefs, Moz Pro, Whitespark, and more.
Whilst these tools provide industry insights into your website’s rankings, organic traffic and keywords, domain authority, and much more, the price of these will impact how much they will need to charge for their SEO Services.
Location
Location can also influence cost, particularly in bigger cities like London, compared to smaller or more remote towns. Whilst demand for SEO Services will be higher and more competitive in cities, these companies will have higher overhead costs, especially if they are more office-based rather than remote.
You might find smaller local SEO companies that are cheaper; however, they might not specialise in your specific trade or business.
Team of Experts
If you’re looking for an SEO company that delivers real results – they will need a diverse team of specialists behind them. This might include Web Developers who focus on the technical side of SEO, Link Building Specialists for off-site SEO, and Content Writers who specialise in writing fresh, high-quality content for on-site SEO.
Compared with freelancers, who are likely cheaper and may need to outsource some of their work, SEO agencies can be more expensive as they will need to cover the overhead costs of their entire team. The larger their team, the higher the cost will be. Additionally, search engine algorithms are ever evolving, and if they can adapt to and embrace change through training and continued development, their prices may increase, especially if they have a proven track record and have years of industry experience.
| Factor | Description | Impact on Cost |
| SEO Tools | Tools used for competitor research, keyword analysis, website data analysis, monthly reports | Comprehensive tools increase service price |
| Location | Company location affects overhead expenses | Higher overhead costs in cities, especially office-based companies |
| Team of Experts | Diverse team needed for real results | Agencies cover team overhead costs; prices higher than freelancers |
| Industry Experience | Ability to adapt to search engine algorithm changes | Prices may increase with experience and adaptability |
| Specialisation | Some companies may specialise in specific trades/businesses | Cheaper options may lack specialisation, whilst more expensive companies achieve results |
Why Are Some SEO Companies So Cheap?
You will certainly find cheap SEO companies if you search hard enough – but unfortunately, you will most certainly get what you pay for, or in this case, not get effective results.
Automation Through AI
Whilst some SEO companies are more expensive because they have a team of experts behind them, others will try to cut corners with AI and don’t rely on professional content writers. This might mean they will quite literally enter a prompt into ChatGPT or Gemini, and then simply copy and paste it as a blog on your website.
With AI-written content, they might be taking the lazy route to appear on the surface that they are providing you with a service, but they may not fact-check the content, and your potential clients might not be inclined to trust what you are saying if there are clear signs that your website has been written by AI.
Black Hat SEO
One of the most common mistakes to avoid when hiring an SEO company is opting for one that uses black hat SEO techniques, which are essentially unethical methods (a bit like cheating on a test!). These types of companies will avoid putting genuine work into your SEO strategy and, more often than not, just use shortcuts to temporarily boost your rankings. For example, buying backlinks or keyword stuffing.
Whilst this might appear to provide quick results for your rankings in the short term, black hat SEO is not sustainable and is often short-lived. Search engine algorithms will very quickly detect improper and spammy SEO practices, such as overuse of AI to manipulate your rankings or keyword stuffing, which could lead to penalties or even permanent removal or blacklisting of your website from search results pages.
Outsourcing Work
Instead of working with an in-house team, some SEO companies might outsource their work to keep their overhead costs down. This could even be from countries outside of the UK, such as India, where they can charge below the UK minimum wage. The problem with this is that English might not even be their first language – so the content that they produce will be of low-quality, and unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that they are experts in SEO.
Minimal Communication & Support
You may find that some SEO companies offer minimal support and are difficult to contact when you want to discuss your business priorities. This might keep the costs down as you won’t have a dedicated SEO Manager, but if there’s an issue with your website – it’s really important that you can easily call or email them when necessary.
Additionally, with minimal communication, you might not know how your website is performing without a Monthly SEO Report to inform you of its progress. Plus, if you want to make changes to your website, you’ll want it to be as easy as possible without having to send 100s of emails before they respond. Or, even better, someone to answer the phone when you need them if your website has gone down!
| Reason for Cheap SEO | Description | Potential Issues |
| Automation Through AI | Some companies cut corners with AI, using tools like ChatGPT or Gemini, copying and pasting content as blogs | Content may not be fact-checked, clients may not trust AI-written content |
| Black Hat SEO | Use of unethical methods like buying backlinks or keyword stuffing to temporarily boost rankings | Quick results are short-lived, algorithms detect spammy practices, risk of penalties or blacklisting |
| Outsourcing Work | Work outsourced to countries outside the UK, such as India, to keep costs down | Low-quality content, English may not be first language, no guarantee of SEO expertise |
| Minimal Communication & Support | Minimal support, difficult to contact, no dedicated SEO Manager | Hard to resolve website issues, lack of Monthly SEO Report, delays in making website changes |
Where Does Your SEO Company’s Pricing Fall?
Affordable SEO Packages to Meet Your Business Needs
As a rule of thumb, our standard Monthly SEO Packages start from £395 + VAT, which includes one day per month. If you are a New Website Client, we will discuss your SEO needs and pricing during your project. If we are going to provide SEO for your Existing Website, we will provide a personalised price once we have carried out your Free Website and SEO Audit.
Whilst we might not be the cheapest SEO company you find, we certainly aren’t the most expensive either! Whether you want to be found locally or nationally on search engines or AI-search, we offer great value with our SEO Services for Small to Medium-Sized Businesses, Tradesmen and Shopify Websites.
Our Team of SEO Experts
Whilst we use Google’s free SEO tools, we also use paid tools, which help provide industry insights into our clients’ rankings & visibility, competitors, keyword opportunities, website performance, and more. As a digital marketing agency, we also have a comprehensive team of SEO experts, Copywriters, Web Developers, and more behind us. This means that all of our hard work is completed in-house by our knowledgeable and friendly team, without the use of black-hat techniques or AI-generated content. Our team is small enough to care and keep overhead costs down, yet large enough to efficiently manage our workload.
As an SEO client, you will have a dedicated account manager who will communicate with you every month. They will provide you with a Monthly SEO Report that includes detailed analysis and plans for the upcoming month. You are always welcome to email or call us if you ever want to discuss anything about your website’s performance or your business priorities, or ask any questions.
Transparent Terms & Long-Term Results
What’s more, we don’t tie you to minimum terms or a contract that you need to sign – although we cannot stress enough that you should allow at least 6 months before you start seeing results, and SEO is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort.
Using our tried-and-tested off-site and on-site SEO techniques, we can help increase your online visibility and get your business, products, and services found on Google, AI-search, and other search engines, to increase your leads, sales, and enquiries.
| Service | Details |
| Monthly SEO Packages | From £395 + VAT, includes one day per month |
| New Website Clients | SEO needs and pricing discussed during project |
| Existing Website Clients | Personalised price after Free Website & SEO Audit |
| SEO Tools | Google’s free SEO tools, paid industry tools |
| Team | In-house SEO experts, Copywriters, Web Developers |
| Account Management | Dedicated account manager, monthly communication |
| Contract Terms | No minimum terms, no contract required |
Lifetime Cost vs Initial Price of SEO
Initial Price
If you don’t have a well-designed website from the get-go, you may find that the initial cost to get your website up to scratch could be higher. In fact, after a website audit, an SEO company might even recommend starting over with a brand-new website. Or, you might need to carry out a complete overhaul of tasks in one go to give your website the boost it needs, which could contribute to a higher initial price.
Some of our clients choose to invest in two or three days of SEO in the first few months for quicker results, then revert to one day a month. However, if your industry is highly competitive, you may need to invest more than one day a month on an ongoing basis.
Lifetime Cost
Once your website is up to standards, it’s important to remember that SEO is not a one-time thing that you can stop and start. Ongoing SEO adds to your lifetime cost, but it’s essential to keep working on it to reap its benefits. Your competitors are also likely to be investing in SEO, and Google continuously updates its algorithms – therefore, what works today might not work tomorrow. If you want to stay ahead of your competition, we recommend setting aside a monthly budget for SEO.
FAQs About Our SEO Services Pricing
How Much Will Your SEO Services Cost Per Month?
As a rule of thumb, our standard Monthly SEO Packages start from £395 + VAT, which includes one day per month.
If you have opted for one of our Small Business Websites, simply head to our Online Shop to find your SEO cost. We can discuss our SEO Service with you when we hand over your website for your review, or you can Book an SEO Call with us if you’d prefer to discuss this beforehand.
If you’re looking for a New Bespoke or Shopify Website, alongside our Monthly SEO Services, you can Book a New Website Call, where we will discuss your business needs. After our call or meeting, we will prepare and send you a quote for your website and SEO.
If we are going to provide SEO for your Existing Website, we will offer a personalised price once we have carried out your Free Website and SEO Audit.
To learn more about SEO costs, you can read our blog post: How Much Will My SEO Cost Per Month?
How Long Does SEO Take to Work?
Determining SEO timelines can be tricky, as various factors come into play: industry competitiveness, your budget, website quality (don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!), and domain authority and relevance. Typically, it’s wise to allow around six months before you begin to see results from our SEO Services. While quicker results are possible, SEO is fundamentally a long-term strategy. Established domains in less competitive areas may see results sooner, while new domains targeting broader regions might take over twelve months.
Your overall online presence also impacts the duration it takes for SEO to take effect. Being listed on reputable platforms, gaining positive reviews, and engaging on social media enhance your credibility and contribute to improved search engine rankings. Backlinks from quality websites also boost your authority in the eyes of search engines.
If you would like to learn more, please feel free to check out our blog: How Long Does SEO Take to Work?
Can You Guarantee My Website Will Rank First on Google?
Many clients ask us if we can guarantee a top ranking on Google. We want to clarify: no reputable SEO company can promise this. Claims of guaranteed rankings are misleading, and believing these can lead to costly mistakes and disappointment.
Once My Website Ranks at the Top, Will It Stay There?
Achieving a top ranking doesn’t guarantee staying there. Google’s algorithms frequently change, and effective strategies can become obsolete. However, at Web Design and SEO Company, we have a proven track record over the past decade of achieving fantastic Google rankings for our clients, but this takes time and investment.
If you want to learn more, please feel free to check out our blog post: For My SEO Ranking, Can You Guarantee That My Website Will Get to the Top Page of Google?
Can I Stop and Start SEO?
No, SEO is not a one-off task; it requires ongoing effort. Continuous work is essential to maintain and improve your website’s performance. While you focus on gaining an advantage over your competition, they are likely investing in SEO as well, so neglecting it can result in the loss of valuable organic traffic.
Why Isn’t SEO a One-Off Thing?
Search engines favour websites with fresh, high-quality content. Plus, they are constantly refining their algorithms to provide the most relevant results. Regularly updating your site enhances the user experience and builds trust, ultimately attracting more potential customers. Ongoing SEO optimisation services ensure you remain relevant and competitive in search rankings.
Want to learn more? Check out our blog post: Is SEO a One Time Thing?
Can You SEO My Existing Website?
If you are interested in our SEO Services for your existing website, simply request a free SEO Audit or book a call with us. We will take the time to get to know you and your business priorities, making sure that we’re all on the same page. Following the call (or in-person meeting, if you are local), we will review your website and decide on the best course of action. This will involve providing you with a suggested proposal of actions to help boost your rankings and overall online visibility.
However, if your current website is poorly designed (and past the point of no return!), we may recommend a new website. If you have a well-designed website and a web company, we can provide actions for them to take on-site. Our advice will be completely tailored to what we think will work best for you – there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to SEO!
If you would like to learn more, please feel free to read our blog: Can You Provide SEO for My Existing Website?
What Are the Historical SEO Services Pricing Trends?
In short, SEO costs in the UK vary significantly, ranging from less than £100 per month up to several thousand pounds per month for larger businesses; or from as little as £30 or £40 per hour for a Freelancer or small agency in some parts of the UK up to a much higher hourly rate, depending on the size, type and complexity of your business and your website. It is very hard to give precise numbers or to compare apples with apples. Small businesses typically pay between £500 and £1,500 per month for ongoing SEO.
Some SEO freelancers and agencies charge by the hour or day; others have a “monthly” fee, which may, in fact, buy you one day’s work, or a set of activities or deliverables; and others offer a range of “SEO Packages” at different prices.
If you would like to learn more, please feel free to read our blog on How Much Does SEO Cost in the UK?
Is the SEO Price Really Worth It?
So, is the SEO cost really worth it? The answer is YES! If you want your business to grow and get found on search engines or AI search, it’s a bit of a no-brainer! A website without SEO is like a house without an address – no one’s going to find you unless they already know you’re there.
As the leads, sales, and enquiries come in, you’ll start to realise why it’s worth the ongoing investment. In our technology-driven world, if you don’t have an SEO-optimised website, you’ll risk losing valuable customers to your competition. And with more and more people starting to use AI to make decisions, you need to start optimising your website for AI searches as well.
Want to Learn More About SEO Services Pricing?
If you want to learn more about SEO Services Pricing, please feel free to explore our Knowledge Hub, which includes FAQs, Blogs, Videos, and even eBooks on how to choose the right web design agency and SEO company for your Trades or Small Business.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us by calling 01752 291865, filling in our contact form, or starting a Live Chat now!
