You're a small business owner on a tight budget, desperately trying to navigate the complexities of SEO. You've heard that investing in local SEO services can help significantly increase your online visibility and get you more customers. Still, you're determining whether paying monthly or one-time will get you affordable local SEO services.
Well, no need to wonder anymore because this blog is designed to give you complete information and help you decide by the end. So let's start:
Before we discuss which one of these will get you more affordable local SEO services, let's first start with their typical prices.
However, remember that cost is the last thing you businesses think about when getting good SEO service that can get them good local exposure. Still, according to Ahrefs, these are the costs for both monthly and one-time SEO services across the industry:
| Aspect | Monthly Local SEO Services | One-Time Fee |
| Cost Range | $500 - $2,000+ per month | $2,500 - $5,000+ |
| Services Involved | Ongoing services | One-time services |
| - Keyword research | - Keyword research | |
| - On-page optimization | - On-page optimization | |
| - Off-page optimization | - Off-page optimization | |
| - Content creation | - Content creation | |
| - Link building | - Link building | |
| - Google My Business | - Google My Business optimization | |
| - Review management | - Citation building | |
| - Monthly reporting | - Initial SEO audit | |
| Expected Results | Gradual improvement over time, with higher rankings and more organic traffic. | Immediate boost in rankings and website visibility. |
| Increased online presence. | Limited long-term benefits. |
A monthly SEO fee usually covers the cost of continuous monitoring, adjustment, and improvement of your local SEO strategy. This includes meticulous keyword research, which is a crucial part of SEO.
For instance, if you're a bakery in San Francisco, your SEO provider might target phrases like "best sourdough bakery in San Francisco" to help your business rank higher in search results.
They'll also handle on-page optimization by tweaking meta tags, headers, and content to make your website more appealing to search engines. Content updates also form part of this service, ensuring your site stays fresh and relevant.
Link building is a critical part of a robust SEO strategy. Your monthly fee can cover the acquisition of high-quality backlinks from reputable sources. These backlinks help to boost your website's authority.
For example, if a popular food blog links to your bakery website, it can significantly boost your site’s authority.
Regular creation and publishing of relevant, high-quality content is included. This content is optimized for both users and search engines.
This could be monthly blog posts about baking techniques, highlighting your expertise and attracting potential customers.
Citation management is no small task. This involves ensuring your business's name, office address, and phone number (NAP) information is accurate and consistent across various online directories.
A slight inconsistency in your NAP can confuse search engines and lower your local search ranking.
Your monthly fee should cover ongoing tracking and reporting of key performance metrics. These metrics include website traffic, keyword rankings, and conversions.
This information is vital for understanding the effectiveness of your SEO efforts and making necessary adjustments.
Managing and optimizing your business listings on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, and other relevant directories is another critical task.
This ensures your business displays correctly and appealingly when users search for your services.
The internet can be a tricky place when managing your reputation. Monthly SEO fees often include monitoring and managing online reviews and your business's online reputation.
SEO professionals will handle a range of tasks, including:
As a client, your responsibilities will include:
The expected results of monthly local SEO fees can include:
When considering SEO services, you'll often come across two payment structures: a one-time fee and a monthly retainer. Let's take a closer look at what a one-time local SEO fee encompasses:
Under a one-time SEO fee structure, the first step in your journey is the Initial SEO Audit. SEO professionals will thoroughly examine your website to identify areas of improvement.
For instance, they'll check for broken links, measure site speed, and assess the quality of your content. This audit is the backbone of your SEO strategy.
According to BrightEdge, 51% of all website traffic comes from organic search, which underlines the importance of a well-executed SEO Audit.
Another critical part of the one-time SEO fee is Keyword Research. SEO experts will identify the most relevant keywords and key phrases for your business.
For instance, if you run a bakery in Seattle, keywords might include "Seattle bakery," "best cakes in Seattle," or "gluten-free bakery in Seattle."
This targeted approach ensures that your website appears in the most relevant search results.
On-page SEO Optimization involves tweaking your website's content and structure to achieve improved visibility on search engines.
This includes improving metadata, optimizing headers and images, and ensuring your content is keyword-rich.
Google My Business is a free tool that helps businesses build and sustain their online presence on Google Search and Google Maps.
Under a one-time SEO fee, professionals will set up and optimize your GMB listing, ensuring it's complete, accurate, and optimized for local search.
Citation Cleanup ensures your business's Name, Company Address, and Phone Number (NAP) are consistent across all platforms, from Google My Business to Yelp.
This consistency is crucial for local SEO, as consistency needs to be clarified for search engines and potential customers.
Content is king in the world of SEO. As part of a one-time SEO fee, experts will provide guidance on content creation and optimization.
They suggest blog topics, recommend keyword-rich product descriptions, or advise on video content.
A survey by HubSpot found that companies that blogged 20 times per month got over 5 times as many leads as those that blogged only 4-5 times per month.
Finally, the one-time SEO fee includes the development of a customized Local SEO Strategy.
This strategy acts as a roadmap for your ongoing SEO efforts, outlining the steps you need to take to improve your online visibility and attract more local customers.
So, should you opt for affordable local SEO services with a one-time fee? If you're just starting your SEO journey and need a solid foundation, a one-time fee could be an excellent place to start.
However, remember that SEO is an ongoing process, and a long-term, monthly retainer might be necessary for sustained growth.
Establishing a clear budget is the starting point for any business decision. When hiring SEO services, the pricing structure can vary. Monthly SEO services could be a consistent line item in your budget, offering a predictable expense. For instance, if you have $500 set aside each month for marketing, you can factor that into your ongoing costs.
On the other hand, a one-time fee, while potentially larger upfront, can be a one-off cost or you can break this large amount down into monthly service so you can determine if its the right fit for your needs.
Suppose you have a windfall of $6,000. You could pay for a year's worth of SEO services in one swoop. In both cases, it's crucial to consider the financial resources you have available and choose the option that aligns best.
Your business goals - both immediate and long-term - need to influence your decision. For example, if your goal is to have a quick boost in your online presence, investing a one-time fee might be a good move.
But for a business aiming for sustained growth, monthly SEO services, providing ongoing optimization and updates, could be a more viable choice.
The competitiveness of your local market is another critical factor. If your business operates in a highly competitive industry like real estate or legal services, monthly SEO could be necessary to stay ahead.
In contrast, businesses in less competitive niches may find a one-time SEO service sufficient.
Are you ready to commit time and effort to ongoing SEO? Monthly services call for regular check-ins, updates, and collaboration.
If you're a small business owner wearing many hats, the time commitment might be challenging to manage.
In such cases, monthly services, with their hands-on approach, could be a better fit.
SEO can be a complex field. Consulting with SEO experts or agencies can provide valuable insights into the most suitable option for your business.
These professionals can assess your business goals, competition, and budget, and guide you towards the most efficient solution.
Case studies offer a real-world lens to view potential SEO providers. They showcase how these providers have helped businesses like yours in the past.
Ask for these case studies and references, as they can provide a clear idea of what you can expect from their services.
SEO is not a set-it-and-forget-it process. Monthly SEO services often provide the flexibility of adjustments and refinements based on performance metrics.
If your business needs the ability to pivot and adapt to change, monthly services hold the upper hand.
If you're planning to be in business for the long haul, ongoing SEO maintenance and improvements are crucial.
Monthly services, with their continuous updates and optimizations, might be a smart choice for long-term sustainability.
Keeping track of your SEO efforts is essential to evaluate their effectiveness. Monthly services usually include regular reporting and performance updates.
If you prefer to have a detailed overview of your SEO progress, monthly services offer this advantage.
Finally, always appreciate the power of testimonials and reviews. They can provide insights into the track record and customer satisfaction of the SEO provider.
Remember, a service provider with happy clients is a good sign of reliable and affordable local SEO services.
We suggest getting started with our starter package, which is only $399 per month, that's 20% less than industry averages but the quality is top-notch, which you can see from our case studies. This package includes initial setup, backlinking to boost rankings, website optimization for SEO, and initial content creation. Once you start to see some traction, you can decide if you want to continue like many of our current clients who rely on us for all things SEO.
SEO is an ongoing process. It needs constant attention and adjustment to keep up with ever-changing search engine algorithms and competitor activities. A one-time fee might help you jumpstart your local SEO efforts, but a monthly fee can ensure your strategy stays effective and up-to-date.
