First things first; your online business is dead without search engine optimization (SEO). Having said that it is important to appreciate the reason every online marketing specialist is talking about SEO. You see, once you launch your website it goes up against millions more competing in your niche. You can argue that search engines will eventually find you but you are wrong.
Why SEO Anyway?
Ranking factors for search engines are still fuzzy but experts have shown a dedicated SEO strategy will put you on top of search engine result pages (SERPs). With an SEO consultant working for you it is easier to focus on your core business as they look at the other end of the business. Better ranking, increased sales conversion, enhanced visibility, more traffic, niche authority are just some of the benefits you get by hiring an SEO expert.
What about the cost? Won’t SEO eat into your bottom-line? This is a main concern for most business owners. To have an idea of what you might end up paying consider these factors:
- Competitive landscape: The competitiveness in your industry will determine the intensity of the SEO project. High competition means more investment in SEO.
- SEO adoption rate: Some industries are still slow on uptake of SEO the best example being construction. In such an industry you will not have to invest a lot to stay ahead in search engine ranking for targeted keywords.
- Your business: Every business is unique and while the industry might be highly competitive your specific target audience, geographical markets and products and services will determine resources required for SEO. The size of your business, position in the industry, resources available are all factors an SEO consultant will consider when giving a quote.
- Marketing goals: This is the main determinant on the cost of SEO for your website. A consultant will look at the objectives first; do you want high ranking, more traffic, visibility, and sales conversion or industry authority? Each of these goals comes with a different price tag.
At the end of the day your website’s unique nature will determine how much you will spend. There are different SEO pricing models including project-based, hourly consultations, fixed rates and monthly retainers. The SEO cost ultimately depends on what you want and that is the reason you must come up with your SEO goals.
