There are lots of reasons to optimise your site. One quick look at digital marketing statistics will tell you that almost 70% of every online experience starts with a search engine. What’s more, though, is that half of your web traffic will reach you because of organic search. It’s numbers like those that convince many companies SEO is an absolute necessity, but the cost is a concern for some companies. Exactly how much does it cost to hire an SEO consultancy, and how can you afford it?
A Closer Look at Average Costs
Every SEO agency has a different pricing system. Some price by the package, some by the service, and some by the month. Understanding exactly what you’ll be paying for is absolutely essential before you can even begin to look at costs.
If you’re concerned that you can’t even afford to approach the idea of outsourcing your SEO, though, don’t be. The average costs in the UK are incredibly affordable. Small to mid-size businesses can expect to pay £500 to £1,000 for very basic SEO on a one-time basis. If you’re looking for something a bit more intense, expect to pay £2,000 – £6,000. Some of these may be one-time fees while others may serve the life of a one year contract.
The Expected ROI
Any marketing expenditure, though, should only be paid out if you expect to get a decent return on your investment. There are a few ways to understand your potential ROI. Initially, though, you’ll need some numbers. You need to know how much traffic you’re getting on a regular basis now, as well as where your pages currently rank. Additionally, you need to know how much money each visitor brings you, which is a matter of looking at the web conversion and sales figures for your company. Finally, understand the potential profit you may get from each visitor. Those numbers will help you prepare for any visit with an SEO consultancy as they describe exactly what they can do for your traffic.
Understanding the Commitment
As you look at the costs of working with an SEO consultancy, there’s one key thing you need to know – SEO is a commitment. Unlike some other marketing strategies, SEO does not provide immediate results. In fact, you may not even see a real increase in traffic for a few months. Often in the earliest days, there’s little progress, which can be frustrating for many companies. As you work to decide exactly how much you can afford, plan to make at least a six month commitment to an SEO plan before you start to see early results. The best SEO plans are executed over a period of twelve months, and at that point, you can likely see the kind of returns you’ll expect over time.
A Word About DIY SEO
Some companies believe they can handle their own SEO needs, especially given the cost of this kind of investment. The reality, though, is that you may be in for more than you initially bargained for with DIY SEO. Wondering why? The costs begin from the moment you get started. To properly optimise your site, quite a bit of background research is necessary, and if you’re not a professional in the field, you may not understand the intricacies involved. The time spent understanding those intricacies may be time you must take away from your clients. From there, you’ll need to invest in a number of tools to conduct competitor research, and eventually, you’ll need to work on your site’s structure. Finally, you’ll need to begin building out a backlink strategy that will work well for your site. Professional SEO teams usually have a network of professionals to handle this for them. You may need to develop a solid network to ensure it’s possible for your site.
You can certainly handle your own SEO, but it could take valuable time away from your business that you could spend developing clients, team members, and new strategies to move your company forward. Your best bet is to invest in an SEO consultancy that can help you get more done quickly with the tools it takes to improve your organic traffic numbers.