You do not have to understand the ins and out of search engine optimisation to make it work for your company. What you should understand, however, is that some SEO practices can make or break the traffic to your website as well as your site’s relationship with top search engines. Without quality SEO, you may not see the benefits of this digital marketing tool, or, even worse, you may have to start over from scratch due to penalties.
On the other hand, SEO costs may concern you, especially if you do not know where your money goes or how SEO pricing is determined. Before you accept the lowest offer or sign up for a monthly service that exceeds your marketing budget, let’s look at some of the factors that affect SEO prices in Australia and what you should look for when working with an SEO agency.
The Secrets of SEO Pricing
Understanding the specifics behind SEO prices in Australia can lead to confusion, and some SEO agency pricing seems designed to keep you in the dark. The truth is that there is no one way to have a simple, straightforward answer to any question about SEO costs. The real answer falls somewhere between “it depends” and “trust us.”
SEO content and, consequently, the average price for SEO services, is not usually based on just one static project. Businesses decide the level of their SEO campaign, and they can opt for an à la carte pricing structure or an ongoing relationship with monthly fees. They may even decide the sweet spot is somewhere between the two.
Ultimately, you want to get what you paid for: quality SEO content that drives traffic to you and elevates your placement on popular search engines. The key here is quality, and if you go with the lowest SEO price, you may feel like you have wasted your money.
Some SEO specialists charge an hourly rate, while other agencies may offer a monthly retainer with ongoing services and fresh content. If you only need a website refresh for your small business, it may not make sense for you to sign up for monthly content, whereas companies looking for national visibility should expect a bigger commitment, wider scope, and subsequent price tag.
The Whole Story of SEO Cost in Australia
At the end of the day, the cost of SEO content in Australia does not matter if it does not meet your expectations. If 75% of people stick to that first page of search engine results, that is where you want to be. Even more importantly, getting and staying there as a leader in your field and reflecting that in your search engine presence is the ultimate objective. Such recognition and authority come with a price tag.
SEO is like a slow burn; the results are not going to be instantaneous, nor should you want them to be. It takes time to build a solid campaign that is there for the long haul, and time, as you well know, does not come cheap.
It does not hurt to look at your marketing budget to consider what percentage you want to devote to SEO content. After you have that rough estimate in mind, consider your total revenue and how those numbers compare. You may not realise the relationship between the two, but this is how you can make the most of your digital marketing dollars.
Here is a digital marketing scenario: Your company is a start-up, and without generating buzz online, you may not get off the ground. Spending a larger chunk (as much as 20%) of your projected revenue on SEO makes sense. If your brand is well established, then your range may be smaller – perhaps no more than 12%. In either case, SEO pricing that keeps you high in rankings is money well spent, and using about half of your marketing budget on digital content, including search engine optimisation, can yield a positive outcome.
A Breakdown of the Average Price for SEO Services
Hard numbers may not paint a clear picture of what determines SEO pricing. Instead, look at the range to see what works for your needs.
| Hourly Rates | Monthly Rates | Pay for Success |
| $70-200 per hour | $1000-3000 | Metrics define price |
| Increases for experienced specialists and agencies | Increases for more robust SEO or national campaigns | Increases by popularity of keywords and quantitative success |
Unless you have a good understanding of what pushes rankings and how to analyse data, you may find that paying for success does not make sense for you. Conversely, lowball hourly rates can add up fast, especially if quality SEO is what you are after.
Results from SEO Specialist and Services Costs
When you look at the overall cost for SEO services in Australia, it pays to think creatively. Focusing on an hourly rate to minimise costs only works if you know how that time is spent. Is it getting you quality content or is it being outsourced to freelancers with little experience? Worse yet are unethical strategies such as keyword stuffing, link schemes, cloaking, and other manipulation that boost your position in the short term but may get you penalised once the search engine algorithms catch on. These practices are known as black hat SEO, and if discovered, your digital platform can be virtually erased from rankings.
It is a scary situation but also easily avoidable by working with SEO specialists who are worth their weight in gold. Quality SEO from these specialists should include the following factors as hallmarks for improving rank and building reputation:
- Original, Well-Crafted Content
This is where an hourly rate should deliver: unique text, images, reviews, and other subject matter that is fresh, appealing, and engaging. It can be the focus of a page or supplemental to continue to connect with a user. Quality content reflects adequate keyword research as well.
- Formatting and Design
It should come as no surprise that a text-rich page may feel too academic without visual appeal to provide breaks or key points. Skimping on visual content or creating a site that is not user-friendly may lead to less traffic and excitement.
- Placement of Ads
If your site users cannot find your content due to ad overload, they may be less likely to linger. Consider the location and frequency of Google ads, using them to enhance your pages.
- Content Length
Most people are not interested in a lengthy tome that is light on substance. Longer does not necessarily equal better, and users are not fooled by fluff. Make sure the length of content is consistent with your message or information. Short and sweet works for less involved or technical explanations, while lengthier pages make sense for detailed or technical explanations.
- User-Centric Focus
Content only matters when it is viewed. An SEO specialist understands the importance of a friendly yet trustworthy voice to convey information in conjunction with an engaging visual layout that is easy to navigate. Without the combination of these factors, you may not maximise your audience reach.
The bottom line for most companies looking for SEO content is to do the homework. When you approach an SEO consultant or agency, make sure you know what you want and demonstrate a basic knowledge of how SEO practices work. By educating yourself and staying on top of your SEO and web design costs, you can ensure that you are getting content that meets your needs.
The Ins and Outs of SEO Agency Pricing
Now that you have a better understanding of how SEO costs for specialists works, let’s dive into what you can expect from an SEO agency in Australia. These SEO providers may work differently than a specialist or consultant, and rightly so: If SEO content and analytics are the bread and butter of what they do, they should provide personalised service that fits your marketing model.
The danger of a fixed price plan or monthly retainer with set services is that you may not be able to customise the package to accommodate your goals. While some standardisation makes sense, the best scenario allows you flexibility. SEO trends can change, and so should your campaign if you so choose.
First, you should decide the scope of your SEO project. Are you looking for national attention or do you just want to outrank your local competitors? Perhaps the focus of your structure is e-commerce, and higher rankings are the primary avenue for growth. Determining this scale is an ideal starting point for your SEO commitment.
From there, ask about the frequency of keyword research. A good agency should be on top of what is trending on search engines and how you can capitalise on those trends. Keyword optimisation should be included in these areas of your website or social media presence:
- URLs and page titles
- Meta descriptions
- Headings and subheadings for web pages and blogs
- Carefully integrated site content
- Alt tags for multimedia elements
These areas of SEO are essential, but to ensure an ideal user experience, your website should be updated regularly and offer easy navigation in all formats. For instance, building an SEO-driven website that only functions well on desktop devices leaves you at a disadvantage with tablet or smartphone users who may find the experience frustrating. Any SEO agency should be on top of all these features so that you do not have to micromanage your content.
Keep in mind that what works for one company may not work for yours. That is why you should ask for more details when considering a fixed price option; that one-size-fits-all approach may not be the right one for your business.
The Pitfalls of Hourly SEO Rates
When you reflect on the hourly rate model for SEO content in Australia, you should have a better sense of how it may not serve your objectives. Digital marketing is constantly evolving, and to keep up with trends, you may need to exceed your time frame budget. Having a reputable SEO agency in your pocket gives you security and a safety net. With an in-house SEO content team and digital marketing gurus there to work with you, you do not have to get locked into a service tier that does not live up to your expectations or a budget-blowing increase in hours to do the work properly.
The other reason hourly rates may not make sense is that every campaign is different. What you have in mind this month may not be part of your long-range plan, and what worked last year may not be up to snuff the next. Time is the one thing you know quality SEO content takes, and for this marketing tool, time alone may be too high a price.
Remember, you are not just paying for rankings because content is king. There is a fine line between keyword-rich quality content and ho-hum content that uses keywords. It may not be easy to define, but you know it when you see it, and you certainly do not want to see it connected to your business. Google and other top search engines constantly change their algorithms to keep one step ahead of shady practices, and you do not want to be part of that dust-up because you went with the cheaper rate.
Search engine penalties are real, and the time imposed for this form of marketing detention can undo the time spent on your SEO content. It is in your best interest to focus on quality rather than keyword density to keep on Google’s good side.
How Much Does SEO Cost in Australia?
SEO content creation is just one piece of the digital marketing puzzle. Fit those pieces together by working with an Australian leader in full-service custom web design that includes the custom content you are after. Keen To Design offers more than just site construction; our team is also here for maintenance and support down the road. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you achieve your marketing targets and generate the right kind of attention for your business.