By BluEnt

08/22/2014 I have been using all sorts of Apple products for a decade now. iPhone, iPad, iPod and Mac - I have them all. Since I have a series of Apple products, I have a close relationship with my local Apple services provider, Ben. Whenever something goes wrong with any of my gadgets, I take them to him believing that Ben can be trusted to treat me right. Having someone trusted for a job like this is great as it puts your mind at peace. You are sure that now your loved gadget is in the right hands and will soon begin to give you the same old brilliant performance.

Oh! I forgot to mention that I run a fashion boutique in Toronto. As a part of my business promotion, I often need Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Google promotion services. After hiring, firing, and being disappointed with few local SEO vendors and their tricky pricing plans, I have been able to find someone similar to Ben who I can trust for my website and business promotion. Giving my search engine optimization project into the hands of a right SEO firm gives me the same relaxed feeling as Ben offers. I would like to share with you my 'bitter' and 'better' experience so that you can also enjoy a relaxed feeling like me.

Search Engine Optimization is an investment that definitely yields positive returns if properly done. The first question that comes to the mind when planning to hire an online marketing firm is - how much does SEO cost. The answer is - "It depends!" Now, you would want to know what it depends on! So, here are 3 factors that affect the price of SEO services:

1. The Type of Need - One Time or Ongoing
Your SEO needs depend on whether you have a one-time project or you are looking to develop an ongoing relationship. If your needs are temporary i.e. you need an online marketing firm to manage basic keywords, meta titles, meta description, 301 redirection, non-WWW to WWW redirection, XML sitemap creation for the launch of your new retail website, the pricing will be on project basis and the internet marketing firm will give you a fixed time and cost for the particular project.

On the other hand, if your needs are indefinite in nature like your company wants to increase its sales, then you need an ongoing relationship (monthly retainer) with the internet marketing firm. In this case, you will have to pay a certain amount every month that will cover all your needs.

2. Your SEO Strategy
Another thing that affects the price of your SEO is your SEO strategy and the size of the firm you engage. If you have a small and local business, a small budget and limited SEO needs, you can hire large internet marketing firms (50 to 100 or more employees) that usually provide universal services for businesses that have similar needs. On the other hand, if you have specific SEO needs and a large budget, small firms (5 to 30 employees) are an option as they provide high end and tailor-made solutions.

3. Global or Local Market
The cost of your SEO depends on the target market as well. SEO will keep getting more expensive with the increase in size and competitiveness of your target market. If you are selling a service online with no geographic boundaries, you will have to shed a lot of money to get results. On the other hand, SEO will be quite affordable if you are a boutique owner in a small town.

Knowing what SEO costs and how much you should pay for it is a big piece of the puzzle. Hopefully the information above will help you to understand how much will it cost for your SEO project.

About the Author Ava Smith
As Social Media Strategist at BluEnt, Ava Smith spends a lot of time keeping up with online marketing trends for the benefit of our customers. She participates and conducts seminars, webinars and events on Social Media Marketing and Online Marketing. She has successfully consulted number of social media campaigns for top enterprises and Fortune companies in Toronto, Ontario. She can be reached at ava.smith@bluent.com.

BluEnt

Formed in 2003, BluEnt is a leading software and web application development company in Toronto, Canada. It specializes in proving custom websites, mobile apps, e-commerce, and Internet marketing services for companies running an online dependent business, or looking to develop a tool to automa…

Read More »