34 replies
  • SEO
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What do you guys charge for SEO service? I'm thinking 499 initial and 79.99 monthly. Too low, too high?
#fees #seo
  • Profile picture of the author Carbine
    Depends on what kind of service you offer.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnConorX
    I don't think so you can charge the same price for all the clients as some niches are highly competitive which requires more hard work in ranking.

    You can look at the following content on how to charge your clients:

    How Much Should I Charge for SEO Services?
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  • Profile picture of the author aanyadsouza
    It's depend on the client and website's length.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Mark42
    60$ monthly is really good and cost effective for average sites.
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  • Profile picture of the author spazz896
    Personally, For the time and effort I charge would $1000/mo. But I am doing more than just blasting links... lol...
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  • Profile picture of the author options
    Originally Posted by mwallat View Post

    What do you guys charge for SEO service? I'm thinking 499 initial and 79.99 monthly. Too low, too high?


    Not sure why you would pay $499 for the first payment then $79 per month.


    The only thing I can think of is onpage optimisation. That's roughly what I would charge for 2 pages.


    The $79 per month wont really get you anywhere, I would spend that on content alone.
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    • Profile picture of the author mwallat
      I plan to re-design their full and mobile sites. As far as the 79, I just know I want to get them on recurring, I'm not sure how much that should be(hence the question). I don't plan on writing the content myself, I'm going to express to them that more content is better. If i wanted to write, I'd write a book myself or a sales program, not content for other people's site. My main angle would be the new site design for now as i am learning about SEO. I would do the general back links, search words, add a blog and encourage new discussion but I'm not going to be writing articles for Mary's Pie business. Really I just need a few converts to get the ball rolling. Also constantly reading about SEO and when I know more I can charge more.
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      • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
        Originally Posted by mwallat View Post

        I plan to re-design their full and mobile sites. As far as the 79, I just know I want to get them on recurring, I'm not sure how much that should be(hence the question). I don't plan on writing the content myself, I'm going to express to them that more content is better. If i wanted to write, I'd write a book myself or a sales program, not content for other people's site. My main angle would be the new site design for now as i am learning about SEO. I would do the general back links, search words, add a blog and encourage new discussion but I'm not going to be writing articles for Mary's Pie business. Really I just need a few converts to get the ball rolling. Also constantly reading about SEO and when I know more I can charge more.
        Okay... based on that... just drop this whole idea. Spend a few years learning how to rank your own sites before taking on clients. You can do permanent damage to a website and business if you do not know what you are doing.
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        • Profile picture of the author mwallat
          Oh yea I know the wrong backlinks can put a site in internet hell huh? lol. SEO is childs play until you get into the expensive software packages are you kidding me? I'm mainly selling them better websites anyway. Most people have 5 dollar websites or worse, they are made free, their poorly designed there's no content what so ever. I would come in, redo the site, add some content, and find some back links, add some traffic through small discounts add a customer loyalty program and put the access online. All this will give the site a better rating than all the other free sites everyone has with NO content and therefore will perform better in local searches. So my client will have a brand new full and mobile site and will be getting a higher result in local searches. 499 is actually cheap as hell but i need a couple pops before I can charge more and 79 monthly is just paying for the site because I don't plan on writing content, just maintaining their sites.
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          • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
            Originally Posted by mwallat View Post

            Oh yea I know the wrong backlinks can put a site in internet hell huh? lol. SEO is childs play until you get into the expensive software packages are you kidding me? I'm mainly selling them better websites anyway. Most people have 5 dollar websites or worse, they are made free, their poorly designed there's no content what so ever. I would come in, redo the site, add some content, and find some back links, add some traffic through small discounts add a customer loyalty program and put the access online. All this will give the site a better rating than all the other free sites everyone has with NO content and therefore will perform better in local searches. So my client will have a brand new full and mobile site and will be getting a higher result in local searches. 499 is actually cheap as hell but i need a couple pops before I can charge more and 79 monthly is just paying for the site because I don't plan on writing content, just maintaining their sites.
            Okay, so really you are mostly doing web design.

            Two things:

            $499 is way too cheap for a decent web designer. You can easily charge more than that.

            Second, what is there to "maintain" for $79 per month? What are you planning on doing for that monthly fee? You have not really explained that at all.
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            • Profile picture of the author mwallat
              I'm in a situation where I need some quick cash so I have that offer they almost can't refuse. 499 for a mobile and a full site anyone with real customers would jump on that. Plus I plan on doing outstanding work, they will be getting more than they paid for but once i get 3-4 of those I will charge more. As far as the 79, I just know I want to get recurring out of clients. For one I plan on hosting the domain on my server, and two I will be in contact with them in regards to their blog and any new content or videos they want to post. 79 again is dirt cheap, I could easily charge 129 or 199. I'm just getting started though so I want some experience with small local business first. I can also hire people to call all day and at those prices any business making money that knows their site completely sucks will jump on.
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        • Profile picture of the author DABK
          To fix the mistakes you made the previous months?



          Originally Posted by MikeFriedman View Post

          Why in the world would you need to do monthly updates to a site for SEO?
          I second this. The OP should create a site, rank the site for the keywords this client would benefit from, then, when the phone starts ringing and the client says this was a good lead, the OP starts charging.

          Originally Posted by MikeFriedman View Post

          Okay... based on that... just drop this whole idea. Spend a few years learning how to rank your own sites before taking on clients. You can do permanent damage to a website and business if you do not know what you are doing.
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          • Profile picture of the author mwallat
            Originally Posted by DABK View Post

            To fix the mistakes you made the previous months?





            I second this. The OP should create a site, rank the site for the keywords this client would benefit from, then, when the phone starts ringing and the client says this was a good lead, the OP starts charging.
            I don't plan on making mistakes this is all very very simple a 7 year old could easily accomplish the technical side of this. It's practically drag and drop and key words. The hard part is the sales. That's where people have trouble is calling businesses and getting money out of them, that's the part that doesn't come easy and probably 90% of the failed start-ups can't sell or don't have a product worth buying.
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            • Profile picture of the author DABK
              If by sales you mean, you selling your SEO stuff, I disagree. It's easy to sell, harder to deliver.

              If by sales you mean getting your clients sales, I agree.

              As regards SEO being so simple a 7-year old could do it, I disagree there too.

              Originally Posted by mwallat View Post

              I don't plan on making mistakes this is all very very simple a 7 year old could easily accomplish the technical side of this. It's practically drag and drop and key words. The hard part is the sales. That's where people have trouble is calling businesses and getting money out of them, that's the part that doesn't come easy and probably 90% of the failed start-ups can't sell or don't have a product worth buying.
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
    Originally Posted by mwallat View Post

    What do you guys charge for SEO service? I'm thinking 499 initial and 79.99 monthly. Too low, too high?
    What in the world are you going to do for $79.99? You could get maybe one decent article written for that price and have a few bucks left over.

    So, the customer is not getting squat and you are not making money. Does not seem like a well thought out plan.
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  • Profile picture of the author Batags
    I charge 399.00 one time - then 150.00 per month maintenance fee for updates on the site
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    http://RadiusSeo.com
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    • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
      Originally Posted by Batags View Post

      I charge 399.00 one time - then 150.00 per month maintenance fee for updates on the site
      Why in the world would you need to do monthly updates to a site for SEO?
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  • Profile picture of the author Tran Anh Tuan
    I think it too low, SEO on top is very hard
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    • Profile picture of the author mwallat
      Yea I could easily go 699 or 799. I can always start high then call back and say I got them a deal because of the influence at the company, lol. I plan on doing everything I can for a site but once I have 15,20,25 there's no way I can write that much content. If anything I would contract that out and charge them 3x as much but that's a ways off.
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
    Most real businesses do not need a blog and they do not need to add content regularly. Don't fall into that BS put out there that Google likes updated sites and feel that's what you have to offer.

    If you are hosting the site, then a monthly charge for that is justified. For just putting together some content and posting it, that really is not necessary. A dentist doesn't need to post to a blog regularly, or ever really.

    Even at $129 to $199 a month, I have no idea what you could really offer that would be worthwhile for SEO. Hell, it costs $199 just to get them listed in BOTW.

    I get what you are doing with the $499 for web design, but $75-200 a month for SEO just is not feasible. You won't make any money and you won't be able to offer anything of value that actually gets the client ranking in 95% of cases.
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    • Profile picture of the author mwallat
      Originally Posted by MikeFriedman View Post

      Most real businesses do not need a blog and they do not need to add content regularly. Don't fall into that BS put out there that Google likes updated sites and feel that's what you have to offer.

      If you are hosting the site, then a monthly charge for that is justified. For just putting together some content and posting it, that really is not necessary. A dentist doesn't need to post to a blog regularly, or ever really.

      Even at $129 to $199 a month, I have no idea what you could really offer that would be worthwhile for SEO. Hell, it costs $199 just to get them listed in BOTW.

      I get what you are doing with the $499 for web design, but $75-200 a month for SEO just is not feasible. You won't make any money and you won't be able to offer anything of value that actually gets the client ranking in 95% of cases.
      Well I would be hosting it and recurring fees are only a benefit. Also, I do plan on dealing with the customer in the initial months and I plan to target restaurants initially they're too busy to deal with a website, if their popular they have the funds to do this, and I can create a blog/ feedback forum so they can communicate with their customers about current and future menu items. This could be a valuable tool for a restaurant to listen to their customers and the client hopefully can see the benefits which could lead to a referral. Their are infinite restaurants as making money off human hunger has a high percentage of working IF you make good food.
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    • Profile picture of the author AlphaWarrior
      Originally Posted by MikeFriedman View Post

      Even at $129 to $199 a month, I have no idea what you could really offer that would be worthwhile for SEO. Hell, it costs $199 just to get them listed in BOTW.
      What is BOTW? Thanks!
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      • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
        Originally Posted by AlphaWarrior View Post

        What is BOTW? Thanks!
        Best of the Web.
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
    Originally Posted by mwallat View Post

    Well I would be hosting it and recurring fees are only a benefit. Also, I do plan on dealing with the customer in the initial months and I plan to target restaurants initially they're too busy to deal with a website, if their popular they have the funds to do this, and I can create a blog/ feedback forum so they can communicate with their customers about current and future menu items. This could be a valuable tool for a restaurant to listen to their customers and the client hopefully can see the benefits which could lead to a referral. Their are infinite restaurants as making money off human hunger has a high percentage of working IF you make good food.
    Honestly, you are thinking about this wrong. They don't need a blog for stuff like that. That is the kind of stuff they should focus on Facebook for. NOBODY is going to read a restaurant's blog.

    Originally Posted by mwallat View Post

    7 year old could easily accomplish the technical side of this. It's practically drag and drop and key words.
    I really hope you don't think SEO is this simple and is just a matter of identifying a few keywords. That is the kind of attitude that gets websites in trouble.

    You are holding their online reputation in your hands. I sincerely hope you would take it more serious than that.
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    • Profile picture of the author mwallat
      Originally Posted by MikeFriedman View Post

      Honestly, you are thinking about this wrong. They don't need a blog for stuff like that. That is the kind of stuff they should focus on Facebook for. NOBODY is going to read a restaurant's blog.



      I really hope you don't think SEO is this simple and is just a matter of identifying a few keywords. That is the kind of attitude that gets websites in trouble.

      You are holding their online reputation in your hands. I sincerely hope you would take it more serious than that.
      Ok a restaurant may just need a comment section so people can give honest opinions anonymously. But you know how women are, they like to communicate. It's the right topics that matter, if you put out there a "what do the customers want as weekly specials?" you can get a lot of feedback that you have never thought of, and have the customers tell you directly what they want. The place would have to have at least some sort of small base to do this but you put up a coupon code on the site followed by discounts for forum replies, I think you would be surprised how much a small group can communicate. This would only lead to customer appreciation.
      Yea I'm holding their reputation at hand that's why I give them a MUCH MUCH better looking site back link it to all the local news sites "restaurant" section, then sell them to a bigger ad campaign which will ultimately lead them to more customers, more revenue, more profit, a better website, a better mobile site, and it will be one of the cheapest most effective strategies they could ever impose. I'm going to make it to where they're lucky they found me. That along with the fact that I'm constantly learning about back links and websites extensions and who ever considers them self my competition should be worried.
      This is only a short term strategy to bring in some quick cash while I develop a bigger company. More people to do more things with the right product and the right people the potential is endless in America. I just sold 2 computers for 945 ea and made 435 dollars profit on each one. And I don't even know how to build computers but I can guarantee you master craftsman quality on the build of those bad boys. Knowledge is power, don't stop.
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      • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
        Originally Posted by mwallat View Post

        Ok a restaurant may just need a comment section so people can give honest opinions anonymously. But you know how women are, they like to communicate. It's the right topics that matter, if you put out there a "what do the customers want as weekly specials?" you can get a lot of feedback that you have never thought of, and have the customers tell you directly what they want. The place would have to have at least some sort of small base to do this but you put up a coupon code on the site followed by discounts for forum replies, I think you would be surprised how much a small group can communicate. This would only lead to customer appreciation.
        Yea I'm holding their reputation at hand that's why I give them a MUCH MUCH better looking site back link it to all the local news sites "restaurant" section, then sell them to a bigger ad campaign which will ultimately lead them to more customers, more revenue, more profit, a better website, a better mobile site, and it will be one of the cheapest most effective strategies they could ever impose. I'm going to make it to where they're lucky they found me. That along with the fact that I'm constantly learning about back links and websites extensions and who ever considers them self my competition should be worried.
        This is only a short term strategy to bring in some quick cash while I develop a bigger company. More people to do more things with the right product and the right people the potential is endless in America. I just sold 2 computers for 945 ea and made 435 dollars profit on each one. And I don't even know how to build computers but I can guarantee you master craftsman quality on the build of those bad boys. Knowledge is power, don't stop.
        Again... that sort of stuff is much better served on Facebook. Any kind of social business like a restaurant or bar will get much better interaction on Facebook then they ever will on a blog on their website. Trust me. I have several restaurants as clients. People won't even look at the blog if you put one there. Facebook is where the interaction will happen.

        Asking customers what they want as specials? Not very well thought out. You will get mostly nothing useful out of that conversation.

        You mentioned something about "forum replies". Please dear god do not tell me you are thinking of adding a forum to a restaurant's website. That would be an absolutely horrible idea.

        Really, a decent website is what they need and almost all of their promotion should be on Facebook. I think what you are missing about Facebook versus a website is that with Facebook you have the ability to stay in front of the customers. When you post something on Facebook, it will (most likely) show up in their news feed. When you post something on their website's blog, nobody will know about it.

        Don't even take my word for it. Just look around at successful restaurants in different cities. You will see what I am talking about. They are hitting Facebook hard. They might even have an email list too. They are not posting to a blog to bring in customers.
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    Originally Posted by mwallat View Post

    What do you guys charge for SEO service? I'm thinking 499 initial and 79.99 monthly. Too low, too high?


    I'll pay that price all day long.

    My keyword is buy car insurance.
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    • Profile picture of the author DABK
      When you get rich from ranking #1 for buy car insurance, don't forget your old forum pals, okay?

      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      I'll pay that price all day long.

      My keyword is buy car insurance.
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  • Profile picture of the author robertnost
    Hahahh your fee is funny man, nobody would take you seriously with that fee cause every keyword is different and for some keywords you may even need over 10k monthly budgets.

    The last client we had was paying me $30,000 x month but because of our services they were making over 300k
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    • Profile picture of the author irawr
      Banned
      Originally Posted by robertnost View Post

      Hahahh your fee is funny man, nobody would take you seriously with that fee cause every keyword is different and for some keywords you may even need over 10k monthly budgets.

      The last client we had was paying me $30,000 x month but because of our services they were making over 300k
      Your story combined with the link in your signature, mesh perfectly together. My confidence has never been higher.
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      • Profile picture of the author GGpaul
        Originally Posted by irawr View Post

        Your story combined with the link in your signature, mesh perfectly together. My confidence has never been higher.
        LMAO. Site iis marked as suspicious. Eack.
        Signature

        RIP Dad Oct 14 1954 - Mar 14 2015.

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  • Profile picture of the author Wecodify
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    • Profile picture of the author yukon
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Wecodify View Post

      Generally we charge $75/month for initial start up.
      Cool, that's a better deal than OP prices.

      My keyword is buy car insurance.
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  • Profile picture of the author nettiapina
    Originally Posted by mwallat View Post

    As far as the 79, I just know I want to get recurring out of clients. For one I plan on hosting the domain on my server, and two I will be in contact with them in regards to their blog and any new content or videos they want to post.
    You should start that from the other way around. What can you offer that would be worth $79 recurring fee? You may want to bill monthly, but your would-be clients want to avoid that.

    If you're just an one-man show your hosting isn't even comparable to the cheapest service out there. You need either outsourced server management, or a partner to pull that off. Your clients may not realize this, but you'd be gambling with the continuity of their websites.

    If you're offering 1-2 hours of work then the deal might be ok - but only if you do good work. I've worked for a company that included couple of hours of work to their hosting/upgrade deals, but they bundled that with the price of a dedicated server, didn't deal with small businesses, and had proper SLAs.

    Originally Posted by mwallat View Post

    SEO is childs play until you get into the expensive software packages are you kidding me?
    I guess you said you were a beginner, so it's no wonder that you sound like one. I'm hoping that you get to the stage where you understand how little you actually know before you start messing with other peoples' sites.

    Originally Posted by mwallat View Post

    I don't plan on making mistakes this is all very very simple a 7 year old could easily accomplish the technical side of this.
    Only if you're making those cheap $5 sites that you think your would-be clients have. That's why they have them in the first place. My son was creating websites with a site builder at that age.

    If decent sites or SEO was that easy everyone would have glorious websites and would rank on the first page - and the latter is pretty much impossible because there's competition in every niche.
    Signature
    Links in signature will not help your SEO. Not on this site, and not on any other forum.
    Who told me this? An ex Google web spam engineer.

    What's your excuse?
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  • Profile picture of the author bmminc
    I generally price my SEO as more of a lead gen thing.
    You need to know how many leads you can send to the client with your level of SEO, then charge a percentage of what you think they would make off your service.

    That is the best way to go about it, and don't offer SEO to clients that you cannot deliver for, or that won't benefit them.

    If you don't know how to gauge the traffic you will get your clients then you need to learn that first. Just saying "I'll do SEO" but not knowing what kind of traffic you will bring in is reckless. You might end up in a law suit.

    I did want to give my opinion to the people saying you don't need a blog for most local sites though.
    While most existing customers aren't going to be reading a monthly blog for a lot of local business types, new customers can come across your blog post.

    The point of your blog isn't for regularly updated content, your blog is where you target your new keywords on a regular basis. Get those longtails and regional keywords in your blog and you can grab more new traffic from it.
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