SEO Agency Costs: How Much Does Professional Search Engine Optimization Cost?
SEO Agency Costs: How Much Does Professional Search Engine Optimization Cost?
"How much does an SEO agency cost?" and "Is SEO still relevant?" – two questions we hear daily. Here's the honest answer.
SEO Pricing Models Overview
1. Monthly Retainers
The most common model for continuous SEO work.
| Level | Monthly Costs | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | €500 - 1,500 | Keyword monitoring, basic on-page |
| Standard | €1,500 - 3,500 | Complete on-page, content, link building |
| Premium | €3,500 - 10,000 | Comprehensive strategy, enterprise SEO |
| Enterprise | €10,000+ | Dedicated team, international SEO |
2. Project-Based Pricing
For one-time optimizations:
| Project | Price Range |
|---|---|
| SEO Audit | €500 - 3,000 |
| Keyword Research | €300 - 1,500 |
| Technical SEO | €1,000 - 5,000 |
| Content Strategy | €1,500 - 5,000 |
| Link Building Campaign | €1,000 - 10,000 |
3. Performance-Based
Payment by results (riskier for both sides):
- Per ranking improvement
- Per generated lead
- Percentage of additional revenue
What Exactly Does an SEO Agency Do?
Technical SEO
- Optimize website speed
- Ensure mobile-friendliness
- Improve crawlability
- Optimize Core Web Vitals
- Implement structured data
On-Page SEO
- Optimize meta tags
- Improve content structure
- Build internal linking
- Keyword optimization
- Improve user experience
Off-Page SEO
- Backlink building
- Digital PR
- Brand mentions
- Local SEO (Google My Business)
- Social signals
Content Marketing
- Keyword-based content creation
- Blog strategy
- Develop pillar content
- Content updates and refreshes
Is SEO Still Relevant in 2026?
Short answer: Yes, but differently than before.
SEO Has Changed
| Before | Now |
|---|---|
| Keyword stuffing | Semantic optimization |
| Mass backlinks | Quality over quantity |
| Google only | Multi-platform (incl. AI) |
| Rankings alone | User experience + rankings |
| One-time optimization | Continuous process |
The New SEO Reality
- AI Overviews: Google shows AI-generated summaries
- Zero-Click Searches: More answers directly in SERPs
- GEO: Generative Engine Optimization becoming important
- E-E-A-T: Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trust are crucial
ROI of SEO: Is the Investment Worth It?
Example Calculation
Scenario: B2B company with €2,000/month SEO budget
| Metric | Before SEO | After 12 Months |
|---|---|---|
| Organic traffic | 1,000/month | 5,000/month |
| Conversion rate | 2% | 2% |
| Leads per month | 20 | 100 |
| Lead value | €500 | €500 |
| Monthly value | €10,000 | €50,000 |
SEO Investment: €24,000/year
Additional Value: €480,000/year
ROI: 1,900%
Red Flags: When to Be Skeptical
🚩 Guaranteed rankings: No one can guarantee rankings
🚩 Very low prices: Under €500/month = questionable methods
🚩 Quick results promised: Serious SEO takes 3-6 months
🚩 No transparency: No reports = no control
🚩 Black-hat methods: Can lead to Google penalties
How to Find the Right SEO Agency
- Check case studies: Real results with verifiable data
- Get references: Talk to current clients
- Ask about strategy: How do they plan to proceed?
- Understand reporting: Which KPIs are measured?
- Contract terms: Duration, notice periods, services
Conclusion
SEO is an investment, not a cost. The question isn't whether, but how much and with whom. Choose an agency that understands your business goals and communicates transparently.
Want to know what SEO would specifically cost for your business? Request a free initial analysis.