What You Should Pay for Search Engine Optimisation

Search engine optimisation (SEO), is becoming an important marketing discipline in South Africa. Many organisations are beginning to recognise the value of Internet marketing and allocating their marketing budgets to online media. A mushrooming of new entrants to the Internet marketing industry has meant that there are many companies offering search engine optimisation services, some at very competitive rates.

As a result, when website custodians or owners attempt to ascertain whether their websites require SEO and what the possible costs will be, they are faced with an overwhelming variety of service offerings and widely diverse cost structures. One reason that costs differ so vastly is due to the nature of the Internet marketing industry. SEO is very much a natural progression for website development firms wishing to grow their business and expand their service offerings.

SEO services, on the one hand are often provided by companies who established themselves as website hosting and development agencies in the last decade. The larger more reputable organisations feel comfortable contracting with an established SEO service provider. They feel a greater sense of security in knowing that the company has been around the block a few times. They are also willing to pay a premium when contracting with a service provider who has a proven track record and offers continuity of service.

On the other hand there are a number of newcomers to the field who operate with little infrastructure and low overheads. Many of these companies are run by highly skilled SEO practitioners who are quite capable of delivering great results at a fraction of the cost.

Whilst both the larger, established agencies and the smaller up-coming practices present great solutions many marketers struggle with the choice, and wish to know what they should be paying for SEO. To compound the problem, the industry does not have a standard costing structure. Whilst many charge per hour, others charge on project to project basis and still others opt for a share of profits. It cannot be said that “x” amount per hour is the going rate as that would be a gross oversimplification. Rather, and as with almost every marketing decision the costs should be considered in relation to the benefits.

Search Engine Optimisation – A Cost/Benefit Analysis

A few guidelines could be used to determine the value an SEO campaign would have to your business. The following list is not comprehensive as each business’ needs will differ however these principles could assist with the decision making process.

Get your house in order:
Should there be problems elsewhere in your business it would be better to have those resolved before investing in an SEO campaign. If your website design and development are good, you have your operations in order and your products and services have been developed to an acceptable standard you are ready for SEO.

Goals and Objectives:
What you should pay for search engine optimisation will depend on your Internet marketing objectives. If your goals are very ambitious, you will probably require an aggressive strategy and you should be willing spend more to meet your objectives. It is important to set attainable goals and to know what they relate to in monetary terms. Then ask yourself what percentage of the expected return you are willing to spend to realise your goals.

Maintain a healthy development to IM ratio:
You should be prepared to spend three times what you spent on initial website design and development on Internet marketing initiatives which are designed to attract traffic, raise search engine rankings, increase conversion and ensure return visits. A great website alone will not lead to growth in market share. In any given period your Internet marketing budget should be allocated in a ratio of approximately one to four.

Choosing an SEO partner:
Other considerations which impact on the cost of search engine optimisation include the size of the firm you are dealing with, their years of experience and the demand for their services. A more reputable and experienced company’s rates may be higher than those of a smaller new entrant. It is important to bear in mind that Internet marketing is a process. It does take time and you should feel comfortable in the knowledge that you will be engaged in a long term relationship with your SEO service provider.

Industry specific factors:
Factors pertaining specifically to your business and website will also have an impact on the cost. The size and complexity of the website, the demand for your brand and competitiveness of your industry will all impact on the cost, time and nature of the project.

Having taken all the above into consideration, you should have a fairly good idea what you can afford to pay for search engine optimisation and with the number of service providers in this industry you should find one who meets the needs of your business. Finally your SEO service provider should offer transparent reporting on your websites current performance, SEO measures taken and the impact thereof. This will allow you to monitor your campaign and make the necessary adjustments.

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