How Much Does SEO Cost Per Month In Australia For Small Businesses

How Much Should SEO Cost? 

SEO prices should be tailored to many factors: 

• The current authority of your website

• The level of previous SEO completed

• The competitiveness of your industry

Pretty much what this means is that every website and industry targeting is unique, and the prices should be reflected accordingly. For example it is usually far less competitive for tradies going after keywords as opposed to businesses in finance or law. 

When choosing an SEO provider, keep in mind that you will likely be competing with other businesses who are also investing in SEO. This means that for more competitive industries, you’ll need to allocate a larger budget to stay competitive.

Your SEO provider should make you aware of this, as it directly impacts the strategy and effort required.

Another important consideration is the level of SEO work already done on your site and the current authority it holds. In my experience, I’ve worked on several one-off SEO projects where only minimal on-page and technical optimizations were needed, due to the website’s existing authority and the specific needs of the business.

This shows that SEO pricing isn’t one-size-fits-all—it’s highly dependent on where your website stands and what you need to achieve.

When choosing an SEO provider, it’s crucial to select one that offers a custom pricing structure tailored to your business and its specific needs. A one-size-fits-all approach rarely works in SEO, as each website and industry comes with its own challenges and requirements.

Different Types Of SEO Cost in Australia 

In Australia their a variety of routes you could take when looking to get your SEO needs fulfilled as a small business 

In-house SEO 

Hiring an in-house SEO specialist may not be the best option for most small businesses. SEO specialists typically command salaries between $70,000 and $120,000 AUD per year, which can be a significant investment for a small business. 

For many small businesses, there simply wouldn’t be enough ongoing work to justify that salary, and you might face skill gaps in areas like technical SEO, content strategy, or link building.

You could consider upskilling an existing team member or taking a DIY approach to SEO. While there are plenty of great online resources available, most of the learning comes from hands-on experience, which means it could take a considerable amount of time to become proficient. Moreover, with the ever-growing number of ranking factors to consider, you risk wasting time optimising the wrong areas, which can lead to inefficiencies.

On the other hand, a skilled SEO specialist would bring a high level of expertise and experience, allowing them to implement strategies more quickly and efficiently, saving both time and money in the long run. 

SEO Consultant Rates

When it comes to hiring an SEO consultant, rates can vary significantly depending on the level of experience and the complexity of the work. Typically, SEO consultants charge between $80 and $300 AUD per hour, with most agencies charging around $200 per hour for their consultants. 

These rates reflect the expertise required to optimise a website for search engines, a skill that demands a deep understanding of both technical SEO and strategic content development.

The price range for SEO consultancy largely depends on the type of services being offered. For example, more experienced consultants or agencies with a proven track record may charge a premium for their services. 

On the other hand, less experienced consultants or those just starting in the field may charge on the lower end of the scale. Additionally, if you’re working with a well-established agency, the cost may include overhead, as they may pass on the costs of project management, administrative tasks, and other resources.

While SEO consultancy can be expensive, it’s important to understand that you’re paying for expertise that will save you time, improve your site’s rankings, and ultimately deliver a higher return on investment. With SEO being a long-term game, the initial cost can pay off in organic traffic, higher conversion rates, and better visibility in search engine results.

I personally offer SEO consultancy at a more affordable rate of $100 AUD per hour, which provides a great middle ground between premium rates and more budget-friendly options. My consultancy services are focused on delivering tailored, high-quality SEO strategies that meet the unique needs of your business. 

Whether you’re looking for one-off guidance or a more ongoing advisory role, I work with clients to optimise their SEO processes, address technical issues, and implement effective strategies—all at a rate that’s accessible for small businesses looking for professional expertise without breaking the bank.

SEO Agency Fees 

SEO agencies typically charge significantly more than independent consultants or specialists. The larger the agency, the higher the fees tend to be. This is because larger agencies often have more overhead costs, including salaries for multiple employees, office expenses, marketing costs, and other operational expenses. These costs are factored into the pricing of their services, which is why you can expect to pay 2x or more the rate of a consultant or smaller agency.

Don’t be fooled by the misconception that an agency automatically equals quality. In many cases, larger agencies may outsource parts of their SEO work to cheaper services in order to cut costs. This can lead to subpar results, as the outsourced work may not meet the high standards you expect.

Additionally, some agencies invest more heavily in client acquisition and sales efforts than in the actual delivery of quality services. They may have impressive marketing campaigns and sales pitches, but once you sign on, the level of attention and expertise applied to your project can sometimes fall short. With larger agencies, there can be less personalized service, and you may not always be working directly with the experts who are actually doing the SEO work.

One-off Projects 

One-off projects can sometimes be an effective approach for small businesses, but this is relatively rare. In most cases, ongoing efforts, particularly link building, are crucial for small businesses looking to improve their SEO. Link building is a continuous process that helps improve domain authority and rankings, which means that relying solely on one-off projects can lead to limited, short-term results.

However, there are situations where one-off SEO projects can be a good fit for small businesses, especially when the following conditions apply:

A Content Strategy: If your business is just starting with SEO, a one-off project focusing on creating a comprehensive content strategy can set a solid foundation. This might include identifying target keywords, planning blog posts, and mapping out content that will attract and engage your ideal customers.

SEO Foundations Setup: For businesses that have little to no SEO in place, a one-off project can be helpful for setting up essential SEO foundations. This could include optimizing meta tags, fixing technical issues, improving site speed, ensuring mobile-friendliness, and setting up proper site structure. Establishing these basics can provide an immediate improvement in search engine visibility.

Low-Competition Industry: If your business operates in a low-competition industry with relatively easy-to-target keywords, a one-off project might be enough to gain some initial traction. With less competition, SEO efforts are often easier to implement and can yield faster results.

Limited Budget: Small businesses with a limited budget might consider a one-off project as a cost-effective solution to dip their toes into SEO. While this won’t provide the long-term, sustained benefits of ongoing SEO work, it can give the business a boost in the short term, especially if the focus is on high-priority tasks like technical fixes or content creation.

That said, while one-off projects can deliver short-term improvements, SEO is inherently a long-term strategy. Building authority, generating organic traffic, and maintaining high rankings require consistent, ongoing work, particularly in more competitive industries. 

Therefore, small businesses should be aware that one-off projects might not provide the same sustainable growth as a comprehensive, ongoing SEO plan would.

The CMS 

The choice of CMS can significantly impact SEO costs. Custom-coded websites tend to be more expensive for SEO because they require a developer or technical SEO expert to manually implement changes like optimising code, site speed, or adding structured data. Since there are no ready-made tools or plugins available for custom sites, every SEO adjustment requires specialised knowledge, increasing both the time and cost involved.

In contrast, popular CMS platforms like WordPress make SEO more affordable. WordPress offers a variety of SEO plugins (such as Yoast and Rank Math) that simplify tasks like optimising meta tags, titles, and URLs. These tools reduce the need for technical expertise and streamline the process, lowering costs. 

Additionally, WordPress has a wealth of resources, tutorials, and developers available, making it easier to find affordable help. This availability of tools and expertise keeps SEO prices lower for WordPress-based sites compared to custom-coded ones.

As a WordPress SEO specialist with years of experience, I focus exclusively on optimising WordPress websites, which allows me to streamline the process and eliminate the need for an additional developer or specialist. This means you get a more efficient and cost-effective solution, as I can make SEO changes quickly and effectively within the platform, saving both time and money.

Why Can SEO Be So Cheap? 

Any business owner with forms on their website is likely familiar with the flood of spam messages offering “cheap SEO services,” sometimes starting at just $100 a month. So, you might be wondering: Why is this SEO so cheap?

Simply because it doesn’t work. 

On one end their are the scammers who charge for the services, knowing how confusing it can be for most people to understand, and the length it takes to get results they build business models on the “churn and burn”

On the other end, there’s the reality of a low barrier to entry in digital marketing. It is vital to hire an agency, freelancer or consultant who is up to date with changes in SEO, generally “cheaper” option tend to cut corners, or focus to much on output as opposed to results, you can find example in the following ways, 

Link Building

While it’s possible to buy thousands of backlinks on platforms like Fiverr for as little as $2, these links typically offer little value—and can even harm your website’s ranking. In SEO, particularly with link building, quality vastly outweighs quantity. Links from reputable, relevant sites are far more effective than a bulk of low-quality ones.

Technical SEO

Technical SEO can be complex, and many freelancers, especially those focused on budget-friendly options, may overlook or neglect key technical issues. 

These issues, such as site structure and performance optimization, can significantly hinder SEO results if not properly addressed. Ensuring that your website is technically sound is critical for improving its visibility and rankings.

Content

With the rise of AI, content creation has become easier, but this also introduces challenges. Google has made it clear that AI-generated content aimed solely at manipulating search rankings will be penalised. 

Despite this, AI content still appears prominently in search results. Given Google’s stance, any legitimate SEO agency or consultant should be actively taking steps to avoid penalties related to AI content. They should focus on creating original, high-quality content that serves both user intent and search engine guidelines.

Another challenge small businesses face is the pressure to push freelancers or agencies into offering more affordable options. While cost-saving may seem appealing, it often leads to a reduced scope of work and slower results. 

This can create frustration for businesses, especially when they don’t see immediate returns. As a result, many may prematurely end their SEO services, not giving the strategy enough time to show its full potential. 

The Correct Approach To SEO Pricing

Despite the confusion and complexity of SEO, the most important consideration should be the value of the service rather than simply the cost.

Opting for the most expensive provider isn’t always the best choice for small businesses, and similarly, the cheapest option often comes with risks of poor quality or ineffective results. The key to success is understanding what you’re getting for your investment.

Factors like the scope of services, reputation, and experience of the SEO provider are crucial. A provider with a proven track record and the right expertise can deliver far more value, even if they aren’t the priciest option.