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By OLIVER ANDREWS

How much should local SEO cost in the UK?

Local SEO cost in the UK

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is the central point of every digital marketing/local SEO strategy. With the use of SEO and an understanding of the reason for the SEO local cost, you are able to improve the organic search engine results you gain for your website.

Implementations using SEO are made to make sure your website is set up perfectly to rank well across a variety of targeted keyword searches. The aim of the game is to achieve a top-ranking spot in the searches that are the most relevant to your business.

There are many benefits of local SEO services such as driving more organic traffic to your site, to be turned into leads, and converted into sales. You are also able to boost your brand awareness as you become more visible. When you start to appear in the top-ranking spots it can give your brand an improved authority.

So, overall, SEO is something that is extremely important for any business. But, how much does SEO cost UK? Well, SEO prices will differ from business to business, however, there are some key points that should be looked at. Therefore, we have created this local SEO guide to help answer, how much does SEO cost, in more detail.

What we will cover in this article

What is the difference between SEO and local SEO?

Search engine optimisation is a process that involves increasing both quantity and quality organic traffic to your website. Quality traffic is where you gain visitors who are searching for exactly what you have on offer, and organic is where you achieve the results from unpaid content that shows up in a persons search results pages (SERP’s). Therefore, organic traffic is the number of visitors you get from an organic search, and SEO is utilised to increase the organic traffic you gain from making users and search engine robots happy.

Local SEO is a subsection of this. It has a large focus on the geographical components of search. Local SEO is ranking for local keywords such as ‘builder in Kent’ or ‘IT support services London’ or ‘accountant Essex’. Local SEO is when your website is optimised for local search results that could increase the visibility and traffic to your site, and also the foot traffic to your brick and mortar business. Local SEO is ranking for the local map listings, so you will also be found when someone is nearby, whereas, National SEO is ranking for the whole of the UK and International SEO is ranking for different areas all over the world.

It is important for you to know and understand the difference because each o requires a different strategy and different level of work. Meaning there is also a different price point. We are concentration on how much you can expect a local SEO company or local SEO expert to charge for local SEO in the UK.

Local search includes search terms that scream local, such as:

  • Solicitors  near me
  • Gas Engineers near me
  • Electricians in [city name]
  • Gardeners in [city name]

Note: You will find that the search competition is lower in your local area than trying to compete for high-value keywords, backlinks, or content, therefore, it can be much easier for your business to stand out and perform at a local level.

Why Local SEO is important for SEO?

Nearly half of any Google search today are local searches. Even when someone just performs a straightforward daily search, there is a high chance that Google will return a local result and provide local businesses nearby first and foremost.

This is why it makes it extremely important to think about local SEO tips as an important consideration for your business. Why is it so important for small businesses? From 2017 to 2019, Google has shown that searches that included the phrase near me tonight/today increased by a hug 900%.  And in an attempt to meet the needs of its users, Google began to provide results for geographically-related searches based on:

  • Relevance
  • Prominence
  • Proximity

This means that is your business is near to someone who is using the search facilities, offers products or services they could be searching for, and have worked on optimising your local business listings, then you are more likely to be found by the potential local customers online.

Local SEO is a great tool for almost any kind of local business and using tools such as Google maps can be extremely lucrative for your business. Local people trust more local services, however, you are also able to target lots of different areas, not just the area you live in.

Local searches are often local people looking to buy, therefore, it is extremely useful for businesses such as:

  • Lawyers & Law Firms
  • Doctors & Medical Practices
  • Restaurants
  • Food Servies
  • Trades People
  • Small Local Stores

Benefits include:

  • A Cost-Effective Marketing Solution
  • Helps Local Customers Find You
  • Reaches Customers Who Are Ready to Buy
  • Delivers More Qualified Search Traffic

Some stats that you may want to consider include:

  • 50% of customers who did a local search using their phone went to a physical store within
  • 34% of customers did so within hours.
  • 18% of local mobile searches lead to a sale within 24 hours.
  • 50% of searchers using their mobile phones are looking for things such as a local business address.
  • 78% of local-based searches using a mobile device result in purchases being made offline.
  • 1 in 3 searches that happened on a smartphone was conducted just before going to a store.
  • 97% of consumers looked online for local businesses during 2017.
  • 12% looked every day.
How-much-should-local-SEO-cost-in-the-UK-
Local SEO cost in the UK

SEO pricing models

When you are looking at the best local SEO is important to understand the different local SEO pricing models that different companies use.

 A local SEO agency may charge:

  • An hourly rate
  • A monthly rate that can be cancelled at any time. This is the most commonly used choice as it offers the most flexibility.
  • A monthly 12-month contract, at a discounted price. This is perfect as it enables you to get you a discounted price as well as ensuring there is enough time to see the results you are looking for.
  • On a project basis with a one-off payment.
  • Pay on results or commission-based (rarely used) it’s a long-term strategy and results aren’t instant; you don’t control google and the actual selling side of things is down to the client.

You will usually find that you are paying for local SEO services that are classed as a pre-made package that is suitable for most local businesses budgets and competitiveness (bronze, silver, gold, platinum), however, some local SEO packages UK may be customisable.

Types of SEO companies

When it comes to choosing a local SEO company there are two main options for you to consider.

Freelancers

A freelancer is someone who works for themselves, and this can mean you are getting a cheaper SEO package. As well as this you may get more personalised service as they will likely do all the work themselves and take on fewer clients.

Agencies

Agencies come in a range of sizes. You can choose to work with a small, medium, or large agency. When choosing the right one for you, you need to be careful that you don’t just simply outsource all your SEO needs for cheap. They also need to have a good reputation.

Why is SEO so expensive?

Not all SEO is expensive, however, the majority of it can be. It’s important for you to do research and get to understand the return on your investment. When you are getting a good return on investment, the term ‘expensive’ is only relative to the kind of return you get. If you are getting a larger return than your overall investment, then it’s not expensive. On the other hand, if you’re getting a low return, then your investment is an expensive one. When looking at your local SEO goals your return on investment should be your primary focus. However, if you want to make sure you are getting the best return on your investment as well as a good service, somewhere in the middle of cheap and expensive is ideal.

Cheap SEO is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. If you go too cheap, it could come back to bite you, and you will regret it. It’s almost certainly cheap for a reason, and that reason isn’t a good one. It will likely be spammy, unplanned, and unnatural. Using an SEO strategy like this leads to useless SEO that could end up destroying your website, your content, and lead to you being penalised from Google. Having content that has been tainted by bad SEO could mean that you have a lot of work and more money to spend to get it back on track. Costing you more in the long run.

You also need to be wary of the people that are out there who are trying to rip you off.

When you are dealing with your chosen freelancer or SEO agent they should be able to provide you with a plan and a clear return of investment based on the monthly search volume for your chosen keywords.

How do you price SEO?

There are several different factors that have an impact on the cost of an SEO strategy:

The Return On Investment

Your potential return on investment can impact the overall price that you pay. If you know you are going ot be getting a good return, then you are likely to pay for a more expensive service.

The Content

The number of pages of content writing that needs to be produced, corrected or optimised. The content on your site needs to be unique and offer value, match search queries, satisfy user content, be high quality, and satisfying the fresh content algorithm.

The Amount Of Time Needed

The amount of time that it takes to optimise your site and content has a huge impact on the price that you pay for your SEO services. If you have a whole website/blog with hundreds of blog posts that need to be optimised, it is likely that you will pay more than is it’s just a few pages, this is because it will, of course, take more time.

The Keywords

You may not have many keywords that you want to be targeted, but if you have several keywords that need to introduced to your content naturally, you may pay more for your local SEO services.

A Continuous Services

If you want to include regular blog posts or articles as part fo your service, you will likely pay an additional cost for this, however, you will be able to guarantee it fits in with the rest of your optimised site.

Backlinks

Your price may alter depending on how many backlinks per month you require. Long-form guest post may need to be written and some websites ask for publishing fees.

The majority of agencies and freelancers will have a clear table to shows exactly what is included in each package at different price points. You need to be clear about what you are getting for your money, otherwise, you may end up with a nasty surprise.

Local SEO Cost
Local SEO cost

How much does local SEO in the UK cost?

There are four different brackets for SEO pricing.

DIY

It’s still going to cost you money to run your own SEO strategy plan, and more importantly, it will costs you your time too. You have to think carefully about whether you have the time to dedicate to an SEO strategy as well as running the other areas of your business. Do you think you can compete with a full-time SEO company? Do you have the time to learn it and keep up with the latest updates and tactics? Are you able to complete as good of a job as the professional?

Cheap SEO

You can expect to pay between £50 and £400 per month for cheap SEO. And if that sounds too good to be true, that’s because it probably is! If you want to deliver the best possible SEO service, you simply can’t do it cheaply, it’s almost impossible to achieve it.

Mid-Range SEO

You will pay between £500 and £2500 per month for mid-range SEO. This usually means that the SEO company can deliver you a quality service and give you a large return of investment at the same time. Meaning everyone’s a winner! You get a quality service and you don’t pay above the odds for it.

Expensive SEO

You can expect to pay between £3000 – £8000 per month for an expensive SEO service. Especially if it is a custom package. They will usually sit in this price range, just make sure its still good ROI. If you’re not getting much more than you would from using another company but you are still finding it more expensive then chances are, it’s overpriced and not worth the extra funds. Make sure you always compare the packages and return of investment you are getting from each package you are considering.

These above pricing brackets are based on the majority of SEO packages that local SEO companies offer. If you are opting for an hourly service, then the hourly rates range anything from £50 per hour to £200 per hour, again you need to make sure you compare the service you are getting. Using an SEO cost calculator can help you to figure out your overall cost and ROI.

How much should an SEO audit cost?

An SEO audit is a process where analysis of your web presence compare to best practices takes place.  It’s the first step that is needed in order to create and implement a solid plan that will have results that you can measure. The purpose of the audit is to recognise and identify the maximum amount of issues that are affecting the organic search performance of your website.

An SEO audit will reveal:

  • Website Structure issues
  • Content gaps
  • Content opportunities
  • Technical SEO issues
  • On-page SEO issues
  • User experience issues
  • Potential off-site issues
  • Competitive marketplace insights

An SEO audit is a standard procedure that needs to happen on a regular basis. It’s like a health check for your website. Completing it regularly will ensure your website is always optimised.

To complete an SEO audit the following will be completed:

  • Technical audit
  • Competitive audit
  • Content audit, link audit
  • Social audit

An SEO audit will usually take between 2 and 6 weeks to complete. An SEO audit should never be rushed. It’s it there to uncover any root causes of any issues that relate to your online health. Depending on the size of your website, it will take up to 6 weeks. An audit will normally cost £1000 to £2000 as a one-off payment.

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth your time and money to pay for an SEO audit you need to first carefully consider what it provides you. While the prices can be fairly high, especially when you need to pay it in one payment, the investment is of immense value. With any routine SEO audit and update to your website, your company can benefit in numerous ways, including the following:

  • Enhancing your user experience
  • Maximising your site’s traffic
  • Increase your revenue
  • Improve your website’s visibility
  • Optimize your digital marketing strategies
  • Repair your SEO strategy
  • Boost Your sites speed

How much does SEO cost for a small business?

A small business is most likely going to a local business, therefore this article is the sort of price range you should be looking to pay for your SEO services. Local SEO is a fantastic starting point for any small business. Local SEO will gain you leads that come in regularly and bring you one step closer to growing as a business and becoming larger.

What to look out for in local SEO companies

When you are looking for a local SEO company to work with you need to make sure you look out for certain things:

  • All the keywords should be tracked from the first day, and you should be getting regular updates that show you that everything is working. If they’re not getting tracked, you’re not going to have a clue about how the campaign is actually going. It is essential that you understand and know which keywords are working and have the chance to change them if you need to.
  • You should be provided with regular updates and reports on the kind of backlink they’re are getting, you need to ensure they are high-quality and not just spam. Spam may look good in principle and figures, however, it’s not going to end well.
  • Cheap SEO services are almost always too good to be true and will come back to bite you.
  • You need to be wary and careful about getting overcharged by bigger agencies who outsource work.
  • When it comes to SEO it’s all about quality, not quantity, so you need to ensure that the local SEO service UK that you choose to work with are doing just that.
  • Make sure you are provided with realist expectation and a realistic time frame. A trustworthy company will make sure they are upfront and honest.
  • You need to understand that you can never guarantee rankings and if anyone tells you differently they are lying.
  • You need to ask yourself if the SEO company rank on Google themselves or have a proven track record.

Current data, trends, and statistics suggest that local SEO is heading towards a paradigm shift where it will significantly improve context and understanding.

The proliferation of devices such as Google Home, Amazon Echo, and smartphones, suggest a trend that leans heavily on the creation of devices that can a conversational approach that is equal to or even exceeds human understanding. This makes Local SEO extremely important for any business who are looking to achieve their goals and grow.

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This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Letisha Rosh December 8, 2020 Reply

    wonderful article

  2. Jacob Mason December 12, 2020 Reply

    Wow, cool post. I’d like to write like this too – taking time and real hard work to make a great article… but I put things off too much and never seem to get started. Thanks though.

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