![How A lot Does search engine optimisation Value in 2023? [Industry Research]](https://abuzz.nl/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/seo-monthly-retainer-pricing-2.png)
In November 2022, we surveyed members of the search engine optimisation trade to learn how a lot they cost for search engine optimisation providers.
Listed here are the highest 10 takeaways:
- 78.2% of SEOs cost month-to-month retainers for some or all of their providers.
- 54.5% of SEOs solely provide one pricing mannequin (i.e., hourly, retainer, or per-project).
- $501–$1,000 is the most well-liked month-to-month retainer.
- $75–$100 is the most well-liked hourly price.
- $2,501–$5,000 is the most well-liked per-project price.
- Fewer than 1 in 10 SEOs (9.9%) cost greater than $150/hour.
- Businesses and consultants cost considerably greater than freelancers.
- There’s a transparent constructive correlation between expertise and charges. (Shocking, proper?)
- Native SEOs cost lower than these with international shoppers.
- SEOs primarily based in India, Central America, and South America cost the least.
Let’s check out every pricing mannequin in additional element.
Sidenote.
We had 439 submissions in whole. Nonetheless, after reviewing them, we eliminated 89, as they had been both duplicates or spam. For instance, many respondents equipped an internet site they clearly didn’t personal (e.g., google.com) or had nothing to do with search engine optimisation. If a respondent’s website didn’t clearly provide search engine optimisation providers, we eliminated them from our pattern.
34.8% of respondents worth some or all of their work by the hour.
We discovered that $75–$100 per hour is the most well-liked hourly price for SEOs, with 24% of respondents charging this price.
47% of respondents cost between $75 and $200 per hour.
90% cost $150/hour or much less, and solely 4.1% command an hourly price of $201+.
Right here’s a breakdown of hourly charges by area:
There’s one clear outlier right here: India.
We discovered 85.7% of India-based SEOs cost an hourly price of $30 or much less. The remaining 14.3% are within the $51–$60 vary.
Sidenote.
We didn’t have a lot information for some areas, so take the outcomes with a pinch of salt. Additionally, the explanation for grouping Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain collectively is that they’re the one European international locations (apart from the U.Ok.) with a GDP of 1 trillion or extra. I believed it will be fascinating to see if the numbers for these international locations had been completely different from the remainder of Europe.
Taking a look at U.S. and Canada information in isolation, 66.7% cost $75–200/hour—over two-thirds!
Do search engine optimisation businesses cost extra per hour than freelancers?
Sure.
58.7% and 58.8% of search engine optimisation businesses and consultants respectively command $75+/hour, in comparison with solely 36.6% of freelancers.
Nonetheless, the commonest hourly price for search engine optimisation businesses and freelancers is identical: $75–100/hour.
For search engine optimisation consultants, it’s $100–150/hour.
If we assume all surveyed SEOs cost the higher finish of their pricing tier (e.g., $150, from $100–$150), then take the typical hourly price for every subset (Company, Freelance, Consultancy), right here’s what we get:
- Consultancies: $171.18/hour, on common.
- Businesses: $98.90/hour, on common.
- Freelancers: $71.59/hour, on common.
By these stats, the hourly price charged by search engine optimisation consultants is greater than double that of search engine optimisation freelancers.
Do extra skilled SEOs earn much more per hour?
Sure, they do.
$73.05 is the typical hourly price for SEOs who’ve been in enterprise for 2 years or much less.
This jumps to $97.11 for individuals who’ve been in enterprise for two–4 years, $102.03 for five–10 years, and $118.35 for 10+ years.
So it appears that evidently expertise and observe document play an important function with regards to hourly earnings.
Do these providing providers worldwide cost extra per hour than these serving native markets?
Sure, barely.
On common, these providing their providers regionally earn $93.89/hour, whereas these serving the worldwide market earn $106.69/hour.
That’s a distinction of 13.6%.
78.2% of respondents cost a month-to-month retainer for some or all of their work.
We discovered that $501–$1,000 per thirty days is the most well-liked month-to-month retainer price for SEOs, with 20.4% of respondents charging this price.
42.8% of respondents cost between $501 and $2,000 per month.
68.8% cost $2,000/month or much less, which means solely 31.2% command retainers of $2,001+.
Right here’s a breakdown of month-to-month retainer charges by area:
As soon as once more, India is a transparent outlier right here.
76% of India-based SEOs cost $1,000 or much less per thirty days. The remaining 24% cost between $2,001 and $10,000.
Taking a look at U.S. and Canada information in isolation, 79.1% cost a minimum of $1,001 per thirty days—some command as a lot as $25,001–$50,000 per month!
Do search engine optimisation businesses cost extra per thirty days than freelancers?
Sure.
57.4% of search engine optimisation businesses command $1,001+/month, in comparison with solely 32.2% of freelancers.
Nonetheless, consultants earn probably the most, with 70.6% commanding $1,001+/month.
The most typical month-to-month retainer vary for search engine optimisation businesses is $500–$1,000/month. For consultants, it’s $2,501–$5,000.
For freelancers, it’s $251–$500/month and $101–$500/month.
If we assume all surveyed SEOs cost the higher finish of their pricing tier (e.g., $1,500, from $1,001–$1,500), after which take the typical month-to-month retainer price for every subset (Company, Freelance, Consultancy), right here’s what we get:
- Businesses: $3,209/month, on common.
- Consultancies: $3,250/month, on common.
- Freelancers: $1,348.63/month, on common.
By these stats, the month-to-month retainer vary charged by search engine optimisation businesses and consultants is sort of double that of search engine optimisation freelancers.
Do extra skilled SEOs cost much more per month?
Sure, they do.
$1,540.52 is the typical retainer price for SEOs who’ve been in enterprise for 2 years or much less.
This jumps to $2,023.13 for individuals who’ve been in enterprise for two+ years. That’s round 33% greater than those that’ve been in enterprise for 2 years or much less.
However the large leap comes after 5 years in enterprise. The common retainer for these in enterprise for five–10 years is $3,648.28—greater than double the speed of these in enterprise for 2 years or much less.
After this, issues degree off considerably. The truth is, we noticed a decline in earnings for individuals who’ve been in enterprise for 10+ years. Nonetheless, that is most likely as a result of us not having quite a lot of information for this subset.
Do these providing providers worldwide cost extra per thirty days than these serving native markets?
Sure.
These providing their providers regionally cost $1,557.08/month, on common. Whereas these serving the worldwide market earn $3,473.74/month.
That’s a major distinction of 123.1%.
48.9% of respondents cost a per-project charge for some or all of their work.
We discovered that $2,501–$5,000 is the most well-liked per-project charge, with 21.2% of respondents charging this price.
60.6% of respondents cost $1,001 or extra.
50.6% cost $2,000 or much less, which means that fewer than half of respondents command per-project charges of $2,001+.
Right here’s a breakdown of per-project charges by area:
Yep, you guessed it—India is the outlier.
93.75% of India-based SEOs cost $1,500 or much less. The remaining 6.25% cost between $2,001 and $2,500.
Trying on the U.S. and Canada in isolation, 83.3% cost a minimum of $1,001. Some even cost as a lot as $50,001–$75,000 per venture.
Do search engine optimisation businesses cost extra per venture than freelancers?
Sure.
73.3% of search engine optimisation businesses command $1,001+ per venture, in comparison with solely 64% of consultants and 40.68% of freelancers.
The most typical per-project charge for freelancers is $101–$250. For search engine optimisation businesses, it’s $2,501–$5,000. And for consultants, it’s $5,001–$10,000.
If we assume all surveyed SEOs cost the higher finish of their pricing tier (e.g., $1,500, from $1,001–1,500), after which take the typical per-project price for every subset (Company, Freelance, Consultancy), right here’s what we get:
- Businesses: $9,507.84/month, on common.
- Consultancies: $8,685.53/month, on common.
- Freelancers: $2,348.63/month, on common.
By these stats, the per-project charge charged by search engine optimisation businesses is greater than 4X that of search engine optimisation freelancers, on common.
Do extra skilled SEOs cost much more per venture?
Sure, they do.
$1,881.73 is the typical per-project charge charged by those that’ve been in enterprise for 2 years or much less.
This jumps to $2,242.71 for individuals who’ve been in enterprise for two+ years after which to $9,087.31 for individuals who’ve been in enterprise 5–10 years.
Do these providing providers worldwide cost extra per venture than these serving native markets?
Sure—considerably extra!
On common, these providing their providers regionally cost $5,723.53 per venture, whereas these serving the worldwide market cost $8,056.56.
That’s a major distinction of 40.80%.
Last ideas
My hope is that this information will assist SEOs to cease undercharging for his or her providers. Sure, the financial outlook might look bleak proper now, however know that search engine optimisation is a beneficial talent. Don’t be afraid to cost what you’re value.
Acquired questions? Ping me on Twitter.
