This is a common question we get – and our answer is always, it depends.  What does it depend on –  What would you like us to do?  Everyone would like to have a massive online presence, and be on the first page of Google but don’t always realize that it takes a lot of thought, effort… and money to accomplish. What do I mean?  Let’s dive deeper into what it takes….

What influences the cost?  

The most important question for many folks.    Whate services will the agency be providing,  such as SEO (search engine optimization) audits, keyword research, on-page and off-page optimization, content creation, link building, and technical SEO to give you an idea.  All of these are some of the components of the cost.

An example, a full-service SEO package that entails content strategy, ongoing optimization, and performance monitoring will cost more than a basic SEO audit.  

What is the size and expertise of the agency?  Large companies with higher overhead and extensive experience tend to charge more than a new small company.    Specialized agencies, with expertise in a specific industry or a type of marketing may also ask for higher fees due to their niche knowledge. 

Your business size and specific marketing needs significantly affect the cost of marketing services.  A small business with a local focus may require a less extensive marketing strategy than a larger company looking to market to an entire state or region.  How complex is your website?  How competitive is your industry?  What are your business goals?  All of these influence the level of marketing needed and with it the cost.  

Geographical location can also affect how much you pay.  What do I mean?  Pricing can be different in Fredericksburg vs Richmond or D.C..  Major cities or regions with a higher cost of living charge more than a small town. So yes, costs are going up in our small town.  

The length of your engagement with an agency can also influence the cost.  Short-term or one-time marketing efforts may have a different pricing structure than long-term engagements, where ongoing optimization and continued improvement are required.  Long-term agreements often are more beneficial from a consistency standpoint but they also require a more significant financial commitment.  

What will I be charged?

Each agency has its own pricing model, some agencies have different pricing structures within their agency, based on the company needing marketing requirements, whether will it be one-time, on-again / off-again, or long-term ongoing.  (For the record on again/off again in the long run can be more costly than long-term ongoing as all momentum is lost when the marketing is off).  

Some projects are best charged by the hour, such as consulting services or a specific task such as an audit.  Each area has its own hourly rate that it will handle but expect anywhere from $75 to $200 per hour.  This works best for businesses that need occasional marketing assistance or have specific short-term needs.

Monthly retainers are the most common model, businesses pay a fixed monthly fee in exchange for ongoing services.  These services can include audits, keyword research, on-page and off-page optimization, content creation – you get the idea – a lot of marketing that is usually defined in the agreement/statement of work.    Monthly retainers can be anywhere from a few hundred to thousands per month, spending on the services requested and the agency’s expertise.  This is best for businesses seeking consistent long-term support. 

Project-based pricing is used for specific one-time tasks or campaigns such as website redesign or a targeted link-building campaign.  The cost will vary depending on the complexity and duration of the work.  As an example, a complete website optimization project could range from $3,000 to $30,000.  

Performance-based pricing is tied to the results achieved, such as an improved search engine ranking or an increase in organic traffic.  While it sounds great it does come with risks.  Marketing is a long-term strategy and results can be influenced by many factors outside the agency’s control.  And it can lead to questionable tactics that could provide short-term results with harm to your marketing in the long run.  

Expectations for Services

Low-cost marketing services, usually considered budget-friendly, run about $500 or less per month, and usually include basic tasks such as keyword research, minimal on-page optimization, and basic reporting.  While affordable these services may need more in-depth work or customization for significant long-term results.  Sometimes you will find providers will use outdated or risky tactics that will ultimately harm your marketing efforts.  

Mid-range marketing services, usually start about $1,000 to about $5,000 per month, provide a more comprehensive approach.  You should see things like regular audits, ongoing optimization, and content creation.   Agencies in this price range typically provide personalized strategies and reporting.  Great for businesses with moderate marketing needs.

High-end marketing services, $5,000 or more per month are typically agencies with a strong track record.  You can expect technical search engine optimization, advanced content strategy, sophisticated link-building campaigns, and in-depth performance analysis.  High-end marketing is typically employed in a competitive industry.

Some hidden expenses

Some additional things to plan for that may be needed to help your marketing work the best for your company should be planned for.   

Additional tools and software, though normally included in the cost, there can be extra charges for advanced tools such as keyword research software, link analysis tools, and so on.  Clarify these costs upfront and what is expected to be accomplished with them.

Content creation, especially as of this writing, is vital to your continued success.  Blog posts, informational articles, infographics, videos, or other types of content will help ensure that your marketing maintains its placement.  It should be high quality and highly optimized.

Ongoing optimization and updates are something that is required of each good marketing plan.  It is not a build it one time and people will find my site as it was in the early days of internet marketing  Continually updating your site, via various means that work for your business, keeping all of the online information relevant and updated, and search engine optimization are all requirements in today’s marketing world. 

This would not be complete without the mention of black hat techniques or mistakes that are made when a business attempts to tackle marketing in-house.  These can be costly to a business so the short is just don’t do it.  In the long run, it will cost more money for an ethical company to correct those mistakes or black hat techniques.  We know, we have corrected marketing for both types of situations many times over the years.  It causes a lot of stress, missed revenue, and extra money for businesses that employ these options.  If it sounds too easy, too quick, or too good to be true, take a moment and inquire with another company of your choosing to find out if it will work or not.  

Budgeting for marketing

The first thing I would recommend is to realistically determine what you want your marketing to accomplish and what your company can afford to pay.  These two don’t always match up, so a phased approach may be necessary.  A phased approach won’t get you where you need to be as quickly but being realistic about your budget and a slower way of getting to where you want to go is better than no action at all.  

Sit down and look, honestly, at your website, and current online presence, and while you are doing that look at your industry, and your competitors and know who your target audience might be.  (You would be surprised at how many businesses have not done this).  Once you have this information in hand, start looking at a realistic budget that you can put forward each month to achieve the goals you have already outlined. Sometimes they require modification based on your findings when you did some of the above research.  

While going immediately with the lowest cost is tempting, ask yourself if it will help you achieve your goals or if is it worth investing in quality services that will deliver long-term value, helping your business grow.  Expect to place about 5% – 10% of your total revenue into digital marketing, with most of that going to search engine optimization.

Once you have determined what your budget might be, and who you might like to work with to accomplish your goals, work closely with them to help receive the best return on your investment.  Communicate with them, responsiveness should take place on both sides and be transparent – all this helps get the most out of the investment being made into your company. 

Hiring a marketing company takes some research and time on your part but as you may have heard throughout your life at some point, the hard work on this side helps ensure a proven result on the other side.  It varies widely, based on a lot of variables that are specific to your company’s needs. Find the one that works the best for your company.

If you believe that Simply Web Services might be a good fit for your business send us an email.   We will do a quick audit of your online presence and discuss in more detail how we might best help you with your goals.