Should I stop paying for local SEO?

[nocow2016]

I own several types of businesses. One of them happens to be a plumbing business that I am a silent partner in.

We are currently paying $2,000 a month and my SEO guy has us ranking well (3 pack and spot 2 or 3 on 1st page. The city is small(50,000) with none of my competition doing any serious SEO.

My second business required me learn some SEO basics. I'm now ranking for many keywords and seeing a constant increase in my organic traffic.

Since I am ranking well on my own site, I'm starting to hate writing that $2,000 check every month for my local SEO guy...

My question is, how difficult will it be for someone with my level of SEO knowledge to take back over the SEO duties and not see a drop in rankings.

My backlinks are organic (no pbns). The on-page is already done but can be improved in my opinion.

What else am I really missing for local SEO? Citations? Can't I pay someone once to get me all the best citations?

What do you guys think?

 

[Hay700]

2k a month for 50k people.... Dude you could rank that with web 2.0s. Just make sure not to over optimize your keywords, and continue to build links slowly.
You can pay someone for citations, but tbh it is better done manually, and drip feed them.

 

[KashmiriIndian]

Why don't you concentrate on your own business rather than doing SEO for your own business which isn't your forte.

Not sure if you are being overpriced by your SEO guy, however for a moment think that guy must be running his home from his SEO business and don't think it's appropriate on your part to take back this project. Seems he is already doing a good job and should be rewarded.

How would you feel if tomorrow people stop taking your services and do things by their own. Think for a moment.

 

[Topiano]

How would you feel if tomorrow people stop taking your services and do

If he’s been overpriced — I think he’s got the chance to renegotiate. I wouldn’t be spending so much on what’s not yielding good profit

If he thinks he can handle the project himself and saves money to expand his business- So be it .

Best consider your pocket first before setting pity on others .

Love yourself.

 

[jcsuperstar]

I think KashmiriIndian is your SEO guy! He has his tin can out lol

 

[MisterF]

It depends on your relationship with your seo guy.

If I was doing your seo and you dropped me as it was too expensive, for you to try it yourself only for the rankings to drop. When you came back to me ( cap in hand ) I'd be happy to take you back as a client, at $3k a month.

Flip of that is there are plenty of seo agencies who quote crazy high prices and buyers pay for it.

Does your seo guy you use, provide you with detailed reports each month?

 

[hacko]

That is way overpriced tbh and you never should have agreed on it in the first place. Better renegotiate though, as he could be the type who could potentially do negative SEO and harm your business

 

[AngelSeo]

$2k for 50k town is overpriced for sure. There are probably under a dozen plumbing businesses with websites total at the whole city. For $2k he should occupy the top 10 results with your services..

 

[MarvinMartian]

I own several types of businesses. One of them happens to be a plumbing business that I am a silent partner in.

We are currently paying $2,000 a month and my SEO guy has us ranking well (3 pack and spot 2 or 3 on 1st page. The city is small(50,000) with none of my competition doing any serious SEO.

My second business required me learn some SEO basics. I'm now ranking for many keywords and seeing a constant increase in my organic traffic.

Since I am ranking well on my own site, I'm starting to hate writing that $2,000 check every month for my local SEO guy...

My question is, how difficult will it be for someone with my level of SEO knowledge to take back over the SEO duties and not see a drop in rankings.

My backlinks are organic (no pbns). The on-page is already done but can be improved in my opinion.

What else am I really missing for local SEO? Citations? Can't I pay someone once to get me all the best citations?

What do you guys think?

I think you need to get an idea of exactly what he is doing for you with something, even reports like misterf said. 2 grand might not be a lot at all. This industry is relative in the cost and if you want to get quality expect to pay for it like anything else.

And honestly it's a company and its an investment and it seems to have paid off well. Seeing people saying your paying too much is stupid to see in this forum. I see companies want SEO for so cheap that the person selling it can't provide the best quality work so the companies can't rank then SEO is called snake oil, where as this company people think he pays too much but he got the results he wanted. Doesn't make any sense.

 

[radiant13]

The city is small(50,000) with none of my competition doing any serious SEO.

If your competition is that easy then you can stay on top without doing much more than what's already been done. Once I got my little business website outranking all the competition it stayed that way without me doing anymore offsite seo. Money out the window if you keep paying that 2k every month, imho.
Citation packages can be had here for something like 25 cents a piece so get yourself 100 and be done with that.

 

[Jure321]

For $2k he should occupy the top 10 results with your services..

exactly what I thought of when I first saw the post lol

 

[zionbar]

I own several types of businesses. One of them happens to be a plumbing business that I am a silent partner in.

We are currently paying $2,000 a month and my SEO guy has us ranking well (3 pack and spot 2 or 3 on 1st page. The city is small(50,000) with none of my competition doing any serious SEO.

My second business required me learn some SEO basics. I'm now ranking for many keywords and seeing a constant increase in my organic traffic.

Since I am ranking well on my own site, I'm starting to hate writing that $2,000 check every month for my local SEO guy...

My question is, how difficult will it be for someone with my level of SEO knowledge to take back over the SEO duties and not see a drop in rankings.

My backlinks are organic (no pbns). The on-page is already done but can be improved in my opinion.

What else am I really missing for local SEO? Citations? Can't I pay someone once to get me all the best citations?

What do you guys think?

Hit me up if you want me to help you get local plumbing leads..
Instead of paying for SEO i can get you the customers and skip the crap.

 

[Nateolsen]

You really didn't include enough info, how long has he been trying to rank your sites? Are you paying for local only or organic because it sounds like you did the organic? Find someone with better experience and better pricing! I used to be a licensed plumber and charge my plumbing SEO clients around $795 for organic & local (GMB SEO). But typically you shouldn't quit SEO if your improving a significant amount in rankings per month and without knowing what he is doing I can't say he is overcharging.

 

[JimmyWong]

If it were me I'd do an audit of the site he is ranking for you before making a decision.

In a town of 50'000 he might not actually be doing ANY SEO apart from the basics to be honest.

To keep him in good standing you could say your business is suffered and can no longer afford him. Does he care to negotiate?

Good luck.

 

[Local SEO]

I'm sure OP didn't heard of a famous term. "Half Knowledge is dangerous"

 

[InsGuru]

exactly what I thought of when I first saw the post lol

Hit me up if you want me t

Hey man Ive been looking for

ng for SEO i can get you the customers and skip the crap.

How can i get in touch, Need help getting quality leads for my business.

 

[Jacko6933]

If you think $2,000/month is too much, then you probably don't make enough money, however, if his work has made you positive ROI, then why would you change it?
SEO is a long term investment into your business, and a tax deduction and trying to do it yourself, you might as well lose it all.
Goodl luck!

 

[Abhinav Singh]

Don't need to pay for seo. Local SEO is not a difficult task if you are good in searching on google. Then you can do for yourself.

 

[Mr Positive]

I own several types of businesses. One of them happens to be a plumbing business that I am a silent partner in.

We are currently paying $2,000 a month and my SEO guy has us ranking well (3 pack and spot 2 or 3 on 1st page. The city is small(50,000) with none of my competition doing any serious SEO.

My second business required me learn some SEO basics. I'm now ranking for many keywords and seeing a constant increase in my organic traffic.

Since I am ranking well on my own site, I'm starting to hate writing that $2,000 check every month for my local SEO guy...

My question is, how difficult will it be for someone with my level of SEO knowledge to take back over the SEO duties and not see a drop in rankings.

My backlinks are organic (no pbns). The on-page is already done but can be improved in my opinion.

What else am I really missing for local SEO? Citations? Can't I pay someone once to get me all the best citations?

What do you guys think?

I think you shouldn't quit seo but you're paying a preprem 2k is to much, I saw in this forum many decent one's effective and affordable. So I wlwou suggest you to change but continue doing seo