How much should I charge for SEO?

[Toocoo82]

I have a guy that is pretty well rounded in the SEO game. He's already ranked 4 sites on the first page of Google (and they are still there after the penguin update). He's very skilled imo.

So I'm trying to figure out how much to charge people for SEO, or who should I target?

Keep in mind, I've tried selling SEO before, and it was crazy because most people don't even know what it is, and when I told them 300-500/month, they looked crazy lol! I even went to some companies, and they turned me down because they found themselves on Google local, and said, "no we don't need you".

So I'm wondering if there any steps or anything I can improve get in this game.

 

[Junkfood00]

This has been asked and discussed several times. Look for the information and read. When you have questions that address specific details then come back and ask.

Also you mention that people get surprised when you quote them for the project, this means that you are trying to sell them a service than selling them benefits.

 

[TheBlueWizard]

You can charge as much as you want; Once you show the business owner how HE/SHE is going to profit from your investment.

Business owners don't care about your service, your prices, who you are... none of that. They truly and sincerely only care about how they are going to make more money.

If people are gawking when you say $500 dollars for your service, it is only because they still see your investment as a mysterious risk, and probably yet don't have a full understanding of just how powerful being ranked locally can be.

 

[creativeway]

I think you could try to find some web designers around your area, and ask them to introduce SEO to their clients and you can pay them some affiliate commissions. Since the web designers has build that trust it would be easier to sell at a higher price and you don't need to run around looking for clients.

 

[sirthomas]

Also you mention that people get surprised when you quote them for the project, this means that you are trying to sell them a service than selling them benefits.

You can charge as much as you want; Once you show the business owner how HE/SHE is going to profit from your investment.

Business owners don't care about your service, your prices, who you are... none of that. They truly and sincerely only care about how they are going to make more money.

This ^ Also if you didn't know, there is an entire section on this forum dedicated to selling your services "offline" it's called the Offline Marketing section. There are a lot of SEO pricing threads there aswell.

 

[lancis]

IMHO if he is skilled in SEO its best to work for yourself. Why charge for SEO work done, when you can charge for traffic the same businesses?

 

[wakkaoaka_]

I remember the first time i explained SEO to someone who had never heard about it before, you need to do that. You need to explain to them why they would want to pay X amount of $ for an SEO service.

Here's how I explained SEO: SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Which means making websites rank higher in search engines such as Google for products and services that people are searching for. When people are searching for products and services you offer, and they see your competitors sites, what do you think happens? That's right, they go to your competitor and you don't get paid.

 

[Enklave]

IMHO if he is skilled in SEO its best to work for yourself. Why charge for SEO work done, when you can charge for traffic the same businesses?

That's right. This is the reason for most of people which are doing IM. To work for themselves. If you have skills to rank sites as #1 in Google, you can monetize it or flip it.
This will bring you more than work for someone else.

 

[sirthomas]

That's right. This is the reason for most of people which are doing IM. To work for themselves. If you have skills to rank sites as #1 in Google, you can monetize it or flip it.
This will bring you more than work for someone else.

Nope. Having offline clients, you deal with much more expensive products = much higher cost for your services. Selling cars, houses, dental, surgery, golf, resorts, etc. Instead of adsense or clickbank.

 

[JimmyConway]

Myself, I charge by the competition level. Which is usually none. But who tells them that?

 

[raticals75]

Looks like you got some great advice from everyone! One other note is maybe you should give them a free or discounted deal for the first month to fgive them that risk free feeling! And if they see you are profitable they will have no choice but to keep you. Good luck toocoo.

 

[matthewseo]

I looked and don't see any section called "Offline Marketing"... where is it?

 

[sirthomas]

On the sidebar up top click: main forums. Which takes you to the full index of forums, you'll find it there.

 

[ESM2012]

On Thursday of last week, I met with a rather large size local business with national implications. I prepared a 45 page powerpoint presentation going over SEO and Social Media 101. After the presenatation, the CEO ( I was in one of their conference rooms with 10 individuals), asked me how do we get started...I said, I need the agreement signed and a check for the set-up fee. Within 5 minutes I had the single largest set-up check that I have ever received.

The IT department manager told me after the meeting that they had other SEO companies come in with proposals with no real information....like what are you going to do for this money...I was confident, answered all questions like I have been doing this business for years...my website ranks....looks professional..etc...

There are plenty of companies just dying to have someone come in and tell them what they need to do...

They found me by a looking in Google for one of the several SEO keywords I rank for...Go get em folks...

 

[sirthomas]

On Thursday of last week, I met with a rather large size local business with national implications. I prepared a 45 page powerpoint presentation going over SEO and Social Media 101. After the presenatation, the CEO ( I was in one of their conference rooms with 10 individuals), asked me how do we get started...I said, I need the agreement signed and a check for the set-up fee. Within 5 minutes I had the single largest set-up check that I have ever received.

The IT department manager told me after the meeting that they had other SEO companies come in with proposals with no real information....like what are you going to do for this money...I was confident, answered all questions like I have been doing this business for years...my website ranks....looks professional..etc...

There are plenty of companies just dying to have someone come in and tell them what they need to do...

They found me by a looking in Google for one of the several SEO keywords I rank for...Go get em folks...

Well done, a lot of people are weary I think, of giving too much information "giving away the secrets" so to speak. But that's not the way to go. I don't mean tell them how you're going to rank, every little detail about backlinks. But tell them your strategies, how video marketing can help them, how twitter can help them, customer engagement, authority building, community involvment, etc. Get deep into the strategies with them, get deep in the benefits with them. Don't just say, "we will do video marketing for you" Instead prepare 3 different slides demonstrating what kind of videos, and how they will benefit this business for years to come.

 

[AtlasMeh'd]

On Thursday of last week, I met with a rather large size local business with national implications. I prepared a 45 page powerpoint presentation going over SEO and Social Media 101. After the presenatation, the CEO ( I was in one of their conference rooms with 10 individuals), asked me how do we get started...I said, I need the agreement signed and a check for the set-up fee. Within 5 minutes I had the single largest set-up check that I have ever received.

The IT department manager told me after the meeting that they had other SEO companies come in with proposals with no real information....like what are you going to do for this money...I was confident, answered all questions like I have been doing this business for years...my website ranks....looks professional..etc...

There are plenty of companies just dying to have someone come in and tell them what they need to do...

They found me by a looking in Google for one of the several SEO keywords I rank for...Go get em folks...

Yup, that's how you sell it. Show them how much money is going to competition, show them why they're not on page one, show them what you will do to fix it, ask for the money.

 

[dariobl]

Go for offline clients, online is not really good at the moment because there is a lot of guys doing SEO, even a groups of them, just take a look at BST over here , you will get the point.

Getting offline clients is actually easier then you think it is, the main thing is to show them the statistics !

Here is an example :

Make a nice designed note with nice covers which you will send to potential customers ( aka companies ), show them how much people search the keyword for their business per month, how much they could earn, how much new customers they could get, where could you rank them up, if they don't have a web site offer them an web design service ( if you can do that also ), tell them how much important is to have good ranked web site nowadays and so on, and leave them your contact info.

Then YOU will be called by them to discuss about the details, then you will be know that you are talking with highly interested customer and if you have targeted good payed companies or persons you can charge them nice amount of money, also always be able for negotations, what do you have to lose ?

Good luck

 

[lokiys]

You can charge as much as you want; Once you show the business owner how HE/SHE is going to profit from your investment.

Business owners don't care about your service, your prices, who you are... none of that. They truly and sincerely only care about how they are going to make more money.

If people are gawking when you say $500 dollars for your service, it is only because they still see your investment as a mysterious risk, and probably yet don't have a full understanding of just how powerful being ranked locally can be.

Agree with that...

 

[nabeelt]

Most of my clients were actually familiar with SEO so it wasn't hard to convince them. However all people have one thing in common and that is cheap SEO. I even started with some Cheapos but soon they realized that quality services don't come in cheap.