When we talk about small businesses, we often mean small budgets as well. To grow your business, attract more customers, and boost profits, SEO is an essential tool in digital marketing. However, for SEO to deliver results in a reasonable timeframe, you need customers and revenue to sustain it. This creates a challenging cycle. At our SEO agency Calgary, we understand the struggles that many local small businesses face.
Breaking the Vicious Cycle
The key to breaking this cycle is finding the right balance. Spending your entire budget on SEO and hoping your current contracts stay intact is not a sustainable strategy. On the other hand, investing only $100 in SEO and expecting an influx of customers in a few months is equally unrealistic. So, how much should a small business spend on SEO? Here’s a simple formula:
$2500 (SEO services, including content) + $500 (media budget) = $3000 per month.
This $3000 monthly budget is a reasonable average for most small businesses. With consistent investment, you can expect to see significant growth within 6 months to a year.
What Does an SEO Budget Include?
Your SEO budget generally consists of two main components:
- The cost of hiring a specialist or agency.
- A budget for link-building and content creation.
Freelancers vs. Agencies
Hiring an SEO freelancer typically costs between $800 and $1500 per month. In contrast, agency services can range from $1500 to $10,000 per month, depending on factors like region, service package, and the agency’s reputation. At our Calgary digital marketing agency, for example, $2000 covers an average package of SEO services.
Choosing between a freelancer, an agency, or even attempting to do SEO yourself is a tough decision. If you’re new to SEO and plan to handle it yourself, be prepared to invest significant time with potentially minimal results. SEO is a specialized field where expertise and years of experience make all the difference.
While freelancers may offer lower costs, there are potential risks, such as limited resources and outdated tools. Agencies, though more expensive, provide a comprehensive approach, access to advanced tools, and greater stability and accountability.
The Pillars of Website Promotion: Content and Link-Building
Effective website promotion relies heavily on content and link-building. These two pillars can propel a site to the top of Google rankings, but they require constant attention. Fresh, high-quality content should be regularly added to your site, and backlinks must consistently grow in number and quality to increase your site’s authority.
Without a solid content strategy, SEO progress will be slow. Most agencies include content creation in their SEO service packages. Link-building, however, is more complex. For instance, if your competitor has 400 high-quality backlinks, you’ll need a similar number to outrank them. Considering that each quality backlink costs around $100, this could mean an investment of $40,000 – a figure that’s often out of reach for small businesses.
Practical SEO Budget Recommendations
For a small business aiming to see results within a year, here’s an approximate monthly budget:
- With Freelancer: $800 (freelancer services) + $500 (link-building) + $500 (content) = $1800 per month.
- With Agency: $2500 (agency services) + $500 (link-building) = $3000 per month.
If these numbers seem high, you can reduce them by half. However, this will extend your timeline to over two years. These figures are averages; for a more accurate estimate, you’ll need to analyze your specific niche and website. For tailored advice, feel free to contact Effortless Marketing.
