How Much Does Perth SEO Cost? | 3 Keys You Need To Know
“It depends…”
When it comes to cost, it’s probably the most frustrating (and frankly off putting) phrase a business owner can hear. Unfortunately if your question is “How much does SEO cost in Perth?”, it’s the only truly comprehensive response.
And that’s because it actually does depend.
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In fact if you’re reading this article chances are you’ve probably already witnessed the crazy cost variance of SEO first hand.
Through my time in the industry I’ve seen it all; from ridiculous offers like “Rank #1 for $100” or “We get you to page one in 1 week!” to big businesses claiming to spend upwards of $30,000 a month.
In fact, even when SEO powerhouses Moz.com surveyed almost 400 SEO agencies about their cost they found huge discrepancies (from $25 an hour to $20,000 a month!)
Which may leave you wondering..
Why does the cost of SEO vary so much?
Well, in essence, SEO costs in Perth varies widely because of the myriad of factors involved in running a successful campaign. To make it easier to interpret however, we’ve narrowed it down to 3 key influential determiners on price.
These are:
1. The quality of the work;
2. The scale of the campaign and;
3. The way in which you pay for the services.
This article is going to run through these major pricing elements. Explaining what they are and how they affect cost, and giving you the power to determine exactly how much your SEO campaign should cost and why.
**Only want the dollar amounts? Skip to the Dollar Cost of SEO Perth here
1. The Quality Of The SEO Work
“If any old online SEO company can skyrocket my rankings for less than $300, why should I expect to pay 5x or more for your service?”
This was a perfectly legitimate question from a client who approached Summit Web hoping to improve their search engine rankings.
While at first I felt that such a low price should have been an instant redflag of dubious methodology, after taking the time to listen to this business owner I discovered that people simply don’t understand why they should pay much (or any) more.
And that’s because it’s hard for those outside the industry to gage quality SEO.
What is ‘Quality SEO’?
At its core, quality SEO is using a well structured methodology of trusted and innovative whitehat techniques that gain your business a higher ranking.
‘Whitehat’ is the name given to SEO techniques that are completely above board, fair and don’t result in any penalties from Google.
Among the most common whitehat techniques are:
On-Page SEO Optimisation (Title Tags, Meta Tags, Meta Descriptions, No Dead Links etc);
SEO Optimised Quality Content Campaigns;
Link Building Campaigns
Basically because you’re giving both Google and your visitor what they want, all these methods result in natural ranking boosts.
However, using these whitehat techniques takes time, patience, experience and expertise. And that’s why to outsiders it initially appears to cost more.
And that’s also why it’s an area where cornering cutting can be both hidden and easy.
How to spot a Cost Corner Cutter SEO Agency:
- They rarely (or don’t) mention on page or website optimisation.
- They produce low quality, boring, unrelated or unreadable content.
- They have no suggestions for content sharing or marketing practices.
- They don’t explain link building, or reveal how they intend to build links.
- They mention any ‘quick’ roads to successful rankings.
All of the above are dead giveaways an agency is looking to cut costs in your Perth SEO campaign. Some may pass this on to you – but most won’t. And so we strongly suggest that any potential agency you consider provides satisfactory answers to all these red flags before you start your campaign.
Be warned…
‘Blackhat’ is abundant in cheaper SEO campaigns.
Blackhat is the name for techniques that are shady, contrived or illegal (such as buying bulk links). These typically result in harsh punishment from Google. A lot of agency that promise quick results use ‘blackhat’ methods to obtain them, so be very cautious as it could spell the end for your SEO marketing.
2. The Scale of Your Campaign
The second key player in the SEO cost of your campaign is the scale and required outcomes of your campaign. Of course every Perth business owner wants to rank first on every converting keyword but the time frame and resources required to make this is possible is different for every single business.
The 2 most important cost factors are:
What industry your business is in and;
The position your business is in online when starting a campaign.
Together they make up the bulk of the costs your campaign will incur.
Why Your Industry Affects Your SEO Costs
The answer for this is quite straightforward: competition.
For example someone in the exotic turtle business is more likely to have less competition than say, a Perth electrician.
So if you’re in the exotic turtle business, congratulations – the lack of competitors will mean that you’ll climb the rankings far faster. Adding to the electricians problems is that gaining rankings in such a competitive field will almost certainly mean more work for an SEO agency – which may an increase in costs.
This holds true for all competitive fields (think: the trades, lawyers, medical industry, digital marketing, tourism etc).
This is becoming even more prevalent in 2019 as many businesses rush to get onto the first page. One way of circumventing this may be to use a Google My Business account to climb rankings faster.
But if this is your business, don’t panic!
While it may seem like doom and gloom initially, the payoff is more than worth it.
Competitive fields are that way because there are so many potential customers looking for your service or product. Meaning as soon as you climb the rankings you’re visitors, leads and profits are going to skyrocket.
How Your Current Online Situation Affects SEO Costs
SEO takes time. No doubt about it. Even a well managed campaign in a less competitive field will take anywhere from 3 – 6 months to achieve success.
But you can leapfrog to the top if…
You’re business already has a strong online presence.
If you’re site is getting views and traffic, and you’re nourishing an online community you may find that SEO will take far less time to take effect. And this means paying less for your Perth SEO.
My site has no traffic, does that mean I’ll be charged more?!
Not necessarily! But it may mean that you can’t rank as quickly, which will mean getting the results you want may require a longer SEO campaign.
3. The Way You Pay For Your SEO Services (with Costs)
The last aspect in SEO cost is how you actually choose to pay (and how much). And while it may differ between companies (and clients) there are generally 3 methods in which SEO agencies here in Perth charge for their services:
1. By The Hour
2. Per Unique Campaign
3. On-Going
Each has a different cost as well as positive and negative aspects which are important to explore
1. By The Hour:
Cost –
From $30 – 150 per hour
Positives –
This type of SEO cost is generally the most straightforward.
You decide upon an hourly rate and pay for the work your agency logs. This means you don’t overpay for work either not getting results or not being done at all. You’re in control of how much is going out and that means you can slow or stop it at anytime.
Negatives –
As I mentioned earlier, SEO is a long term marketing solution. This can mean that you may end up paying a considerable amount (especially for a quality agency) to achieve the results your business deserves.
The form of payment is also not results driven. You pay by the hour for work, and so there’s no guarantee or real incentive to achieve results (especially quickly). This could potentially mean an increase in overall SEO costs.
Recommended Use –
By the hour works best for Perth business that are undertaking to do the bulk of their SEO work in-house and require a weekly/monthly consultant.
2. Pay Per Unique Campaign
Cost –
(Note*: Heavily dependent on the scale of your campaign)
Anywhere from $500 – $15,000
Positives –
Unlike the by-the-hour cost structure, paying for a single unique SEO campaign gives you the piece of mind that your agency is actively working toward a tangible result. Furthermore, a good campaign brief will also outline a timeline to achieving these results.
You also won’t be stung with any hidden SEO costs or need for extended hours – you pay and then let the experts get your business results.
Negatives –
Paying for an entire campaign can be an expensive upfront investment. Especially if you are approaching a well renowned Perth SEO Agency. A lot of business find this lump sum off putting – given that you have yet to actually obtain results.
Another less than desirable aspect is relative inflexibility of the pay per campaign method. Once you agree and sign there is very little wriggle room if you have to make budget cuts or are finding other marketing avenues are working well for your business (learn how to use pay per click to get you a 225% return right here).
Lastly, SEO requires constant updating. Once the campaign is finished you’ll be on your own again, which may lead to ranking slips.
Recommended Use –
This billing style works best for Perth businesses that have done their research on SEO, understand what results to expect and are happy to put a large amount upfront to secure them.
Be careful!
This is form of payment is a favourite for dodgy SEO shysters who offer incredible results at rock-bottom prices. A lot of smart business owners have lost out in this way. Luckily if you follow the advice above you won’t be one of them.
3. On-Going SEO Services
Cost –
Average at $700 – $3000 per month
Positives –
Like paying per campaign, having an SEO on retainer means that you can simply set a budget and let a team of experts handle the rest.
However it comes with the added bonus of creating a close working relationship with your agency. This relationship means an increase in trust and transparency – as you’re given constant access to the data that you need (in some cases it also means invites to SEO workshops and training as well as comprehensive digital marketing advice).
What’s more, on-going SEO services give you the freedom of flexibility. You can upgrade, change or even cancel your services with the ease of a phone call or email.
You also don’t have to worry about a sudden post-campaign fall in rankings.
Negatives –
Commitment. Unlike Summit Web (who offer no lock-in contracts) most SEO agencies in Perth will require you sign up for a minimum of 3 – 6 months. This could lead to a waste of both time and money if you fail to see results.
Recommended Use –
On-going SEO services is best for Perth businesses that don’t have the collateral to pay for whole individual campaigns and instead wish to gain trackable rankings while building a close working relationship with an agency.
SEO Cost Perth – Final Thoughts
As you can see, the cost of SEO is an absolute minefield of information and misinformation.
From the cheap as chips pirates to the rip off merchants it’s no wonder that business owners in Perth have trouble determining just how much they should be investing.
However, following the 3 keys outlined above you’re now armed with the knowledge to ask the right questions and make an educated decision as to the value an SEO agency can bring to your business.
Still have doubts..?
Of course if none of this made sense or you’re still struggling to work out exactly how much SEO should cost feel free to give the team of SEO experts at Summit Web a call today. No matter what your question we’re always more than happy to help Perth businesses achieve their online lead generation and marketing goals.
Easy Garage Doors from Perth, Westen Australia were able to create a very successful garage door installation SEO campaign that was managed by Summit Web.
As always if you loved this article or think it may help a business owner you know feel free to share. Or if I’ve missed anything please let me know in the comments below.
Until next time!

Get in touch today

Sean (Winston) Mann
Sean is a digital marketing coach and content designer at Summit Web. He started his career as a journalist but soon found his passion lay with helping businesses grow online. With extensive experience designing and managing successful digital campaigns, he is a go-to for businesses that want to maximise their leads online. Never one to rest, you'll catch him taking in music around town or even in the airport lounge.