“How much does SEO cost?”
It’s the first question everyone asks.
And the answer? It depends.
But here’s what you need to know: cheap SEO doesn’t work. Expensive SEO isn’t always better. And the right investment pays for itself.
Here’s what professional SEO actually costs in London—and what you get at each level.
1. Why SEO Costs What It Does
SEO isn’t a one-time fix. It’s ongoing work.
What you’re paying for:
- Technical audits and fixes (site speed, mobile optimization, crawlability)
- Keyword research (finding what your customers actually search for)
- Content creation (blogs, service pages, location pages)
- Link building (outreach, guest posts, digital PR)
- Google Business Profile optimization (if you need local SEO)
- Monthly reporting and strategy adjustments
Why London costs more:
- Higher competition (more work needed to rank)
- Higher agency costs (London-based agencies charge more for talent and overhead)
- Longer timelines (it takes 6–12 months to see real results)
Bottom line:
If someone offers you “full SEO” for £300/month, they’re either lying or outsourcing to low-quality providers.
2. SEO Pricing Models (How Agencies Charge)
There are 3 main ways SEO agencies price their services.
Monthly Retainer (Most Common)
You pay a fixed monthly fee. The agency handles everything.
Typical range in London:
- Budget: £800–£1,500/month
- Mid-tier: £2,000–£4,000/month
- Premium: £5,000–£10,000+/month
What’s included:
- Technical SEO
- Content creation (varies by tier)
- Link building (varies by tier)
- Monthly reporting
Best for:
Businesses that want ongoing SEO support and don’t want to manage it in-house.
Project-Based (One-Time)
You pay a fixed fee for a specific project (e.g., site audit, content overhaul, local SEO setup).
Typical range in London:
- Site audit: £500–£2,000
- Local SEO setup: £1,500–£3,000
- Full SEO overhaul: £5,000–£15,000
Best for:
Businesses that just need a foundation built, then plan to manage SEO in-house.
Hourly (Rare)
You pay per hour of work. Usually £75–£150/hour in London.
Best for:
Consulting, strategy sessions, or one-off technical fixes.
Red flag:
Hourly pricing can spiral out of control. Always get an estimate upfront.
3. What You Get at Each Price Level
Here’s the breakdown.
Budget SEO: £800–£1,500/Month
What’s included:
- Basic technical audit
- 2–4 blog posts per month
- Minimal link building (often just directory submissions)
- Monthly ranking report
What’s NOT included:
- In-depth competitor analysis
- Advanced technical fixes
- High-quality backlinks
- Google Business Profile optimization
Who it’s for:
- Small local businesses (cafes, salons, tradespeople)
- Businesses in low-competition niches
- Startups testing SEO before scaling
Reality check:
This tier works if you’re in a small niche or targeting long-tail keywords. But if you’re competing in London’s crowded markets (legal, finance, tech), this won’t move the needle.
Mid-Tier SEO: £2,000–£4,000/Month
What’s included:
- Full technical audit and ongoing fixes
- 4–8 optimized blog posts or service pages per month
- Quality link building (guest posts, outreach, partnerships)
- Google Business Profile optimization
- Keyword research and competitor analysis
- Monthly performance reports with insights
What’s NOT included:
- Enterprise-level content (10+ posts/month)
- Aggressive link building campaigns (50+ backlinks/month)
- Multi-location SEO for large chains
Who it’s for:
- Growing businesses (law firms, consultancies, SaaS companies)
- Businesses targeting competitive London keywords
- Companies ready to invest 6–12 months for real ROI
Reality check:
This is the sweet spot for most London businesses. You get real strategy, consistent content, and quality backlinks. Results take time, but they compound.
This is where AlgoSemantic operates. We focus on mid-tier pricing because it delivers the best ROI without wasting your budget.
Premium SEO: £5,000–£10,000+/Month
What’s included:
- Enterprise-level technical SEO (multi-site, international)
- 10+ high-quality content pieces per month
- Aggressive link building (digital PR, journalist outreach)
- Multi-location or multi-language SEO
- Dedicated account manager
- Weekly reporting and strategy calls
Who it’s for:
- Large enterprises
- E-commerce sites with 1,000+ products
- Businesses competing nationally or internationally
- Brands that need to dominate page 1 across dozens of keywords
Reality check:
This tier is overkill for most small-to-mid-sized businesses. But if you’re a major player in a competitive industry, it’s necessary.
4. What You Should NEVER Pay For
Some agencies charge for things that should be included—or don’t work at all.
Red flags:
- Per-keyword pricing. (“£50/month per keyword.”) This is outdated. SEO targets multiple keywords per page.
- Guaranteed rankings. No one can guarantee #1 rankings. If they do, they’re lying.
- Cheap backlinks. (“100 backlinks for £200.”) These are spam links that’ll hurt your rankings.
- Setup fees. Some agencies charge £1,000+ just to onboard you. That should be included in month 1.
- Reporting fees. Monthly reports should be included. Don’t pay extra.
Our policy:
No setup fees. No per-keyword pricing. No hidden costs. You pay for strategy, execution, and results.
5. How to Calculate SEO ROI (Is It Worth It?)
SEO is an investment. Here’s how to know if it’s paying off.
Step 1: Calculate customer lifetime value (CLV)
- If your average customer spends £5,000 over their lifetime, that’s your CLV.
Step 2: Estimate conversions from SEO
- If SEO brings 50 leads/month and 10% convert, that’s 5 new customers/month.
Step 3: Calculate revenue
- 5 customers × £5,000 = £25,000/month in revenue.
Step 4: Subtract SEO cost
- If you’re paying £3,000/month for SEO, your net gain is £22,000/month.
ROI = 733%
Reality check:
Most businesses see positive ROI after 6–12 months. Before that, you’re building momentum (rankings, traffic, authority). After that, SEO becomes one of your highest-ROI channels.
6. How Long Before You See Results?
SEO isn’t instant. Here’s a realistic timeline.
Month 1–2:
- Technical fixes implemented
- Keyword strategy finalized
- First content published
- Early rankings for long-tail keywords
Month 3–4:
- Rankings improve for target keywords
- Organic traffic increases 20–40%
- First backlinks secured
Month 6+:
- Page 1 rankings for competitive keywords
- Organic traffic up 50–100%+
- Consistent lead flow from search
Red flag:
If an agency promises results in 30 days, they’re setting unrealistic expectations—or using black-hat tactics.
Our promise:
We show you progress every month. We’re transparent about what’s working and what’s not. And we adjust the strategy based on results.
7. Affordable SEO vs. Cheap SEO (There’s a Difference)
Affordable SEO:
- Clear pricing with no hidden fees
- Focus on high-impact tactics (technical fixes, quality content, strategic backlinks)
- Transparent reporting
- Realistic timelines
Cheap SEO:
- Too-good-to-be-true pricing (£200–£500/month)
- Generic content (often AI-generated or plagiarized)
- Spammy backlinks (from low-quality directories or blog networks)
- No reporting or vague “we’re working on it” updates
Bottom line:
Affordable SEO delivers ROI. Cheap SEO wastes your money—and can get you penalized by Google.
8. DIY SEO vs. Hiring an Agency (What Makes Sense?)
DIY SEO works if:
- You’re a small business with limited budget
- You have time to learn (20+ hours/month minimum)
- You’re targeting low-competition keywords
Hiring an agency makes sense if:
- You’re competing in London’s crowded markets
- You don’t have time to manage SEO yourself
- You want results faster (agencies have tools, experience, and relationships)
Hybrid approach:
Some businesses do basic SEO themselves (blog writing, Google Business Profile updates) and hire an agency for technical SEO and link building.
Our take:
If SEO is mission-critical for your business, hire experts. If it’s a side project, DIY for now.
9. What AlgoSemantic Charges (and Why)
We operate in the mid-tier range: £2,000–£4,000/month.
What’s included:
- Full technical audit and ongoing optimization
- 4–8 optimized content pieces per month (blogs, service pages, location pages)
- Strategic link building (guest posts, digital PR, partnerships)
- Google Business Profile optimization (for local SEO)
- Monthly performance reports with insights and next steps
- Direct access to your account manager (no runarounds)
Why this price?
- We’re based in London. We understand the market.
- We don’t outsource to cheap overseas writers or link farms.
- We focus on ROI, not vanity metrics.
- We’ve been doing this since 2018. We know what works.
No setup fees. No hidden costs. No long-term contracts.
If we’re not delivering, you can leave. That’s the deal.
10. How to Choose the Right SEO Investment for Your Business
Ask yourself:
- What’s my customer lifetime value? (Higher CLV = justify higher SEO investment)
- How competitive is my market? (More competition = need mid-to-premium tier)
- What’s my timeline? (SEO takes 6–12 months—can you wait?)
- Do I have the budget? (If not, start small and scale up)
Our recommendation:
- Small local businesses: Start with £1,500–£2,000/month
- Growing London businesses: Invest £2,500–£4,000/month
- Enterprises: Budget £5,000+/month
Don’t go cheaper than £1,500/month in London. You’ll waste money on low-quality work.
Want to Know What SEO Should Cost for YOUR Business?
We’ll audit your site for free and give you a custom quote. No sales pressure. Just honest advice on what you need and what it’ll cost.
Email us: contact@algosemantic.com
Call us: +44 7412 808430
Contact Now!
Or keep reading. We’re breaking down SEO pricing, one myth at a time.
AlgoSemantic. The algorithm behind your success.
