SEO pricing depends on website size, competition, technical debt, content needs and authority. Compare scope and expected work, not only the monthly fee.
What changes SEO pricing
A ten-page local service site and a large ecommerce store do not need the same technical, content or authority effort. Competition and the number of important pages also change how much work is required.
What a retainer should explain
A credible proposal should show what will be audited, improved, published and measured. Be cautious of packages that promise a fixed number of keywords or links without explaining relevance and quality.
Low-cost SEO risks
Very cheap packages can depend on templated content, automated links or minimal senior involvement. The real risk is not simply poor performance; low-quality tactics can create cleanup work later.
How to compare agencies
Ask how they map keywords to URLs, prevent cannibalisation, handle technical implementation, measure leads and report work. Review whether they understand your revenue model rather than only traffic.
Build a realistic business case
Estimate how many qualified leads and clients are needed to cover the monthly retainer. SEO should be evaluated over a sensible horizon and combined with conversion-rate assumptions.
