After being in the SEO world for over 15 years guiding companies from startups to Fortune 500s we’ve seen it all, and when it comes to hiring an SEO company/consultant what should you realistically expect to pay? We’ll shed more light on that.

The first thing to think about is your business in particular, especially your goals. For example, SEO for a local Italian restaurant in NYC that’s looking to fill tables and maximize takeout is very different when compared to a national or global restaurant chain with hundreds if not thousands of locations operating on a huge scale.

And what’s most important is matching your goals with an SEO company that truly understands your business needs and can use that knowledge to take you to the next level.

Looking at the example referenced above, if you’re in the restaurant space and need guidance, would you rather have a person/team that knows SEO broadly or a company that specializes in SEO for food companies in particular? It’s all about linguistics and being able to speak the same language.

Honing in on the actual costs for SEO services and consultants, as with any industry there will be lower priced solutions then on the flip side more specialized, higher priced SEO providers that charge more due to their expertise and track record. You can expect to pay anywhere from $30 per hour in the United States up to $300/hr or more for SEO experts in particular fields (in very competitive markets, for expert witness testimony, etc.).

In the end, is paying someone to do SEO worth it? And the answer is almost always yes. Someone who specializes in SEO and understands all of the trends, Google algorithm updates, etc. on a large scale will have the clarity to guide you in the right direction versus flying blind.