SEO Consultant Hourly Rate: How Much to Expect From a Consultant

Looking into partnering with an SEO consultant?

If you are, you’re probably wondering what the general cost is for one.

I’m hoping to help answer that for you.

In this article, I’ll talk about the common structures and fees I’ve seen from other SEO consultants and how each structure works.

And if they work.

This will give you an idea of what to expect from your SEO consultant and whether they’re overcharging or undercharging you.

SEO Consultant Engagement Structure

When hiring an SEO consultant, you should know a few things about their rates.

Let’s start with consulting fees since that’s why you’re here after all.

For most SEO consultants, they will use these models:

• Hourly Model: For hourly models, SEO consultants will bill you based on time spent working on a task. They might even use billable and nonbillable hour structures. The thing I personally dislike about hourly models is that there’s more of an incentive to pump your hours so clients pay more. Because of this, you’re more focused on output rather than value. Not to mention, it’s not fixed for clients, so what you pay could vary.
• Fixed Monthly Retainer Model: In a fixed monthly retainer model, clients pay a set fee or rate each month for services. This will usually cover some kind of pre-defined scope of work. Sometimes, retainer models use a mix of hourly rates, too. So, if you pay $2,000, the consultant will bill their hours against that fixed rate. So, it is more of a middle ground between the hourly model and is more friendly to the client. 
• Deliverable-Based Pricing: For deliverable-based pricing, the client pays for specific packages or services from the consultant. That’s what I’m currently doing with my clients, and I know I’m biased here, but I definitely prefer it over the other 2. Clients can either choose to get an SEO audit, consulting, fractional SEO, or full SEO management. The reason I like it though is because I’m not limited by hours. When you choose a deliverable package, my focus is on generating results rather than being limited by hours. My clients like it and I definitely prefer it too. I will say that I don’t package my services based on deliverables; they’re more of just packages of my service to choose from. So it’s not like, “I’ll optimize x pages per month,” but more like, “You’re choosing my consulting service, so you have my full attention for strategy.” Of course, some services are packaged, like content creation or link building, but the majority of the optimization work is included in my fractional SEO package. For base consulting, instead of me being a fractional SEO, I’m just acting as a consultant to guide your SEO strategy. 
• Milestone-Based Pricing:  For milestone-based pricing, clients pay based on specific goals hit. There will still be a base fee, but each milestone will be a commission. Usually, revenue targets will be X signups, demos, and/or free trial requests. While deliverable is my main pricing structure, I think milestone-based is the next best option. It’s friendly for both the client and consultant, and there’s an extra incentive to help your client grow. If they grow, you grow, too.

Despite what other SEOs say, there really isn’t a right or wrong answer when it comes to pricing. 

Most of it just depends on what you’re looking for.

As mentioned, my personal favorite for myself (and my clients) is deliverable-based. 

But there is nothing wrong with hourly or retainer models.

It all depends on what the consultant prefers.

SEO Consultant Pricing and Fees

Okay, now that we have the structures out of the way, let’s go into the actual fees/rates for SEO consultants.

This will be a mix of my personal experience + examples of other SEO consultant's rates.

So, of these models, here’s how pricing usually works for each one:

• Hourly model: Based on what I've seen, hourly rates typically range from $75 to $300+. It all depends on the consultant's experience. 
• Fixed monthly retainer model: Fixed monthly retainers for SEO consultants generally range from $500 to $5,000. I’d say anything below $500 is going to be sketchy. But realistically, most consultants charge between $1,500-$5,000 for retainer structures.  
• Deliverable-Based Model: For deliverable-based SEO services, costs will fluctuate a bit more. It all depends on what you’re looking for. In most cases, deliverable-based pricing (which is my pricing) could be $2,000 for an SEO audit, $3,000 for consulting, or $5,000+ for consulting, content, and link building. 
• Milestone-Based: Milestone-based SEO pricing is a bit more unique. While I’ve mostly worked with clients on deliverable-based packages, I have a few clients where we work on a milestone based structure. It’s very similar to commissions. You start with a base fee (usually less than a retainer, so maybe $1,000-$2,000), and then for every goal you hit, it tacks on a reward. So, with my one client, he pays me $1,000 as a fixed fee, and if I hit 10 conversions, that jumps up to an additional $500. It’s not my preferred way to engage with clients, but I do like that it adds an incentive to deliver for that client.  

SEO Consultant Red Flags to Watch Out For

While the above covers SEO consultant rates pretty well, I figured I’d add a section that covers some red flags to watch out for when actively hiring an SEO consultant:

• They’re offering guaranteed results: Nothing is guaranteed in SEO so there can never be any promises made. The biggest red flag here is when you see “guaranteed page 1 #1 rankings.” It’s almost impossible to guarantee that, so anyone recommending it might count as a red flag.
• No proven results: They should at least have some case studies on their website. Even better if they can provide you with references or testimonials of clients vouching for them. If they don’t have any social proof, you might be in for a rude awakening.
• Pricing that makes them the cheapest option: In SEO, the cheaper you go, the more you’ll pay over time by fixing their mistakes. It’s not always a red flag, but generally, anything less than $500/month will be risky.

SEO Consultant Pricing vs SEO Agency Pricing

Okay, so now that you know what consulting prices look like, what’s the difference between SEO consulting and SEO agency pricing?

It won’t be crazy different, but for well-known agencies, the common retainer will usually be $5000-$10,000+.

You can find an agency that will probably charge less than $5,000, but I’d just be cautious since those are the agencies primarily hiring junior SEOs.

Their margins are razor thin, so they can’t afford to hire actual experienced SEOs.

When you work with a higher-priced agency, you can usually bet they have a more talented team.

The same applies for SEO consultants, too.

Wrapping Up

That’s all I’ve got!

Hopefully, you found this helpful and it gives you somewhat of an idea of how much you can expect to pay for an SEO consultant.

Obviously, price won’t always mean quality, so you should always do some additional research before you make your final choice.