9 Affordable SEO Services for Small Businesses [2023] (2024)

As a small business, you’re probably already familiar with search engine optimization or SEO.

You may not, however, already be implementing it to your advantage.

This may be because of your lack of knowledge about how to go about it or a limited budget to work with.

Either way, in today’s digital world, SEO is essential, and worth the time it takes to include in your marketing strategy.

If optimizing your website and ranking higher in search engine rankings still seems challenging, it helps to know that there are affordable SEO services and related strategies that can make all the difference for your small business.

Here is what you will learn in this post:

    How Much Does SEO Cost?

    An SEO strategy for small businesses can be surprisingly affordable.

    SEO service agencies today can create a customizable SEO campaign for your small business, and this commonly ranges anywhere between $800 to $1500 a month.

    Another option is to take it in-house with the help of the various affordable SEO tools available online today.

    Start by designating an SEO marketing budget, then create a plan to make the most of what you have.

    Why Should You Invest in SEO Services?

    Without investing in SEO services, you leave it up to chance whether potential customers find you are not.

    But with these SEO services, you can gain more visibility and brand recognition, generate leads, and create more conversion opportunities.

    While your marketing budget may be small, there’s a lot you can do with those smaller amounts when it comes to SEO, and knowing which best practices to focus on will be key.

    Affordable vs. Cheap Services for SEO

    Today you have several options to help increase your business visibility and bottom line.

    However, the last thing you want is a cheap, one-size-fits-all SEO strategy that will more than likely leave you disappointed.

    You can recognize these cheap SEO services by their boilerplate or generic characteristics, designed to reach quick website optimization for a lower cost and with no ability to customize for your small business needs.

    Your small business is unique, so your SEO strategy should be also. To help with this, seek out affordable, not cheap, services for the best effect.

    To be more exact, seek out the affordable SEO services listed below and use them to your advantage to obtain beneficial results.

    9 Affordable SEO Services

    Whether you want to work with an SEO agency or keep it in-house, you’ll want to be sure the following SEO services and related strategies are included to help your small business achieve higher success.

    1. Technical SEO

    Technical SEO refers to the process of back-end website optimization.

    This process will include the invisible elements of your website which make it work correctly for crawlability and indexing.

    Important Technical SEO strategies your small business needs include:

    • Website architecture/structure
    • URL structure
    • Caching
    • Page speed optimization
    • 3xx or 4xx Error detection and repair
    • Log file analysis
    • Image Compression

    During your website design, applying these technical SEO strategies can prevent issues from occurring later on, saving you excess time and money in the long run.

    Affordable SEO Tools for technical SEO include:

    2. Content Marketing

    Content is the heart of your digital marketing strategy. It can make or break your SEO strategy as well.

    Optimizing your website content is essential, then, whether that content is text, images, or video.

    Your content will alert search engines and potential customers to the value you offer, and this can move you up higher on search engine results pages (SERPs).

    To create that valuable content, start by conducting keyword research.

    Don’t just focus on single keywords but also on what is known as long-tail keywords, which have less competition.

    There are many beneficial online resources available to help with this, including many that are free.

    However, you may want to spend part of your marketing budget here on a paid resource, as your keyword research is crucial to everything you do in SEO.

    Some online keyword research tools include:

    Also, to help you find topics that searchers are asking about today, try using the free tool AnswerThePublic.

    Include different types of content, all surrounding your keywords. These may include blog posts, videos, or visual content such as infographics.

    Also, consider adding interactive content, which can engage viewers and keep them on your website longer. This longer dwells time, in turn, will get you noticed by the search engine algorithms.

    Finally, to help you stay on track, plan your content with the help of an editorial calendar and any other content governance tools you find helpful.

    3. Link building

    Links are a recognizable and valuable SEO element.

    However, link building is not a simple process where you determine who will link back to your website.

    Instead, you’ll need to create a link-building strategy that includes both internal and external links, then continue to monitor these links to ensure they remain relevant and continue to work over time.

    Include the following in your strategy:

    • Research Competitors’ Links

    Start by analyzing what other businesses in your field or niche are linking to, especially those businesses already ranking high in search engine results.

    Become familiar with what your competitors are doing right, and this will help you improve your own strategy.

    For help with this, locate one of the available backlink analysis tools online, such as the one offered by CognitiveSEO.

    • Link to High-Quality Sources

    Within your content, such as blog posts, always link to relevant, high-quality sources.

    • Include Internal Links

    Use internal links in your content to direct potential customers to other information on your website. This internal linking will also help search engines index your site’s content.

    • Try Guest Posting

    Guest posting is the process of creating content for publishing on a website owned by someone else.

    Along with the content, you can include your name and usually a link back to your own website. This tactic will bring recognition from a wider audience.

    • Comment on Other Websites or Blogs

    Comment on other blogs or websites on topics relating to your business in some way.

    By doing so, you can build relationships and create potential opportunities for others to promote your small business website.

    In other words, commenting allows you to mention your brand and lure viewers to your website.

    4. Video marketing SEO

    Video marketing is big today, but you don’t have to be a big business to benefit.

    Before getting started creating your videos, however, begin with your keyword research. From there, create videos around what people are already searching for and showcase what you have to offer.

    Making these videos today can be as easy as picking up your Smartphone. You can also find affordable online video editing software for whatever your needs may be.

    A few tips to help you optimize your videos better include:

    • Add keywords to titles and descriptions of each video (and maybe source links).
    • Repurpose content into video format, such as a popular blog or podcast episode. Interlink the two for double exposure.
    • Include attractive thumbnail images.

    5. Social Media Platforms SEO

    With so many consumers using social media today, you don’t want to leave these platforms out of your SEO strategy.

    A well-thought-out and planned social media marketing strategy can boost the number of visitors to your website and improve your SEO.

    To be successful, create thorough, consistent profiles on your chosen platforms which will more than likely include Facebook.

    Build a community on these social media platforms by providing useful, engaging, or entertaining content and by responding to comments.

    6. Local SEO

    Search engines value providing users with local results to their queries. To make sure you are one of those results, you need to optimize for local SEO.

    Here are specific ways you can accomplish this:

    • Claim and update your free Google My Business Profile.
    • Ask customers to post reviews.
    • Use social media marketing.
    • Ensure NAP (Name, Address, Phone) citations are consistent across all platforms.
    • Partner with another local business for promotions or backlinking.

    7. Keyword Optimization

    Keyword optimization is a key part of any SEO strategy, both initially and as an ongoing practice.

    If you do it right, you’ll begin to see your content move higher up on search engine result pages (SERPS) and experience more organic traffic to your website.

    Optimization of keywords means including them in a variety of locations, such as:

    • Title tags
    • Image alt tags (images/photos)
    • Links (e.g., internal, inbound, and navigational links)
    • Content (blogs, webpages, social media posts)
    • Meta Titles and Descriptions
    • URLs

    If you already have content online, but it’s not getting the results you hoped for, reviewing for keyword optimization will be beneficial.

    Evaluate the following when optimizing keywords.

    • Keyword Competitiveness

    Are you targeting just the most popular keywords? If so, you are competing with other established websites and content. Try incorporating less competitive ones into the mix, and also consider adding geo-targeted or thematic modifiers.

    • Keyword Relevance

    Are your keywords relevant to your particular products or services? How valuable are they to your branding? You want your keywords not just to increase your audience but to bring you the right ones that are more likely to purchase what you offer.

    8. SEO Audit

    An SEO Audit is a beneficial process for evaluating your website and determining how your technical, on-page, and off-page SEO are performing when it comes to search engine indexing and ranking.

    SEO auditinghelps you understand website behavior, diagnose optimization issues or problems, and more. Use it to:

    • Locate any technical issues with your website
    • Identify potential issues on-page (internal content)
    • Find problems and opportunities off-page (external), coming from other domains

    Once you have the results of the audit, review any issues and determine ways you can change or improve on them to increase the performance of your website.

    For example, making even slight adjustments to on-page SEO will increase the chances of search engine algorithms finding, indexing, and boosting your ranking.

    Affordable SEOAudit Tools to help include the following:

    Google Analytics: to review your website and identify actionable steps to take for SEO improvement (Free)

    Ahrefs: an all-inclusive tool with a Site Audit feature that can provide you with actionable steps to correct SEO issues. (Free access to Site Audit tools upon signup)

    SE Ranking: an all-in-one tool for conducting an SEO audit and generating reports of issues and actionable recommendations (Plans start at $39.20/mo.)

    SEO Site Checkup: a suite of tools to help identify the most common SEO issues and provide tutorial videos on how to resolve them. (Plans start at $26.95/mo.)

    SEOmator SEO audit tool: provides detailed SEO audit and actionable insights for optimal website performance. (Free SEO audit report and no signup requirement, paid plans start at $49)

    9. SEO Consulting

    For those who have little spare time or prefer to have someone with special expertise come in, SEO consulting is a good option. It can also be surprisingly affordable.

    SEO consulting specialists can help identify where your SERP ranking issues are currently and make specific recommendations on how to overcome them.

    Going this route can save you time and get your website and content SEO working for you sooner. It can also be a good way to start your SEO auditing strategy and for periodic audits throughout the year.

    Before hiring, however, be sure to request references and then contact a few to become familiar with the SEO consultant’s methods and what they can accomplish.

    Ask candidates if they have experience in your particular industry, field, or sector. The reason this is important is that, ideally, you want to choose someone familiar with the keywords and topics relating to your business.

    Ultimately, you’ll need to determine if the consultant’s experience, approach, and personality are a good fit for you and your business needs.

    Where toFindSEO Services?

    When it comes to applying SEO best practices to your website and content, you have options in how to go about it. You may choose to take it all upon yourself or hire an agency or consultant to accomplish your SEO goals initially or on an ongoing basis.

    Another way to accomplish your goals, however, is to explore online marketplaces that offer you access to freelancers specializing inSEO servicesfor small businesses.

    Most of these marketplaces provide you with access to several experienced service providers, each specializing in different areas and at different fees.

    To find what you need, you’ll need to conduct a search specifically forSEO servicesor ask for recommendations from others.

    Once you have the results, read through each profile to determine which one(s) may be right for your small business needs. You can then interview them and get a feel for how they work and communicate.

    Look foraffordable SEOservices on platforms such as Upwork or Fiverr.

    Upwork focuses on quality service by qualified service providers. The staff will even help identify the best freelancers in a particular area to help you start your search. Each freelancer profile includes reviews and work samples to help you gain a sense of their abilities and work product.

    Fiverr is one of the biggest freelancer marketplaces online today, fueled by specialists from a variety of industries. A freelancer will usually offer different packages and price them accordingly.

    You can also break down the services you need, conducting some in-house while outsourcing others, like your SEO content writing.

    SEO content alerts Google algorithms that you are a serious provider of relevant information for searchers. To help get this part of your small business marketing strategy right, consider hiring freelance SEO writers.

    WriterAccess gives you access to experienced writers who understand the role of SEO and who will incorporate it into the projects they work on for you. These projects may be content for webpages, blogs, social media posts, white papers, case studies, or eBooks.

    Boost Your SEO Content with the Help of Freelancers at WriterAccess

    High-quality content remains an essential component for attracting customers and search engine algorithms. For small businesses today, it is crucial that all that content, whether it be on a webpage or a blog post, be fully optimized, and this is where the experienced SEO writers on WriterAccess can help.

    Get started by trying our no-risk Writer Access 2-week trial today!

    Wrap-Up: Affordable SEO Services Benefit Your Small Business

    Knowing and implementing these top six services and their corresponding strategies can take your SEO to a whole new level and put you higher up on those search engine result pages.

    The good news is that your small business doesn’t need to spend a fortune accomplishing these measures for success.

    Affordable SEO services are available today from specialized marketing agencies as well as online for your in-house use. You can incorporate these in various ways to fit within a planned marketing budget and enjoy the success they bring.

    Hire expert SEO professionals to boost your results quickly! Find them at WriterAccess marketplace with our free 14-day trial.

    9 Affordable SEO Services for Small Businesses [2023] (2024)

    FAQs

    Is SEO still worth it in 2023? ›

    Yes, SEO is still profitable in 2023. In fact, it is one of the most effective ways to drive organic traffic to your website, which can lead to increased sales and conversions. A recent study by Ahrefs found that businesses that rank first in organic search results get 53% of all website traffic.

    How much should I budget for SEO for small business? ›

    SEO costs broken down by business size
    Business SizeSEO Pricing
    Startup$750 to $1500 per month
    Small business$1,500 to $3,000 per month
    Medium-sized business$1,500 to $5,000 per month
    Enterprise$5,000+ per month

    Where to buy cheap SEO services? ›

    Local SEO at an affordable price

    You will be able to find an affordable SEO service provider on Fiverr or Upwork. The most affordable way to do local SEO is to optimize your Google business profile based on the many recommendations that Google will email you with.

    What is affordable SEO? ›

    Affordable SEO services are an efficient way of implementing optimization tactics and strategies on a website to improve its online presence and visibility on search results pages. Common traits of affordable SEO include: Results-driven. Experienced team. Long-term strategies.

    What is the best SEO strategy for 2023? ›

    Eight SEO Best Practices To Increase Organic Site Traffic In 2023
    1. Identify the right keywords. Keywords are super important for SEO. ...
    2. Create relevant content. ...
    3. Optimize page titles and descriptions. ...
    4. Optimize images. ...
    5. Use internal links. ...
    6. Optimize URLs. ...
    7. Reduce website load time. ...
    8. Build quality backlinks.
    Feb 22, 2023

    How much should I pay someone for SEO? ›

    Small-scale SEO pricing packages range between $1,500-$2,500 per month. Comprehensive Local SEO services can be as much as $3,000-$5,000 per month. Most businesses have budgets that range from $500/month to $10,000/month. Average hourly SEO services cost $100-$300 per hour.

    Can you do SEO yourself? ›

    DIY SEO involves managing all aspects of SEO in-house, including tasks like researching keywords, optimizing your site, monitoring rankings, setting up analytics, and more. Search engine optimization (SEO) doesn't always require help from an specialist.

    How much do SEO consultants charge? ›

    SEO consultants around the world charge $139.29 per hour on average. SEO consultants in the U.S. charge $144.68 per hour on average. Half of SEO providers around the world require a monthly retainer of less than $3,000 per month.

    What is the cheapest SEO tool? ›

    • What Are Affordable SEO Tools?
    • SEO PowerSuite — Value Priced Desktop SEO Tools.
    • Mangools — Affordable SEO Tools in SaaS Form.
    • Serpstat — All In One SEO Platform.
    • Ubersuggest — A Lower Priced SEO Tools Option.
    • Raven Tools — Integrated Platform for SEO and More.
    • Keywords Everywhere — Affordable Keyword Research.
    Mar 19, 2024

    Is it worth paying for SEO services? ›

    Are SEO companies worth it? Yes, if you go for quality. Your chances of success are much higher when working with a reputable SEO provider that knows how to tailor an organic strategy for your business. And there are plenty of affordable SEO companies out there to meet most (reasonable) budgets.

    Is SEO cheaper than Google ads? ›

    SEO is generally more cost-effective in the long run as it focuses on organic search visibility and does not require direct payment for each click. Google Ads, on the other hand, involves paying for each click, which can result in higher immediate costs.

    Can I do SEO without paying? ›

    Use free SEO tools, but don't be opposed to paying to get better features. Research your competitors' keywords to get more ideas. Identify and go after keyword gaps – these are keywords you don't rank for, but two or more competitors do.

    Is SEO a monthly fee? ›

    However, it's important to remember that SEO is an ongoing process, and you should expect to pay monthly fees for maintenance and updates. The cost of an SEO package can be a good investment in your business' success.

    Why is SEO so expensive? ›

    In summary, SEO services are expensive because they are a highly specialized field that requires expertise, ongoing maintenance, and a significant investment of time and effort. However, the benefits of having a well-optimized website can be enormous, making the cost of SEO services well worth it in the long run.

    Is SEO still relevant in 2024? ›

    By analyzing user behavior, businesses can identify patterns, preferences, and trends that can shape their SEO efforts. In conclusion, SEO continues to remain highly relevant in 2024 and is an integral part of any successful digital marketing strategy.

    Is SEO still important in 2024? ›

    In 2024, SEO is still one of the smartest investments for boosting your brand's visibility and attracting new business online. While some critics think SEO is too expensive and time-consuming, 80% of CMOs still say they will maintain or even increase their SEO budget this year.

    Do keywords still matter for SEO 2023? ›

    Despite the evolving SEO landscape, keywords remain integral to effective strategies. Balancing user experience and staying updated with industry trends, including the emphasis on E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness), is crucial for sustained online visibility.

    Will SEO exist in 5 years? ›

    Will SEO Exist in 5 Years? Yes! Here's Why. At its roots, SEO is all about your ideal customer avatar.

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