SEO Pricing Guide
How Much Does SEO Cost in the UK?
A straightforward breakdown of what SEO costs, what different budgets buy, and how to avoid overpaying for poor service.
By Graham McCann · Founder, GM SEO Services
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The Short Answer
£299 to £2,000+
Monthly retainers
£299 to £1,500
One-off audits
£75 to £150/hr
Hourly consultancy
These ranges reflect reputable UK agencies and freelancers. Cheap SEO at £50 to £99 per month is either automated tools or outsourced overseas work with little strategic value. It is often worse than doing nothing.
What Affects the Cost?
Four factors determine where your costs will fall within the range.
Competition Level
Ranking for "SEO Glasgow" costs more than ranking for "accountant Lanark". More competitive markets require more content, more links, and more ongoing effort to maintain position.
Number of Locations
A single-location business targeting one town costs less than a business targeting Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen simultaneously. Each location needs its own local SEO work.
Services Included
Local SEO only (GBP, citations, reviews) costs less than a full-service campaign including technical SEO, content creation, and link building. Know what you are buying.
Retainer vs One-Off
Monthly retainers cost more overall but deliver compounding returns. One-off audits and project work are useful for specific problems but will not sustain or grow your rankings.
GM SEO Services Pricing
Transparent pricing with no lock-in contracts and no hidden setup fees.
Starter
For smaller local businesses with one location targeting a defined area.
- Google Business Profile optimisation
- Local SEO: citations and NAP consistency
- Review strategy and management guidance
- Monthly ranking and traffic report
- Named senior contact (Graham)
- No minimum contract
Growth
Most popularFor growing businesses targeting multiple keywords and needing content to compete.
- Everything in Starter
- Keyword research and content strategy
- Monthly SEO content (2 to 4 pieces)
- Technical SEO audit and fixes
- Local landing page creation and optimisation
- Competitor tracking and analysis
Premium
For businesses pursuing aggressive multi-location dominance and maximum organic visibility.
- Everything in Growth
- Multi-location SEO (up to 5 locations)
- Active link building and digital PR
- Weekly check-in calls
- Priority turnaround on all deliverables
- Quarterly strategy review
Free Website Check
Start hereThree clear priorities for your website, Google visibility and enquiries, within one working day.
- Website and service pages review
- Google Business Profile check
- Local search position
- Enquiry and booking journey
- Three prioritised fixes
- No obligation
What You Should Get for Your Money
Regardless of the budget level, a legitimate SEO retainer should always include these fundamentals.
- Clear deliverables listed for each month before work begins
- A named senior contact who actually does the work, not a junior account manager
- Monthly reports with real data: rankings, traffic, leads
- No lock-in contracts or automatic renewal clauses
- Honest expectations with no "top of Google guaranteed" promises
- Plain-English explanations of what was done and why
- Proactive communication, not just when things go wrong
Red Flags to Watch For
These are warning signs that an SEO provider is likely to waste your money, or worse, damage your rankings.
Guaranteed Number 1 Rankings
No one can guarantee a specific position on Google. Anyone making this promise is either lying or optimising for a meaningless keyword with zero search volume.
Prices Under £99 Per Month
At this price point, you are buying an automated tool subscription, not a strategy. There is no human doing meaningful work on your site for £99 a month.
No Reporting or Vague Metrics
If your agency cannot clearly show you which rankings moved, when, and why, they either do not know or do not want you to know.
Long Contracts with Auto-Renewal
A confident agency does not need to lock you in for 12 or 24 months. Look for rolling monthly agreements or short initial terms.
Offshore Teams, No Local Knowledge
Local SEO needs someone who understands your area and your patients. Generic offshore content and link building will not build local relevance.
No Initial Audit or Discovery
If an agency quotes you without first understanding your current position and your competitive landscape, they are selling a package, not a strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
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See my exact pricing
Transparent monthly pricing with no setup fees and no minimum contract. Start with a free website check if you want to understand exactly what you need before committing to a monthly plan.
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