"How much does SEO cost?" is the first question almost everyone asks. The honest answer is: it depends. I know that sounds like a dodge, so I will do something better: explain what it depends on, what a serious proposal should include and how to compare quotes without being taken for a ride.
I am Miguel Ángel, founder of GUADIGITAL in Guadalajara, Spain. Local SEO is one of my two star services. A warning before we go on: I will not give you a table of "average market prices". I could not find a reliable, verifiable source, and I would rather not make numbers up. What I can give you is a method to judge whether an offer makes sense.
Why there is no single price
SEO is not an off-the-shelf product. It is ongoing work on a website, a Google profile and some content, and the effort varies a lot between businesses. These factors weigh the most:
| Factor | Why it changes the price |
|---|---|
| Starting point | A new site is not the same as one with years of technical errors |
| Competition | Ranking for a quiet local trade is not like a heavily contested sector |
| Geography | Local (one city or region) or national/international |
| Site size | How many pages need improving or creating |
| Content | Whether new copy is needed and how much |
| Profile and reviews | Whether your Google profile exists and is well set up |
| Pace and duration | A one-off project or monthly support |
| Reports and meetings | How much follow-up you want |
That is why I distrust anyone who quotes a fixed price without looking at your website. And it is why my SEO quote is tailor-made: I look at your case first (that is what the free diagnosis is for) and then propose a scope and a price in writing.
What a serious SEO service usually includes
Ask for the proposal to detail at least these blocks:
- Initial audit: technical state, content, Google profile and nearby competition.
- Technical SEO: speed, mobile version, crawl errors, URL structure, structured data where it adds value.
- Keywords and structure: what your customer searches and which page answers each search.
- Content: optimising existing pages and, if needed, new ones (services, guides, FAQs).
- Local SEO: your Google Business Profile, consistent NAP details, directories and a review strategy.
- Quality links and mentions, not mass purchases.
- Measurement: Search Console and analytics set up to count enquiries, not only visits.
- Reports with real data and next steps.
If a proposal says "we will optimise your website" and little else, ask for detail.
The most common pricing models
- One-off project: audit and initial fixes. Useful to get started or for a new site.
- Monthly: follow-up, content and continuous improvements. The norm when you want steady growth.
- Hourly: consulting or training so you can do it yourself.
None is better in the abstract. A good starting point is often an initial project followed by light monthly support, stepping up if the data justifies it.
How to compare three proposals
Three quotes with three prices are not compared by the number. Compare them like this:
- What do I get each month? A concrete list, not "optimisation work".
- What is in the report? Calls, enquiries, searches and pages, not only "rankings".
- What happens if I leave? The website, the profile and the accounts must be yours from day one.
- How long is the commitment? Be wary of long lock-ins with no exit.
- Who does the work? Ask whether it is the person you talk to or a third party.
Warning signs
Google has a help page on hiring an SEO and it is blunt: nobody can guarantee you first place, and if someone promises it, find someone else (Google Search Central). Also be wary of:
- Anyone claiming a "special relationship" with Google or a priority submission.
- Anyone promising number one only on obscure, very long searches you would win anyway.
- Anyone who will not explain what they will do.
- Anyone who does not give you access to your own accounts.
- Anyone buying hundreds of links overnight.
What a good professional should give you, according to the same guide: realistic estimates, an idea of the work involved and examples of previous work.
A (hypothetical) example of how to read a proposal
Imagine a dental clinic in Guadalajara receives two SEO proposals.
- Proposal A says: "Monthly SEO optimisation". Nothing more.
- Proposal B details: initial audit, Google profile review, three service pages rewritten in the first quarter, a monthly report with calls and enquiries, and a meeting every three months.
We do not know which is cheaper, but we do know which one can be assessed. With B you can check at the end of the month whether what was promised was done. With A, you cannot. A proposal that cannot be checked is not a proposal, it is a hope.
Questions worth asking in the first meeting
- What exactly will you do in the first three months?
- What will I receive each month and in what format?
- What do you need from me (logins, copy, photos, decisions)?
- How will we measure that it works, besides rankings?
- What happens if I decide to stop?
How long until you see results
SEO is a long game. First technical changes can show up sooner, but stable rankings usually take months and depend on your competition. Be wary of exact deadlines. I prefer to tell you what I will measure each month and review it with you.
What I do
How I work on SEO for small businesses in Spain:
- Free diagnosis first: a one-page report on what is holding your website back and what I would do.
- A written proposal with scope, deliverables and price. No surprises.
- Monthly reports with real data, explained in plain language.
If you also need a new website, I have published packs: Essential at 997 € and Professional at 1,897 € (VAT included). Details are on the pricing page. Prices are in euros; if you are based outside Spain, ask me how VAT applies to your case.
Summary in five lines
- SEO pricing depends on your starting point, your competition and the pace.
- Demand a proposal with concrete deliverables.
- Compare by what you receive, not by what it costs.
- Run from number-one guarantees.
- If you can, start with a diagnosis.
Get your free diagnosis
Tell me about your business and your website. I will prepare a one-page report with what I would check first and, if it fits, send you a tailor-made SEO quote. Reply within 48 working hours, no commitment.
Checked on 16 October 2026.
Miguel Ángel
I design websites and brands in Guadalajara, Spain. About me
