Most small businesses should expect to spend between $800 and $4,700 per month on SEO, depending on their goals, location, and competition. Budget-friendly local SEO packages start around $460 to $770 per month and cover basics like profile optimisation and listing management.
A more comprehensive small-scale SEO campaign typically runs $2,300 to $4,700 monthly. Be very cautious of agencies charging under $770 per month for full-service SEO. At those rates, they either deliver minimal work or rely on risky tactics that can damage your site. If your budget is tight, a DIY approach using quality SEO tools costs around $150 to $770 per month, but requires 10 to 15 hours of your own time each month.
Think of SEO as owning a digital asset, not renting visibility as you do with paid ads.