What is the problem? in Budget SEO & Low-Cost SEO Services
Are you in search of affordable SEO solutions or low-cost SEO companies promising significant results on a limited budget? As a business owner, you may have encountered numerous cold calls or emails from budget SEO providers, claiming to revolutionize your online presence at a minimal cost. In this article, we will delve into the phenomenon of budget SEO companies, examining their service offerings in comparison to conventional SEO methods, while also addressing any potential risks involved.
What are budget SEO services?
Budget SEO, as the name implies, pertains to affordable search engine optimization services. Its purpose is to enhance organic search rankings and drive traffic at a lower cost. Similar to standard SEO services, budget SEO aims to facilitate business-customer connections in organic search results, but at a more economical price point.
To clarify, affordable SEO services have been around for quite some time.
Ever since the realization that businesses could harness the power of search engine optimization (SEO) to tap into organic search traffic, a multitude of SEO agencies, consultants, and specialists emerged to offer their services. However, alongside reputable providers, there has been an influx of questionable ones that inundate inboxes with junk emails and reach out through unknown social network accounts.
So, why are we now discussing budget SEO services? And what brings you to this page? The answer is simple: you are here because you searched for “budget SEO” or “low-cost SEO” on Google. Amidst the sea of inexpensive SEO providers, we aim to provide you with reliable information to steer you in the right direction.
How is a budget SEO company different from a normal SEO agency?
Low-cost, high-volume SEO companies pedaling cheap SEO typically offer ‘package’ deals that include several meaningless monthly deliverables. Tracking, insights, recommendations, and all that fun stuff that doesn’t make your phone ring is probably what you can expect.
You see, when it comes to SEO, there are only four things that matter. They’re the four pillars of SEO and they are, and always have been:
- On-site
- Off-site
- Content
- Technical
And do you know what they all involve? A heck of a lot of human intervention and expertise to pull off. Employing AI and machine processes alone will not lead you to success in the SEO process – that’s our sincere advice. Although you may choose not to believe us, we can honestly say that our most profitable business in the past year has been helping companies recover from the detrimental effects of AI-assisted SEO services when they have reached rock bottom. We highlighted this issue earlier this year in our article, and it remains one of the most misunderstood topics in the SEO community. Instead of capitalizing on the misfortune of companies that have taken this path, we prefer to offer a cautionary message to ensure you embark on the right course.
The budget SEO/low-cost SEO business model
Budget SEO companies rely on economies of scale. When considering economies of scale, we typically refer to businesses that can improve profitability by increasing production and thereby reducing the average cost of delivering a product or service once they have acquired a sufficient customer base.
This analogy could be seen as a generous comparison to budget SEO providers. In reality, they resemble more of a gym. As you may be aware, gyms are a potentially risky business venture that relies on members who forget about their membership, never attend, or simply believe that quitting would be a step backward.
The cost of budget SEO services, much like a gym membership, is often so low and unobtrusive that canceling it would be viewed as an inconvenience. As a result, people continue to persist, even if the desired results fail to materialize. The comparison between gyms and low-cost SEO providers captures the essence of the situation, so let us continue with this analogy. Here is where the budget SEO providers and gym business model intersect:
Low-cost, high-volume approach
Building a robust foundation, observing the gradual decline. This represents the general business model of a low-cost marketing operator. When equipped with a skilled SEO sales team, a grace period can be secured with each new client. It is important to recognize that SEO is not an overnight solution, typically requiring 3-12 months to yield results. Hence, businesses must be cautious during this phase, as budget SEO providers may prioritize monetary gains over delivering genuine value.
Minimal communication
Gyms and low-cost SEO providers both operate on a minimal communication model. Occasional automated emails (for reporting) or celebratory messages (highlighting incidental website improvements) are the typical forms of communication you can anticipate, and they occur infrequently. Both gyms and low-cost SEO providers understand that the more they engage with customers, the more likely they are to face scrutiny. Therefore, the preferred approach is to limit communication and hope to remain inconspicuous.
Direct debit
Affordable SEO providers often prefer direct debit as it aligns with their low-communication approach, ensuring that you remain unnoticed. They bill you at the beginning of the month and send a receipt that may go unnoticed due to the use of special characters and other tricks, making it end up in your junk folder. It’s quite cunning, isn’t it?
Client retention is the focus
Affordable SEO providers operate with two primary departments (or three if we consider the office room dedicated to recreational activities). These departments consist of the sales team, and the client retention team, and both play a crucial role in ensuring customer satisfaction and long-term commitment. While in a typical SEO agency, the copywriters, SEO specialists, and campaign coordinators are often regarded as the hardest working individuals, in a budget SEO agency, it is the sales and retention staff who take the lead. Although they might be associated with the junk mail folder, for the companies relying on budget SEO providers, these individuals serve as dedicated account managers.
What are the risks of budget SEO services?
The risks associated with low-cost, budget-focused SEO services are evident – subpar results and wasted expenditure. The best-case scenario is that these services yield no impact on your website. Although you may be losing money each month, it prevents your situation from worsening when you eventually realize the lack of progress. As an SEO agency that often inherits such businesses, we can assert with utmost certainty that recovering and enhancing organic visibility is always easier when the previous low-cost provider has made no significant efforts.
On the other hand, the worst-case scenario involves the provider making substantial changes to your website, including the addition of questionable black hat backlinks and content. While there may be a short-term, albeit unlikely, boost in results, these actions will eventually lead to negative consequences. Once Google crawls your website and conducts an initial quality assessment, it becomes challenging to reverse the damage. Therefore, it is imperative to promptly remove any offending AI content if you suspect it has been added to your website.
How much should you budget for SEO?
The cost of good quality SEO services ranges from $1,000 per month to $10,000+ per month based on the type of website and scope of the project required to achieve the desired outcomes. Factors that influence what you should budget for SEO include:
- The type of business
- The size of the website
- The scope of focus
- The strength of competitors
- The new content/pages required
An initial consultation with a reputable SEO agency should provide you with a price range based on your goals and desired outcomes.
Final thoughts
We understand the appeal of budget-friendly, low-cost SEO services. However, similar to guaranteed SEO service providers, they can be deceptive and lead to detrimental long-term effects. If you are comparing budget SEO providers to a reputable SEO agency, we strongly urge you to conduct thorough research and carefully consider the potential consequences. Otherwise, you may risk wasting your investment and compromising the future success of your organic search presence.
