How Much Does SEO Cost In Australia? [2025]

Here is the short answer: SEO services typically range from $1,500 to over $25,000 per month, depending on factors such as the level of competition, your target audience, and the search rankings you aim to achieve.

Here’s the long answer:
If you run a business in Australia, you’ve probably asked yourself, “How much does SEO cost?” You might have even Googled it, opened a bunch of tabs, and hoped to find a clear answer.

But here’s the thing, and you might not like it, I can’t give you one exact number.

Why not?

Because it depends. The cost of SEO changes based on things like how much competition you have, who you’re trying to reach, and what kind of results you want.

That’s why I’ve written this detailed guide, to help you understand what affects the price and give you a better idea of what SEO might cost for your business.

Average Cost Of SEO In Australia

In Australia, SEO services can be billed in different ways, by the hour, by the project, or as a monthly fee. Small businesses often choose simpler SEO packages, which usually cost between $1,500 and $2,500 per month. Medium-sized businesses may spend between $2,500 and $5,000 monthly, while large companies often invest over $5,000 each month for more advanced SEO strategies and larger campaigns.

SEO Charge Per Hour?

In Australia, SEO professionals may charge around $200 per hour. This rate can vary depending on their level of experience, how complex the work is, and the current demand for their services.

SEO Monthly Pricing?

This type of plan includes regular SEO help and putting strategies into action. It usually costs between $1,400 and over $10,000 each month, depending on what’s needed.

SEO Costs By Business Type?

SEO costs also depend on the type of business. For example, an online store with thousands of products will cost more than a local business that only offers one or two services. Because of this, prices can range from $1,500 to over $10,000 per month.

Project-Based Rates?

This pricing model is great for short-term jobs with clear goals. It’s sometimes one-time payment, often used for things like checking a website’s technical setup or moving a website to a new platform. Prices usually range from $5,000 to $25,000 per project.

Pay For Performance?

In this model, you only pay the SEO company after they reach a specific goal, like getting your website to show up higher in search results.

The cost depends on how hard it is to reach that goal, some keywords are easier than others. Because of that, prices can change. It’s important to talk with your SEO provider and agree on the details. If you understand average SEO costs in Australia, it can help you make a fair deal.

Once-Off SEO Costs?

Sometimes, businesses only need SEO help one time, for example, to create a small website. These one-time projects usually cost between $3,000 and $6,000.

If the project is more complex and includes things like content marketing, technical SEO, and link-building, the cost is higher. Agencies may charge between $5,000 and $10,000 for this kind of work.

Retainer-Based SEO Model

This model means you pay a set amount each month or year for ongoing SEO help. It’s a good choice for long-term projects that need regular work, and it makes budgeting easier.

Monthly costs usually range from $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how complex the project is.

SEO Cost Per Keyword (Spoiler Alert: It’s Outdated)

Paying for SEO services based on individual keywords is an old method that doesn’t work well today. Here’s why:

• SEO is about the whole website, not just ranking for one or two words.
• Not all keywords are equal, some bring in lots of traffic, others don’t. So, pricing by keyword isn’t very helpful.
• The industry has changed, SEO now focuses on strong content and keeping your whole website healthy and useful for visitors.

If you’re still curious, here’s a rough idea, just to save you from digging through endless search results.

Depending on the keyword and how many you want, a single keyword might cost anywhere from $1 to $50.

We say “might” because this is a rough guess, based on old sources and Google Ads data. Reputable SEO agencies, like 10am Digital, don’t charge by the keyword because it’s not a smart use of money, for us or for you.

And just to be clear: Google Ads is not the same as paying for SEO by keyword. Google Ads can be very helpful. Paying per keyword for SEO? Not so much.

Factors Affecting The Cost Of SEO Services

Different types of businesses, like online stores or local shops, have their own challenges and opportunities when it comes to SEO.

How much SEO costs depends on things like your business’s website, how competitive your market is, and what goals you want to reach online.

The Nature Of Your Business

Businesses are all different, so there isn’t one price that fits everyone. The size of your business affects how much you’ll be charged for SEO, and your quote may be different from someone else’s.

E-commerce Sites

Online stores have special SEO needs that can affect the price. Things like improving product pages, organising categories, and writing helpful content all take time and care. These tasks help both search engines and customers understand what the store offers.

Because e-commerce SEO is more complex, especially with advanced tools like schema markup, monthly costs can range from $3,500 to $12,000 or more, depending on the size of the store.

Local Businesses

Local SEO helps businesses show up in searches from people nearby. It’s not just about adding your location, it’s about connecting with your local community online.

This can include updating your Google Business Profile and being active in local online events. Monthly costs for local SEO usually range from $1,500 to $3,500.

Mid-Sized Businesses

Mid-sized businesses need a mix of strategies. They don’t need as much as a huge company, but they need more than a small business.

They often combine technical SEO, content creation, and both local and national SEO efforts. Monthly SEO costs for mid-sized businesses are usually between $3,500 and $12,000.

Enterprise-Like Businesses

Large businesses need very advanced SEO strategies. These can include technical work, following strict rules, and making sure everything is managed properly.

Because these projects are so large and complex, costs can reach $15,000 to $25,000 or even more each month. The high cost reflects the amount of work and planning needed for big companies.

The Competitive Nature of Your Industry

It’s no surprise that how many competitors you have affects your SEO. If there are only a few, it’s easier to rank well on Google. But if there are lots of businesses like yours, it becomes much harder to stand out.

High-Competition Industries

Too Much Content: When there’s already a lot of content out there, your business needs creative ways to stand out, like using videos, podcasts, or interactive tools.

Managing Your Reputation: In busy markets, it’s important to keep a strong online image by using reviews and testimonials wisely.

Cost Impact: Because it’s harder to compete, SEO in these industries usually costs more, often between $5,000 and $15,000 (or more) each month to stay ahead.

Low-Competition Industries

Keyword Focus: With fewer businesses going after the same keywords, it’s easier to be seen and rise to the top in search results.

Chance to Lead: You can stand out more easily by sharing helpful, original content that shows your expertise.

Cost Impact: Because there’s less competition, SEO is usually more affordable, typically between $1,200 and $6,000 per month.

The Scope of Your Target Market

Where your business is located and who you want to reach has a big impact on how SEO is done. Here’s what to keep in mind:

Regional Areas

In smaller or regional areas, SEO focuses more on community connections and local content. With fewer competitors, it’s easier to stand out. Because of this, SEO is usually simpler and more affordable, often costing between $1,200 and $4,500 per month.

Major Cities

In big cities like Sydney or Brisbane, SEO is much more competitive. High demand and higher costs mean businesses need to use both local and national SEO strategies. Since people in cities search in different ways, your content and keywords need to match. SEO costs here can range from $5,500 to $13,000 each month.

Local SEO

• Local Keywords: Use keywords that include the city or suburb name to attract nearby customers.
• Business Listings: Make sure your business is easy to find on places like Google Maps.
• Community Involvement: Join local events or partner with nearby groups to build connections and backlinks.
• Reviews and Testimonials: Encourage happy customers to leave reviews online—it helps a lot with local SEO.

Monthly costs for local SEO are usually between $1,800 and $5,500, making it a focused and affordable option for city-based businesses.

National SEO

• Wider Keyword Focus: Targets people across the whole country, not just one area.
• Different Types of Content: Uses blogs, guides, and videos to meet the needs of different audiences.
• Competitor Research: Looks at what other businesses are doing across the country to help you stay ahead.

National SEO costs are higher, usually between $5,000 and $15,000 or more each month, because it reaches a bigger audience.

International SEO

• Multi-Language Support: Translates your website for different countries and languages.
• Cultural Awareness: Makes sure content is respectful and works well for each country’s culture.
• Global Backlinks: Builds partnerships with websites around the world.
• Geo-Targeting: Sends users to the version of your site that fits their country or language.

Because it’s so complex and covers so many places, international SEO often costs more than $12,000 per month.

Complexity And Size Of Your Website

How big and complicated your website is plays a big part in how much you’ll need to invest in SEO.

Larger And More Complex Websites

Websites that have many pages or special features usually need more advanced SEO skills to perform well.

Number Of Pages

The more pages your website has, the more work it takes. Each page needs its own metadata, links to other pages, and fast loading speeds. Because of this, SEO costs for large sites can be between $8,000 and $14,000 or more per month.

Technical Complexity

Websites with special designs, custom code, or unique features need experts who understand advanced SEO. This makes the work more detailed and increases the cost.

Custom-Coded Websites

Websites that are custom built often need special code work, like fixing JavaScript or improving how the server loads the page. These sites can cost between $10,000 and $25,000 per month for SEO.

Website Architecture

A website with a complicated structure needs a well-planned setup. This includes how the URLs are organised, how pages link to each other, and how search engines read the sitemap. This type of SEO work can cost between $8,500 and $14,000 per month.

Unique Functionality

If your website has custom tools or special features, it may require SEO work that goes deep into the site’s database and user experience. These projects often cost between $8,000 and $17,000 per month.

Quality Of Service

The quality of the SEO company you choose has a big impact on both how much you pay and the results you get.

Paying for better service usually means faster progress, better support, and a higher return on your investment.

Expertise

SEO teams with a strong track record may charge more, usually between $8,000 and $15,000 per month, but they often get better results more quickly.

Resources

When an SEO service includes things like writing content and building strong links, it adds more value. These full-service plans often cost between $8,000 and $16,000 per month.

Customer Service

Top SEO providers offer better customer support and clear, easy-to-understand reports. This helps make sure your SEO plan stays on track.
Because of this added support and transparency, these services may cost more.

Other Factors And Where Your Money Goes

Understanding what makes up the cost of SEO services helps you make smart choices and plan your budget. Here are the main things that affect the total cost of SEO:

1. Keyword Research and Analysis

Finding the right keywords is one of the most important parts of SEO. It takes careful research to know which words your customers are searching for and which ones will help your business the most.
Cost Range: $300 to $1,500+ AUD, depending on how many keywords are being researched and how competitive your industry is.

2. On-Page Optimisation

This means improving parts of your website—like titles, headings, and images—so search engines can understand and rank it better. The cost depends on how many pages need this work and how detailed it needs to be.
Cost Range: $1,000 to $2,500 AUD for smaller websites; $3,000+ AUD for larger sites.

3. Content Creation

Creating helpful, well-written content is key to bringing people to your site and keeping them there. The cost depends on how often you publish and how detailed the content is.
Cost Range:

• Small businesses: $500 to $1,500 AUD per month
• Medium businesses: $2,000 to $5,000 AUD per month
• Large companies: $5,000 to $10,000+ AUD per month

4. Link Building

Backlinks are links from other websites to yours build your site’s reputation. High-quality links from trusted websites can be more expensive but are very valuable for SEO.
Cost Range: $100 to $1,000+ AUD per link; monthly link-building budgets often range from $500 to $3,000 AUD or more.

5. Technical SEO

This focuses on improving how your website works behind the scenes, like how fast it loads, how it works on phones, and whether search engines can read it properly.
Cost Range:

• Simple sites: $1,000 to $3,000 AUD
• Complex sites: $5,000+ AUD

6. Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustments

SEO isn’t something you do just once. It needs regular updates, checks, and reports to keep improving.
Cost Range:

• Small to medium businesses: $500 to $1,000 AUD per month
• Large businesses: $2,000 to $5,000+ AUD per month

Why Going With The Cheapest Provider Can Turn Out To Be Expensive

Going with the cheapest SEO provider might sound like a good deal—but it can end up costing you much more in the long run. Here’s why:

• Cheap SEO services can hurt your website, lower your traffic, and reduce your income.
• Fixing poor-quality SEO takes extra time and money—on top of the money you already lost.
• Cleaning up bad work is often more expensive than doing it right the first time.
• In the end, you may lose rankings, money, and most importantly, time—something you can’t get back.

Reason Why Fiverr SEO Is Cheap

Fiverr and similar websites offer low-cost SEO services, which attract many people looking to save money. These platforms include a wide range of service providers, from beginners to experts.

But those low prices often match the service quality. Cheaper jobs may not include the custom strategies or care needed to help your business grow online. The results can be unreliable or ineffective.

Outsourcing SEO To Overseas

Hiring someone from another country to handle your SEO might seem affordable, but it comes with several risks:

• They may not understand the Australian market, so they won’t target the right audience.
• Communication can be difficult due to different time zones, language barriers, or cultural differences.
• Lower costs can mean lower quality, which might hurt your website and reputation.
• Experience can vary a lot, especially with freelancers, leading to unpredictable results.
• They may use the same SEO plan for every business, which doesn’t work well for unique goals.
• Accountability can be low, and support may not be reliable if things go wrong.

Should Big Businesses Consider Hiring In-House?

For large businesses, hiring their own SEO team might sound like a good idea because it gives them more control and focus. But it can be very expensive, SEO staff can cost over $100,000 per year.

While in-house teams can work closely with company goals, there are extra costs for training and tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs, which are needed to do the job well.

SEO changes often, so staying up to date is very important. That’s a challenge for in-house teams, especially if you can’t afford to hire multiple experts. With an agency, you get a whole team working on your site, which might be more effective and affordable.

DIY SEO For Small Business Owners

For small business owners, doing SEO yourself might seem like a way to save money. But it’s not always the best choice. Here’s why:

• It can take a lot of time: Without expert skills, you might spend hours working but not see good results.
• You could make mistakes: Doing SEO the wrong way can actually hurt your website.
• You might miss chances to grow: SEO professionals know what to look for and can spot things you might not notice.

Good SEO Vs Bad SEO: How To Find The Difference

Knowing the difference between good and bad SEO is very important if you’re putting money into growing your business online. Here are key things to look for when choosing an SEO provider:

1. Market Research

A good SEO company will take the time to learn about your business, your customers, your competitors, and your industry.

2. SEO Audit

They’ll check how your website is performing right now, how it ranks on Google and how much traffic it gets, so you know what needs improving.

3. Strategy Development

After learning about your business and competitors, they’ll build a plan to help your website do better online.

4. Keyword Research

Finding the right keywords is very important. Good SEO companies choose keywords that your customers are searching for, ones that are popular but not too hard to rank for.

5. On-page Optimisation

They will improve things on your website like page titles, structure, and speed. They also help make your pages easier to read and more enjoyable, so visitors stay longer.

6. Off-page Optimisation

Good SEO isn’t just about your website. It’s also about getting links from other trusted sites, getting reviews, and sharing helpful content on social media.

7. Content Development

Your website needs high-quality, original content that speaks to your audience. A good agency will help you create content that is useful, clear, and up to date.

8. Analytics and Reporting

A professional agency will track how well your SEO is working and share regular reports so you know if your money is being well spent.

Now, ask yourself, can you really get all of this for just $99 or even $299 a month? High-quality results require the right investment, cutting corners often means cutting outcomes.

Invest In Your SEO In The Long Run

Spending money on SEO is a long-term choice. It takes time, effort, and regular updates. But good SEO helps build trust in your brand and supports steady online growth, making it a smart move for any business that wants to succeed online.

Key Stats Related To SEO Cost In Australia

Monthly Spending: Small businesses usually spend around $2,000 a month, while big companies may spend over $5,000.

Good ROI: Businesses that invest in strong SEO plans often see better results over time.

Hourly Rates: SEO experts may charge about $200 an hour because of their skills and experience.

Long-Term Value: Quality SEO helps more people find your business and builds stronger connections with your audience.

Industry Growth: SEO is growing fast in Australia, especially in areas like content creation and full-service marketing.

Conclusion

Don’t choose the cheapest SEO option. Cheap SEO often doesn’t work—or worse, it can damage your website and cost you more later.

Do some reading on trusted websites like HubSpot, Moz, or SEMrush to learn what to look for in a good SEO provider.

Avoid hiring overseas SEO services. You’ll deal with time zone problems, less communication, and it’s harder to track their work. Australian SEO agencies are easier to reach—you can call them during business hours, visit their office, and work more closely with their team.

Talk to a few SEO agencies before deciding. Ask questions and get them to explain what they offer and what results you can expect.

Be Realistic with Results. Don’t fall for promises of exact numbers or guaranteed rankings—nobody can predict that. What matters is that your SEO keeps improving over time.

Track your progress. Watch how your rankings and traffic change. If something’s not working, your agency can help adjust your plan.

Changes might include:

• Choosing new keywords
• Updating your website content
• Adjusting your monthly budget

Your SEO agency should handle these, but it’s still good to know what’s happening.

Get In Touch With 10am Digital

Need an Australian SEO agency you can count on? Contact 10am Digital today. Our custom SEO packages are designed to give your business the expert help it needs to grow online. Let’s chat about how we can support your goals and improve your digital strategy.

FAQ

Does Google Offer Free SEO?

Google doesn’t do SEO for you, but it does offer free tools like Google Analytics and Search Console. These tools help you understand and improve your website.

Is SEO Cheaper Than Google Ads?

Over time, SEO can be more affordable than Google Ads. That’s because SEO helps you get ongoing traffic without paying for every click, while Google Ads require constant spending.

What Are SEO Retainers?

SEO packages are sets of services that help your website show up better on Google. They usually include things like keyword research, website improvements, writing content, building links, and fixing technical issues.

Are SEO Retainers Worth It?

SEO packages can be a great investment if they match your business goals and are done well. They help increase traffic, improve rankings, and bring in more leads and sales. The key is choosing a trusted SEO provider who uses safe and effective methods.

What Content Management Systems Do You Work With?

We can work with most modern website systems, including custom-built sites. If you need to move your site to WordPress or build a new one, we can help with that too.

How Long Does It Take To See Results From SEO Efforts?

SEO takes time. You can usually start to see changes in about 4 to 6 months. But it depends on things like how strong your competition is, how hard your keywords are, and how well your SEO is done.

How Can I Track The Effectiveness Of My SEO Strategies?

You can use free tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to check things like how many people visit your site, what keywords they used, how long they stayed, and if they took any actions like filling out a form. Watching these numbers helps you improve your SEO.

What Are The Best SEO Tools?

There are many great SEO tools that can help improve your website and help it rank better on search engines. Here are some of the most popular tools used by SEO experts:

• Google Search Console (GSC): A free tool from Google that shows how your website is doing in search results. You can use it to check your site’s traffic, find errors, and see what keywords people use to find you.
• Google Analytics: Another free tool from Google that helps you understand how people use your website—like which pages are most popular and how long visitors stay.
• Google Data Studio: This free tool helps you make charts and reports so you can better understand your website’s performance using data from tools like GSC and Google Analytics.
• Google Optimize: A free tool that lets you test different versions of your web pages to see which one works better for your visitors.
• SEMrush: A paid tool with many features like keyword research, checking out competitors, and finding backlinks. It helps you understand how to improve your website.
• Ahrefs: Another paid tool that gives you useful info on your backlinks, competitors, and keywords. It’s used by many professionals to grow their website traffic.

The best one for you depends on what you need and how much you want to spend. But the tools listed above are some of the most popular and trusted ones used by experts.

What Are The 4 Types Of SEO?

There are four main types of SEO, and each one helps your website in a different way:

• On-Page SEO: This is about improving the pages on your website. It includes using the right keywords, writing good content, adding titles and descriptions, and linking between your pages.
• Off-Page SEO: This is about building your website’s reputation using outside sources. It includes getting links from other trusted websites, using social media, and writing guest blog posts.
• Technical SEO: This focuses on how your website works behind the scenes. It includes making your site load faster, work well on phones, and helping search engines understand your website.
• Local SEO: This helps your business show up in searches from people in your area. It includes using local keywords, setting up a Google Business Profile, and getting reviews and local links.

Using all four types of SEO together helps your website rank better, get more visitors, and grow your business.

What Are Some Common SEO Mistakes To Avoid?

Here are some things that can hurt your SEO:

• Using too many keywords: This makes your content look spammy.
• Copying content: Search engines prefer original writing.
• A slow or hard-to-use website: Especially on mobile, this hurts rankings.
• Bad backlinks: Links from low-quality sites can harm your reputation.
• Poor content: If your website isn’t helpful or interesting, people won’t stay—and Google notices.

Avoid these mistakes, and follow good SEO practices to help your site do better in search results.

What Are Some Best Practices For Long Term SEO Success?

Good SEO takes time and effort. To keep growing your website’s traffic over time:

• Do keyword research often to find what people are searching for
• Create great content that is useful, original, and targets those keywords
• Improve your site’s layout and tags so search engines can read it easily
• Build quality backlinks from trusted websites
• Be active online by talking to your audience and building your brand
• Track your progress and adjust your strategy when needed

Doing these things regularly will help you stay ahead in search rankings.

Are Results Guaranteed?

No one can promise exact results with SEO, it would be dishonest to try. But we’ve helped many businesses in different industries improve their traffic and rankings using smart SEO and advertising strategies.

Where Else Do You Provide SEO Services?

We offer SEO services across Queensland and all over Australia.