What You Should Expect from an SEO Proposal - Pricing
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A proposal should include the total project cost as well as a breakdown of the hours needed to complete each phase of the project. Vendors vary widely in how they represent this information. The exception to this is very large, complex SEO projects which must be heavily customized based on the client’s needs. For these types of very large SEO projects, pricing may not be included with the proposal simply because it is easier to present it during a vendor pitch, where each facet of the project can be explained fully to the client.
For smaller projects of about $1000 to $5000, a price breakdown should be included with the proposal. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification regarding pricing and how it applies to each step of the process. If you’re truly trying to do an apples-to-apples comparison, then request an hourly itemization of each step so you can understand how much time is allotted for each line item.
Itemized proposals also enable you to whittle them down so they fit into your budget. Just keep in mind that if you do that, a good SEO may refuse the job since a certain amount of time is necessary to do the job well.
Customization
Good SEO proposals are always customized and relevant to your website. Any SEO worth his or her salt will have taken the time to thoroughly interview you in order to understand your unique needs, goals and expectations. They will also have spent a bit of preliminary time looking through your website, evaluating where you stand in the search results and gaining some insight into what that means for your particular industry. A good proposal will clearly communicate that the SEO has done their homework by providing concrete examples on how SEO will be implemented and how your specific goals will be measured and reached.
Never settle for prepackaged one-size-fits-all pricing or a broad hourly rate that is not attached to a detailed proposal. It is a mistake to agree to paying someone hourly to do the work before understanding what's involved. After all, you’d never hire a general contractor to work for 30 hours per week rebuilding your kitchen, because there’s always the possibility that you’d run out of money before it’s done and no one wants to get stuck with half a kitchen. The same goes for SEO. Understanding exactly what steps are involved, how long they will take to complete and how much they cost are the essential ingredients to a good proposal and will insure that both client and vendor are happy with the outcome of the work.
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