How Much Does SEO Cost in Australia and Where Can I Find Quality SEO?

The cost of SEO in Australia varies widely—and for good reason. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. While cheap, fixed-rate SEO packages may seem appealing, they often deliver poor results. In contrast, custom SEO services from reputable agencies require a higher investment but yield long-term value and measurable growth. Quality SEO is tailored, time-intensive, and shaped by your industry and goals. If you’re serious about boosting your online presence, be ready to invest wisely.

Want to know what quality SEO really costs? Let’s dive deeper.

• SEO costs in Australia vary depending on business size, industry competitiveness, and goals.
• Monthly SEO packages are the most popular model, typically ranging from $1,000 to $5,000+.
• Custom, high-quality SEO services offer better ROI than cheap, fixed packages.
• Bad SEO practices like keyword stuffing, article spinning, and invisible text can harm rankings.
• Investing in reputable, strategic SEO is a long-term play—expect results over months, not weeks.

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Good SEO vs. Bad SEO: What’s the Difference?
3. What Goes Into Quality SEO Services
4. SEO Pricing Models in Australia
   • Hourly SEO Rates
   • Monthly SEO Packages
   • Project-Based SEO
   • Pay-for-Performance SEO
5. A Common Misconception When Investing in SEO Agencies
6. The Risks of Cheap SEO Services
7. How to Budget for SEO Wisely
8. Conclusion: Invest Smart for Long-Term SEO Success
9. FAQ

First, we need to understand what we’re getting for the wildly varied prices of SEO services offered by various companies before we can compare them. However, not all small business owners are well-versed in search engine optimisation. For them, the only thing that matters is the price, which they can compare and contrast.

SEO is a long-term marketing approach that helps you increase your internet presence and exposure over time. According to statistics, websites that appear on the top page of Google get 91.5% of all hits. 

Furthermore, organic traffic has a conversion rate of 14.6%, compared to a 1.7% conversion rate for conventional outbound marketing. The numbers just keep on coming. In a nutshell, SEO places you in front of potential customers, which is valuable in terms of business leads.

You get what you pay for in most situations in life, and this is no exception. The price you spend for SEO services should be proportional to your anticipated objectives and provide a reasonably solid ROI. 

Let’s define what “quality SEO” is before we talk about pricing. Quality SEO is a time-consuming process that involves several different actions.

1. Conducting market research

A reputable SEO company will do extensive research on your business, customers, rivals, goods, industry, and other factors.

2. Search Engine Optimisation Audit

Using an SEO audit, you may discover where your website now stands (in terms of position and traffic) so that you can plan your future strategy and identify which parts of your website require improvement.

3. The Development of a Strategy

Your SEO agency will develop a custom SEO strategy to help you improve your online presence based on the results of the study and competition analysis.

4. Conducting Keyword Research

The effectiveness of any SEO campaign is dependent on the selection of the appropriate keywords. Keywords inform search engines about the subject matter of your website. 

They inform your consumers about the information that is available on your sites. Choosing relevant keywords with high volumes and low competition is essential for your agency’s success; yet, this is easier said than done.

5. Optimisation of the on-page content

Apart from addressing a variety of technical issues that affect page speed, your agency will utilise the keywords to reconstruct your site’s structure, page names, and meta descriptions. They should provide recommendations for ways to lower your bounce rate and increase interaction on your website.

6. Off-page optimisation (also known as off-page optimisation)

On-site SEO is just one part of the equation. To climb to the top of the search results, you must build backlinks, solicit reviews, and post material on high-quality websites and social media platforms, among other things.

7. Content Creation and Development

The last time we checked, the content was still reigning supreme in the world of Internet marketing. Your material must be timely, original, consistent, and of high quality. That will be reviewed by a reputable SEO company and any recommendations are advised.

8. Analytical and reporting capabilities

Quality search engine optimisation is never a gamble. As a consequence, you should get regular updates from your agency regarding the outcomes, allowing you to assess how well your investment is working.

If you’re looking to boost your online visibility, one of the first questions you’ll ask is: How much does SEO cost in Australia? The truth is, SEO isn’t a cheap, one-size-fits-all service. Whether you’re a startup or a growing enterprise, investing in high-quality SEO is essential if you want to compete in today’s digital landscape.

Let’s explore the different SEO pricing models available in Australia to help you understand what you’re paying for — and what you should expect in return.

Some freelance consultants and smaller agencies offer SEO services at an hourly rate. This can be helpful if you need specific tasks done or want to keep tight control over your budget. However, SEO is a long-term process, and hourly billing can add up quickly—especially if your campaign requires extensive work. For larger projects, this model often proves inefficient and more expensive over time.

Hourly rates typically range from $75 to $200+ per hour, depending on the provider’s experience and the complexity of the work involved.

Monthly retainers are the most common and recommended pricing model in Australia. With this structure, your SEO agency provides ongoing optimisation services with a fixed monthly fee. This allows for consistent progress, better planning, and more measurable results.

Most monthly SEO packages in Australia fall within $1,000 to $5,000+ per month, depending on the size of your website, industry competitiveness, and service scope. Reputable agencies typically include services like:

• Keyword and competitor research
• On-page and technical SEO audits
• SEO content strategy and writing
• Link building and digital PR
• Monthly performance reports and consultations

Some providers offer custom plans tailored to your business needs, allowing flexibility in both pricing and deliverables. Just be cautious of any package that seems “too good to be true” — quality SEO requires time, tools, and expertise.

For businesses with a defined goal — such as launching a new website or cleaning up technical SEO issues — a project-based approach may be ideal. This pricing model involves a one-off fee agreed upon before the work begins, and deliverables are usually tied to specific outcomes.

Project-based SEO pricing varies widely, starting at around $2,000 and going up to $10,000 or more, depending on the project size, complexity, and timeline. This model is more flexible than monthly contracts but still requires a signed agreement and clear objectives.

In this model, you only pay when a pre-agreed result is achieved — for example, reaching the first page of Google for a specific keyword. While it might sound appealing, this approach can be tricky. Not all keywords are equal, and some are far more competitive than others. You’ll need to work closely with your SEO provider to determine fair pricing based on keyword difficulty and campaign goals.

Because of the performance-based nature, rates can fluctuate significantly, and this model may not always guarantee long-term, sustainable growth. It’s best suited for businesses that have a clear focus and are comfortable with a results-driven contract.

There’s no universal price tag for SEO services — the cost depends on your business needs, goals, and the expertise of the provider you choose. Whether you go hourly, monthly, project-based, or pay-for-performance, the key is to understand what you’re paying for and ensure the services align with your long-term goals.

For small businesses, it’s especially important to seek expert advice to avoid wasting money on low-quality services. Partnering with the right SEO professional can help you maximise value, improve your visibility, and grow your business without breaking the bank.

Does your investment in SEO still qualify as an expenditure in your eyes? The reality is that solid SEO pays for itself many times over in terms of returns. However, this is not something that happens overnight. You’ll have to wait before you see any noticeable changes. If you want results as soon as possible, pay-per-click (PPC) or AdWords advertising may be the best option for you.

SEO, in its totality, is a process that includes several actions (just as we outlined) but together becomes the foundation of effective SEO. These tasks, which are carried out by experts, require time and money. When you include the cost of customer service and overheads, it becomes clear why excellent SEO may not be the most affordable option available.

Why is it difficult to determine the typical SEO cost?

Understanding the typical cost of SEO in Australia may be difficult because there are many types of SEO and at least three distinct pricing models that are commonly used. It’s also difficult to provide a one-size-fits-all estimate for the typical cost of SEO services since there are so many variables to consider and reputable SEO providers should outline a custom price structure for your industry.

Your website’s overall size is measured in pixels

It will take much more time to maintain a new site with thousands of articles posted and an e-commerce shop with hundreds of product pages than it would take to maintain a website with just 10-15 pages.

Your ambitions

Some websites simply need the completion of fundamental structural rearrangements, while other SEO campaigns necessitate the expenditure of additional spend like polished SEO copywriting to accomplish a results-driven objective.

You work in a certain industry

Some sectors are more competitive than others, resulting in a higher cost per keyword for SEO in such industries, as well as a higher overall cost for SEO in those industries.

The quality of the service

When it comes to SEO, certain models are intended to be set and forget, where you have someone who handles the entire campaign for you. Other models include a la carte, in which you buy a package that fits into your overall marketing strategy rather than investing in a full, well-rounded campaign. 

Some SEO companies charge a fee based on the number of keywords that are targeted. The price of a keyword increases in direct proportion to how competitive the term is.

However, we do not rule out the possibility of finding low-cost SEO services. Yes, they do exist. There are many companies across Australia that provide SEO services on a month-to-month basis.

Because some businesses have a reputation for doing substandard work, always check Google reviews. Find out if they engage in black hat SEO tactics that you should avoid. Remember, you need to be aware that your chosen agency doesn’t do these practices:

Sub-par keywords

The keywords you employ in your campaign are the lifeblood of your SEO campaign’s success. After all, keywords are the ones that allow consumers to discover you on search engines. 

Companies that provide low-cost SEO services often recommend keywords for you, but these are not always the keywords that are most relevant to your goods, services, or sector. 

Because these businesses provide their solutions at a low cost, which is lower than the typical SEO cost, they do not put much effort into keyword research, resulting in sub-par outcomes for their customers.

Keywords stuffing

Many low-cost SEO companies provide material that is densely packed with keywords, resulting in Google penalising their clients’ websites. Keyword stuffing is an ancient SEO technique that dates back to the early days of the industry and Google algorithms are continuously evolving. 

This out-of-date approach will only serve to penalise your website and push it farther down the search engine results page rankings list.

Article spinning

Untrustworthy businesses who provide services at a lower cost than the average cost of SEO in Australia make use of a spinner, which is software that scrapes high-ranking content from famous websites and rewrites them. 

The spinner then flips the word arrangements of the articles just enough to ensure that they pass plagiarism tests. As a consequence, you end up with a slew of poorly written articles that don’t make grammatical sense.

Bounce rate increases as a result of poorly written content, which not only reduces your search engine ranking but also gives users a bad browsing experience.

Invisible text

The content on your website may become illegible because of the use of low-cost SEO services, or relevant information and keywords may be hidden. Other times, they will alter the body of a text to be the same colour as the backdrop of your website.

It is possible that Google may not notice your site right away, but once the spiders do, your site will be severely penalized.

Be Aware

You’re probably aware that SEO is a significant and worthwhile investment—you’re paying for well-researched keywords, great content, and site structure improvements, among other things. 

The typical SEO cost in Australia should always be used as a starting point when determining if a low-cost monthly plan is worthwhile or whether you’re squandering your money on a strategy that isn’t producing results for your organization.

Before beginning to invest in SEO services, you should first establish and finalise your budget. The cost of SEO in Australia is standardised, however, packages are still priced individually based on your specific requirements. There are a few things you’ll need to think about, including:

Your existing rankings

It’s important to have a realistic evaluation of where you are right now to establish your future objectives for your website’s development. Do you already have a list of keywords in mind for which you wish to rank high in search results? Have you tried searching for these terms on Google? 

Have you gotten to the top of Google’s first page for your targeted keywords? If you answered no to one or more of the questions, you can expect a longer SEO journey ahead of you. 

You’ll almost certainly wind up spending more money than other companies who have been doing SEO for a lengthy period as well.

Your goals

Develop measurable objectives for your company before working with an SEO company to achieve them. 

Set a goal for your website, whether it’s increasing its popularity for long-term search terms (which is less costly) or making it to the top page of Google for highly competitive keywords (which is more expensive). This will help you budget your SEO expenditure more efficiently.

Your timeline

Success on the internet does not come quickly. A typical SEO project may take anywhere between three to six to twelve months or more to provide the desired or anticipated return on investment. It may vary significantly due to a range of industry factors. 

Also, bear in mind that many of your biggest rivals have most likely been investing in SEO for many years at this point as well. You’ll need to establish realistic expectations, allocate a budget based on long-term objectives, and search for a reputable SEO service provider to invest in.

In the end, the price you spend will be determined by the objectives you establish for your SEO strategy as well as the expected return on investment. Although it is still beneficial to evaluate an agency’s package or SEO per month price concerning the typical SEO cost in Australia, this isn’t a straightforward process.

We understand that there will never be a definite cost for SEO in Australia, but we hope that our advice will assist you in planning your expenditures and narrowing down your possible spending. 

Just remember to take a step back and see SEO as the long-term plan that it is. Only when you do this will you be able to see the most return on your investment with the SEO company you chose to work with.

Searching for a Melbourne SEO agency to partner up with shouldn’t take too long, though. When in doubt, keep in mind that TopRankings have been providing custom, strategic, and solid search engine optimisation services for clients in various industries. Speak with us to know how we can help your brand succeed in the digital arena.

How much does SEO cost in Australia per month?

SEO costs in Australia typically range between $1,000 to $5,000+ per month, depending on your industry, business size, competition, and the agency’s expertise.

Is paying for SEO worth it?

Yes. High-quality SEO delivers long-term results, boosts visibility, generates leads, and offers an excellent return on investment over time—unlike short-term ad campaigns.

Why is cheap SEO a risk?

Cheap SEO often involves outdated or unethical practices like keyword stuffing, article spinning, or invisible text, which can lead to penalties from Google and hurt your rankings.

What’s included in a good SEO service?

A reputable SEO service includes keyword research, on-page and off-page optimisation, SEO audits, content creation, strategy development, and regular performance reporting.

What SEO pricing model is best?

Monthly retainers are ideal for most businesses as they provide consistent results, better planning, and long-term growth. Hourly or project-based models may suit short-term or specific goals.

How long does it take to see SEO results?

Generally, 3 to 12 months depending on your starting point, goals, and the competitiveness of your industry. SEO is a long-term investment—patience is key.

How do I know if an SEO agency is legit?

Look for proven results, positive reviews, transparent reporting, and a clear strategy tailored to your business goals. Avoid agencies that guarantee rankings or use vague deliverables.