How much does local SEO cost?
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Founder, ProveWorth
I found no public market price for local SEO, so any range you read is a guess. One vendor, BrightLocal, publishes $1,299 a month for managed local SEO, and $31 to $65 a month for software that covers one location.
That is one company's price list, not an average. Its citation tool is as low as $2 a citation with bulk credits. A citation is a listing of your business name and address on another site.
The catch is what you own when you leave. Google says someone managing your profile must transfer ownership to you on request. Ask for that in writing before you sign.
What does one vendor charge?
BrightLocal publishes its software plans for one location. Billed annually, Track is $31 a month, Manage $40 and Grow $49. Billed monthly, they are $41, $54 and $65. Its Managed SEO Service is $1,299 a month.
Those are software subscriptions and one managed service. They are not a market range, and I did not find a source for one.
What should I add up before I sign?
The base fee, setup, software, messaging use, advertising and out-of-scope work. Compare the total expected cost, not just the monthly number in the pitch.
Ask what a rebuild counts as, who handles a failure and what is covered by the fee. A feature list does not mean someone is watching it.
Who owns my profile and site if I leave?
You should. Google says a manager must never claim a profile without the owner's consent and must transfer ownership to the owner immediately on request. Breaking that can get the profile or the account suspended.
For a website, Google says content must be owned and managed by the business owner. Ask for the export and offboarding steps before you sign.
Can an agency promise a ranking?
Be wary of it. Google tells profile managers never to make false, misleading or unrealistic claims.
Prefer promises the provider controls, such as a tested setup and written monitoring, over a guaranteed spot on the map.
What do I do next?
Ask for a written total, then read Local Services Ads vs Google Ads and what is CAC. The longer versions are local SEO for small business and home service SEO and marketing.
If you would rather have a site that is yours from day one, see ProveWorth websites, or get your free page.
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Key takeaways
- 1No public market price for local SEO exists, so any range you read is a guess.
- 2One vendor, BrightLocal, publishes $1,299 a month for managed local SEO.
- 3The same vendor's software plans run from $31 a month billed annually to $65 a month billed monthly, for one location.
- 4Add up the base fee, setup, software, messaging, ads and out-of-scope work before you compare quotes.
- 5Google says a profile manager must transfer ownership to the business owner on request.
Related questions
How much does local SEO cost?
No public market price exists. One vendor publishes $1,299 a month for managed local SEO and $31 to $65 a month for software.
How much does local SEO software cost?
BrightLocal publishes software plans for one location from $31 a month billed annually to $65 a month billed monthly.
What should I add up before I sign?
Add the base fee, setup, software, messaging use, advertising and out-of-scope work. Compare the total, not the advertised monthly fee.
Who owns my Google profile if I leave?
You do. Google says someone managing a profile must transfer ownership to the business owner immediately on request.
Can an agency promise a ranking?
Be wary of it. Google tells profile managers never to make false, misleading or unrealistic claims.