| Pricing model | Typical cost range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly retainer | €500 – €5,000+ / month | Ongoing SEO, content + technical maintenance, steady growth |
| Hourly rates | €50 – €150 / hour | Small tasks, audits, consultant time |
| Project-based | €1,000 – €10,000 per project | Site migrations, full audits, local SEO set-ups |
| Performance-based | Varies; less common | Risk-sharing deals; not widely used due to SEO unpredictability |
What drives the cost?
- Business size & goals: A one-location café needs far less investment than a national e-commerce store.
- Competition: Legal, finance, property — highly competitive sectors require heavier investments for rankings and links.
- Scope of work: Content creation, technical fixes, link building, and CRO (conversion rate optimisation) all add time and cost.
- Provider type: Agencies bring breadth and processes; freelancers can be cheaper but may have capacity limits.
Example budgets (realistic scenarios)
Local café (Dublin suburb)
Goal: Appear in local searches and Google Maps, steady footfall increase.
Typical budget: €500–€900 / month or a €700–€1,500 one-off local SEO setup.
SME service business (nationwide)
Goal: Rank for multiple service pages across Ireland, content marketing.
Typical budget: €1,200–€3,000 / month.
Medium e-commerce site
Goal: Organic growth across 100s of product pages, technical SEO & link acquisition.
Typical budget: €3,000–€8,000 / month or larger project retainers.
Is SEO worth it?
Yes — when planned and executed properly. Good SEO reduces long-term advertising costs by creating consistent organic traffic, improves trust and authority, and compounds over time. Treat SEO as a medium-to-long-term investment (3–12 months to see substantial movement for competitive keywords).