SEO Pricing Explained for Australian Businesses

If you’ve started exploring SEO for your business, chances are you’ve seen wildly different price tags, with some quotes as low as $500 a month and others north of $5,000. It can be confusing, especially when there are some providers making bold claims that their service will “get you to the top of Google.”

The truth is: not all SEO services are built the same, and what your business actually needs depends on your goals, budget, and stage of growth. At 5 Twelve, we typically work with businesses that understand SEO is an investment (not a quick fix) and are ready to grow sustainably over time.

But what if your business isn’t quite there yet? Or you’re unsure what “good SEO” should even look like?

We’ll walk you through what SEO typically costs in Australia, why those prices vary, what you should expect at each level, and how to know if your business is ready to invest. We’ll also break down the difference between a commercial SEO solution and low-cost services that can sometimes do more harm than good or even sometimes be okay for what you need.

How Much Does SEO Cost in Australia?

Let’s get the elephant out of the room; SEO isn’t cheap. But it shouldn’t be. When done properly, it’s one of the highest ROI marketing channels available.

In Australia, here’s a rough breakdown of monthly SEO pricing in 2025:

At 5 Twelve, for example, our packages start at $2,500/month and are designed to deliver real business outcomes. We scope campaigns around your business goals, your customer journey, and the long-term value of organic growth, working closely with your team to deliver a healthy return on your investment.

Why Not All SEO Providers Are Equal

Even among experienced, well-meaning SEO professionals, there are fundamental differences in how they approach the work. Understanding these differences can help you make an informed decision and avoid wasting time (and budget) on an approach that doesn’t suit your business.

1. Strategic vs. Tactical SEO

Tactical SEO focuses on doing isolated tasks that are typically ‘quick wins’ or gains some traction in the short term, such as writing a few blogs, fixing some page titles, or submitting your site to directories.

Strategic SEO takes a bird’s-eye view: aligning SEO efforts with business goals, customer journeys, conversion paths, and long-term growth plans.

2. Volume-Based vs. Value-Based Workflows

Some agencies run high-volume models, handling dozens or even hundreds of clients with a “rinse and repeat” playbook. This works fine for businesses in need of a basic presence and some local growth, but not if you need real traction.

On the other hand, value-based agencies (like 5 Twelve) limit the number of clients they take on, allowing them to dig deep into the business, create customised content strategies, and iterate on performance over time.

3. Technical vs. Holistic Approach

Some providers primarily touch on technical SEO, such as improving site architecture, site speed, crawl errors, and mobile-friendliness.

Others focus primarily on content strategy, such as service page content, blogs, metadata, and keywords.

But high-performing campaigns consider the whole ecosystem, including but not exclusive to:

• Technical health
• Conversion-focused on-page design
• Brand trust signals (E-E-A-T)
• Content strategy
• Off-page authority building (PR + backlinks)
• Local SEO
• Analytics and CRO
• Cross-channel compatibility

If your provider seems to only really talk about one of these, you’ll likely hit a ceiling.

4. Access to Experts vs. Customer Support Barriers

With some agencies, you never speak to the person actually doing your SEO. You’re routed through account managers, email-only support, or ticketing systems. This creates communication lag and dilutes the expertise reaching your business.

In contrast, premium providers offer direct access to your strategist. At 5 Twelve, you work with the person actually designing and implementing your campaign so that you can ask questions, give feedback, and collaborate meaningfully without playing telephone.

5. Collaborative Communication vs. One-Way Updates

SEO shouldn’t be a black box.

Some providers only send a monthly report (if that), without giving you visibility into what’s been done or what’s planned next. You’re left wondering if anything is really happening.

Others, like us, make communication central to the campaign:

• Monthly catch-ups to discuss strategy, reports, and business updates
• Approvals on all major content before it goes live
• Open communication channels for new offers, changes, or ideas
• Real-time access to your campaign dashboard

This approach keeps your SEO aligned with what’s actually happening in your business.

How Dodgy SEO Providers Exploit Business Owners

Yes, you’re more likely to find sketchy operators in the $300–$1000/month range, but price alone doesn’t guarantee quality. We’ve seen business owners paying $2,000 a month or more for what’s essentially busywork or bloated agency packages where the client never even speaks to an SEO specialist.

So what separates a reputable provider from someone using smoke and mirrors?

For local businesses and family-run operations, the risk isn’t just poor performance, it’s being taken advantage of. Many business owners are time-poor, focused on keeping customers happy, managing staff, and just trying to grow. And because SEO is technical and long-term, it’s easy for the wrong kind of provider to hide behind jargon, dashboards, and vanity metrics.

Common Ways Dodgy Providers Exploit Businesses

• They Set and Forget:
  • They promise ongoing SEO, but after month one, all you get is a recycled report and some vague assurance like “Google’s just taking its time.” Meanwhile, no work is actually happening behind the scenes.
• The Send You Overly Technical Reports That Say Nothing:
  • They flood you with graphs and SEO jargon, hoping you’ll be too overwhelmed (or too polite) to question what any of it means. Good SEO should be explained in plain English, tied to business outcomes like leads, traffic, and conversions.
• They Highlight Keyword Rankings with No Business Relevance:
  • You’re ranking for terms, but they’re not the ones your ideal customers are searching. Some providers chase “easy win” keywords just to show upward movement without ever aligning with your business goals.
• They Use Outdated or Black-Hat Tactics:
  • These providers still use spammy blog comments, link farms, or AI-written content that adds no real value to your business’s online marketing. These are strategies that might work temporarily but can destroy your long-term visibility (or get you penalised by Google).
• There is No Transparency or Giving You True Ownership:
  • They set up your Google Analytics, Search Console, or website accounts in their name, not yours. When you try to leave, they hold your data hostage.
• You’re Never in the Loop:
  • You don’t know what’s been done, what’s planned, or what success looks like. There’s no monthly strategy call, no collaborative roadmap – just invoices and mystery.
• You’re Locked In For A Whole Year:
  • I understand why providers do this – SEO does take time and it is sad to see a client go before you’ve shown them what you can truly do for them. BUT – if a business needs to trim back expenses when life or issues arise, marketing is always the first to go, unfortunately. I think business owners deserve the freedom to cut or pause SEO if it isn’t financially viable for them or if their business changes.

How Much Should My Business Pay for SEO?

The right SEO budget isn’t about finding the cheapest provider or the most expensive one, it’s about aligning your investment with the outcomes you expect and the timeframe in which you need them.

For most businesses seeking meaningful results, SEO is best approached as a long-term investment. Unlike paid ads that deliver clicks quickly, SEO builds momentum over time. 

In our experience, it generally takes six to eight months to start seeing sustainable gains in traffic, lead generation, and revenue. That’s when you begin to reach the break-even point and, from there, move into a stage where SEO delivers ongoing positive return on investment.

With that in mind, businesses looking to generate serious growth—especially in competitive industries or across multiple locations—should be prepared to invest upwards of $2,000 to $4,000 per month. This level of investment typically allows for in-depth strategy development, technical work, quality content production, authority building, and frequent collaboration with a dedicated SEO specialist.

I Don’t Think My Business Needs A Premium Service

If you’re a local business with a relatively simple service offering, and you’re just looking to improve visibility in your immediate area, a lower-cost provider or even a freelancer might be a perfectly fine starting point. Many volume-based agencies or local consultants offer essential SEO work for $800 to $1,500 per month, and this can often be enough to improve local rankings, optimise your website, and start attracting nearby customers.

The key is understanding what you’re paying for and what kind of returns you need to justify the investment. 

A $900 campaign might make perfect sense for a solo tradie trying to dominate their suburb. A national brand, on the other hand, won’t move the needle at that price point. If you’re unsure what level of investment makes sense for your goals, we’re happy to walk you through it and help you assess your options.

How To Set Real KPIs For The Provider

The best way to assess whether or not your provider is providing your business value is to set them KPIs to reach. 

Start by working backwards. If an average job brings in $2,000 and your profit margin is 40%, that’s $800 profit per job. If you’re paying $2,500 per month for SEO, you’ll need just over three new jobs each month to break even—provided those leads are qualified and likely to convert.

From there, look at your conversion rates. If one in five enquiries becomes a customer, your SEO should be driving at least 15 to 20 new calls, emails, or form submissions monthly to meet your breakeven point.

This gives your provider a clear target and gives you a practical way to measure ROI beyond just rankings or traffic.

Final Thoughts

One hill that I am dying on as an SEO agency owner is that SEO pricing should not be a mystery, and neither should the service itself. As a business owner, your time and budget are valuable. Knowing what to look for in a provider, what a proper SEO campaign entails, and what kind of outcomes to expect gives you the confidence to make a smart, well-timed decision.

At 5 Twelve, we believe in transparency, collaboration, and strategies that align with your long-term success. We don’t just work for our clients, we work with them. And when you’re ready, we’re here to help you turn SEO into one of the most powerful marketing investments your business makes.

If you’re unsure whether now is the right time to invest in SEO, we offer a complimentary discovery call to talk through your goals and help you assess your options. Whether you’re ready now or still planning for the future, we’re happy to have the conversation.