When it comes to improving your website's search engine rankings and maintaining consistent online visibility, an SEO retainer can be a real game-changer.
But what exactly is an SEO retainer, and why should you consider having one?
In this blog post we will answer both these questions about SEO retainers.
We'll also explore all the benefits of an SEO retainer, what SEO services are typically included in a monthly SEO retainer, and how to choose the right one for your business.
What is an SEO Retainer?
An SEO retainer is an ongoing service agreement between a business and an SEO professional or agency. It involves a monthly or quarterly payment plan for continuous search engine optimization services.
Unlike one-time SEO projects, an SEO retainer ensures that your website receives regular attention and optimization to stay competitive in search engine rankings.
An SEO retainer allows for regular updates, monthly reports, and consistent improvements, all designed to boost your online visibility and drive sustainable growth.
What are the Advantages of a Monthly SEO Retainer?
Having a monthly SEO retainer with a digital agency offers a range of benefits that can significantly impact your online presence and search engine positioning.
Here are some key advantages of having one:
Consistent Optimization
With a monthly SEO retainer, your website receives ongoing attention, ensuring that it remains optimized for search engines.
This consistent effort helps maintain and improve your rankings over time.
Adaptability
SEO trends and algorithms change frequently. For instance, look at all of the algorithm updates Google made in 2022.
It's also believed that Google makes thousands of small updates to their search algorithm each year, but these aren’t that big of a deal.
A monthly retainer allows your SEO team to adapt quickly to these changes, implementing the latest best practices and keeping your site up-to-date.
Proactive Strategy
Instead of reacting to issues as they arise, an SEO retainer gives businesses the opportunity to take a proactive approach.
Regular monitoring and maintenance help identify potential problems before they impact your rankings.
Comprehensive Services
A retainer often includes a wide range of services such as keyword research, content creation, technical audits, and link building. This holistic approach ensures all aspects of your SEO are covered.
Cost-Effective
While a monthly retainer involves a recurring cost, it can be more cost-effective than sporadic, one-off SEO projects.
Continuous optimization prevents the need for expensive, large-scale fixes down the line.
Long-Term Results
SEO is a long-term strategy.
“You can’t just ‘SEO’ your website and be done. It’s a forever moving goal post.”
– Stoney deGeyter
A monthly retainer allows for sustained efforts, leading to gradual and stable improvements in your organic traffic and search engine rankings.
Dedicated Support
With a retainer, you have access to a dedicated SEO team that understands your business and its unique needs.
This personalized support ensures tailored strategies that align with your goals.
Performance Tracking
Regular reporting and analysis are typically included in an SEO retainer. This helps you track progress, measure ROI, and make informed decisions based on data-driven insights.
What’s Typically Included in an SEO Retainer
A monthly SEO retainer usually encompasses a wide range of services to ensure your website remains optimized and competitive.
Each digital agency is unique and will have a set of pricing plans which includes different SEO services, but generally, you can expect the following services:
Initial SEO Audit
To kick things off, a thorough assessment of your current website's SEO health is conducted.
This audit identifies strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement.
Tip: Did you know you can run a free SEO audit of your website using SEOptimer. Just click "Audit" on our homepage and you'll get an in-depth SEO report with recommendations on how to improve your rankings.
Keyword Research and Strategy
Most SEO retainers will include continuous keyword analysis to ensure your content aligns with search trends. This involves identifying high-value keywords that can drive traffic and conversions for your business.
On-Page Optimization
On-page SEO is one of the key pillars of optimizing a website.
Most agencies will include ongoing adjustments to your website's content and HTML source code to improve visibility and relevance.
This includes optimizing meta tags, headers, images, and internal linking structures.
Content Creation and Optimization
“Never lose sight of the fact that all SEO ranking signals revolve around content of some kind.”
– Duane Forrester
Because SEO and content marketing go hand-in-hand, most agencies tend to include some content production in their SEO retainers.
This might involve blog posts, articles, product descriptions, and other forms of content that keep your site fresh and engaging.
Technical SEO
Agencies will also include technical SEO as part of an SEO retainer.
This will address the technical elements that affect your website's search engine performance.
This includes enhancing site speed, ensuring mobile-friendliness, improving crawlability, and resolving any technical issues that may arise.
Link Building
Building high-quality backlinks from reputable websites is essential to improving your domain authority and search engine ranking.
This involves various strategies such as guest blogging, outreach, and content promotion.
Note: There are niche digital agencies that only specialize in link building. Keyword research and other SEO services such as on-page SEO will not be included when you have a monthly SEO retainer with these link-building agencies.
Local SEO
For businesses targeting local customers, local SEO strategies are typically included in a monthly SEO retainer.
This includes optimizing your Google My Business profile, managing online reviews, and ensuring local citations are accurate.
Monthly Reports and Analytics
Measuring the success of your SEO efforts is essential in your overall SEO strategy.
An SEO retainer will also include detailed, easy-to-understand reports that track the progress of your SEO efforts.
These reports offer insights into key metrics such as organic traffic, keyword rankings, and conversion rates, allowing you to see the tangible benefits of your investment.
Strategy Adjustments
SEO is an ever-evolving field. Regular strategy reviews and adjustments ensure that your SEO efforts remain effective and aligned with current best practices and algorithm changes.
Why do SEO Agencies Charge an SEO Retainer?
SEO agencies prefer charging an SEO retainer over once-off projects for several key reasons:
- SEO requires ongoing updates to keep up with changing algorithms. A retainer allows for consistent improvements, ensuring your website stays competitive.
- Effective SEO involves a strategic, long-term approach. An SEO retainer supports continuous monitoring and adjustment, leading to more reliable results.
- Retainers provide a steady income, enabling agencies to allocate resources effectively. This ensures access to the best tools and expertise for your project.
- With a retainer, agencies are always on hand to address issues quickly, preventing minor problems from escalating and keeping your site performing well.
- Retainers foster ongoing relationships, allowing agencies to understand your business better and provide personalized, goal-aligned services.
How to Choose the Right SEO Retainer
Choosing the right SEO retainer is crucial for maximizing your return on investment. Most agencies offer different monthly SEO retainers, each with varying levels of services, to cater to diverse business needs and budgets.
For instance, Simple Tiger is a digital agency offering SEO services. If you check their pricing page, there are 5 different tiers you can choose from, each having different services.
Here’s how to make an informed decision on which SEO retainer to choose for your business:
Assess Your Needs
Understand what your business truly requires.
Are you looking to improve local visibility, enhance content, or boost overall web performance?
Identifying your core objectives will help you select a retainer that aligns with your goals.
Consider Your Budget
It's important to choose a monthly SEO retainer that fits within your financial constraints.
There’s no need to stretch your budget for services you don’t need.
For instance, a small business may not benefit from a top-tier package that includes 20 blog posts a month. Instead, a more modest package that focuses on essential SEO services might be more appropriate.
Evaluate Service Tiers
Agencies typically offer multiple tiers with different service levels.
These may range from basic SEO audits and keyword research to comprehensive strategies including extensive content creation, link building, and technical SEO.
Review what each tier offers and decide which one provides the most value for your specific situation.
Look for Flexibility
Ensure the SEO retainer you choose allows for some flexibility. As your business grows, your SEO needs may evolve.
A good agency will offer the option to upgrade or adjust your retainer as required.
Check for Reporting and Support
Regular updates and transparent reporting are critical to understanding the impact of your SEO efforts. Opt for a retainer that includes detailed, comprehensible reports and ongoing support to keep you informed and involved in the process.
Evaluate Agency Expertise
Look for agencies with experience and a proven track record in your industry. An agency that understands your market can provide more effective and tailored SEO strategies.
You can use services such as Clutch or Digital Agency Network to find reviews of agencies from previous customers.
Do Your Own SEO with SEOptimer
If you're looking to take control of your own SEO, SEOptimer is the perfect solution. Our comprehensive suite of SEO tools equips you with everything you need to optimize your website like a professional.
Here’s what SEOptimer offers:
- Website Auditing and Reporting: Get detailed insights into your website's performance with our robust auditing and reporting tools. Identify areas for improvement and track your progress over time.
- Keyword Research: Discover the best keywords to target in your content. SEOptimer's keyword research tool helps you find high-impact keywords that can boost your search engine rankings.
- Keyword Tracking: Monitor your keyword rankings with precision. Our keyword tracking tool allows you to keep an eye on your SEO performance and make data-driven decisions.
- Backlink Research: Understand your backlink profile and uncover opportunities for new backlinks. SEOptimer's backlink research tool helps you identify high-quality links that can enhance your site's authority.
- Backlink Management: Manage your backlinks effectively to maintain a strong link profile. Our backlink management tool lets you track and analyze your backlinks, ensuring they contribute positively to your SEO efforts.
SEOptimer is trusted by thousands of digital agencies and users worldwide, making it a reliable choice for anyone looking to use the same tools as the professionals.
By choosing SEOptimer, you're leveraging industry-leading tools designed to drive your SEO success.
Here’s just a few examples of what our customers are saying:
- Excellent alternative when you have a small budget. - Melissa F.
- Feature rich, yet cost effective website auditor and then some! - Kenio S.
- Excellent product for SEO. - Gary M
- I just made the switch from Semrush to SEOptimer. - Tom B.
- Quick and easy to use SEO audit tool for website ranking. - Kishan S
Conclusion
Now that you know what an SEO retainer is and what services it includes, you'll be better equipped to choose one that meets your expectations and fulfills your needs.
Investing in an SEO retainer can lead to consistent growth in organic traffic, better search engine rankings, and a stronger online presence. By choosing the right SEO retainer, you can ensure your business stays ahead of the competition and continues to thrive in the digital world.
