What Should Search Engine Optimization Cost? Main Street ROI Announces A Novel Method for Pricing SEO

NEW YORK, NY - June 7, 2011 – Main Street ROI announced a new method for pricing search engine optimization (SEO) services that helps small business owners profit from internet marketing.


Traditional Approaches to SEO Pricing Are Flawed

According to Main Street ROI Managing Partner Phil Frost, most SEO companies use a cost-based pricing approach, where they determine fees based on their own internal fulfillment costs.

Frost explains: "With the cost-based model, the SEO company asks, ’How much is it going to cost us in terms of time and effort to get the client a certain result?’ We don’t think a cost-based model is best for the client.”

The problem with cost-based fees, Frost says, is that this approach puts all the focus on the SEO company’s financial needs, rather than on the client’s objectives. For example, if an SEO company has expensive office space, those costs will get passed along to the client. And in some cases, Frost says: "The SEO company may simply charge whatever they think they can get away with.”

Meanwhile, many SEO firms are charging extremely low fees in order to entice new clients to sign up. According to Frost, these low prices may seem affordable, but they often do not represent the best return on investment (ROI) option for the client. "With SEO, as with many other things in business and in life, you often get what you pay for,” Frost contends.


A New Approach to SEO Pricing

Frost explains, "We take a very unique approach. We use a custom methodology for pricing SEO engagements that’s focused on our clients’ return on investment from SEO.”

Frost refers to this SEO pricing methodology as return-on-investment pricing - or “ROI” pricing. His company, Main Street ROI, utilizes a customized 6-step approach for pricing its SEO retainers.


6 Steps to Return-on-Investment from SEO

Step 1. Demand

How many potential customers are searching for the client’s products or services?

Step 2. Competition

How strong are the clients’ competitors? How much time, effort and resources will be required to out-rank these competing websites?

Frost admits, “Of course, some cost-based analysis comes into play here, but that’s only one part of our pricing model.”

Step 3. Traffic

How many website visitors (clicks) would the client receive if a certain ranking were achieved?

Step 4. Lead Conversion Rate

What percentage of website visitors turn into potential customers in the form of incoming phone calls, website contact form submissions, or emails?

Step 5. Sale Conversion Rate

What percentage of inquiries turn into paying customers?

Step 6. Customer Value

What is a new customer worth to the business, in terms of revenue and profit?

This 6-step pricing methodology allows Main Street ROI’s clients to gain a realistic estimate of their return-on-investment from SEO.


Helping Business Owners Profit From SEO

According to Frost, too many SEO firms are focused on rankings rather than profits.

As Frost explains, "Of course, SEO involves ranking a website higher in search engines like Google. But it’s actually about more than just rankings. If you don’t help clients with these 6 steps, you’ll fail to satisfy their core business goal: to attract new paying customers and grow their business profitably.”

According to Frost, "Our best, most successful clients understand that SEO isn’t an expense to be minimized. Instead, SEO -- when done right -- is one of the best marketing investments a business owner can make. And that’s why each of our SEO campaigns is specifically tailored to help the client achieve maximum profitability.”


Free Report: Business Owner’s Guide to SEO

To help educate business owners about SEO, Frost has created a free report, “The Business Owner’s Guide to Hiring a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Company.” This brief 7-page downloadable PDF report is designed to help business owners make an intelligent, informed decision about hiring an SEO firm.

“The Business Owner’s Guide to Hiring a SEO Company” reveals:
* How to Avoid 2 Common SEO Rip-Offs (pages 2-3)
* 3 Costly Misconceptions About SEO (pages 3-4)
* 4 Steps to a Profitable Website (pages 4-5)
* 8 Questions to Ask Before Hiring Any SEO Company (page 6)

Business owners can go to http://www.mainstreetroi.com to gain free instant access to the report.


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About Main Street ROI

Main Street ROI is a marketing company that helps “main street” small businesses and independent professionals profit from search engine optimization.

The company provides each prospective client with a Free SEO Profit Estimate as part of the proposal process. To request a free estimate, call 646-470-3753 or visit http://www.mainstreetroi.com.

Contact Information

Phil Frost

Managing Partner

Main Street ROI

Contact via E-mail