Why $200 SEO Is a Waste

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 And What Real Strategy Costs

 

 

What Real SEO Includes: Time, Tools, and Real People

SEO isn’t a checkbox or a magic upload. Real SEO takes time, research, planning, and real people doing real work. When we talk about strategy, we mean:

• Keyword research backed by your audience and region

• Website structure that supports ranking, navigation, and conversion

• On-page optimization, internal linking, blog writing, and page edits

• Monthly analytics reviews, link-building, and long-term planning

This is why actual SEO costs what it does — and why $200/month simply can’t cover it.

For a great overview of what goes into a real SEO package, check out this breakdown from Moz: What Does SEO Cost?

 

Why $200/Month Rarely Covers the Essentials

Let’s do the math. Most SEO campaigns require:

• Multiple tools and platforms (SEMrush, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, analytics dashboards)

• Time spent in research, writing, link strategy, and performance reviews

• Weekly or monthly reporting meetings with clients

You can’t buy all the tools involved for $200, let alone hire an actual strategist. So when someone pitches you a $200/month plan? You’re either getting a fake dashboard, a recycled package, or a ghost.

 

What $200 Usually Gets You: Automated Fluff and Generic Reports

What we see most with these "budget" SEO plans:

• Generic monthly PDFs that look nice but say nothing

• No real keyword shift, content updates, or campaign-specific goals

• Zero contact or follow-up unless you ask first

• AI-generated blog posts that are stuffed with keywords but have no voice

We broke that down more in our post "The SEO Report That Lied".

As Search Engine Journal puts it: Red Flags to Watch in Cheap SEO Packages — if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

 

Red Flags and How to Ask Better Questions

If you're reviewing a quote, ask:

• Who is doing the work — and where?

• What tools are being used and shared?

• How often will I get updates or analytics?

• What does this fee actually include?

If you can’t get clear answers, you’re not getting a real strategy. You’re getting a template. Want to see what a real strategy looks like? Here's what we include in every client plan: What REAL SEO Strategy Looks Like

 

Request a Strategy Review

 

Got a quote for SEO or marketing that feels vague, cheap, or unclear? Send it to us. We’ll break it down line by line, tell you what’s missing, and show you what REAL looks like.

 

Register for our upcoming webinar: AI, SEO & Strategy: What’s Real and What Actually Works

No fluff. No pressure. Just clarity and strategy that makes sense.