How much does seo cost per month?

How much does seo cost per month?SEO costs typically range from $500 to $5,000+ per month in Canada, depending on scope and market competitiveness. Small local businesses might pay $750–$1,500/month, while competitive niches or national campaigns often require $2,500–$10,000/month for meaningful results.AnswerMonthly SEO costs in Canada generally fall between $500 and $5,000, but this range shifts dramatically based on three factors: market competitiveness, campaign scope, and whether you're hiring a freelancer, small agency, or enterprise firm. A local Ottawa plumber competing in a 50km radius will pay far less than a Toronto e-commerce brand fighting national competitors.Small local businesses typically invest $750–$1,500 per month for foundational work: on-page optimization, local citations, Google Business Profile management, and basic link building. This budget suits service-area businesses targeting 5–15 keywords in a defined geography. Mid-market companies with regional or niche-specific goals usually spend $2,000–$4,000 monthly, which funds deeper content production, technical audits, and more aggressive link acquisition. Competitive verticals like legal, finance, or SaaS often require $5,000–$10,000+ because you're not just optimizing—you're outpacing well-funded competitors who've been building authority for years.Retainer models dominate because SEO isn't a one-time fix. Google's algorithm updates, competitor movements, and content decay mean ongoing work. Agencies bundle technical maintenance, content creation (usually 2–8 pieces per month depending on budget), backlink outreach, and performance reporting into monthly packages. Hourly rates for standalone projects run $100–$250 in Canada, but few serious campaigns work hourly because SEO results compound over 6–12 months, not weeks.At Ottawa SEO, we run portfolio sites where a $1,200/month effort might target 8–12 transactional keywords in a moderately competitive local market, while a $4,500 campaign tackles 30+ terms across multiple cities with aggressive content and outreach. The floor is rarely below $500 unless you're accepting extremely limited scope—maybe just technical fixes with no content or links. Anything claiming $200/month is either offshore labor with quality risks or limited to reporting-only services. Expect to commit 6–12 months before seeing ROI, and remember that stopping SEO doesn't freeze rankings—they decay without maintenance.