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By Ruchi Pardal
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29 Jun, 2020
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~ 6 minutes to read
29 Jun, 2020
~ 6 minutes to read
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) lies at the centre of digital marketing. It helps businesses improve their online footprint and visibility. In other words, SEO efforts lead businesses to generate more leads and sales. Most business people are aware of SEO’s key role.
However, very few of them succeed in making the most of it. Due to their flawed strategy, businesses and websites can’t turn their SEO efforts and investments into meaningful returns.
For instance, many decision-makers can’t decide between Pay-for-Performance SEO and retainer SEO programs. Others opt for the latter and get abysmal marketing and sales results. In this piece, we will compare Pay-for-Performance (PFP) SEO and retainer SEO programs and explain why Performance-based SEO is the better option.
As the term suggests, it is an SEO service model where you only pay after assessing the results of the given optimization services. The regular KPIs in Pay-for-Performance SEO models are web traffic, keyword ranking, and revenues. In short, a business is promised a measurable/tangible return on its investment in Pay for Performance SEO services.
It is also known as SEO maintenance services. In a retainer SEO program, a business hires an SEO expert/firm for an upfront fee to handle its optimization requirements. This SEO program usually runs recurrently, and fee payments are not subjected to particular SEO results.
Before we compare these two SEO models, it is important to mention that retainer SEO programs have been around for a long time and are considered standard practice. Pay-for-performance SEO is a relatively new approach, and businesses are still catching up. Since retainer SEO services are more deep-rooted in digital marketing, you will find many proponents.
On the other hand, many people still see PFP with skepticism. This biased view of both approaches has primarily developed due to digital marketers’ aggressive promotion of retainer programs. However, this is not another promotional piece about retainer SEO programs. Here, we would like to give you a dispassionate overview of both services so you can make your own decisions.
| Pay-for-Performance SEO | Retainer SEO Program |
|---|---|
| No overhead expenses | Recurrent monthly pay-outs |
| The client is not locked into any contract | Often comes in mandatory 6 and 12-month retainer packages |
| Paying for the exact results | The KPIs are vague, and clients don’t know for what they are paying the retaining fee |
Let’s expand on the above points and see how these SEO options work.
The essential difference between performance-based SEO and retainer SEO is that you pay for the time the SEO firm spends in the latter’s case. Conversely, you pay for the results that SEO companies/experts bring. So, what would you opt for? Let’s try to understand this with the help of an example from everyday life.
Suppose your kitchen’s plumbing system has broken down, and you need a professional plumber to fix it. When you search for a plumber, you get two options: a professional who quotes a price for the entire work and a contractor who charges for their time. What looks like a better and result-oriented option? Of course, the better option is for the plumber to charge for the job, not the time.
Now, use this analogy for your SEO requirements. Pay-for-performance SEO services charge for your particular results, e.g., improving your website’s ranking for certain keywords. A retainer SEO program offers you a block of their time for a certain amount of money every month. Most retainer SEO programs in the US cost $2,501-$5,000 per month. On an hourly basis, the charges are somewhere between $100 and $150 per hour.
These are recurrent charges that you have to set aside every month. So, even if you get the desired visibility and ranking results, they come at a greater cost and a lower ROI.
In Pay-for-Performance SEO, you don’t have to worry about time constraints because you are not paying for minutes and hours. You don’t have to worry whether the desired SEO milestone will be scaled in 2nd or 3rd month because your payment is tied to results instead of time.
Related: How Pay For Performance Is A Game Changer
The model of PFP SEO is set such that people and firms offering it can’t fool their clients. For them, the only way to succeed and get paid is to bring results. Like retainer SEO, they don’t have the room to confuse clients with the jargon. Moreover, they can’t exhaust clients with long explanations regarding the “process” to mask their underwhelming performance. Clients are more interested in getting the result than knowing the process.
The basic working model of PFP SEO makes it a more transparent and self-accountable way to deliver optimization services.
Also Read: Pay Per Performance: A Cost Effective SEO Methodology!
Retainer companies often hide behind the excuse that “SEO takes time.” This allows them to keep on charging their clients without showing any results. Pay-for-performance SEO companies can’t make any use of this argument. Whether SEO takes time, they will only get paid when they furnish results.
Many experts criticize Pay-for-Performance SEO services for their shady and shallow practices. But is there any truth to those allegations? Let’s dissect
Answer: No reliable SEO company can’t do it, especially when clients can find out about the status of a keyword through various easy-to-use and free SEO tools. PFP SEO experts show clients all the crucial numbers about a keyword, including the search volume, before starting work on it.
Answer: It is a laughable claim since keyword stuffing has been an obsolete SEO strategy for too long.
Answer: This might have been true before Google’s crackdown on PBNs (Private Blog Networks) in 2014. Now, you can’t fool Google with “artificial link juice” any more.
Answer: PFP companies need to have long relationships with their clients. On average, a project’s billing starts in the third month with a small number. A Pay-for-Performance SEO company can’t get away with unethical keyword ranking in such long-term partnerships.
We hope this comparative discussion helps you pick the right SEO approach for your business and website.
Also Read:
Why Pay-for-Performance SEO Is the Right Choice
How To Collaborate With A Performance-Based SEO Company To Achieve Business Objectives
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