SEO Package: What It Must Include and What It Costs

Short answer: A good SEO package covers analysis, technical work, content, linking and monthly reporting. Costs depend on scope, competition and share of content. According to providers, market figures range from about €500 to over €5,000 per month. GEO adds visibility in AI answers. Here we explain services, price ranges and how solo providers and agencies compare.

What belongs in an SEO package

An SEO package is a defined scope of work that you buy monthly or per project. Depending on the provider it is called a package, retainer or support plan. What matters is not the name but what is inside and how you measure success. How a retainer differs from a one-off project is explained in our guide SEO and GEO as a retainer or one-off project.

The building blocks

• Audit: a review of technology, content and visibility.
• Keyword strategy: which search queries your audience really uses (see B2B keyword research).
• Technical work: crawling, indexing, load time, structured data (see Technical SEO).
• Content: new pages, revision of existing texts, briefs.
• Linking: internal links and building external references (see Internal linking).
• Reporting: monthly evaluation, ideally down to inquiries.

What is not included

A ranking guarantee. Google puts it plainly: “No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google.” Providers who promise first place or claim a special relationship with Google are a warning sign (Google Search Central: Do you need an SEO?). Better are goals you can measure yourself, such as qualified inquiries. What that looks like is covered in SEO agency without ranking guarantees.

What does monthly SEO support cost?

There is no single figure, but there are market figures. In an article from July 2026, Ahrefs estimates that SEO typically costs €500 to €5,000 per month and that most small and mid-sized companies pay roughly €800 to €2,500. Ahrefs calls offers below €300 per month suspicious. Important: these are one provider's estimates, not a survey (Ahrefs: Was kostet SEO?, German). We cover the cost of maintaining the whole website, not just SEO, in Website support costs.

Cost drivers

• Number of pages: more pages mean more technical work and more content.
• Competition: in contested markets the same effect takes more effort.
• Share of content: texts, graphics and briefs are the largest variable item.
• Languages and locations: every language and every location multiplies the scope.
• Provider experience: senior advice costs more per hour.

Market ranges by provider type

Source of the table: Ahrefs, estimate from July 2026. The article gives slightly different ranges in several places, so read the values as rough guidance. In addition, freelancermap lists €90 to €200 per hour for agencies, usually as a monthly flat fee from about €1,000. For local SEO, Ahrefs gives roughly €500 to €2,000 per month.

Market figures, not a price list All numbers above come from providers and brokerage platforms and describe asking prices. They say nothing about what your project costs. That depends on the cost drivers above.

The tiers of a package

Many providers tier their packages. The table below shows what the tiers typically contain. It is a market orientation and not an offer from us.

Our own support tiers are Care from €500, Growth from €1,000 and Scale from €1,500 per month net. Growth covers SEO, GEO, CRO and maintenance. What is needed in which scope for your project we clarify in the first conversation. You can find the overview on Growth.

SEO freelancer or agency: ongoing costs

This section is a neutral market comparison. It says nothing about our own way of working. Who fits when is covered in more depth in SEO agency, freelancer, consultant or in-house.

The biggest difference is not the hourly rate but the cost structure. Based on 2,744 profiles, the median for SEO freelancers in the DACH region is €80 per hour, while agencies list €90 to €200. These are asking prices from profiles, not completed fees (freelancermap, as of September 2026, German). For a monthly budget of €1,280, freelancermap calculates about 16 hours with a solo provider and 6 to 14 hours with an agency. With an agency you also pay for project management, cover and breadth.

Which fits when

A solo provider fits when your scope is clearly limited and you want one fixed contact. An agency fits when several disciplines come together, for example technology, content and website changes, or when you need security of planning for absences. If you have your own team, pure consulting can be enough (see SEO consulting for in-house teams).

Best tools for an SEO check of your own website

For a first SEO check you do not need an agency budget. The tools below cover the most important questions.

What tools show and what they do not

According to Google, Search Console is a free service for monitoring indexing, search queries and clicks. It also shows which sites link to you. PageSpeed Insights separates field data from the Chrome User Experience Report for the previous 28 days from lab values from Lighthouse. Lab values help with debugging but can miss real bottlenecks (Search Console Help, PageSpeed Insights). Tools deliver symptoms. What gets tackled first is decided by experience.

When an audit brings more

An audit pays off when the tool check shows many findings without priorities or when the website has not grown for a long time. The trade-off is explained in SEO check: tool or audit.

Having SEO and GEO managed after launch

GEO stands for generative engine optimization, meaning visibility in the answers of AI systems. We explain the terms in SEO vs GEO. Google states that there are no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, and that SEO fundamentals still apply (Google: AI features in Search). So GEO does not replace SEO. It adds questions: is your brand named, in what context and from which sources?

Criteria for comparing agencies

If you are looking for an agency that keeps managing SEO and GEO after launch, check these points: does it look after the website itself or only the reports? Can it implement changes on the website or does it only deliver recommendations? Does it measure down to inquiries? Does its GEO advice match the official Google documentation? Google recommends exactly this check for GEO offers. The decision between retainer and project is covered in the guide Retainer or one-off project.

Checking an offer and setting expectations

Questions and warning signs

Before hiring, Google recommends asking for examples, expected results, timeframe and measurement, and granting only read access to Search Console. As warning signs Google names unsolicited emails, secrecy and link exchange schemes (Google Search Central).

Checklist: reviewing an SEO offer

• Goals are measurable, for example inquiries instead of just positions
• No ranking guarantee
• Monthly services are listed individually
• Term and notice period are clear
• Reporting rhythm and content are described
• Link building methods are disclosed
• You get access to Search Console and reports
• It is clear who implements changes on the website
• There are references or examples from similar projects
• Handover or exit is regulated

Setting realistic timeframes

According to Google, some changes can take effect within a few hours while others take several months. Google advises waiting a few weeks before judging a change (Google SEO Starter Guide). Plan for several months and set interim goals, for example indexing, impressions, clicks and then inquiries. You can estimate what an inquiry costs you with our cost per lead calculator.

How we approach this at Webwavers

We are a web design agency with locations in Günzburg and Munich, we work across Germany and we deliver SEO and GEO as part of our Growth service. You can find more on the pages SEO and GEO. The advantage: support comes from the same team as web design and development, so changes to the website can be implemented directly. Pricing: Growth starts at €1,000 per month net. We define scope, term and reporting together in the first conversation.

Further reading: SEO consulting for in-house teams, Local SEO for multiple locations and Page speed of the B2B website.

Frequently asked questions

What does monthly website support with SEO cost at an agency?

According to Ahrefs, market figures range from about €1,000 to €10,000 per month depending on agency size. With us, support starts from €500 (Care), and with SEO and GEO from €1,000 (Growth), each net. We clarify the range for your project in the first conversation.

What are the best tools for an SEO check of your own website?

To start, Google Search Console, PageSpeed Insights and a crawler such as Screaming Frog are enough. They show indexing, load time and technical errors. Which findings matter first is usually only shown by an audit.

How do SEO freelancers and agencies differ in monthly costs?

Solo providers usually have lower hourly rates. Agencies charge more but offer cover, process and breadth. According to market figures, the ranges are about €500 to €2,000 for solo providers and €1,000 to €10,000 for agencies.

Which agencies keep managing SEO and GEO after launch?

Agencies that offer website and growth from one source do. Check whether they implement changes themselves, measure down to inquiries and advise on GEO in line with Google documentation. We manage SEO and GEO as part of our Growth service.

What belongs in an SEO package?

Audit, keyword strategy, technical work, content, linking and monthly reporting. Depending on need, GEO is added. A ranking guarantee is not part of it.

How long does it take for SEO to work?

That cannot be said in general. According to Google, some changes take effect in hours, others take months. Plan for several months and measure interim goals.

Do I need SEO and GEO or is classic SEO enough?

Classic SEO remains the foundation, according to Google as well. GEO is worthwhile in addition if your audience researches providers through AI assistants. You can weigh both in the first conversation.

Does an agency guarantee rankings?

No. According to Google, nobody can guarantee first place. Reputable providers name goals, methods and metrics, but no ranking guarantee.

Conclusion

A good SEO package is transparent: clear building blocks, measurable goals, honest timeframes and no guarantees. Whether solo provider or agency, what matters is that scope and costs fit your project. In a free first conversation we clarify goals, scope and price range, and you get an honest assessment, even if we are not the right partner. Request a project

Sources

• Ahrefs: Was kostet SEO? (July 2026, German)
• freelancermap: So viel kosten SEO-Freelancer (as of September 2026, German)
• Google Search Central: Do you need an SEO?
• Google Search Central: SEO Starter Guide
• Google Search Central: AI features and your website
• Google Search Console Help: About Search Console
• Google: PageSpeed Insights documentation
• Screaming Frog: SEO Spider pricing