SEO prices are hard to read, because almost nobody writes them down. You get an "it depends on the job" and an invitation to book a meeting. So here are the numbers.

I've done redesigns of 57 Danish websites in 34 days and measured every old site against the new one on a scale from 0 to 100. This is what the work costs, and what actually moves anything.

What SEO costs in Denmark

  • Ongoing SEO at an agency: 750 to 3,750 USD a month
  • SEO consultant by the hour: 105 to 180 USD an hour
  • One-off SEO on an existing site: 1,200 to 4,500 USD
  • SEO built into a new website: usually included, but ask, because it isn't always

My own price: 75 USD a month for ongoing SEO. If the site is built with me, basic SEO is included in the price of the website itself instead of an extra bill afterwards.

I'm cheaper than most because I'm one person and use AI in production. Not because you get less.

The most expensive mistake in the industry

SEO bolted on afterwards costs more than SEO built in from the start. Every time.

Once a site is built on a template that can't handle structured data, you can't just add it. When the copy is written without anyone looking at what people actually search for, it has to be rewritten, not adjusted. When the images sit as CSS backgrounds, Google can't see them, no matter how many keywords you put in the alt text afterwards.

On the 57 sites I went through, the pattern was the same: the site looked fine, and the foundation was missing. Typical score before: between 20 and 40. After: above 90. The difference was rarely the design. It was the structure.

What you're paying for

An SEO project worth the money includes at least:

  • Keyword research with real numbers, not guesses. What people actually search for, how many do it, and how tough the competition is
  • Technical clean-up: speed, mobile view, language attribute, canonical, sitemap, so nothing is blocking the way
  • Structured data, so Google and AI models can read your address, your services, your prices and your opening hours
  • Copy that matches what people type, rather than what the industry usually calls things
  • Local SEO, if you sell in one town and not the whole country
  • Measurement, so you can see the difference instead of taking someone's word for it

If an offer is missing three of the six, it isn't SEO. It's reporting.

What it shouldn't cost

12-month lock-ins. SEO takes time, but that doesn't mean you should be locked in before the work has been shown.

Hourly rates with no cap. You should know what it ends up costing before you say yes.

Reports as the product. A monthly PDF with graphs isn't work. It's documentation of work, and it shouldn't be half the bill.

When you can see results

The first technical improvements kick in within days to weeks. Content and rankings take three to six months, and anyone who says otherwise is selling you something.

What you can see right away is the score. That's why I measure before and after: you should be able to see the foundation is in place long before the rankings move.

Frequently asked questions

How much does SEO cost a month?

Between 750 and 3,750 USD at a Danish agency. With me, 75 USD a month, because I'm one person and have automated the heavy part of the work.

Is SEO a one-off job or ongoing?

Both. The foundation is a one-off job: structure, technical setup, copy, structured data. The ongoing part is content and adjustments, and that can easily wait.

Can I do SEO myself?

Titles, meta descriptions and an FAQ you can handle yourself. Technical structure and keyword research with real numbers take time, and it's easy to miss something that matters a lot.

What's the difference between SEO and Google Ads?

Ads stop when the budget stops. SEO keeps working and gets cheaper per customer over time. Most businesses need both, just not at the same time.

What does it cost if SEO is part of a new website?

With me, basic SEO is included in the price from 450 USD. The full build, optimised for both Google and AI search, starts at 900 USD.

Finally

I don't do brand awareness. I do revenue, rankings and websites that sell. Ask to see a before-and-after number the next time someone gives you an SEO quote. If they can't give you one, they don't know whether their work works.