SEO packages explained in plain English

Why packages are hard to compare

SEO providers bundle work into packages with names like Starter, Growth and Pro. Each lists items such as "keyword research", "on-page optimisation" and "link building". The trouble is that the same words can mean very different amounts of work. "On-page optimisation" might mean rewriting your main service pages, or adding a keyword to three meta descriptions.

This guide translates common package lines and suggests what to ask about each.

Audit

What it usually means: a review of your site's technical health, content and sometimes links, often using automated tools.

Ask:

• Is it a one-off or repeated?
• Will I get a prioritised list of fixes, or a long tool export?
• Who fixes what the audit finds?

An audit is only useful if someone acts on it.

Keyword research

What it usually means: identifying the searches you should target and mapping them to pages.

Ask:

• Will you map keywords to specific pages on my site?
• How will you choose realistic targets for a business my size?
• How often will it be revisited?

See our keyword research guide for what good looks like.

On-page optimisation

What it usually means: improving titles, meta descriptions, headings, content and internal links on your pages.

Ask:

• How many pages each month?
• Which pages, and how are they chosen?
• Will you change content, or only tags?
• Will I approve changes?

Technical SEO

What it usually means: fixing crawling, indexing, speed, redirects, structured data and similar issues.

Ask:

• Do you make technical changes, or recommend them for my developer?
• How do you monitor for new problems?
• What's included and what's charged extra?

Content

What it usually means: anything from suggesting topics to writing full articles.

Ask:

• Do you suggest content, draft it or write and publish it?
• Who writes it, and what do they know about my industry?
• Who checks facts?
• Do I approve before publishing?

Google's guidance on helpful content is a good benchmark for quality.

Link building

What it usually means: this varies the most, from genuine outreach and digital PR to buying links on low-quality sites.

Ask:

• How do you get links?
• Can I see examples of sites you've got links from for similar clients?
• Do you pay for links?

Paid links that pass ranking credit break Google's spam policies. A package promising a set number of links per month is a warning sign.

Local SEO

What it usually means: Google Business Profile management, citations in directories, reviews and local pages.

Ask:

• What will you do on my Business Profile each month?
• Which directories, and why those?
• How do you handle reviews?
• Will you create location pages, and how will they avoid being doorways?

Reporting

What it usually means: a monthly summary of performance.

Ask:

• Can I see a sample?
• Does it include Search Console and analytics data?
• Will it connect to enquiries or sales?
• Who explains it?

"Monthly hours"

Some packages are sold by hours. That tells you effort, not outcome. Ask what will be done with those hours and what you'll see at the end of each month.

Tiers

Higher tiers usually add more pages per month, more content, more links or more locations. Before upgrading, ask what the extra work will be and why your business needs it. The cheapest tier that covers your real needs is often the right one.

Bundled extras

Some packages add social media posting, website hosting or paid ads management. These can be convenient, but check they're not padding. Ask what each extra involves and whether you'd pay for it on its own.

Things packages rarely mention

• Minimum terms and notice periods.
• Set-up fees.
• Who owns the work and accounts.
• What happens when you leave.

Always ask.

A worked example

A florist compared two packages. Package A promised "full on-page optimisation, 20 backlinks a month, local SEO and monthly reporting". Package B listed "monthly technical check; titles, descriptions, headings and internal links reviewed on priority pages; content suggestions with drafts for approval; Business Profile check; plain-English report".

Package A sounded bigger. But when asked, its provider couldn't say which pages would be optimised or where the backlinks would come from. Package B's provider explained each line clearly and sent a sample report.

The florist chose the package she could understand and check. Clarity was a better guide than the length of the list.

How AffordSEO's plan reads

AffordSEO has one plan at £99 a month: a technical health pass, an on-page batch, content assist, an opportunity report, local basics where they matter and a plain-English monthly report. No long contracts. Cancel any time. What's included explains each line and what's outside the plan.