Why is the setup audit only $497 when most agencies charge $2,000?
Because the $2,000 setup is industry pricing inertia, not actual scope. We charge $497 because that's roughly what the audit costs us to produce well — a senior strategist's time, competitor research, and a 12-month roadmap. We'd rather win the engagement than win the setup fee. If you'd prefer to pay $2,000, we'll do extra work commensurate with the price.
Is there a long-term contract?
90-day initial minimum, then month-to-month with 30 days notice. The 90-day minimum exists because foundation SEO work (technical fixes, schema deployment, GBP rebuild, citation cleanup) takes that long to produce — paying for it once and quitting is wasted money. After day 90, you can cancel any time. 94% of clients are still with us after year one — that's a choice, not a contract.
What if I need more than the Scale tier?
Enterprise engagements (typically $7,000-$15,000/mo) are custom-scoped for franchisors, multi-state operators, and PE-owned aggregators. Contact us for a custom proposal.
Do you take ad spend commissions?
No. We charge a transparent management fee (for Google Ads, a one-time $497 setup fee plus 10% of ad spend) and your ad spend goes directly to Google/Meta/etc. We never markup media or take undisclosed commissions. That's the largest hidden cost in most agency relationships and we don't do it.
What's included in every plan vs. just higher tiers?
Every plan includes all six service pillars: technical SEO, local SEO, content strategy, reputation management, AI search optimization, and conversion optimization. Higher tiers add more content volume per month, more locations, dedicated strategist time, integrated PPC management, and on-site/virtual strategy days. No feature gating — just volume and time.
Are there any fees on top of the monthly price?
The one-time $497 setup audit, and that's it for SEO. Your Google Ads budget, if you run ads, goes directly to Google and is never marked up. A new website is a separate project priced on its own. No platform fees, no hidden add-ons.
Is Google Ads management included?
Integrated PPC management is part of the Scale plan. Otherwise Google Ads management is priced on its own: a one-time $497 setup fee plus 10% of your ad spend, and the same fee applies to Meta ads and retargeting ads. Either way, your ad spend is paid straight to Google. See how we manage Google Ads.
Can I finance a new website?
Yes. Website builds can be financed at 0% interest over 18 to 24 months with a deposit you choose, or you can rent a site from $397 down and $197 a month. See the options and a live payment calculator on our website design page.
