Digital advertising
How much Google Ads costs: spend, management fees and a realistic budget
How much Google Ads costs: what you pay Google, what an agency charges to manage it and what budget you need for it to pay off.
21/09/2026
Thinking of hiring an SEO consultant but not sure where to start? It is an important decision that can make the difference between an invisible website and a business winning customers from Google every day.
Search rankings are no longer limited to the classic organic results: today they also decide whether your business appears in Google’s AI Overviews. Choosing the right person to handle your SEO matters more than ever.
In this guide we explain everything you need to know before hiring SEO services: what an SEO consultant actually does, what it costs, how to choose the best one and what results to expect. Practical information from our search marketing agency, where we have spent more than two decades helping businesses rank.
An SEO consultant is a professional who specialises in improving a website’s visibility in search engines such as Google. Their job is to analyse, plan and carry out strategies so your site appears at the top when people search for your products or services.
The main duties of an SEO consultant:
Running technical audits to find problems affecting rankings. Researching keywords relevant to your business. Optimising your site’s content and structure. Developing link building strategies to build authority. Monitoring results and adjusting the strategy based on the data.
What an SEO consultant does NOT do:
They do not guarantee specific positions (nobody can). They do not use techniques Google penalises. They do not offer immediate results: SEO is a medium to long-term strategy.
This is one of the first decisions to make. Both options have advantages and drawbacks depending on your situation.
A freelance SEO consultant:
More direct, personal contact. Generally lower prices. Ideal for small or medium projects. More flexibility in hours and communication. The limitation: one person cannot cover every area.
An SEO agency:
A multidisciplinary team (technical specialists, writers, link building specialists). The capacity for large, complex projects. Professional tools included in the service. More continuity even if a team member changes. Generally a higher price.
When to choose each
If you have a small business on a limited budget and want close attention, a freelance consultant can be a good option. If your project is more complex, you need several services (SEO + content + Ads) or you want an integrated strategy, a specialist agency will get you better results.
Independent SEO consultants have grown in popularity in recent years. These are the main advantages of working with one:
1. Personal attention:
With fewer clients, they can give your project more time and get to know your business properly.
2. Direct communication:
You always speak to the same person, with no intermediaries or departments. Decisions get made faster.
3. Flexibility:
They can fit around your schedule and one-off needs better. You are not tied to fixed packages.
4. A more accessible price:
With lower overheads, they usually offer more competitive rates than agencies.
5. Specialisation:
Many freelancers specialise in particular niches (e-commerce, local SEO, specific sectors) and know that ground very well.
Bear in mind, though, that a freelancer has limits: if they fall ill or go on holiday, your project can stall. They also cannot offer the same range of services as an agency.
SEO prices vary enormously with the professional, the type of service and the complexity of the project. These are the usual ranges in Spain in 2026:
Hourly rates:
Junior consultant: €30-50/hour. Experienced consultant: €50-100/hour. Recognised expert: €100-150/hour or more.
Monthly rates (the most common):
Basic SEO for small businesses: €200-400/month. SEO for SMEs: €400-800/month. SEO for e-commerce or medium projects: €800-1,500/month. SEO for large projects: €1,500-3,000/month or more.
One-off projects:
A complete SEO audit: €400-1,500 depending on the size of the site. Keyword research: €200-500. Initial optimisation: €500-2,000.
Important: be wary of offers that are too cheap. An SEO service at €50/month cannot be any good. Also be wary of anyone guaranteeing specific results: nobody controls Google’s algorithm.
Transparent rates for SEO, web design and maintenance. No surprises, no small print.
Before hiring, make sure the service includes these basics:
1. An initial audit:
A complete analysis of your site’s current state: technical problems, content, links, competition. Without that groundwork, any strategy is guesswork. Learn more about how to run an SEO audit.
2. Keyword research:
Research into the terms your potential customers search for and that you have a realistic chance of ranking for.
3. Technical optimisation:
Fixing the errors that prevent crawling and indexing, improving speed (Core Web Vitals), URL structure and so on.
4. Content optimisation:
Improving titles, descriptions, headings and copy so Google understands what each page is about.
5. A link strategy:
A plan for earning quality backlinks that build your domain’s authority.
6. Regular reporting:
Monthly reports showing position changes, organic traffic and the work carried out. Without measurement there is no improvement.
How do you know when it is time to invest in professional SEO? These signs tell you:
1. Your site does not appear in Google:
You search for your brand or your services and do not show up even on the first few pages. Something is wrong.
2. Organic traffic has fallen:
You had visits and suddenly they dropped. It could be a penalty or an algorithm change.
3. Competitors are overtaking you:
You see competitors with worse sites appearing above you. They are doing something you are not.
4. You are not converting visits into customers:
You have traffic but it generates no business. Perhaps you are attracting the wrong audience.
5. You are about to launch a new site:
The ideal time for SEO is from the start, not once the site is already built.
6. You do not have time to do it yourself:
SEO takes constant attention. If you cannot put the hours in, it is better delegated.
7. You have tried without results:
You have spent months doing things yourself with no improvement. A professional can unblock the situation.
Not all SEO professionals are the same. These criteria will help you choose well:
1. Demonstrable experience:
Ask for real case studies with data. A good consultant has no problem showing previous clients’ results (with permission, obviously).
2. Knowledge of your sector:
If they have worked with similar businesses, they will understand your challenges and opportunities better.
3. Transparency about method:
They should explain what they are going to do and why. Run from anyone promising magic results without explaining how.
4. Professional tools:
Ask which tools they use: Google Search Console, Semrush, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog. A serious professional invests in tools.
5. Clear communication:
If you do not understand their explanations or they dodge your questions, it is a bad start.
6. No endless contracts:
Be wary of anyone tying you into a long minimum term from the outset. Good results retain clients, not contracts.
Before signing, ask these questions to make sure you are making the right decision:
About their experience:
How many years have you worked in SEO? Can you show me case studies in my sector? Do you have references from current clients?
About the service:
What exactly does your monthly service include? Will you do all the work yourself or subcontract it? How often will we meet? How will you report progress?
About results:
What realistic goals can we set? How long before I start seeing results? How will we measure the project’s success?
About the terms:
What is the price and what does it include? Is there a minimum term? What happens if I want to cancel? Will the accounts and the work done belong to me?
A serious professional will answer all of this without hesitation. If they dodge questions or push you to sign quickly, that is a bad sign.
Many companies get this wrong. Avoid these mistakes:
1. Choosing on price alone:
Cheap SEO turns out expensive. Services at €50-100/month cannot include quality work. You will end up losing time and money.
2. Believing position guarantees:
“I guarantee you the number 1 spot on Google” is a lie. Nobody can guarantee positions, because Google controls its algorithm.
3. Expecting immediate results:
SEO takes months to bear fruit. If they promise results in weeks, be suspicious.
4. Not reading the contract:
Read the terms carefully: minimum terms, ownership of the work, what happens if you cancel.
5. Not asking for reports:
If you do not insist on monthly reporting, you will not know what your money is buying.
6. Disconnecting from the project:
SEO works better when you collaborate: providing business information, approving content, giving feedback.
7. Changing consultant every 3 months:
SEO needs continuity. If you keep switching, you will never see results because each professional starts from scratch.
Setting realistic expectations is essential if you are not to get frustrated. This is what a good SEO consultant can achieve:
Measurable results:
Better positions for your target keywords. More organic traffic (visits from Google). Better technical metrics (speed, errors, indexing). Growing domain authority over time.
Business results (what really matters):
More visibility for your brand. More qualified enquiries and leads. More sales if you have an online store. A lower customer acquisition cost over the long term.
What nobody can guarantee:
Specific positions (“you will be first for keyword X”). An exact amount of traffic. Results within a set timeframe. That Google will not change its algorithm.
A good consultant gives you projections based on data, not empty promises.
This is the million-euro question. The honest answer is: it depends. But we can give you indicative timescales.
We recommend reading our detailed guide on how long it takes to rank a website.
Indicative timescales:
Basic technical fixes: 2-4 weeks for Google to process them. Optimising existing content: 1-3 months to see movement. New content: 3-6 months to start ranking. A link building strategy: 3-6 months to feel the impact. A brand new site: 6-12 months minimum for solid results.
What affects it:
Your domain’s age and authority. How competitive your sector is. Your site’s current state. The resources available (budget, content). How often you update.
A realistic expectation:
If anyone promises results in 2-4 weeks, they are lying. Serious SEO starts to show from the third month and consolidates between months 6 and 12.
You have hired an SEO consultant, the months pass… how do you know it is working? These signs tell you:
Positive signs:
You receive detailed monthly reports with real data. Your keyword positions improve gradually. Organic traffic grows (check it in Google Analytics). You notice more enquiries or sales from organic search. They explain what they are doing and why. They answer your questions clearly.
Warning signs:
You get no reports, or very vague ones. No improvement in positions after 4-6 months. You do not know what work is being done. They dodge your questions or give evasive answers. They push you to expand services with no justification. They use techniques that strike you as suspicious.
A practical tip:
Ask for access to your site’s Google Search Console and Analytics. That way you can verify the data the consultant reports.
Is it better to hire someone in your city, or can you work with a professional anywhere?
The advantages of a local consultant:
The possibility of meeting in person. Knowledge of the local market if you are doing local SEO. More personal closeness and trust. It is easier to sort questions out face to face.
The advantages of a remote consultant:
Access to more professionals (you are not limited to your area). Potentially better prices. SEO can be done perfectly well remotely. Video calls make communication just as effective.
Which should you choose?
If your business depends on local SEO (a restaurant, clinic or shop), someone who knows your area can be useful. For most projects, the consultant’s location is irrelevant: what matters is their competence and communication.
If you are in Barcelona, our SEO agency in Barcelona knows the local market well.
These days, with Zoom, Google Meet and shared screens, working remotely is every bit as effective as in person.
SEO is not the answer to everything. In these cases it may not be your best investment:
1. Your site is not ready:
If your site is a technical mess, has poor content or offers nothing distinctive, that has to be fixed first. SEO does not work miracles on bad sites.
2. You do not have a minimum budget:
SEO takes sustained investment. If you can only pay for 1-2 months, you will see no results and will have wasted the money.
3. You need results now:
If you need customers this week, SEO is not your answer. Invest in Google Ads for immediate results while SEO works on the long term.
4. Your market is too small:
If your niche has very few searches, SEO will not bring you meaningful traffic volume.
5. You are not going to get involved:
SEO needs your input: business information, content approval, feedback. Without time for that, the results will be limited.
In those cases, look at other options first or prepare the ground before investing in SEO.
If, after reading this guide, you think a freelance consultant is not enough, an SEO agency may be the better option.
When to choose an agency
Your project is complex or has many URLs. You need several services: SEO + content + design + Ads. You want a team with different specialists. You want continuity even when people change. Your budget allows a serious investment.
What to look for in an SEO agency:
Demonstrable experience with case studies. An in-house team (not everything subcontracted). Transparency about methods and prices. Smooth, personal communication. No abusive minimum terms.
Be careful of:
Agencies promising the impossible. Suspiciously low prices. A lack of communication or no fixed contact. Contracts with long compulsory minimum terms.
A good agency combines the best of both worlds: the specialisation of a freelancer and the resources of a full team.
If you are looking to hire professional SEO services, JRC WEB can help. We are a SEO agency with more than 20 years of experience in digital marketing.
What we offer:
A complete initial audit of your site. A strategy tailored to your goals. Technical and content optimisation. Ethical link building strategies. Transparent monthly reporting. Direct communication with no intermediaries.
Why choose us:
Real experience with demonstrable results. We work mainly with companies in Barcelona and Catalonia. If you are in Barcelona, visit our SEO agency in Barcelonapage. A close, personal approach. No abusive minimum terms. Prices suited to small businesses.
One of the first jobs of a good SEO consultant is identifying the keywords that can bring real customers to your business. To see how it is done, take a look at our step-by-step keyword research guide.
You can cover the basics: optimising your Google Business Profile, creating content for your blog and improving your site’s speed. The work that really moves the needle, though (technical audits, keyword strategy, link building, site architecture), takes specialist knowledge and professional tools. For most businesses, hiring an SEO professional is more profitable than months of trial and error.
A serious SEO consultant should offer total transparency: monthly reports with real data, access to Google Search Console and Analytics, a clear explanation of the work carried out and measurable goals. What they should never guarantee is a specific position in Google, because that depends on factors no professional controls entirely.
Ideally a monthly meeting to review results, analyse metrics and plan the next steps. The consultant should also be available for one-off questions by email or phone. If all you get is an automated PDF and you never speak to your consultant, the relationship is probably not working.
Not necessarily. SEO and Google Ads are different disciplines, though complementary. Some consultants offer both, but most specialise in one or the other. If you need both, an agency with a multidisciplinary team may suit you better than a freelancer who only does organic SEO.
It is not essential. What matters is communication, specialisation and demonstrable results, not physical location. That said, if your business is local and you need local SEO, a consultant who knows your market and your area can add an advantage through their knowledge of the competitive landscape.
Yes. A good SEO consultant works on rankings across every Google result format, AI Overviews included. That means optimising content with clear definitions, structured data (schema markup), well-formed FAQs and a site architecture that makes it easy for Google’s AI to extract information.
Hiring an SEO consultant is an important decision for your business. We hope this guide has helped you understand what to expect and how to choose the right professional.
If you have questions or would like us to look at your project, get in touch with our team. We will give you an honest opinion, with no commitment, on how we can help you improve your visibility in Google.
Remember: the best time to start with SEO was a year ago. The second best time is today.
How much Google Ads costs: what you pay Google, what an agency charges to manage it and what budget you need for it to pay off.
Web design for freelancers in Barcelona: which pages you need, what it costs and how to get a professional, affordable website that wins clients.
What AI search optimisation (GEO) is and how to get ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity to recommend your company in Barcelona.
