SEO is a crucial investment for New Zealand businesses looking to expand into the Australian market. But how much does SEO cost in Australia, and what should businesses expect in terms of value and return? With varying price ranges and service offerings, it isn't easy to understand fair pricing and what delivers real results.
At Web Antler, we’re a New Zealand-based SEO agency with deep expertise in the Australian market. This means our clients get the best of both worlds—local support with proven experience in optimising for both NZ and AU markets. We reduce complexities like time zone differences, currency conversions, and market-specific SEO strategies, making the process seamless for businesses operating across both regions.
In this guide, we’ll break down SEO pricing in Australia, explain the key factors influencing costs, debunk common misconceptions, and show why Web Antler is the right SEO partner for businesses expanding into Australia.
The cost of SEO services in Australia varies based on the scope of work, industry competition, and the agency’s expertise. We conducted a market analysis and did some "mystery shopping" to find out what people are charging for Australia SEO.
Here’s a breakdown of average SEO pricing across different Australian business sizes:
Business Type
Monthly SEO Cost (AUD)
Small Business SEO
$1,400 - $2,500
Medium Business SEO
$1,600 - $7,500
Large Business SEO
$2,500 - $10,000+
Enterprise SEO
$7,500+
Source: Industry data from Australian SEO agencies
SEO services are typically priced as monthly retainers, as effective SEO requires ongoing work, including:
One-off SEO projects, such as an initial website audit or foundational SEO setup, can range from $3,500 – $10,000+ depending on the number of pages and complexity of work.
Many businesses misunderstand SEO costs, leading to poor investment decisions. Let’s address some key myths:
Reality: Low-cost SEO often relies on outdated tactics like bulk backlinks, duplicate content, or automated tools, which can do more harm than good. Recovering from bad SEO can cost far more than investing in quality SEO upfront. From our experience true SEO creates massive momentum over time, anyone trying to sell you something quick and fast (or over promise that you'll appear at the top of Google) is a fraud. Good SEO is an investment worth paying for just like this case study on how we beat Starlink at SEO.
Reality: While businesses can manage basic SEO (e.g., writing content, adding metadata), true SEO success requires technical expertise, industry research, and a long-term strategy. Investing in an expert team ensures results and saves time. From our experience, there is often 3 or 4 ways to approach an SEO task, and just because you "found something online" and think you have a solution, doesn't mean it's the best one for your business. If you want to win in the long term, don't make avoidable mistakes just to save a dollar. An SEO expert will help you tackle your overall search engine strategy, just like we did for KORA and now convert 150 customer a month through SEO.
Reality: SEO is an ongoing process. Google’s algorithms change frequently, competitors evolve, and new content is needed to stay relevant. SEO should be viewed as a long-term investment rather than a one-off project. Yes, some of SEO best practice can be covered as a 'one time project'. Yes, sometimes your web-developer will build some of this into the site when they build it. But No, SEO, like going to the gym doesn't give your athletic results by doing it once. Getting into number #1 positions on Google in bigger competitive markets takes time, like how we ranked this software brand number 1 in america.
Web Antler isn’t just another SEO agency—we specialise in helping NZ businesses successfully expand into the Australian market. Here’s why that matters:
Coming Soon Case Study: Find out how we expanded NZ brand Windsor Hardware into Australia amongst a highly competitive SEO environment (Watch this space).
SEO is a long-term investment, but when done right, the returns far outweigh the costs. Here’s what businesses can expect in terms of ROI:
SEO Timeline
Expected Results
0-3 months
Foundational improvements (technical fixes, content strategy).
3-6 months
Increased rankings, early traffic gains, initial leads.
6-12 months
Stronger authority, higher traffic, improved conversions.
12+ months
Dominant rankings, significant ROI, sustained growth.
Compared to Google Ads (which stop the moment you pause spend), SEO traffic continues delivering results long after your last investment. From our experience we find that good SEO in Australia will help your brand establish Brand Credibility, Discoverability, Traffic and a positive ROI on your sales results.
Want to see where your business stands in the Australian market? Request a Free SEO Audit with Web Antler today. Our team will analyse your website, assess opportunities, and provide a custom strategy to help you succeed in Australia. Contact Us for a Free Australia SEO Audit
SEO pricing in Australia varies, but the real question isn’t how much SEO costs—it’s how much revenue your business could be losing without it. Web Antler is here to help NZ businesses expand seamlessly into Australia, ensuring you get the best SEO agency services with transparent pricing and a local team that understands both markets.
📩 Get in touch today, and let’s take your SEO to the next level!
