This is from a study by SEOMOZ.com and shows the diference between hiring REAL SEO’s and those that have recently jumped on the gravy train over the past 2 or 3 years.

You should expect to pay $150 per hour for a very good SEO PLUS there will be other costs too for services that they would normally purchase from third party service providers.

My guess is that this will increase as we start to see the guys who jumped on the gravy train start to disappear as SEO has become much harder since the Panda and Penguin updates. That will happen as the REAL SEO’s get busier and the demand for them will increase.

Expect this to rise to around$200 per hour.

The alternative is to hire a consultant who guides rather than does the tedious SEO work…and it is tedious at times but it has to be done. A consultant would cost around $100 to $150 per hour and you would follow their guidance and get the third party services done yourself…but at cost price.

Infographic by SEOmoz & AYTM Market ResearchRemember, you only get what you pay for. There may be lower cost options out there but you could be losing time and throwing that money away if they are not up to the post panda and penguin challenges.

You should always ask for recent testimonials and references and ask to see recent search results for competitive terms.