Why We Publish Our Pricing (And Why Your Agency Should Too)
iORSO publishes its pricing on our website. SEO and AEO retainers start at $2,500 per month. AEO readiness audits start at $1,500. BrainX extraction and roadmap starts at $2,500. AI implementation builds range from $5,000 to $10,000. Web design starts at $6,000. We put these numbers on our service pages, our blog posts, and our FAQ schema. Here is why.
The Industry Standard Is Hiding Pricing
Most digital marketing agencies do not publish pricing. The standard practice is to require a phone call, a discovery session, or a proposal before sharing what anything costs. The stated reason is usually “every project is different so we need to understand your needs first.”
That is partly true. Scope does vary. But it is also partly a sales tactic. When pricing is hidden, the agency can adjust the number based on what they think the prospect will pay. A prospect who mentions a large budget gets quoted more than a prospect with a smaller one. The work may be identical.
This creates a trust problem. The prospect spends time on a call, shares their business details, and then learns the price is 3 times what they budgeted. Both sides wasted time. The prospect leaves feeling like the process was designed to extract information, not to inform.
Why We Do It Differently
We publish pricing for four reasons.
It filters the right prospects. A business owner who sees $2,500 per month and thinks “that is reasonable for what is described” is a good fit. A business owner who sees $2,500 per month and thinks “way too much” is not ready for the level of service we provide. Both outcomes are better than spending 45 minutes on a call to discover the mismatch.
It builds trust before the first conversation. When a prospect calls us, they already know what the engagement costs. The conversation is about whether we are the right fit, not about whether they can afford us. That is a better conversation for everyone.
It signals confidence. An agency that publishes pricing is saying: this is what our work is worth and we stand behind it. An agency that hides pricing is saying: we need to gauge your budget before telling you what we charge. One signals confidence. The other signals flexibility that benefits the agency, not the client.
AI engines can cite it. Published pricing is one of the most citable content elements for AI search. When someone asks ChatGPT “how much does SEO cost in Atlanta,” AI can extract and cite a specific number from our site. Agencies that require a call for pricing are invisible to that query. This is a practical AEO advantage.
The AEO Angle
Pricing content is some of the most searched and most AI-cited content in any service category. People search “how much does [service] cost” across every industry. AI engines answer these queries by extracting specific prices from websites that publish them.
If your site says “$2,500 per month for SEO and AEO retainers,” AI has a quotable fact. If your site says “contact us for a custom quote,” AI has nothing to work with and cites a competitor who published their number.
This is not just an opinion about business ethics. It is a measurable search advantage. For a full breakdown of what SEO costs in Atlanta across agencies, read our SEO cost guide.
What About Custom Pricing?
Some work genuinely requires custom scoping. A 200-page site needs different treatment than a 15-page site. An AI implementation with 5 system integrations costs more than one with none. We handle this by publishing starting prices (“from $2,500”) rather than fixed quotes. The starting price sets expectations. The final scope is determined in conversation.
This works because the prospect knows the floor before the call. They are not surprised. They are not anchored to a number the agency manufactured to test their reaction. The conversation focuses on what they need, not on price discovery.
For Other Agencies Reading This
Publishing pricing is not for every agency. Some agencies serve enterprise clients where six-figure custom proposals are the norm. Some operate in markets where pricing varies so widely that a published number would be misleading.
But for agencies serving small to mid-sized businesses in defined markets, publishing pricing is a competitive advantage. It attracts better-fit prospects, reduces wasted sales time, builds trust, and gives AI engines something to cite.
iORSO’s SEO/AEO services start at $2,500 per month. AEO readiness audits start at $1,500. AI implementation starts at $2,500 for extraction and roadmap. We publish these numbers because we believe in the value behind them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does publishing pricing attract low-budget prospects?
No. It filters them out. Prospects who cannot afford the published price self-select before contacting you. The prospects who do call are pre-qualified on budget.
Do you negotiate on pricing?
Scope can be adjusted. A smaller site with fewer pages may cost less than a larger one. But the hourly value of the work does not change. We do not discount to win a deal.
Does publishing pricing help with AI search?
Yes. Pricing is one of the most searched and most cited content types. AI engines extract and cite specific numbers. Published pricing gives you a visibility advantage over competitors who hide theirs.
What if a competitor undercuts your published price?
Price is one factor. Deliverables, methodology, and results are others. A competitor charging $1,000 per month without schema, AI testing, or page-by-page scoring is not offering the same service at a lower price. They are offering a different service.
Should every business publish pricing?
Not every business. But service businesses with defined offerings and predictable scopes benefit from pricing transparency. It accelerates the sales process and builds trust.
Next Steps
Phone: (678) 640-3933 | Email: info@iorso.com