Why I Don’t Use Monthly Website & SEO Fees — And What That Means for You
- Lacey Raines
- Feb 12
- 3 min read
Why I Don’t Use Monthly Website & SEO Fees — And What That Means for You
If you’ve worked with web designers or SEO agencies before, you may be used to monthly website or SEO fees being the standard.
When clients first come to work with me, they’re often surprised to hear that I don’t structure my services that way.
Not because monthly models are wrong — but because the way I build websites and approach SEO is simply different.
This post is meant to explain how I work, so you know exactly what to expect and why.
My Approach Starts With Building the Foundation First
When I build a website, my goal is to launch it fully optimized from the beginning — not partially built with the expectation that it will be “finished” over time.
From day one, your website is intentionally structured to support clarity, user experience, and search visibility.
That includes:
Proper site structure and intuitive navigation
Clean, intentional page layouts
SEO-optimized written content
Correct heading hierarchy (H1–H5)
Meta titles and descriptions
Image alt text
Schema markup
Sitemap creation and Google indexing
This allows your website to begin working for your business immediately, rather than slowly becoming effective over months.
Why I Don’t Bundle This Into a Monthly Fee
Because this foundational work is completed upfront, I don’t believe it makes sense to charge a monthly fee for the initial build or optimization.
Your website isn’t something you should feel like you’re renting.
You should own it, understand it, and feel confident that it was built with intention from the start.
How I Approach SEO Long-Term
SEO isn’t something that needs constant, automatic work forever — but it does benefit from thoughtful, strategic growth over time.
Google favors websites that are built on a strong foundation and then expanded naturally and intentionally, rather than sites that are rushed, overloaded, or constantly changed without purpose.
Rather than locking clients into ongoing contracts, I grow SEO in phases, based on real needs and real data.
This approach includes:
Starting with a fully optimized core website
Adding SEO back-pages in intentional batches (typically 6–12 at a time)
Targeting specific keywords, services, and locations
Indexing, tracking performance, and adjusting based on results
This phased method aligns with how Google prefers to see websites evolve — steadily, clearly, and with relevance. It allows search engines to properly understand your site while giving your business the flexibility to grow and adapt over time.
The result is SEO that’s sustainable, data-informed, and built to support long-term visibility — not short-term spikes.
When Ongoing SEO Does Make Sense
There are situations where ongoing SEO support is helpful — especially for:
Highly competitive industries
Multi-location businesses
Businesses with aggressive growth goals
Brands ready to expand content and authority
When that’s the case, I’m always happy to talk through options and make recommendations based on your specific goals.
My priority is making sure the strategy fits you — not selling a service by default.
What This Means for You as a Client
This approach gives you:
Clear, upfront deliverables
Flexibility to grow at your own pace
Transparency around what’s being done and why
Full ownership of your website
A strategy designed for long-term support, not dependency
My Goal Is Simplicity, Clarity, and Longevity
I build websites and SEO strategies to support businesses over time — not to create ongoing obligations.
If you ever have questions about what makes sense for your business, I’ll always be honest, even if that means recommending less instead of more.
Because the right strategy should feel supportive — not complicated.
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