White label SEO works commercially because the spread between wholesale and retail is wide and stable. Here are the actual numbers, the margin maths, and how to price so you are not competing against agencies buying from the same provider.
Wholesale versus retail, by tier
| Tier | You pay | You charge | Gross margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local / single location | $300-$700 | $800-$1,800 | 55-65% |
| Growth / multi-service | $700-$1,800 | $2,000-$4,500 | 60-65% |
| Enterprise / multi-location | $1,800-$4,000 | $5,000-$12,000 | 60-70% |
| One-off technical audit | $300-$1,200 | $1,000-$3,500 | 65-70% |
| Content only, per 1,500 words | $40-$150 | $200-$500 | 65-75% |
| Link building, per earned link | $100-$400 | $350-$1,000 | 60-65% |
The margin maths people get wrong
Gross margin is not your margin. Your own delivery cost is real:
| Line | Per client / month |
|---|---|
| Client charge | $2,500 |
| Provider cost | -$900 |
| Your account management (3 hrs @ $80) | -$240 |
| Reporting, QA, client calls (2 hrs) | -$160 |
| Sales amortised over 18-month retention | -$110 |
| Net contribution | $1,090 (44%) |
Target 50-60% net. Below 40%, something is wrong: you are buying too high, selling too low, or absorbing too much account management because the provider needs constant supervision.
The hidden cost is supervision. A cheap provider requiring five hours of your correction a month is more expensive than a good one requiring one.
How to price to the client
Three models, and one of them is a trap:
| Model | Use when | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-plus markup (2.5-3.5x wholesale) | Starting out, simple portfolios | Anchors you to provider pricing rather than client value |
| Value-based (priced on client outcome) | You know their customer LTV | Requires discovery discipline; highest margin |
| Tiered packages (Bronze/Silver/Gold) | High-volume SMB sales | Invites line-by-line comparison with competitors |
Value-based wins where you can do it. If a client’s customer is worth $4,000 and SEO delivers three extra a month, $2,500 is inexpensive and the conversation is about return, not about deliverable counts.
Avoiding the margin race
Several agencies in your market likely buy from the same providers. If you all sell on deliverable counts, you converge on price and everyone’s margin collapses. Defensible differentiation:
- Vertical specialisation. “SEO for dental practices” commands more than “SEO”, from the same wholesale delivery.
- Strategy ownership. Sell the thinking; buy the execution. That is the part clients cannot price-compare.
- Bundling. SEO inside a retainer with paid, CRO, and web is harder to unbundle and shop.
- Reporting and communication quality. Genuinely undervalued. Clients stay with agencies that explain things well.
Contract structure that protects margin
- Match the terms. If you sell 12-month client contracts, do not buy month-to-month wholesale that can reprice mid-term.
- Fix wholesale pricing for the client term, or you absorb increases.
- Volume tiers. Most providers discount 10-25% past five or ten clients. Ask before you need it.
- Get paid before you pay. Client invoices on the 1st, provider settles on the 15th, so you never fund delivery from working capital.
Frequently asked questions
How much does white label SEO cost?
$300-$700 a month wholesale for local scope, $700-$1,800 for growth, and $1,800-$4,000 for enterprise or multi-location. Agencies typically resell at 2.5-3.5x.
What margin should I make reselling SEO?
55-70% gross and 50-60% net after your own account management, reporting, and amortised sales cost. Below 40% net indicates a pricing or supervision problem.
How should I price SEO to my clients?
Value-based where you can establish customer lifetime value, cost-plus at 2.5-3.5x when starting out. Avoid tiered packages if you compete against agencies using the same wholesale provider.
How do I avoid competing on price?
Specialise by vertical, own the strategy layer, bundle SEO with other services, and invest in reporting quality. All four are hard for a competitor buying identical wholesale delivery to copy.
Should I tell clients I use a white label provider?
You are not obliged to, and standard agency practice is not to. What matters is that you own the strategy, stand behind the work, and can explain and defend what was done.
Part of our complete guide to white label SEO.
Serpwize provides white label SEO fulfilment from India for agencies in the US, UK, and Australia. See how our reseller programme works.
