Backlinko 2019 SEO Services Report — average SMB spends $497.16/mo on SEO

Claim: Backlinko's 2019 SEO Services Report (with Northstar Research Partners, 1,200 U.S. small-business owners) found "American small businesses spend an average of $497.16 per month on SEO services," with clients spending over $500/month 53.3% more likely to be "extremely satisfied."

Most providers charge under $1,000-$2,000/month (Ahrefs, SE Ranking).

Source: Backlinko / Northstar Research Partners 2019. Note: Backlinko sells SEO content/tools (Semrush-adjacent) — but the survey was conducted via Northstar (an independent research firm) and the descriptive figures are credible.

Confidence: Verified.

Why this matters for Candid: The single most-cited descriptive SMB-SEO dollar anchor. Use as the median when showing dollar ranges in the widget output. Pair with the band $500-$2000/mo.