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TIL a 'free' SEO audit from an agency cost me $2k in hidden fees
They quoted a flat rate but added charges for 'keyword research' and 'report generation' after the fact. Has anyone else gotten burned by hidden costs from a marketing firm?
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patking1mo ago
Used to think those "free audits" were just annoying sales pitches I could ignore. After my buddy got stuck with a $1500 bill for what was supposed to be a free consultation, I changed my tune. Turns out some of these places bury the real costs in fine print about "data processing" and "competitive analysis." Now I tell everyone to demand a flat fee contract with a cap on extras, or walk away.
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margaretj402mo ago
Ugh, that's brutal. Always get the full scope in writing before you pay a cent. Next time, ask them to list every single task included in that "flat rate". Make them spell out what "report generation" means. Is it just a PDF? Or are they charging you extra to click export? Learned that the hard way.
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