Most marketers calculate ROI for paid channels — but not for SEO.
You know your Google Ads ROI. Why not your organic search ROI?
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- How to calculate true ROI for SEO (not just traffic).
- How to project the impact of ranking improvements.
- How to use two simple calculators to find your ideal SEO budget.
Use the free calculator:
Why You Can Calculate SEO ROI
ROI is universal. The formula doesn’t change: ROI = Revenue−Cost / Cost
The only requirement is attribution.
If you use HubSpot, GoHighLevel, or any CRM, you already have this data.
Simply filter by “organic” and use the same lead → deal → revenue logic you’d use for paid channels.
The Harder Question: What Will SEO Improvements Be Worth?
This is where most teams struggle — projecting SEO ROI.
Instead of guessing a budget, reverse-engineer it:
- How much traffic do you currently get?
- What’s your conversion rate (CVR)?
- How much is each lead worth?
From there, it’s just math.
Try It: Site-Wide ROI Calculator
Use the tool below to estimate how traffic increases impact your bottom line.
Just enter:
- Current sessions
- Leads or CVR
- Lead value
- SEO budget
👉 The calculator automatically shows your ROI and breakeven point.
SEO ROI – Simple Site‑wide Simulator
Step 1: Enter sessions and either leads or CVR. Also enter a new sessions number to simulate growth. Step 2: Add lead value and an SEO budget to see ROI.
Formulas used: CVR = Leads / Sessions, Leads = Sessions × CVR, NewLeads = NewSessions × CVR, AddedRevenue = (NewLeads − Leads) × LeadValue, ROI = (AddedRevenue − Budget) / Budget.
Keyword-Level ROI Calculator
Sometimes, you need to analyze one keyword or page.
Use this second calculator to model ranking improvements.
Here’s how:
- Open Google Search Console → Performance report.
- Find the keyword’s average position and clicks.
- Enter those values below.
- Adjust the target position and conversion rate (CVR).
- Add your lead value and budget.
💡 Tip: Each position increase roughly doubles CTR — and that means roughly double the traffic.
How to Estimate Lead Value
If one out of ten leads becomes a customer worth $1,500,
then each lead is worth:$1,500÷10=$150$1,500÷10=$150
That’s your lead value — the number you’ll use across both calculators.
How to Use This for Budgeting
Now that you can project ROI, you can define your SEO budget logically.
Example:
- Added leads: 20
- Lead value: $150
- Added revenue: $3,000
- Budget: $2,000
→ ROI = 50%
This is how you decide if an SEO investment moves the needle — not with arbitrary monthly retainers, but with business math.
Don’t Fall for the “$3,000 SEO Retainer” Trap
Many agencies pitch SEO budgets without math.
If someone proposes $3,000/month “for an audit” or “to see what happens,” run the numbers first.
With this calculator, you can ask:
“If this budget gets us from position 6 to 3, what’s that worth to us?”
If the ROI isn’t there — it’s not worth doing.
Next Steps
Now that you can calculate and project SEO ROI:
- Use Google Search Console to identify underperforming pages.
- Prioritize those with the highest lead value and realistic ranking potential.
- Define your SEO or link-building budget based on projected ROI.
