SEO Consulting for SaaS in-house teams
Strategy access without execution overhead. Hourly or project-based. Built for SaaS in-house teams that need senior brain access for specific decisions: site migration, technical audit, content strategy, AEO setup, hiring decisions, agency selection. You execute; we advise.
THE PROBLEM
Why SEO Consulting matters now
You have an in-house team but need senior brain
Your in-house SEO lead is mid-level. They need senior strategic input on specific decisions but you don't need a full agency retainer.
Major migration coming up
CMS replatforming, domain migration, site restructure. Get it wrong, lose 30-70% of organic traffic. Get it right, you're fine. The right play is a one-time consult, not a 12-month retainer.
Agency selection or vendor evaluation
You're evaluating SEO/content agencies and need an unbiased outside perspective on which is the right fit for your specific stage and ICP.
Specific tactical question, not ongoing program
AEO setup, schema architecture, programmatic SEO sanity check, hiring spec for a senior SEO hire, board-meeting presentation on organic growth. Single decision points, not ongoing work.
METHODOLOGY
Hourly or project, never retainer
SEO Consulting is the only Citelane engagement that is not retainer-based. Two engagement modes: Hourly (you book hours, we use them across calls, audits, document reviews, async questions) or Project (specific scope: migration plan, technical audit, AEO strategy, hiring spec). Both are bounded. No multi-month commitment, no monthly minimum, no junior AM layer. Direct senior strategist access only.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
In every SEO Consulting retainer
- ✓ Direct access to a senior SEO/AEO strategist (no junior AM layer)
- ✓ Hourly bookings (5, 10, 20-hour packs) OR project-scoped engagements
- ✓ Async question support (Slack, email, document review)
- ✓ Live working sessions (Zoom or in-person if Bangalore)
- ✓ Specific deliverables for project engagements (migration plan, audit report, etc.)
- ✓ No multi-month commitment, no monthly minimum
- ✓ Conflict-of-interest disclosure if relevant (we don't consult AND compete)
THE PROCESS
How a SEO Consulting engagement runs
Scoping call (free)
Free 15-minute scoping call to confirm we're the right fit. If your need is genuinely a full-service retainer, we'll point you to <a href="https://citelane.com/services/seo/" style="color:#b1003e;font-weight:700;">SaaS SEO</a> instead.
Engagement structure
Either: (a) Hourly pack purchased upfront (5/10/20 hours) drawn down as needed over up to 90 days, or (b) Project-scoped engagement with deliverables defined upfront and milestone payment terms.
Working cadence
Hourly: live calls + async support, you control the pace. Project: weekly check-ins + scheduled deliverables. Both: direct senior strategist access; no junior AM layer.
Closeout + handoff
When the hours are used or the project ships, we close out cleanly. No auto-renew, no retainer conversion pressure. If you want ongoing work, you can convert to a retainer later, but the consulting engagement closes when scoped.
WHEN TO HIRE
Hire SEO consulting when…
You have an in-house SEO/marketing function and need bounded senior strategic input on specific decisions. Or you're facing a one-time event (migration, replatform, agency RFP, board presentation) and need an outside expert to weigh in. SEO Consulting is NOT the right fit if you need ongoing execution — for that, see SaaS SEO. We'll tell you on the scoping call which fits.
PRICING
Tiered monthly retainers. INR / USD / GBP.
SEO Consulting engagements are priced as part of Citelane’s tiered retainer model. Tier mix depends on scope, site size, and stage. Custom quote on the strategy call.
See Full Pricing →QUESTIONS
FAQ
How is SEO Consulting priced?
Hourly packs (5/10/20 hours upfront) or project-scoped fees. Both very different from the monthly retainer model used for other Citelane services. See pricing page; on the free scoping call we recommend the right structure.
Can I convert hourly into a retainer later?
Yes. Many consulting engagements that go well convert to ongoing retainers. There's no pressure or auto-renewal — the consulting engagement closes cleanly and you decide whether to convert.
Is there a minimum hour purchase?
5 hours minimum for the smallest hourly pack. Smaller asks can be handled on the free 15-minute scoping call — we don't bill for that.
Do you do conflict-of-interest disclosure?
Yes. If we currently work with a direct competitor of yours on a retainer engagement, we'll disclose it on the scoping call and let you decide whether to proceed. Most cases are fine; the SaaS market is broad enough that direct conflicts are rare.
What's the most common project engagement?
Site migration plans, technical audits, AEO setup blueprints, agency RFP scoring, and senior-SEO-hire specs. These are bounded one-time deliverables that don't need an ongoing retainer.
Talk to a SEO Consulting consultant
15-minute strategy call. We map your top 3 seo consulting priorities for the next 90 days.
Book a Strategy Call →