White-Label Digital Marketing: The Complete Guide
How white-label works, what to outsource, pricing models and how to choose the right partner.
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Key takeaways
- Your price must cover the wholesale cost, your own time and a buffer, then profit.
- Packages with clear inclusions are easier to sell and protect your margin.
- Price on value and competition, not just on what your partner charges.
- Agree what's included in writing so small requests don't eat the margin.
How white-label SEO pricing works
With white-label SEO, your delivery partner charges you a wholesale price and you charge your client a retail price under your own brand. The difference has to pay for your account management, your strategy time and your profit.
As an example, our own white-label SEO starts from £450 per client per month. What you charge on top depends on how much of the client relationship you handle and the value you add.
Common wholesale models
| Model | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Tiered packages | Fixed monthly price per level, such as local, national or ecommerce. | Agencies that want simple, repeatable offers. |
| Custom quotes | Priced per client after an audit. | Competitive or unusual campaigns. |
| Task-based pricing | Fixed prices for audits, content, links or technical fixes. | Agencies that run strategy in-house. |
| Hourly or day rates | Time-based billing for consultancy and support. | Ad hoc or advisory work. |
How to set your retail price
Work it out from the bottom up, per client, per month:
- Wholesale cost from your partner.
- Your time: calls, emails, reviewing reports and presenting results. Multiply your hours by your real hourly cost.
- Buffer: extra requests, a difficult month, a change of scope.
- Profit: the margin your agency needs to grow.
| Illustrative example | Per month |
|---|---|
| Wholesale SEO package | £450 |
| Your time (3 hours at £50) | £150 |
| Buffer | £75 |
| Cost to you | £675 |
| Retail price | £995 |
| Profit | £320 |
Then sense-check the retail price against the market and the value to the client. If a client gets several new customers a month from SEO, a higher price is easy to justify.
Don't price from the wholesale cost alone. A fixed percentage markup ignores how much time each client takes. A demanding client on a small package can lose you money.
Package SEO for your clients
Clear packages are easier to sell, easier to deliver and harder to undercut. A simple three-tier structure works well:
- Local: one location, Google Business Profile, core service pages, citations and monthly reporting.
- Growth: several locations or UK-wide, more content, link building and AI search optimisation.
- Scale: competitive or ecommerce campaigns, advanced technical work and digital PR.
Name the packages after outcomes your clients care about, and list exactly what's included each month.
Need packages you can resell today?Our white-label tiers come with unbranded reports and proposal support.
See white-label SEO Protect your margin
- Write inclusions down: number of pages, articles, links and calls per month.
- Price extras separately: new pages, extra locations, one-off projects.
- Set a minimum term for the first few months while work ramps up, then go rolling.
- Review profitability quarterly: compare each client's price with the time they really take.
- Raise prices at renewal as results and scope grow.
Never promise rankings. Neither you nor your partner controls Google. Sell a clear plan, transparent work and reporting on enquiries instead.
Pricing mistakes to avoid
- Charging the client barely more than the wholesale price.
- Unlimited revisions or "ad hoc" requests included for free.
- The same price for a quiet local market and a fiercely competitive one.
- No minimum term while the first months of work are still building.
- Choosing a partner on price alone and losing clients to poor delivery.
For the full picture on choosing and working with a partner, read our white-label digital marketing guide.
White-label SEO pricing FAQs
What markup do agencies usually add?
It varies widely with the agency's own costs and how much client management it does. Rather than a fixed percentage, price from your real costs per client plus the profit you need, then check it against the market.
Should I show clients the work my partner does?
Yes, under your brand. Clear monthly reports that show what was done and what it achieved are one of the best ways to keep clients and justify your price.
Can I sell SEO to clients outside my partner's packages?
Most partners will quote for custom scopes. Share the client's goals and website, and ask for a tailored wholesale price before you pitch.
How do I handle clients who want to leave?
Agree notice periods in your client contract and in your partner agreement, and make sure all content, accounts and access belong to the client or your agency so handover is simple.
The bottom line
Good white-label SEO pricing starts with honest numbers: the wholesale cost, your own time and a buffer, then profit. Package your offer clearly, write down what's included and review each client's profitability regularly, and white-label SEO becomes a dependable part of your agency's growth.