White label SEO in one sentence
You sell SEO under your agency’s name. A specialist team does the work. Your client never knows the specialist exists.
The term “white label” comes from manufacturing, where one company makes a product and another sells it under its own label. A store-brand cereal made by a big manufacturer is a classic example. In white label SEO, the product is search engine optimization: audits, on-page fixes, content, local SEO, link building and reporting.
How white label SEO works, step by step
- Your agency sells SEO to a client at a price you set, say $1,500 per month.
- You hand the client to your white label partner with a short intake form and access to the client’s analytics, Search Console and Google Business Profile.
- The partner audits the site and builds a strategy, delivered as a report with your agency’s branding.
- The partner does the monthly work: technical fixes, content, local SEO and link building.
- The partner produces branded reports, which you send to the client as your own.
- You pay the partner the wholesale price, say $799, and keep the difference.
Throughout, your agency owns the client relationship, the contract and the billing.
What’s usually included
Most white label SEO providers offer some or all of these:
| Service | What it covers |
|---|---|
| SEO audits | Technical, on-page, content and backlink review with an action plan |
| On-page SEO | Titles, meta tags, headings, internal links, schema, content optimization |
| Local SEO | Google Business Profile, citations, reviews, location pages |
| Content writing | Service pages, location pages, blog posts |
| Link building | Outreach and editorial links from relevant sites |
| Reporting | Branded monthly reports and dashboards |
| AI search (AEO) | Visibility in Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity |
Some providers sell only one piece, usually links or content. Others, like us, provide full fulfillment.
Why agencies use white label SEO
Add revenue without adding headcount
A capable in-house SEO specialist costs tens of thousands of dollars a year in salary alone, plus tools and management time. White label SEO turns that fixed cost into a variable, per-client cost. We compare the numbers in detail in white label SEO vs in-house.
Say yes to what clients ask for
Clients increasingly expect their agency to handle search. When you can’t, they find someone who can, and that someone may try to take the rest of the account.
Get a whole team, not one person
SEO spans technical, content, local and outreach skills. A white label team covers all of them, while one hire usually covers one or two well.
Recurring, high-margin revenue
SEO is sold as a monthly retainer, and agencies typically mark up wholesale prices by two to three times. See how to price SEO services.
The risks, and how to avoid them
White label SEO goes wrong when agencies choose the wrong partner:
- Spammy link building. Cheap “link packages” from private blog networks can trigger Google penalties.
- Black-box delivery. You pay every month but can’t see what was done.
- Poor communication. Slow replies, missed deadlines, or non-native English in client-facing content.
- Channel conflict. A provider that also sells SEO directly to businesses could approach your clients.
Our guide on how to choose a white label SEO provider lists 12 questions that expose all of these before you sign.
What it costs
Wholesale white label SEO typically ranges from a few hundred dollars per month for a single-location local business to several thousand for competitive national or ecommerce sites. Our own plans start at $399 per client per month. The white label SEO cost guide breaks down market pricing in detail.
Is white label SEO right for your agency?
It’s a strong fit if:
- Clients ask you for SEO and you currently say no or refer them away
- You run PPC, social, web design or branding and want a recurring add-on
- You have SEO clients but your team is at capacity
- You want to enter a new niche without hiring
It’s a weaker fit if you want to build a deep in-house SEO practice as your core product. Even then, many agencies use white label partners for overflow and specialist tasks.
Next step
The easiest way to evaluate white label SEO is to see it on a real client. Request a free branded audit for one of your clients, or read about our SEO reseller program.