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Last reviewed: September 2026 · prices in USD · every figure computed from the cost-guide pricing engine
The index layers a cost-of-doing-business premium on top of the national baseline—the same one Washington, DC cost guides pull from. It works per price tier. Managed and enterprise work carries most of it because local labor does the delivery. Self-serve tools stay priced nationally and hardly budge. All ranges below target the managed-SMB sweet spot for each service, then drift-adjusted each month when we refresh.
| Benchmark | Figure | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-of-business index | +12% | scaled per tier — managed work takes most of it, self-serve tools none |
| Priciest service (SMB) | $2,750–$6,600/mo | Search Everywhere Optimization |
| Cheapest service (SMB) | $175–$675/mo | Agentic Website |
| Largest swing vs national | +$600/mo | Search Everywhere Optimization, top of the SMB range |
| Service | National SMB range | Washington, DC SMB range | Δ at the top |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search Everywhere Optimization | $2,500–$6,000/mo | $2,750–$6,600/mo | +$600/mo |
| Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) | $1,500–$4,000/mo | $1,650–$4,400/mo | +$400/mo |
| Agentic SEO | $300–$3,600/mo | $325–$4,000/mo | +$400/mo |
| Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) | $1,000–$2,500/mo | $1,100–$2,750/mo | +$250/mo |
| AI Agent for Your Business | $300–$2,450/mo | $325–$2,700/mo | +$250/mo |
| Agentic Website | $150–$600/mo | $175–$675/mo | +$75/mo |
Methodology: ranges are synthesized from published 2026 market pricing across vendors, agencies, and platforms, reviewed and refreshed monthly (last refresh: September 2026). Metro figures apply a cost-of-doing-business index (built from 2026 local cost-of-living and labor data) that we scale per price tier: self-serve tools are priced nationally and barely move between cities, while managed and enterprise work — which is delivered by local labor — carries the full local premium. That is why the same city shifts a done-for-you retainer far more than a DIY subscription. Prices are in USD and describe typical market rates, not quotes; a real quote for your business takes minutes through a verified provider on the hashtag.org network.