What “website optimization” actually means
For some agencies it means SEO fixes, for others faster page loading, for others rebuilding pages to bring in more leads. Until the contract states what will be done, comparing prices is pointless: two quotes can share a name and still describe completely different amounts of work.
In practice optimization is made of several blocks, and each can be ordered separately:
- technical audit: indexing errors, duplicate pages, broken links, sitemap;
- speed and mobile version: image weight, unnecessary scripts, hosting quality;
- search optimization: structure, headings, copy and meta descriptions for Google and Yandex;
- conversion: forms, buttons, payment through Click and Payme, quick contact through Telegram;
- analytics: goals, events, and a link to your ad accounts.
What drives the cost of optimizing a website
The price comes from specialist hours multiplied by complexity. A landing page of a few screens and an online store with a large catalog are different scopes of work, even if both are described as “just slow”.
Less obvious factors matter too. Platform: edits in a site builder, in WordPress and in custom code take different time and different skills. Site condition: a clean project is easier to tune than one that has collected years of patchwork changes. Languages: if you run Russian and Uzbek versions, copy and markup are maintained twice. Competition: ranking for something like “apartment renovation Tashkent” is harder and slower than promoting a rare service in a regional city.
Pricing models: audit, project, monthly retainer
Three models are common. A one-off audit is the cheapest option, but it changes nothing by itself: you receive a list of problems that someone still has to fix. A project engagement means the contractor corrects a defined set of issues for an agreed sum. A monthly retainer suits SEO, where results build up gradually and need steady edits and content.
Ask what the payment covers: recommendations only or implementation on the site, who pays for third-party tools, plugins and copywriting, and who keeps the access credentials when the work ends.
How to compare quotes from contractors
The Tashkent market is uneven: there are freelancers, small teams and full-cycle agencies. The difference is rarely about price. It is about whether the contractor is willing to report in numbers rather than impressions.
Before choosing, agree on metrics: cost per lead, conversion into an inquiry, positions for key queries, page speed. A frequent mistake is starting work without basic analytics. Then you cannot tell whether the optimization paid off or the budget was simply spent.
- a price is named without looking at the site or running an audit;
- a first-place ranking is promised by a specific date;
- there is no clear report and no access to analytics;
- the work is done from the contractor’s accounts instead of yours.
When rebuilding is cheaper than optimizing
Sometimes the problem sits in the foundation: an outdated engine, no mobile adaptation, a heavy structure that cannot be sped up without rewriting. Optimization then becomes endless patching, and money goes to symptoms.
In that case compare two paths: a series of fixes, or building a new site turnkey, with speed, search-friendly structure and analytics planned from day one. The second costs more at the start but can be cheaper over the life of the site. Make the decision after an audit, not on a hunch.
Where to start
Define the goal first: more leads, a lower cost per inquiry, or more search traffic. Gather access to analytics and Search Console if they exist. Request an audit from two or three providers and compare not the final figure but the list of tasks and the way results will be measured.
If you want to talk through your own site, the markdev team can assess its current state and advise what makes more sense: optimizing what you have or building a new website.
FAQ
Why do optimization quotes differ so much between agencies?
Because the scope differs. One offer may include only an audit, another may include implementing fixes, content and monthly reporting. Compare the task list and metrics, not the total.
Can I optimize a site once and forget about it?
Technical errors and speed can be fixed in one go. Search optimization, however, needs regular work, since queries, competitors and the site itself keep changing.
What should I prepare before contacting a contractor?
Your goal, access to analytics and the admin panel, a list of main products or services, and a clear idea of which visitor action matters to you: a call, a form, a Telegram order or a payment.
How do I know whether the site should be rebuilt instead?
If it performs badly on phones, runs on an outdated platform and every edit is a struggle, compare the cost of fixes with the cost of a new site after the audit.
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