As a free lance web site designer and developer I now find it very difficult to balance the cost of the development of a new site with the cost of SEO. 

As SEO becomes more and more prevalent (because what good is a site that can't be found) I have to ensure my clients sites are found right from the word go.    If my client doesn't succeed, neither do I.   But to include this cost (the additional keyword research, the planning of the site structure, its content, domain name etc) takes its toll in terms of time.  A cost I'm having to take on board to remain competitive with less caring individuals! 

Education of the small business owner is quite a difficult thing to do, especially when they have a limited budget which they need to stick to.  In the past the very purpose of having a site was to grow your business but now without initial SEO and an ongoing campaign this seems very difficult to do for the small business.

I do wonder where all this is heading.  How much longer can I afford to free lance?  Who will the small business owner turn to when he is quoted thousands of pounds for SEO?  Yet another interesting turn of events in our current economic climate.