No Cure No Pay SEO
Performance-based SEO where you only pay once agreed keywords reach agreed rankings โ a low-risk way to test SEO before committing to a long-term retainer.
Is this relevant for you?
Typical challenges and signals we help businesses solve.
Payment trigger
Payment only when an agreed keyword hits its target position
Risk exposure
Agency carries the risk of underperformance
Keyword scope
Fixed list agreed upfront, harder to adjust mid-contract
Best suited for
Specific, realistically achievable keyword targets
Reporting focus
Precise ranking positions for the agreed keyword list
Long-term fit
Works well as a lower-risk starting point or trial
What you get
Concrete outputs and results from working together.
Agreed keyword and target list
A defined set of keywords and target ranking positions, selected based on realistic achievability within the contract period.
Technical SEO fixes
Resolving crawling, indexing and site speed issues that stand in the way of ranking the agreed keywords.
On-page and content optimization
Optimizing existing pages โ and creating new ones where needed โ to target the agreed keywords effectively.
Ranking tracking and reporting
Regular, transparent reports showing keyword positions against the agreed targets, so progress is never a guessing game.
Milestone-based invoicing
Invoices tied to achieved rankings, not hours worked โ you only pay for keywords that hit the agreed position.
How we work
A structured approach from start to goal.
- 1
Discovery and keyword selection
We review your site, market and competitors to agree on a realistic keyword list and target positions.
- 2
Baseline audit
A technical and content audit identifies what's blocking the agreed keywords from ranking today.
- 3
Execution
We implement technical fixes, on-page optimization and content changes needed to move the agreed keywords toward their targets.
- 4
Monitoring and milestone check-ins
We track rankings continuously and flag progress or roadblocks well before the payment milestone arrives.
- 5
Result confirmation and invoicing
Once a keyword hits its agreed position, it's confirmed and invoiced โ no ranking, no charge for that keyword.
Fixed-fee SEO vs. No Cure No Pay SEO
The two models suit different situations, depending on how much certainty and flexibility you need.
| Feature | Fixed-fee SEO | No Cure No Pay SEO |
|---|---|---|
| Payment trigger | Monthly fee regardless of ranking movement | Payment only when an agreed keyword hits its target position |
| Risk exposure | Client carries the risk of slow progress | Agency carries the risk of underperformance |
| Keyword scope | Flexible โ can shift priorities as the market changes | Fixed list agreed upfront, harder to adjust mid-contract |
| Best suited for | Broad growth, content strategy, competitive national terms | Specific, realistically achievable keyword targets |
| Reporting focus | Overall traffic, visibility and content output | Precise ranking positions for the agreed keyword list |
| Long-term fit | Supports compounding authority over years | Works well as a lower-risk starting point or trial |
What "No Cure No Pay" actually means
In a No Cure No Pay SEO agreement, payment is tied directly to results. Before any work starts, both parties agree on a specific list of keywords and a target position โ usually top 10 on Google. If those rankings aren't achieved within the agreed period, the client doesn't pay for that part of the work. It's a model built on accountability: the agency carries the risk of underperformance instead of the client.
This is different from general SEO, where you pay a monthly fee for ongoing work regardless of short-term ranking movement. No Cure No Pay narrows the scope to a defined, measurable outcome โ which makes it easier to evaluate, but also means it only fits certain situations.
How the model works in practice
We start by selecting keywords that are realistic to rank for within the agreed timeframe โ usually based on search volume, current competition and the site's existing authority. Extremely competitive national terms, or keywords requiring years of authority-building, generally aren't included, because no agency can honestly guarantee a timeline for those. Instead, we focus on a mix of commercially relevant, achievable terms โ often long-tail and mid-competition queries where solid on-page and technical SEO work can move the needle within months.
Once the keyword list and target positions are locked in, we run the campaign like any serious SEO engagement: technical fixes, content optimization, internal linking and, where needed, link building. The difference is simply how invoicing is structured โ tied to milestones rather than time spent.
Where it fits, and where it doesn't
No Cure No Pay SEO is a good fit if you want to test whether SEO delivers results before signing a longer contract, or if your keyword targets are specific and measurable. It's less suitable for brand-building, content marketing, or ranking for highly competitive national keywords where timelines are inherently unpredictable โ in those cases, an ongoing model like SEO outsourcing tends to produce more sustainable, compounding results. We're upfront about this distinction during the initial conversation, so you know exactly what the model can and can't promise before you commit.
What you get working with Move Marketing
We've run performance-based and retainer SEO campaigns for clients across Thailand since 2009, including projects covered in our client case studies, where keyword rankings and traffic growth are documented with real numbers. If you're weighing No Cure No Pay against a fixed monthly plan, our pricing page breaks down how each model is structured, and we're happy to talk through which approach suits your market and goals in a no-obligation call.
Want to hear more about this service?
We're happy to give you a no-obligation walkthrough of what makes the most sense for you.