Choosing an SEO company is hard because the results take months to show, and by then you've already paid. Some providers do careful, honest work; others sell promises they can't keep. This guide gives you ten questions to ask any SEO company, the answers to look for, the warning signs Google itself describes and a simple way to compare proposals. It applies to us too: use it to judge our answers as well.
Start with what you need from an SEO company
Before you contact anyone, write down three things: what you sell and where, what a good customer is worth to you, and how much you can spend each month for at least six months. A clear brief makes it easier to compare companies and stops you paying for work you don't need. A local plumber needs different work from an online store selling across the country.
10 questions to ask an SEO company
1. What will you do in the first three months?
A good SEO company can describe its first steps in plain language: an audit, fixes, pages to improve or create, and how your Google Business Profile will be handled if you're local. Vague answers such as "we'll optimize everything" are a warning sign.
2. How will you decide which keywords to target?
Look for an answer based on what your customers search for and what brings enquiries, not just the biggest search volumes. Ask to see examples of the phrases they'd track for you.
3. What do you need from me?
Good SEO needs input from you: access to your website and Search Console, details about your services and areas, and your knowledge of customers. Google's page on hiring an SEO says a good SEO should ask about what makes your business unique, who your competitors are and how your customers find you.
4. How do you build links?
The answer should mention earning links through useful content, local partners, suppliers, associations and outreach. Bought links and link networks break Google's spam policies and can harm your site. If an SEO company won't explain where links come from, walk away.
5. What will you change on my site, and will you ask first?
You should know what's being changed and be able to undo it. Ask whether they'll work on a staging copy for big changes and whether you keep full ownership of your site, content and accounts.
6. What will your reports show?
Reports should connect the work to things you care about: visibility for important searches, clicks from Google and enquiries. A long list of vanity metrics with no explanation isn't useful. Ask to see a sample report.
7. How long until I see results?
An honest provider will say it usually takes months and will explain why. Our guide on how long SEO takes sets out realistic stages.
8. What does it cost, and what's included?
Ask for a written proposal with the monthly price, what's included, what costs extra and the contract terms. Compare proposals on what's actually delivered, not just on price. Our guide on how much SEO costs gives typical ranges.
9. Who will do the work?
Ask who will work on your account and how you'll contact them. It's fine for an agency to use specialists or tools, but you should know who's responsible.
10. What happens if I leave?
You should keep everything: your website, content, Google Business Profile and Search Console access. Be cautious of any provider that wants to own your accounts or your domain.
Check their own website and reviews
A provider's own website tells you a lot. Is it clear, fast and honest about prices and methods? Does it make claims it can't support, such as invented results or vague promises? Look up the business on Google and read its reviews, including the negative ones and how the owner replied. A new agency without much history isn't automatically a bad choice, but it should be open about being new.
Questions a good provider will ask you
The first conversation should feel like a two-way interview. Expect questions such as:
- Which services or products bring you the most profit?
- Which areas or countries do you want customers from?
- Who are your main competitors, and what do they do well?
- How do customers usually find you today?
- What has worked or failed in past marketing?
- Who can approve changes to the website, and how quickly?
If a provider sends a price before asking anything about your business, the plan probably isn't built for you.
What a sensible first month looks like
A typical first month includes access set-up, an audit of your website and Google Business Profile, a list of target searches, quick technical fixes and a written plan for the next few months. You should receive a short summary explaining what was found, what was fixed and what comes next, in plain language. If nothing is explained after a month, ask why before paying for a second.
What a sensible first month with an SEO company includes:
Red flags when hiring an SEO company
Google's own advice on hiring an SEO says no one can promise a #1 ranking on Google. It also warns about providers who claim a "special relationship" with Google, advertise a "priority submit" to Google, or send unsolicited emails. Other red flags include:
- Promises of page-one positions by a set date.
- Secret methods they won't explain.
- Very cheap packages that promise hundreds of links.
- Long contracts with no clear deliverables.
- Reports that never mention enquiries or leads.
- Pressure to sign today.
How to compare SEO company proposals
Put proposals side by side and check five things: what's included each month, how many keywords are tracked, how often you get reports, the contract terms and who owns the work. A cheaper agency that includes less may cost more per useful result. A more expensive one should explain clearly what the extra money buys.
SEO company, freelancer or do it yourself?
An SEO company usually offers a wider range of skills and more continuity; a freelancer can be more personal and cheaper. Doing it yourself costs time instead of money. Our guide to SEO freelancer vs agency compares the options in more detail.
How an SEO company compares with a freelancer or doing it yourself:
Local or remote?
Your SEO company doesn't need to be in your town. What matters is that it understands your market, your customers and how search works in your country. Remote providers can do excellent local SEO, provided they ask the right questions and know your area.
How we'd answer these questions
We work with small businesses in the USA, UK, Canada and Australia on WordPress and Shopify sites. We use white-hat methods only, send monthly reports (weekly on our top plan) and confirm the scope and price in a written proposal before any work starts. Plans start at $395 a month, or $295 a month paid yearly, with prices on our SEO packages page. If you'd like an independent second opinion before hiring anyone, our SEO consulting can review proposals with you, or send your website on WhatsApp for a free review.
Choosing an SEO company: quick answers
What should I ask an SEO company before hiring?
Ask what they'll do in the first three months, how they choose keywords, how they build links, what reports show, what it costs and what happens if you leave.
Can an SEO company promise first place on Google?
No. Google's own advice says no one can promise a #1 ranking. Treat that kind of promise as a red flag.
How much should a small business pay an SEO company?
Many small business plans range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars a month. Compare what's included, not just the price.
Should I sign a long SEO contract?
Only if the proposal clearly sets out deliverables and you understand the terms. Ask about notice periods and what happens to your accounts if you leave.
