How to Choose an SEO Agency Without Getting Burned
Ten questions that separate competent providers from confident salespeople.
SEO Fundamentals
Questions that reveal competence
Ask which of our pages would you fix first and why. A competent answer references your actual site. Ask how do you decide what to work on each month. Ask who specifically works on my account and what is their background.
Vague answers to specific questions are the clearest signal you will get.
Red flags
Guaranteed rankings. Refusal to name the working team. Analytics held in agency accounts. Twelve-month minimum contracts. Reporting that shows rankings but not revenue. Link sources they will not disclose.
What good contracts contain
Month-to-month or 30-day notice. Full data ownership in your accounts. Defined deliverables. Named account lead. Clear escalation path. Exit clause returning all assets and documentation.
Key takeaways
- Ask site-specific questions; vague answers reveal everything
- Never accept ranking guarantees or undisclosed link sources
- Data must live in your accounts, not the agency's
- Month-to-month terms signal confidence in results
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