They talk smooth, have polished, memorized FAQs, and promises that burn you faster than your ad budget.
SEO is one of the worst industries for this.
The gurus prey on business owners who don’t know what to ask.
Before you get burned (again), I give away my best selling SEO book, Outrank, for free. Let me know if you want it.
Chapter 10 is titled “25 Questions.” It’s everything you need to ask when shopping agencies to know if they’re legit… or when to run.
- How long have you been doing SEO?
Look for several years of experience. You want someone that’s taken some punches, and who adapts to algorithm changes.
- Can you share past results?
Reputable SEOs gladly provide case studies, testimonials, or recognizable client wins.
- 3Who is your longest active client?
Longevity = success. No long-term clients is a red flag.
- 4What kind of clients do you typically work with?
They should understand your type of campaign (local vs. national), not just your niche.
- 5How will you get to know my business?
A legit agency will dig deep into your goals, market, and customer behavior.
- How will you improve my rankings?
They must outline a clear strategy covering on-page SEO, content, and credibility.
- What’s your backlink strategy?
Look for quality over quantity. Avoid shady links like directories and forum spam.
- Do you follow Google’s best practices?
They should stick to white-hat methods and stay current on Google updates. Avoid black hat. It can work short-term, but punish you long-term.
- What do you need from me?
Real SEO is collaborative. They’ll ask for access, insights, and data from you.
- How will you keep me informed?
Expect regular updates, ideally monthly, with clear reporting on progress.
- How do you conduct keyword research?
They should focus on user intent, search volume, and local relevance. Highest volume words do not mean highest intent.
- What tools do you use and why?
They should know their tools deeply and explain how they use each one strategically.
- What metrics do you track?
They should track rankings, traffic, and conversions, not just one.
- How do you determine success?
Success is measurable improvement in visibility, traffic, and ROI, not just rankings.
- Who does the work?
Ensure they don’t outsource to unknown freelancers. They should own their processes.
- Tell me about an unsuccessful campaign.
Transparency about failures shows experience and honesty.
- Are you familiar with algorithm updates?
They should name recent updates and describe how they adapt strategies accordingly.
- Have you worked with penalized sites?
Experience with penalties = in-depth understanding of SEO risk and recovery.
- How will we communicate?
Clear expectations on frequency and method of contact are key.
- What’s the cost?
Get clear, upfront pricing. Cheaper isn’t better, SEO is an investment.
- What’s the contract length?
Be sure the term matches your goals. Flexibility is a plus, but results take time.
- What if I cancel early?
Know if termination fees apply and what happens to the work already completed.
- Are you working with my competitors?
Ask directly. It’s fine unless they’re targeting the same keywords.
- Why should we hire you over others?
They should lean on results and reputation, not low prices or fast timelines.
- Can you guarantee #1 rankings?
If they say yes, run. No one can guarantee that. SEO is too dynamic.
You’re looking for honesty, not sweet whispers.
