Questions to Ask an SEO Agency Before Hiring Them
A sales call is easy to dress up, so the right questions are your best protection. The strongest ones reveal an agency's honesty plus method, since how plainly they answer tells you as much as the answers do. Here are the questions worth asking plus the replies that should give you pause.
Before you sign, ask how an agency will approach your site, who actually does the work, how they report plus communicate, what the contract terms are plus what results to realistically expect. The best questions reveal honesty plus method, since how plainly an agency answers tells you as much as the answers themselves. Be wary of anyone who guarantees rankings or dodges a straight question.
The questions
in numbers
Good questions are quick to ask plus very telling. These three numbers frame what to cover.
Areas to cover
Approach, people, reporting, terms plus expectations, the five that matter most.
Guarantees to accept
A promise of specific rankings is the one answer that should end the call.
Honest timeline
What a straight agency will tell you results realistically take.
The questions worth asking
Hiring an agency is a leap of trust, so the conversation before you sign is your best chance to test it. The aim is not to catch anyone out. It is to understand how they think plus how openly they talk. Group your questions around five areas plus you will learn most of what you need.
Why the answers matter as much as the questions
The exact words matter less than the manner. A good agency answers plainly, admits what it cannot promise plus is happy to go into detail. An evasive one reaches for jargon, dodges specifics or oversells. As you ask, pay attention to how comfortable they are being clear, since that comfort is a strong signal of how they will handle your account later.
Questions about their approach
Start with method. Ask how they would approach your site, what they would look at first plus how they decide priorities. You are listening for a real process rather than a vague promise to do some SEO. A confident agency can describe its thinking in plain terms plus will tailor it to your situation rather than reciting the same pitch it gives everyone.
Questions about who does the work
Ask who will actually carry out the work plus whether any of it is outsourced. There is nothing wrong with a white label provider, as long as the agency is open about it plus stays accountable. What you want to avoid is a vague answer that hides who is really behind your account. You should know who to speak to when a real question comes up.
Questions about reporting plus communication
Ask how often you will hear from them plus in what form. A clear rhythm of reporting keeps an agency accountable. Find out what a typical report contains, who your point of contact is plus how quickly they respond. An agency that is vague about reporting before you have even signed is unlikely to improve once it has your money.
Questions about contract plus terms
Cover the practical terms. Ask about the minimum term, the notice period, what happens when the term ends plus who owns your website plus accounts. These are not awkward questions, they are sensible ones. A fair agency answers them without hesitation. Any reluctance to be clear on terms is worth noting before you commit.
Questions about results plus expectations
Finally, ask what results to expect plus how long they will take. The honest answer involves a realistic timeline of months plus no guaranteed positions. If an agency promises page one or fast wins, that is the clearest warning sign of all. The panel below lists the questions in full so you can take them into any conversation.
Three things your
questions reveal
How they think
Whether there is a real process behind the pitch. A good agency describes its approach plainly plus tailors it to your site.
Who does the work
Who actually carries out your SEO plus whether any is outsourced. You want openness plus someone you can reach.
What they promise
Whether they set realistic expectations or oversell. Honest effort plus clear reporting, never a guarantee of rankings.
Six questions for
any SEO agency
A short list to put to any agency before you sign, plus why each one matters.
Four answers that
should worry you
Some replies are a clear signal to think twice. If you hear any of these, slow down before you sign.
A confident agency
vs an evasive one
Ask the same questions of two agencies plus the difference in how they answer is usually obvious.
Plain and open
- Explains its method in plain terms
- Is open about who does the work
- Sets realistic expectations
- Answers on terms without hesitation
- Happily shares examples or references
Vague and overselling
- Hides behind jargon plus buzzwords
- Dodges who actually does the work
- Promises fast wins or page one
- Gets cagey about contract terms
- Cannot show any real track record
Questions welcome,
answers plain.
Ask us how we work, who does it, how we report plus what to expect. You will get straight answers plus no promise of rankings we cannot control. Free quote today, from £350 per month.