10 Questions to Ask an SEO Agency Before You Sign

Choosing an SEO agency isn’t just about comparing prices or reviewing case studies. It’s about finding a partner you can trust to support your business over the months and years ahead.
Most agencies will prepare a proposal, walk you through their services and explain why they’re the right fit. That’s exactly what you should expect. The real insight, however, often comes from the conversation that follows.

Asking thoughtful questions gives you the opportunity to understand how an agency thinks, how they approach challenges and whether their recommendations are genuinely tailored to your business. It can also help uncover assumptions, clarify expectations and highlight important differences between two proposals that may appear very similar on paper.

The best agencies won’t be discouraged by questions. In fact, they should welcome them. A good agency will be happy to explain its thinking, discuss alternative approaches and be transparent about both opportunities and limitations.

The questions below aren’t designed to catch an agency out. They’re designed to help you make a more informed hiring decision and feel confident that you’ve chosen the right partner.

1. How Will You Measure Success?

Before discussing rankings, traffic or technical improvements, ask how the agency defines success for your business.

A good SEO strategy should begin with your commercial objectives, not marketing metrics. For an ecommerce business, success may be increased online revenue. For a B2B company, it could be generating more qualified enquiries. While rankings and organic traffic are useful indicators, they should support wider business goals rather than become the goal itself.

Look for:

• Success measures that reflect your business objectives.
• Clearly defined KPIs and reporting metrics.
• Realistic expectations around timescales.
• Regular review points to assess progress.

Be cautious if…

• Rankings are the only measure of success.
• The agency struggles to explain how SEO will impact your business.
• Success isn’t clearly defined from the outset.

Ask yourself	Why it matters
Do we all agree on what success looks like?	Clear expectations make it easier to measure progress and hold everyone accountable.

2. Why Have You Recommended This Strategy?

No two businesses are the same, so no two SEO strategies should be identical.

A proposal should explain why particular activities have been prioritised and how they relate to your website, industry and objectives. If an agency recommends the same deliverables to every client regardless of their situation, it’s worth asking whether the strategy has been tailored to your business.

A good agency should be able to explain their thinking in plain English, helping you understand not only what they plan to do, but why they’ve chosen that approach.

Good signs

• Recommendations are linked to your business goals.
• The agency references your website, competitors or current performance.
• Priorities are explained clearly and logically.

Be cautious if…

• Recommendations feel generic.
• The strategy could apply to almost any business.
• The agency struggles to explain why certain activities have been prioritised.

Quick tip: If you can’t explain the strategy back to a colleague after the meeting, ask for further clarification. A good agency should make complex topics easy to understand.

3. What Will We Actually Receive Each Month?

SEO proposals often mention ongoing optimisation, technical improvements or content work, but the level of detail can vary considerably.

Understanding exactly what you’ll receive each month helps you compare agencies more fairly and avoids misunderstandings once the engagement begins. Rather than focusing on the number of deliverables, try to understand how those activities contribute to your wider objectives.

Ask for clarity on:

• The work that will be carried out each month.
• What is included within the monthly fee.
• How priorities will change over time.
• What input, if any, will be required from your team.

Be cautious if…

• Deliverables are vague or undefined.
• Everything is described as “ongoing” without further explanation.
• It’s difficult to understand how the proposed work supports your goals.

4. Who Will Actually Be Working on Our Account?

It’s easy to build confidence during the sales process, but the people presenting the proposal aren’t always the people delivering the work.

Before signing, understand who your day-to-day contacts will be, what experience they have and how your account will be managed. This doesn’t mean you need access to the agency’s most senior consultant, but you should know who is responsible for your success and how the team is structured.

Look for:

• A clear explanation of who will manage your account.
• Relevant experience across the delivery team.
• Defined roles and responsibilities.
• Consistency in who you’ll be working with.

Be cautious if…

• The agency can’t explain who will deliver the work.
• Everything appears to be outsourced without transparency.
• You only meet the sales team during the buying process.

Remember: You’re building a long-term relationship. Make sure you’re confident in the people you’ll be working with, not just the proposal they’ve presented.

5. How Will We Communicate?

SEO isn’t a service you should only hear about once a month when a report lands in your inbox.

Good communication keeps projects moving, helps tackle challenges early and ensures priorities stay aligned as your business evolves. Before appointing an agency, understand how often you’ll speak, what meetings are included and how accessible the team will be when you need them.

Consider asking…	Why it matters
How often will we meet?	Sets expectations from the outset.
Who can we contact with questions?	Ensures you know where to go for support.
How are priorities agreed?	Helps avoid misunderstandings and keeps everyone aligned.
What happens if our priorities change?	Demonstrates flexibility and collaboration.

Good signs

• Regular meetings with a clear purpose.
• Open communication between scheduled reviews.
• A willingness to adapt plans as your business changes.

Be cautious if…

• Communication feels reactive rather than proactive.
• Reporting replaces meaningful conversations.
• It’s unclear who you’ll be speaking to.

6. Have You Worked With Businesses Like Ours?

Industry experience can be valuable, but it shouldn’t be the only factor in your decision.

An agency that understands your market may already be familiar with the competitive landscape, customer behaviour and common challenges. However, don’t dismiss an agency simply because they haven’t worked in your exact sector. What’s often more important is whether they can demonstrate a structured approach to solving problems similar to yours.

Instead of asking for a long list of client logos, ask how they’ve helped businesses with comparable objectives and what lessons they would bring to your project.

Look for:

• Relevant examples of similar challenges.
• Evidence of measurable outcomes.
• Honest discussion about what was achieved and why.
• A focus on transferable experience, not just recognisable brands.

Be cautious if…

• Every example is vague or anecdotal.
• Success stories can’t be explained in any detail.
• The agency relies solely on well-known client names to build credibility.

Tip: Experience should give you confidence, but it shouldn’t outweigh strategy, communication and commercial understanding. The right fit is always more important than the biggest client list.

7. What Happens if Results Take Longer Than Expected?

SEO is a long-term channel, and even the best strategies can take time to gain traction. Ask how the agency manages expectations if progress is slower than anticipated.

Look for:

• Realistic timelines.
• A willingness to review and adapt the strategy.
• Honest conversations about performance.

Be cautious if…

• Results are guaranteed.
• There is no clear plan if performance stalls.

8. What Do You Need From Us?

SEO works best as a collaborative effort. Understanding your role before signing helps avoid delays and frustration later.

Ask about:

• Content approvals.
• Access to your website and analytics.
• Internal resource required.
• Expected response times.

Remember: The more support an agency needs from your team, the more important it is to ensure you have the time and resource available.

9. Are There Any Assumptions or Limitations We Should Know About?

Every proposal is based on assumptions. Perhaps your website can be updated quickly, content can be produced internally or technical recommendations can be implemented without delay.

Understanding these assumptions early can prevent surprises once work begins.

Ask	Why it matters
What assumptions have been made?	Ensures expectations are realistic.
Are there any dependencies?	Identifies anything that could delay progress.
What isn’t included?	Prevents misunderstandings later.

10. Why Are You the Right Agency for Our Business?

Finish with the simplest question of all.

Rather than asking why they’re the best SEO agency, ask why they’re the best fit for your business.

A thoughtful answer should reflect your objectives, challenges and opportunities, not just the agency’s achievements.

A strong answer should feel:

• Relevant to your business.
• Honest about strengths and limitations.
• Focused on how the partnership will work.

Be cautious if…

• The answer could apply to any prospective client.
• The conversation returns to generic sales messages.
• You leave the meeting with more questions than answers.

Why Good Agencies Welcome Questions

A proposal should never be the end of the conversation. In many ways, it’s just the starting point.

The questions you ask after receiving an SEO proposal often reveal more than the proposal itself. They give you an opportunity to understand how an agency thinks, how they communicate and whether their recommendations are genuinely tailored to your business.

A reputable SEO agency shouldn’t be defensive when challenged. They should be able to explain their recommendations, justify their priorities and discuss the reasoning behind their proposed strategy. If anything is unclear, they should welcome the opportunity to clarify it.

Remember, you’re choosing a long-term partner rather than simply purchasing a service. Open communication and transparency are just as important as technical expertise.