When choosing an SEO agency, the most important thing is this: ask them clearly what they’ll do, why they’ll do it, and how they’ll measure success. No one can guarantee a number one spot on Google; stay away from any agency that claims this or says it has a “special relationship” with Google (k1). Beyond that, it really comes down to finding a team that explains the work clearly and is willing to walk you through every change they make.
Picture a boutique shop owner: the website is new and barely shows up on Google. She gets quotes from three agencies. One promises “first page in a month.” The second gives a price but won’t explain what it will actually do. The third reviews the current site and provides a written plan of which pages will change, what will be done, and how results will be measured. The third option is the right choice, because it’s concrete and trackable.
What does an SEO agency actually do?
According to Google, here’s what you can expect from an SEO agency (k1):
- Reviewing your site’s content and structure
- Technical advice on hosting, redirects, error pages, and similar issues
- Content development
- Keyword research
- SEO training
- Expertise in specific markets and regions
- Optimization for generative AI answers
Not every business needs an agency. Google says a small, local business can often handle most of this work on its own. A good time to bring in an agency is before a site redesign or launch, so the site can be built with search in mind from the start (k1). A good agency can also help an existing site. To get a sense of your site’s current technical state, see our article What does an SEO service cover?.
Questions to ask during the interview
Google’s recommended questions form the backbone of any interview with a prospective agency (k1):
- Can you share examples and success stories from your previous work?
- Do you follow Google’s search guidelines?
- What kind of results do you expect, and in what time frame? How do you measure success?
- Do you have experience in our industry or city?
- How long have you been doing this work?
- Will you share with us the changes you make to our site, and the reasons behind them?
A good agency should also ask you questions: what makes your business different, who your competitors are, how your customers find you. Google recommends finding someone who’s genuinely interested in your business rather than an agency that shows no interest at all. Don’t skip checking references, either: ask previous clients whether the service was helpful and whether the working relationship was smooth (k1).
Warning signs: stop if you hear these
Imagine a restaurant owner receiving an unsolicited email offering to “guarantee first place on Google.” This is exactly the kind of thing Google warns against. Here are the warning signs to watch for:
- Ranking guarantees. No one can guarantee a number one spot on Google. Stay away from any agency that promises one.
- Claims of a “special relationship with Google” or “priority submission.” Google says to be wary of anyone making these kinds of claims.
- Unsolicited emails. Google recommends approaching SEO firms that contact you out of the blue with suspicion.
- Secretive work. Watch out for a firm that won’t clearly explain what it’s doing, or that gets FTP access but doesn’t disclose the changes it makes.
- Link-building schemes. You should never have to provide links to an agency. Avoid anyone who talks about “submitting your site to thousands of search engines” or bulk link packages.
- Promises that running ads will boost your ranking. According to Google, buying ads on Google has no effect on organic rankings whatsoever (k1).
The reason for these warnings is simple: if an SEO agency produces deceptive content on your behalf, your site could be removed from Google’s index entirely. You’re ultimately responsible for the actions of the firm you hire (k1).
If the agency offers you an audit
An agency may want to review your site before starting any work on it. Here’s what to watch for at this stage:
- Only grant read access in Search Console; write access isn’t needed at this stage.
- The audit should include a realistic improvement estimate; an agency that says “these changes will put you in first place” isn’t trustworthy.
- Ask where the recommendations come from: are they based on Google’s official documentation, or on the output of some vague third-party tool? You should compare third-party tool suggestions against Google’s official guidelines and make your own judgment call (k1).
If they offer recommendations for AI answers
Some agencies now also offer optimization for AI answer engines, under names like “AEO” or “GEO.” If you come across such an offer, ask whether the recommendations align with Google’s official guidelines for generative AI features (k1). You can find a more detailed explanation of the underlying logic in our article AI SEO: what does it take to appear in ChatGPT and Google’s AI answers?.
A short checklist to make the decision easier
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Do they guarantee rankings? | If so, stay away |
| Do they explain the changes they make? | A measure of transparency |
| What level of Search Console access do they want? | Read-only should be enough |
| Do they ask you for anything related to links? | They shouldn’t |
| What do they base their recommendations on? | An official source, or guesswork? |
The answers you get to these five questions often tell you more than any price quote. It also helps to accept from the start that results take time; see our article How many months does it take for SEO to show results? for more on this.
In short
When choosing an SEO agency, the safest path is to find a team that gives you clear answers and is willing to explain every change it makes. Stay away from agencies that guarantee rankings, work secretively, or ask you for links. If you’d like to see where your site stands today, you can start with our free check-up and then explore the details on our SEO service page.