Choosing an SEO agency comes down to three things: whether they understand your business, whether their methods follow Google’s guidelines, and whether they will be transparent about what they do and what it achieves. Google’s own advice on hiring an SEO is a useful starting point — and its warnings are just as useful as its recommendations.
Key takeaways
- Google says no one can guarantee a #1 ranking, and warns against SEOs who claim a special relationship with Google.
- Google suggests asking for examples of past work, whether the SEO follows Google Search Essentials, what results to expect and when, and whether they will share every change made to your site.
- A good agency asks as many questions as it answers — about your business, competitors and customers.
- Insist on owning your accounts, data and content, and on reporting tied to leads and revenue, not just rankings.
- Use the scorecard below to compare agencies on the same criteria.
What an SEO agency should actually do for you
Google’s guidance lists the kinds of help a good SEO can provide: a review of your site content or structure, technical advice on website development, content development, keyword research, and expertise in specific markets and geographies. Notice what is absent — shortcuts, secret techniques or guaranteed positions.
Green flags and red flags
Google is direct about the warning signs. It states that no one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google, cautions against companies that are secretive or won’t clearly explain what they intend to do, and describes tactics such as link popularity schemes or submitting a site to thousands of search engines as typically useless. It also warns that unethical SEO practices can lead to a site being removed from Google’s index.
Ten questions to ask before you sign
The first five come directly from Google’s suggested questions. The rest are the questions we believe every client should ask — including of us.
| # | Question | What a good answer sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Can you show examples of previous work and success stories? | Specific, relevant examples with context — what changed, why, and how it was measured |
| 2 | Do you follow Google Search Essentials? | A clear yes, with an explanation of how it shapes their methods |
| 3 | What results do you expect, and in what timeframe? | Realistic ranges tied to your starting point and competition — never a guarantee |
| 4 | What experience do you have in my industry and market? | Relevant experience, or a clear plan for learning your market quickly |
| 5 | How will we communicate, and will you share every change made to my site? | A defined reporting rhythm and a full log of changes |
| 6 | Who will actually do the work? | Named people and their roles, including who your day-to-day contact is |
| 7 | How do you build links? | Editorial outreach, digital PR and content worth citing — with every placement reported |
| 8 | How will you measure success? | Leads, revenue and qualified traffic — not rankings alone |
| 9 | Who owns the accounts, content and data? | You do, from day one |
| 10 | What happens if we stop working together? | A clean handover of access, documentation and assets |
The questions a good agency will ask you
Google notes that a good SEO should ask about what makes your business unique, who your competitors are, how search results can help and how your customers find you. If an agency sends a proposal without asking these questions, it is selling a package, not a strategy.
- What are your most profitable services or products?
- Who are your real competitors — online and offline?
- How do customers currently find and choose you?
- What does a qualified lead look like, and what is it worth?
- What has already been tried, and what happened?
Agency scorecard
Score each shortlisted agency from 1 (weak) to 5 (strong) on the same criteria, and weight them by what matters most to you.
| Criterion | Weight | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Strategy and discovery | 25% | Asked about your business, goals and competitors before proposing |
| Methods and compliance | 20% | Clearly follows Google’s guidelines; explains how links are earned |
| Relevant experience | 15% | Comparable work in your industry, market or business model |
| Transparency and reporting | 15% | Change logs, shared dashboards and business-focused KPIs |
| Team and communication | 15% | Named specialists, a clear point of contact and response times |
| Ownership and exit terms | 10% | You own everything; a clean handover is written into the agreement |
Agency, freelancer or in-house?
| Agency | Freelancer | In-house | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breadth of skills | Technical, content and links under one roof | Usually one or two specialisms | Depends on team size |
| Cost | Moderate to high | Lower | Salaries and tools; highest fixed cost |
| Capacity | Scales with your needs | Limited by one person’s time | Limited by headcount |
| Business knowledge | Learns your business over time | Learns your business over time | Deepest, built in |
| Best for | Multi-channel growth programmes | Focused projects or a single specialism | Large sites with continuous SEO needs |
Frequently asked questions
Can an SEO agency guarantee first-page rankings?
No. Google states that no one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google. Treat guarantees as a red flag.
How long before I should see results?
It depends on your site, competition and how quickly recommendations are implemented. Technical fixes can show impact within weeks; content and authority usually build over months. Ask for a timeline tied to specific milestones.
Should I sign a long-term contract?
Many agencies use a minimum term because SEO takes time to compound. Make sure the contract includes clear deliverables, reporting and exit terms, and that you own all assets.
What should an SEO report include?
Work completed, changes made to your site, rankings and traffic for priority pages, and — most importantly — leads, conversions or revenue from organic search.
Sources
- Do you need an SEO? — Google Search Central — what an SEO can do, questions to ask and red flags
- Spam policies for Google web search — Google Search Central
Cite this article: Bright Harbour Media. “How to Choose an SEO Agency: Questions to Ask and Red Flags to Avoid.” Bright Harbour Media Insights, October 2026. https://brightharbourmedia.com/how-to-choose-an-seo-agency/
You are welcome to reference the charts and frameworks in this article with a link back to this page.
Evaluating agencies? We are happy to answer every question on this list. Learn how we work, explore our SEO strategy and consulting or request an audit.