Practical resource 08

Questions to Ask Before Hiring an SEO

Ask every candidate the same questions and note their answers side by side. A good provider explains tradeoffs, asks about your business, and does not promise rankings or rely on secret tactics.

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See the work in context.

A business owner interviewing an SEO consultant across a table with thoughtful questions — Strategy
Find out whether they can connect SEO work to your customers and services.
Which services, customers, and areas would you focus on first, and what do you need to know before deciding?
How will you check how Google sees our site, our content, our listings, and our tracking?
How do you decide between fixing pages, merging pages, and writing new ones?

A consultant transparently explaining scope ownership reporting and realistic expectations — Methods and risk
Ask them to explain in plain words how content, links, listings, and AI tools are used.
Who writes and fact-checks content, and what information will you need from us?
How do you earn links, and will you tell us about any paid placements or subcontractors?
How do you keep our Google profile, reviews, and content within Google's policies?

A business team comparing two SEO proposals without being distracted by guarantees — Access and reporting
Make sure your business keeps ownership and can see what was done.
Will our business own the domain, website, Search Console, analytics, Google profile, and content?
What access do you need, and how will you remove it if we part ways?
What will the monthly report show about completed work, leads, and next steps?

A client confirming who owns website analytics and advertising accounts before signing — Contract and references
Read the contract closely and check references for similar work.
What is included, what costs extra, and what depends on our developer, photographer, or staff?
What are the term, renewal, cancellation, and handoff terms, and who owns the content?
Can you share a reference with similar scope, and explain what you did versus what they did?

Strategy

Find out whether they can connect SEO work to your customers and services.

Which services, customers, and areas would you focus on first, and what do you need to know before deciding?
How will you check how Google sees our site, our content, our listings, and our tracking?
How do you decide between fixing pages, merging pages, and writing new ones?
What would the first 90 days include, and what will you need from us?
What will you do if a tactic conflicts with our brand, legal duties, or customer promises?

Methods and risk

Ask them to explain in plain words how content, links, listings, and AI tools are used.

Who writes and fact-checks content, and what information will you need from us?
How do you earn links, and will you tell us about any paid placements or subcontractors?
How do you keep our Google profile, reviews, and content within Google's policies?
Where do you use AI tools, and who checks the output for made-up facts?
Have you ever had a site penalized or a profile suspended, and what did you do?

Access and reporting

Make sure your business keeps ownership and can see what was done.

Will our business own the domain, website, Search Console, analytics, Google profile, and content?
What access do you need, and how will you remove it if we part ways?
What will the monthly report show about completed work, leads, and next steps?
How are changes approved and checked before and after they go live?
Which numbers are goals, and which only help explain the goals?

Contract and references

Read the contract closely and check references for similar work.

What is included, what costs extra, and what depends on our developer, photographer, or staff?
What are the term, renewal, cancellation, and handoff terms, and who owns the content?
Can you share a reference with similar scope, and explain what you did versus what they did?
What would cause the timeline or price to change?
Walk away from guaranteed rankings, fake reviews, hidden link schemes, or refusal to document changes.

Questions business owners ask

How to use this resource.

01Can an SEO guarantee first place?

No. No legitimate provider controls Google's results. They can commit to the work, its quality, and clear reporting, but not to rankings.

02Should we give an agency owner access?

Usually not. Your business should stay owner and give the agency the lowest access level that lets them work, with their own login.

03Is a long contract automatically a red flag?

Not by itself. SEO takes sustained work. Check that the term, cancellation rights, ownership, and handoff are clear and fair.

Primary guidance

Verify against current sources.

Related guides

Read the reasoning behind this resource.

Use the resource, then prioritize

Turn the checklist into focused monthly work.

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