SEO takes months to show results, which lets bad agencies go unnoticed for a long time. The questions below let you tell the difference before you pay.

8 questions to ask

1. What metric is in the report?

If the answer is “rankings”, be careful. Rankings are easy to cherry-pick — being first for 40 terms nobody searches is entirely possible. The right answer is conversions from organic traffic.

2. What will you do in month one?

An agency that says it will start producing content is skipping the technical audit. Month one should be audit and measurement setup.

3. Where do the links come from?

A bought link network lifts you briefly and then gets you penalised. Do not work with an agency that will not name its sources.

4. Which languages do you work in?

Critical if your site is multilingual. Arabic and Turkish search intent differ; translation does not solve it.

5. Contract length and exit terms?

Agencies demanding 12 months with penalties for leaving early may be planning to keep you whether or not it works.

6. Whose name are the accounts in?

Google Ads, Analytics and Search Console must be in your name. If they sit in the agency’s account, your historical data leaves with them.

7. Who actually does the work?

The person in the sales call is often not the person doing the work. Ask who will be on your account and how many clients they carry.

8. When should I expect results?

The honest answer: technical fixes in weeks, content and authority from month three onwards. Anyone promising faster is either exaggerating or taking risks.

5 red flags

Our answers

Our answers to all eight are written down on our FAQ and process pages. Accounts are opened in your name, we ask for no lock-in, and the report shows enquiries.

If you are comparing agencies, take our free audit — even if you do not hire us you keep a written list of findings.