6 Key Questions To Ask an SEO Agency Before You Hire Them

Hiring an agency to improve your SEO? Use these questions to make the right choice.

You're a small business looking to build your customer base and increase revenue. One of the best ways to do this is by outsourcing search engine optimization (SEO) to a third-party agency that will help boost your company or brand's online visibility. 

With so many SEO agencies out there to choose from, it's important to ask key questions during your research and hiring process to refine your search and ensure you find the best service for your business. 

Before we dive into the specific questions you should ask any potential SEO agency, make sure you have a clear outcome in mind.

Identify your goals before hiring an SEO agency

When considering what to look for in an SEO company and deciding what to ask SEO consultants, you should first define your business objectives and be able to communicate them clearly. 

Start by listing what you want to gain from a potential partnership, and SEO efforts overall. That might be brand awareness, increased SERP rankings, improved website traffic, or higher customer engagement. 

If you're unsure about your business objectives, look at your current website and list its pros and cons. Perhaps you lack content on your site that will attract potential customers from search engines. Or maybe you're not targeting the right keywords in the content pieces you do have. These findings create actionable SEO goals that an agency can help you achieve.

Ultimately, the SEO agency you hire should tell you how it plans to meet your objectives and make your content, marketing campaigns, and brand awareness more successful.

6 questions to ask an SEO company before entering a partnership

When deciding what questions to ask potential SEO agencies, it's best to ask a smaller list of specific questions rather than bombarding an agency with queries to avoid being overwhelmed or losing key answers in a deluge of information. 

You should also keep questions consistent by asking each potential agency for the same information to make it easier to compare responses across companies and find the right SEO agency for your business.

Question 1: What tools do you use?

This question allows you to learn which technologies prospective companies use when creating and executing optimization campaigns. Common tools and answers to look for are listed below; if an SEO agency doesn’t use these tools, ask them why. 

• Keyword research tools. These tools allow an SEO agency to find the most relevant keywords for your website based on search queries. Keyword research is one of the most important aspects of SEO, and the latest technologies make this process easier.

• Content optimization software. These platforms facilitate agency optimization of content for search engines like Google by checking keyword density, ensuring keywords appear in headers, and streamlining other tasks. 

• Link building software. SEO agencies use these tools to incorporate high-quality links into web pages and content pieces, improving authority and credibility on search engine results pages. 

• Analytics tools. These technologies provide real-time SEO insights about click-through rates, website traffic, organic search, paid search, and other elements of search engine optimization strategies. Agencies use analytics to track campaign success.

Question 2: How do you measure the success of your campaigns?

The answers to this question should be realistic. An agency that measures success by how quickly it can get your website to the top position on Google's results page for all your target keywords isn't being very practical. A more realistic measure of success is improving your search rankings and driving traffic to your pages over a set period of time, or by an established deadline. 

Watch out for generic answers to this question. If an agency says it measures success through conversions, ask them to be more specific. How many conversions from search engines mean an SEO campaign is successful? How quickly do conversion rates need to improve for the agency to deem an SEO campaign a success?

By putting agencies on the spot, it'll be easier to separate effective capabilities from bluster and platitudes.

Question 3: What SEO strategies do you implement for your clients, and how will your agency adapt to our brand?

The types of SEO strategies an agency implements will determine the outcome of your partnership. Your SEO partner should adapt its strategies to your particular use case and provide deliverables based on your requirements.

Common SEO strategies include on-page SEO, off-page SEO, technical SEO, content creation, and link building. 

Say an SEO agency specializes in local SEO, helping its clients target potential customers in their region. While this SEO strategy might be effective for certain brands, it won't provide value if you want to target a global audience with your products and services. 

The best way an SEO agency can customize its services is by conducting an SEO audit to determine your target audience and the strengths and weaknesses of your website. Then, the agency can create a personalized road map with tailor-made strategies.

Question 4: Do you keep an eye on the latest SEO trends?

SEO trends are constantly changing, with search engines like Google frequently updating their algorithms. Any SEO agency you work with should understand these developments because failing to adapt to the latest trends will almost certainly impact your search rankings. 

An SEO agency that keeps up with SEO trends and changes will give you a competitive edge over your rivals and ensure you continuously target your desired audience. 

Ask SEO consultants to be specific about how they stay up-to-date with industry shifts.

Question 5: How often can I expect reports?

The best agencies generate regular weekly or biweekly reports that reveal insights about campaign progress. If an agency tells you it will only report back to you every few months, it could be a sign that they aren't going to be very communicative during your partnership. 

There are various reasons why an agency might not provide regular reports; perhaps it has too many accounts, and lacks the resources to consistently measure your campaign or keep in touch. Regardless, irregular reports should be a red flag that a particular SEO company isn't the right fit.

Question 6: Can I see the results from clients you've worked with?

Successful, effective, and transparent SEO companies should have no problem providing testimonials from previous clients; some might even proactively list this information on their websites. 

If a company can't provide reviews or proven results, it could signify inexperience or something worse. 

While you can always check online to see if previous clients have left information on third-party review websites (and should do so, to look for negative reviews), the SEO agency you ultimately choose should be able to back up their service claims with proof.

Use this free decision tool to compare SEO agencies

After asking several agencies the same questions, compare their answers to determine the best fit for your needs. While no agency is perfect,  comparing responses against your goals, price quotes against your budget, and reviewing past client testimonials will help you find the best SEO consultants for your unique use case.

Download our free decision tool, which makes compare agencies a breeze.