How to choose an SEO agency (and what to avoid)

Choosing an SEO agency is hard because most of the work is invisible, and anyone can say they’re good at it. This guide gives you questions to ask and signs to watch for, whoever you end up choosing.

Written by Thys du Plooy. I run an SEO agency, so weigh my views accordingly. I’d still rather you made a good choice than a rushed one.

Before you start

Decide what you need. A local business that mainly wants calls needs something different to an online shop. Write down:

What you want more of (calls, bookings, form enquiries, shop sales).
Where your customers are (your town, the UK, further).
What you can afford each month, and for how long.

Red flags

Red flag	Why it matters
Guaranteed rankings (“page one in 30 days”)	Nobody controls Google. A guarantee means guesswork or tricks
No named people	You should know who does the work and who you can call
They want to own your accounts	Your Google Business Profile, analytics, website and listings should be in your name
Secret methods	A good agency explains what it does and why
Cheap, bulk link-building	Links bought in bulk can get a site penalised. It’s the oldest trap
A long lock-in with no way out	A good agency earns its renewals
Reports full of vanity numbers	Impressions and “authority scores” don’t pay the bills. Enquiries do
Pressure to sign today	Good work doesn’t need a countdown
Claims about “AI SEO” secrets	AI search is real, but nobody can promise a place in AI answers

Questions to ask

Who will actually do the work, and who will I speak to?
What will you do in the first 90 days? (Look for specifics, not buzzwords.)
How will I be able to see progress? How often, and in what form?
Who owns the profiles, listings, content and accounts when we part? (The answer should be “you”.)
What do you do about links? Be wary of anyone who won’t say.
How do you use AI? An honest agency will say, and explain who checks the output.
What can’t you promise? A good agency has a clear answer.
What happens if it isn’t working? Ask how they’d change approach.
What’s the minimum term, and how do I leave?
Can I see your own site ranking for something competitive? (Look, but don’t expect miracles. A strong agency’s own site isn’t always its focus.)

What a fair deal looks like

Area	A fair deal	A poor deal
Price	Clear, written, with what’s included	“Custom quote”, and vague deliverables
Term	A short minimum, then clear notice	12 months or more, hard to exit
Ownership	You own everything	They keep logins or the content
Reporting	Regular, in plain English, focused on enquiries	Rare, jargon-heavy
Promises	Honest about timescales	Guaranteed results
Contact	A named person you can reach	A ticket system and a changing cast

How long should it take?

For local businesses, many see first movement in two to three months, and steadier results by six to twelve. Competitive areas take longer. Be cautious of anyone who says it’s quicker, and of anyone who says it’ll take years without showing progress along the way.

Do your own check

Search the agency’s name. Look at reviews, and at who talks about them.
Ask for a sample report.
Ask for two or three clients you can speak to. (Not every agency can share, so treat a flat refusal as information, not proof.)
Check the agency’s own site. Is it clear, honest and useful?

Where we fit

We’re a small High Wycombe agency, and we publish our prices, our minimum term (three months, then 30 days’ notice) and what we can’t promise. If you’d like to see how that compares to anyone else you’re talking to, see our packages or book a free discovery call.