5 Must-Ask Questions when Choosing an SEO Firm If you’re thinking of switching to a new SEO agency, or outsourcing your in-house SEO efforts, choosing the right agency is one of the most important ROI decisions you can make. However, the right questions to ask aren’t always obvious.	Visited: 1744 4.9/5.0 (29 votes total) Rate: Select 1 - Terrible 2 - Poor 3 - Average 4 - Good 5 - Outstanding
by Brian Easter September 23, 2009

There are a lot of SEO firms out there – some award winning, others less than reputable – and choosing the right one can be difficult.  But it doesn’t have to be.  When armed with the right questions, you can assess the firms you’re considering by comparing apples to apples.

“How many people are on your team?”, “How many years have you been in business?” and “Where are you located?” are all questions worth asking an SEO firm being considered, but they’re certainly not the questions that should carry the most weight in determining the best agency for your company.

The right questions will help to not only weed out the “black hat” SEO firms (unfortunately, they exist), but help to determine what firm is the best fit for your business.  Below are 5 must-ask questions when choosing an SEO firm. 

Do they make their clients sign long term SEO contracts?

Signing long-term contracts, such as a 6 or 12 month agreement for SEO services, is the norm in the industry.  However, it doesn’t make much sense to me. 

Engaging with a SEO firm is, in its own way, like being in a relationship (OK – stay with me here).   Are you with your significant other because you want to be, or because there’s a piece of paper saying you have to be?  The relationship has to be mutually beneficial, and if it’s not, no one should be forced to stay in it.

You’re paying an SEO firm to drive targeted traffic to your site, plain and simple.  If that’s not happening, you shouldn’t have to stay on board just because a contract says so.  My belief is that an SEO firm must earn their keep.  Now, one thing to note is that seeing SEO results, depending on the situation, can take up to 6 months, or sometimes even a year.  So don’t go firing your SEO firm if you don’t see the results in 3 weeks.   

There’s another reason why you should have an “out” when working with an SEO agency - you’ll be working closely with the SEO Project Manager, and it’s important that there’s some chemistry.  You two don’t have to fall in love, but you need to be able to talk to him or her without feeling like someone’s running their fingers down a chalk board.  As human beings, we don’t like everyone we come in contact with, and that’s OK, but we should have the choice to remove ourselves from the situation.  A long-term contract prevents that - or at least prolongs it.      

What will my account team look like?

This is a good question and should never be confused with “how many people are on the SEO team?” Who cares how many people are on the SEO team?  A team of 5 experts will always be a better option than 100 people who don’t know what they’re doing.   

Some firms have solid SEO teams with “A” performers across the board.  However, there are firms that have SEO “A Teams” and SEO “B Teams” and it’s important to find out which one you’re getting.  Often times the A Team (translation: The Studs) is reserved for the big dogs - the name recognizable brands and Fortune 500 companies of the world.  The B Team (translation: The Not-So-Studly) is comprised of the junior level staffers.  They manage smaller clients, or those whose campaigns require less strategy.  If the SEO team has won awards, you can be fairly certain it had little to do with the work of the B Team.             

Finally, ask if your team consists of a lead, such as a Project Manager, and what his or her role will be.  You don’t want to have to wonder who to call when there’s a question about the campaigns or you want to discuss reporting.  This is important for organization – and your sanity.     

Do they have any SEO references or success stories they could share?

References and success stories are the key to understanding how a company works and the results they’re capable of achieving for your company.

No sane SEO company, or any company for that matter, is going to provide you with references that would speak negatively about their experiences.  Chances are, the references provided have had a positive experience with the firm and have seen encouraging results with their rankings.  However, references can still give you a better sense of an SEO firm’s process and what to expect. 

Ask the references how long they’ve been a client.  If they’re all under a year, that may be a warning sign that the SEO firm is unable to provide the quality services needed to retain a client.  Ask questions having to do with their overall process and what their relationship with the Project Manager or lead is like.  Also, don’t be afraid to inquire about what it is the SEO team could improve upon.  

An SEO company should never, ever, never, I repeat, NEVER guarantee results.  That’s like your stock broker promising you that your recent investment will send you into early retirement.  You can know a lot about something, but there are some things out of our control.  The stock market and search engines are two such examples. 

SEO companies can implement best practices, but ultimately have no control over the search engines.  Success stories are the next best thing to a guarantee.  It doesn’t mean you’re certain to see the same results, but it is a good indicator of future success.    

Has the company received awards?

Like success stories, awards and recognition are indicative of an SEO firm’s capabilities.  It’s not as if there are a handful of SEO firms out there.  The competition is stiff and the ones who’ve won the awards, consistently, are the ones who know their stuff. 

When asking about their awards, make sure to inquire about which awards they’ve won.  Winning the “People of Podunk SEO Award” isn’t very impressive.  The recognition should come from a reputable, SEO-related association or group.     

How many awards and how often they’ve won them are also important factors.  If a firm has been in business for 5 years, and received recognition as a Top 10 SEO firm in August of 03, well, then, they got lucky once.  Make sure their awards wall is full and frequently updated.           

Are they considered thought leaders in the industry?

Finally, ask the SEO firms you’re considering if members of the team speak at engagements for SEO-related associations, have respected interactive blogs, and/or have had SEO articles published on a regular basis.

Associations won’t ask just anyone to speak at their events, and publishers won’t publish the work of a novice SEO specialist. Like references, success stories, and awards, this will serve as further proof that the company you’re considering has valuable SEO knowledge.

Conclusion

The good news about having so many SEO firms to choose from is that many are in fact reputable, trustworthy firms who can get you the results you need.  You just need to be equipped with the right questions to weed out the less than desirable firms.  Once this is done, you’re comparing apples to apples and the only problem you’re left with is choosing from the best.  That’s a different article - good luck!