How to Evaluate an SEO Agency Before You Sign

Are you about to hire an SEO Agency but feel unsure who to trust? You’re not alone. The right agency can grow your traffic and sales. The wrong one can waste months of your time. This checklist helps you spot red flags, ask smarter questions, and choose with confidence.

Key Highlights:

• A good SEO Agency shows proof, not promises
• Clear strategy matters more than fancy reports
• Transparency + communication decide long term success

Maybe you’ve seen agencies promising “#1 ranking in 7 days.” Or maybe someone told you SEO is “easy” and they can do it fast. That sounds nice, but it’s also how many businesses get trapped in bad contracts.

So before you sign anything, take a step back. SEO is not just about hiring someone. It’s about hiring the right partner. And you can only do that when you know what to look for.

In this blog, I’ll walk you through a full checklist to evaluate an SEO Agency in a smart and simple way. You’ll learn what questions to ask, what proof to request, and how to avoid paying for SEO that does nothing.

What Should an SEO Agency Do for You?

Before you evaluate any agency, you should know what you are paying for. SEO is not just “getting you on Google.” A real SEO Agency helps your website grow in a clear and steady way.

In most cases, a strong SEO Agency works in three main areas.

1. Technical SEO (your website health)

Technical SEO means fixing the backend problems that block your growth. Even if your content is great, your site can still struggle if it feels slow or messy.

A good agency should help with things like:

• Fixing broken pages and error links
• Improving site speed
• Making the website mobile friendly
• Helping Google crawl your pages correctly

For example, if your pages load slow on phones, people leave fast. Because of that, rankings can drop too. So technical SEO gives your site a strong base.

2. On page SEO (content + structure)

On page SEO is about making your pages easy to read and easy to rank. This is where your content gets shaped for both Google and real people.

A good agency should improve things like:

• Better page titles and headings
• Clean page structure
• Keyword placement that feels natural
• Content that matches search intent

So instead of just adding random keywords, they make sure each page answers the search question clearly. That keeps readers on your site longer. It also helps Google understand your page faster.

3. Off page SEO (trust + authority)

Off page SEO is all about trust. Google wants to rank websites that feel reliable. That is why authority matters.

A strong SEO Agency builds trust signals like:

• High quality backlinks
• Digital PR
• Brand mentions
• Partnerships and citations

This helps your website look more credible in your market. Over time, that can lift your rankings across many pages.

A real SEO Agency balances all three areas. They don’t only write blogs. They don’t only build links. Instead, they build a full SEO system that supports long term growth.

How to evaluate an SEO Agency before you sign?

Before you hire any SEO Agency, it helps to slow down and check one thing first. Are they trying to understand your business, or are they trying to sell you a package? Because the right agency feels like a partner. The wrong one feels like a monthly invoice.

So to make your decision easier, here’s a simple checklist you can follow before you sign anything.

1. Do they ask about your business goals first?

A good SEO Agency should start with questions, not pricing.

They should want to understand things like:

• Who your ideal customers are
• What you sell the most
• What results matter to you (leads, sales, calls, bookings)
• Where you want to grow (Oslo, Norway, Europe, global)

If they jump straight into a “basic plan” or “premium plan” without learning anything about your business, take that as a warning sign. SEO works best when the plan fits your goals, not their template.

2. Can they explain SEO in a simple way?

This sounds small, but it matters a lot. If an agency can’t explain what they are doing in simple language, you will always feel confused later.

A trustworthy SEO Agency should explain:

• What they will do
• Why it matters
• How it connects to rankings, traffic, and conversions

If every answer feels like a mystery, don’t rush into a contract. You deserve clarity.

3. Do they show proof of results?

Anyone can say “we will increase your traffic.” That part is easy. The real question is: can they show what they already achieved for someone else?

A strong SEO Agency will usually have:

• Case studies
• Before and after screenshots
• Traffic growth examples
• Ranking improvements
• Lead or revenue results

Even better, they explain how they got those results. Not just the final numbers.

Good proof looks like this: Traffic grew from 2,000 to 6,500 visits in 4 months after technical fixes + content updates + internal linking.

If they only show one keyword ranking, blurry screenshots, or “trust us” type claims, don’t sign yet.

4. Do they set realistic expectations?

SEO takes time. That is normal. So a good SEO Agency will not promise overnight success.

A realistic timeline sounds like:

• Early progress in 2 to 4 months
• Bigger growth in 6 to12 months

If they promise “rank #1 in two weeks,” that’s a red flag.

Google itself also explains that SEO results take time and rankings are never guaranteed, because many factors affect performance.

So the best agencies promise a process, not magic.

5. Do they focus on search intent or just keywords?

Keywords matter, but they are not the full SEO game. A smart SEO Agency talks about search intent, which means: what people really want when they search something.

For example, someone searching for “best running shoes” wants a comparison. Someone searching “buy running shoes Oslo” wants a product page or store.

So the agency should care about:

• Matching the page to the search intent
• Making content useful and clear
• Improving structure and user flow

If their whole SEO plan is only “we will add keywords,” they are using old SEO thinking.

6. Do they audit your website before starting?

A real agency should not start work blindly. They should check your website first and find the real issues, such as:

• Slow loading pages
• Missing SEO titles and headings
• Broken links
• Weak content
• Messy internal linking

A good sign is when they send you a simple audit summary and explain what to fix first. A bad sign is when they skip the audit and still ask for payment.

7. Can they explain monthly deliverables?

This part saves you from frustration later. Ask them: “What exactly will I receive each month?”

You should get clear deliverables like:

• Content work (new pages or updates)
• Technical improvements
• Internal linking
• Reporting + review call
• Backlink strategy (if included)

If they cannot explain monthly actions clearly, you may end up paying for “effort” instead of progress.

8. Do they build links the safe way?

Backlinks help SEO, but only when they are clean and relevant. So always ask:

“How do you build links?”

A safe agency will mention things like:

• Outreach to real websites
• Digital PR
• Partnerships
• Local citations
• Content that earns links naturally

A risky agency may use:

• Spam links
• Paid link farms
• Automated backlink tools
• Private blog networks (PBNs)

Those shortcuts can give short term movement, but later they can create ranking drops.

9. Do they prioritize content quality over quantity?

Some agencies sell “30 blogs per month” like it’s a good deal. But in reality, more content does not always mean better results.

A strong SEO Agency focuses on:

• The right topics
• Clean structure
• Helpful formatting
• Real examples
• Updating old pages

Sometimes one strong page beats ten weak ones.

So ask them: “How do you choose content topics?” If they don’t have a clear answer, your content may not rank at all.

10. Do they track the right KPIs?

A good agency tracks results that matter for business, like:

• Organic traffic growth
• Rankings for target keywords
• Clicks from Google Search Console
• Leads, calls, and bookings
• Revenue (if ecommerce)

On the other hand, weak agencies focus on vanity metrics, like:

• Impressions only
• “We added keywords”
• “We built 200 backlinks” without quality check

Also, reports should include insights and action steps. A report without next actions is just a PDF.

11. Do they communicate clearly and stay responsive?

SEO is not a “set and forget” job. So communication matters.

Before signing, ask:

• Who your main contact is
• How often updates happen
• If they do monthly calls
• How fast they respond to questions

A good SEO Agency stays present. A bad one disappears after the invoice is paid.

12. Does the contract feel fair?

Finally, read the contract like it’s protecting your future self. A fair contract includes:

• Deliverables
• Reporting schedule
• Payment terms
• Cancellation terms
• Ownership (you should own your content)

If the contract feels unclear or forces you into a long lock in with no exit option, be careful.

Closing Thoughts

Hiring an SEO Agency can be one of the best decisions for your business. But only if you choose a team that works with honesty, clarity, and real strategy.

From my experience, the best agencies don’t promise quick wins. They build long term growth. They explain every step. And they focus on results that matter, like traffic that converts.

So before you sign, use this checklist. Ask smart questions. Look for proof. And trust the agency that makes SEO feel simple, not confusing.