How to choose an SEO agency: score the shortlist, not the pitch
Sales calls make every agency sound the same, and a scorecard ignores the pitch. Here are eight criteria, a scorecard for three agencies, and what to do if you've already signed with the wrong one.
- 8criteria, scored on evidence
- 0 / 1 / 2per criterion, per agency
- 16the highest possible total
- 1ranking guarantee rules an agency out
How to choose an SEO agency
Shortlist two or three agencies, ask each the same questions and score the answers on evidence: verifiable past work, a method they'll explain, accounts in your name, a contract you can leave and reports that match your data. Rule out anyone who guarantees rankings.
Google's page "Do you need an SEO?" (last updated 5 June 2026) says hiring can save you time, but an irresponsible SEO can damage your site and reputation. It also says you are ultimately responsible for the actions of any company you hire.
Still deciding whether to hire? Google says a small local business can probably do much of the work in-house, and our DIY SEO versus an agency comparison helps.
Source: Google Search Central, "Do you need an SEO?" (last updated 5 June 2026), read 4 October 2026.
Eight things to score, and the evidence for each
Each criterion gets 0, 1 or 2. Score on what the agency shows you, not what it says.
1
Evidence of work you can check
Ask for previous work and a past client you can phone. Google suggests asking references whether the SEO was useful, easy to work with and produced positive results.
Score 2 if you speak to a real client about real work. Score 0 if all you get is logos.
2
A method they'll explain
Google warns against companies that are secretive or won't explain what they intend to do. Ask what they'd change on your site in the first three months, and why.
Score 2 if you get specific changes with reasons. Score 0 if you hear "proprietary".
3
Advice that matches Google's documentation
Ask whether recommendations, including any on AI search, cite official Google documentation, as Google's hiring page suggests.
Score 2 if they can point to the Google page behind a recommendation. Score 0 if they sell "special AI files" or hacks.
4
Accounts kept in your name
You should own Search Console, Google Analytics and your Business Profile, with the agency added as a user.
Score 2 if they insist you own everything. Score 0 if they set accounts up under their login.
5
A contract you can leave
Check the term, notice period and exit terms, and watch for automatic renewals and setup fees that only make sense with a long lock-in.
Score 2 if it's month to month with clear exit terms. Score 0 if you can't get out for a year.
6
Reports that match your data
A sample report should lead with enquiries, use Search Console and Analytics figures you can check, and list what changed and why.
Score 2 if the sample lists changes and ties them to your own accounts. Score 0 if it's a ranking chart of chosen keywords.
7
Interest in your business
Google says a good SEO should ask what makes your business unique, who your competitors are and how customers find you. If they don't, Google suggests looking elsewhere.
Score 2 if they ask about margins, customers and competitors. Score 0 if they pitch before they listen.
8
A price you can explain
You should be able to say what each month's fee pays for in hours or deliverables. A price far below others for "the same" work usually means a different product: bulk links, copied pages or nobody checking.
Score 2 if the quote lists the work. Score 0 if it lists only "packages".
Source: Google Search Central, "Do you need an SEO?", sections on interviewing, references, audits and evaluating recommendations, read 4 October 2026.
Score your own shortlist
Pick 0, 1 or 2 for each agency against each criterion. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere; it runs in your browser.
| Criterion | Agency A | Agency B | Agency C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence of work | |||
| Explains method | |||
| Follows Google's documentation | |||
| Accounts in your name | |||
| Contract you can leave | |||
| Reports match your data | |||
| Interest in your business | |||
| Price you can explain | |||
| Guaranteed a ranking? (rules them out) | |||
| Total of 16 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Two agencies a point apart are close, so compare where each dropped points. We weigh ownership and contract terms most, because they decide how easily you can leave.
Warning signs that end the conversation
Some answers don't lose a point; they lose the job. Most come straight from Google's own page.
- A guaranteed first-place ranking. Google says no one can guarantee it and to look elsewhere if promised.
- A "special relationship" with Google or a "priority submit". Google says advertising with it doesn't affect organic results and it never takes money to rank sites.
- A requirement to link to them. Google says you should never have to link to an SEO, so check footers and contracts for "designed by" link clauses.
- Submission to thousands of directories or link schemes. Google calls these typically useless, and link schemes can breach its spam policies.
- Write access before any agreement. For an audit, Google advises read access to Search Console only.
- An unsolicited email promising page one. Google suggests the same scepticism as for any cold pitch.
- Tools sold as "approved by Google". Google doesn't endorse third-party SEO tools, and they can't see its internal ranking data.
Source: Google Search Central, "Do you need an SEO?", read 4 October 2026.
Locked in, locked out, or cold-called: the first move in each case
Each has a first step you can take this week, before you spend anything on lawyers or a new agency.
Locked in
We're in a 12-month contract and nothing seems to be happening
Ask in writing for every change made so far (page addresses and dates), every link built with its URL and the hours spent, check that against Search Console, then read the term, renewal and termination clauses.
If it's a pre-written contract you couldn't negotiate (the ACCC calls this a standard form contract) and your business has fewer than 100 employees or under $10 million in annual turnover, unfair contract terms laws may apply to contracts made or renewed from 9 November 2023. Whether a clause is unfair is a legal question, so get advice before you stop paying. This is general information, not legal advice.
Locked out
The agency set up our Google accounts and domain, and won't hand them over
Ask for primary ownership in writing; if a Business Profile request is refused, use Google's request-ownership process. Search Console needs no permission from the agency: verify the property yourself with a token such as a DNS record, then remove other users. For Analytics, ask for administrator access to the existing property, because a new one starts with no history.
For a .au domain, auDA's WHOIS shows the licence holder; if it isn't your business, ask your registrar about a transfer while relations are civil.
Cold-called
Someone rang saying they're from Google and can fix our listing
Google does make some automated calls to check business details, but its Business Profile Help says it will never ask for payment over the phone, guarantee a special spot or ask you to sign up for a service. If a caller claims to work with Google and offers better rankings, Google's advice is to hang up.
Never read out a verification code or grant access during a call.
Sources: ACCC, "Contracts" (business guidance, section on small business and unfair contract terms); Google Business Profile Help, "Request ownership of a Business Profile" and "Help protect against fraudulent calls and texts"; Search Console Help, "Managing owners, users, and permissions"; auDA WHOIS (whois.auda.org.au). All read 5 October 2026.
Ask for these four documents before you sign
A good agency will have them ready.
Document 1
A written scope
What they'll do each month. Google says an audit should estimate both the likely improvement and the work involved.
Document 2
The contract
Term, notice, fees, renewal, who owns content and accounts, and what you receive when it ends.
Document 3
A sample report
Redacted is fine, as long as it shows changes made, enquiries and figures you can match to your own accounts.
Document 4
A reference
A client you can call. Ask what changed on their site and whether they'd hire again.
Also check the business on ABN Lookup (abr.business.gov.au), which is free and shows the registered entity behind the trading name.
How Boltly would fill in your scorecard
- AccountsKept in your name, with us added as a user.
- ContractMonth to month, no lock-in, no setup fee.
- PricePublished: Starter $500, Growth $900 and Performance $1,500 a month. The pricing page lists what each includes.
- MethodOur process page sets out the order of work.
- GuaranteesNone on rankings.
Our why Boltly page answers Google's interview questions one by one.
Choosing an SEO agency, answered
How do I choose an SEO agency?
Shortlist two or three, ask each the same questions, and score their answers on evidence you can check. Weigh ownership and contract terms most, and rule out anyone who guarantees rankings.
How do I choose the right SEO company for my business?
Pick one that asks about your customers, margins and competitors before it pitches. Google's hiring page says a good SEO is interested in what makes your business unique.
What questions should I ask an SEO agency?
Ask for examples of previous work, whether they follow Google Search Essentials, what results they expect and in what timeframe, how they measure success, and whether they'll share every change they make. Add your own: who owns the accounts, and how do I leave?
What are SEO agency red flags?
Guaranteed rankings, claims of a special relationship with Google, secrecy about methods, requiring a link back to them, mass directory submissions and requests for write access before you've agreed to anything. Google's own hiring page lists most of these.
How do I choose the best SEO company?
The right pick is the best fit for your market and budget. Pick the highest scorer that passes every disqualifier. A reference you can phone is worth more than any award badge.
Should I pick a local SEO agency?
Location matters less than knowing your market. An agency in another city can do strong local SEO if it understands your suburbs; ask how they'd treat the areas you serve.
How much should an SEO agency cost?
Enough to pay for the work in the scope, which you should be able to read. Our plans are published at $500, $900 and $1,500 a month. Our guide to what SEO costs in Australia explains what changes the price.
Questions one to five reflect Google's autocomplete suggestions for "how to choose an seo agency", "how to choose seo company", "questions to ask seo agency" and "seo agency red flags", checked 4 October 2026.
Add us to your shortlist
Start with a free audit, then put us through the same scorecard as everyone else.