Finding an SEO agency or freelancer: questions, red flags and contract points
SEO offers range from €99 a month to several thousand euros, and from outside it's hard to see what's behind them. Many businesses pay for months without knowing what was done. This article shows which questions to ask, which red flags to watch for and what belongs in the contract.
Questions for the first call
Good providers answer these questions concretely:
- What exactly do you do in the first month, and in the following ones?
- Which goals do you propose: rankings, visitors or enquiries, and how do we measure them?
- Who specifically works on my project, and how do I reach that person?
- Can you name references from my industry or region that I may call?
- Where do backlinks come from, if you build any?
Red flags
Be careful if you hear this:
- Guaranteed number-one rankings. Google itself says no one can guarantee a top position.
- Secret methods that can't be discussed.
- Hundreds of backlinks at a fixed price.
- Long minimum terms without a concrete scope.
- Access to Search Console, analytics and the website stays with the agency.
What belongs in the contract
Services described concretely, not "SEO support". A monthly report with work done, metrics and next steps. Search Console, analytics, Google Business Profile and website access registered to your company; the agency gets user rights. Short notice periods or a trial period. Texts and content created for you transfer into your usage rights.
One-off or ongoing?
Not every business needs ongoing SEO. Often a clean one-off setup is enough: technology, site structure, Google profile, tracking, then occasional work on content. We offer a fixed-price SEO setup from €450 without a monthly contract; our article on one-off versus monthly SEO explains what makes sense when.
Frequently asked questions
- What does a reputable SEO agency cost?
- It depends on scope. Ongoing support with real work on content and technology usually costs small businesses several hundred euros a month. Very cheap packages often consist only of reports.
- How fast should results show?
- Technical errors can be fixed immediately. Better rankings usually take several months. Anyone promising fast results should explain how.
- What happens to my data if I cancel?
- If all access is registered to your company, nothing. That's why it should be settled before the contract starts.
Sources
Send us an SEO offer you've received or your current report. We tell you honestly what's in it.
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