Guide
10 questions to ask before paying for SEO, a new website or marketing support
A practical way to work out whether the proposed activity is solving the right problem.
Plenty of businesses pay for SEO, a new website or an agency, and six months later they can't say what changed. Usually the work wasn't bad. The problem is that nobody agreed what it was meant to fix. Ask these questions before you sign anything.
1. What problem is this solving?
You should be able to say it in one sentence.
2. How do we know that’s the problem?
Look for evidence from your own data, not a hunch or a standard package.
3. What will be different in six months?
Agree on measures that matter to the business, such as enquiries or sales, not just rankings or traffic.
4. Who will actually do the work?
The person pitching isn’t always the person delivering.
5. What do you need from us?
This could be time, content, approvals or access. Be realistic about what you can give.
6. What won’t this fix?
An honest answer here is a good sign.
7. When will we see results, and what will we see first?
SEO takes months, while a website change can show results in weeks. Know which one you’re buying.
8. Who owns everything at the end?
The website, domain, accounts, content and data should belong to you.
9. How will you report progress?
Reports should be in plain English and tied to your goals. Agree how often you’ll get them.
10. What happens if it isn’t working?
Ask about contract length, notice periods and how the plan changes if results don’t come.
A good partner will welcome these questions. If the answers are vague, that tells you something too.
If you can't yet answer question 1 yourself, start with the Growth Clarity Guide. Or get in touch, and we'll talk through what you truly need before you spend anything.