Understanding What Good SEO Service Looks Like
Clear Communication and Reporting
A quality SEO agency should provide:
- Monthly performance reports in plain English
- Regular strategy updates and explanations
- Prompt responses to your questions
- Transparent discussion of challenges and solutions
Measurable Results That Matter
Focus on metrics that impact your business:
- Organic traffic growth to key pages
- Leads or sales from organic search
- Rankings for valuable keywords
- Local visibility in your service areas
Red Flags to Watch For
- No regular reporting or updates
- Unclear explanations of work being done
- Focus on vanity metrics rather than business results
- Promises of guaranteed rankings or instant results
Key Performance Indicators to Track
1. Business Metrics
Lead Generation
- Number of contact form submissions
- Phone calls from organic search
- Quality of leads received
- Lead-to-customer conversion rate
Revenue Impact
- Sales from organic traffic
- Revenue growth trends
- Return on SEO investment
- Customer acquisition cost
2. Visibility Metrics
Search Rankings
- Positions for target keywords
- Local pack appearances
- Featured snippet wins
- Overall keyword growth
Traffic Growth
- Month-over-month organic traffic
- Year-over-year comparison
- Traffic quality (bounce rate, time on site)
- Geographic distribution
3. Website Health
User Experience
- Page load speed
- Mobile usability
- Easy navigation
- Clear calls-to-action
Technical Foundation
- No major errors in Search Console
- Proper mobile optimization
- Secure website (HTTPS)
- Clean site structure
Timeline Expectations
First 3 Months
- Technical audit completion
- Strategy documentation
- Baseline reporting setup
- Initial optimizations
Months 4-6
- Content improvements
- Technical fixes
- Local SEO optimization
- Performance tracking
Months 7-12
- Consistent traffic growth
- Ranking improvements
- Lead generation increases
- ROI demonstration
Questions to Ask Your Agency
Monthly Review Questions
- What specific work was completed this month?
- How has our organic traffic changed?
- What new leads or sales came from SEO?
- What challenges are we facing?
- What’s planned for next month?
Quarterly Strategy Questions
- Are we on track to meet our goals?
- What’s working well vs. needs improvement?
- How has our market changed?
- What new opportunities should we pursue?
- How does our ROI look?
Evaluating ROI
Cost Analysis
- Monthly agency fees
- Additional service costs
- Internal resource allocation
- Tool subscriptions
Return Measurement
- Value of organic leads
- Revenue from organic traffic
- Market share gains
- Brand visibility growth
Simple ROI Calculation
Value of Organic Leads/Sales – Total SEO Investment = ROI
Making the Relationship Work
Your Responsibilities
- Provide timely feedback
- Share business insights
- Approve content promptly
- Implement recommendations
- Communicate changes in business goals
Agency Responsibilities
- Regular reporting
- Proactive communication
- Strategy adjustments
- Technical maintenance
- Performance optimization
When to Reevaluate the Partnership
Positive Signs
- Consistent traffic growth
- Quality lead generation
- Clear communication
- Proactive strategy updates
- Measurable ROI
Warning Signs
- Declining traffic
- Poor lead quality
- Unclear deliverables
- Missed deadlines
- Lack of transparency
Action Steps for Evaluation
Monthly Review
- Check traffic and lead reports
- Review completed work
- Assess communication quality
- Track progress to goals
- Document questions/concerns
Quarterly Assessment
- Analyze ROI data
- Review strategy alignment
- Compare to industry benchmarks
- Evaluate agency relationship
- Set new objectives
Conclusion
Evaluating your SEO agency requires focusing on business results rather than technical jargon. Look for:
- Clear communication
- Measurable improvements
- Quality lead generation
- Positive ROI
- Strategic partnership
Remember that SEO is a long-term investment, but you should see steady progress and clear value from your agency partnership. If you’re not getting regular updates, seeing measurable improvements, or receiving quality leads, it’s time to have a serious discussion with your agency or consider making a change.
Need help evaluating your current SEO performance or looking for an agency that delivers real business results? Contact our team for a free consultation and digital presence analysis.
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