Is Your SEO Agency Doing a Good Job?

You’ve hired an SEO agency, signed the contract, and now you’re waiting for results. Weeks, maybe even months, go by and you’re starting to wonder: Is my SEO team doing its job?

This question leaves many business owners scratching their heads. The truth is, SEO isn’t a quick fix, but how do you know if your team is making progress or just spinning its wheels?

Recently, Google’s Search Off the Record podcast tackled this issue, featuring SEO experts John Mueller, Lizzi Sassman, and Erica Varangouli. Their insights shed light on evaluating your SEO agency and ensuring you’re getting what you’re paying for.

The Question That Got Everyone Talking

It all started when John Mueller, part of Google’s search relations team, posted a simple but direct question on LinkedIn: “How do you know if your SEO is doing what they claim to be doing?”

The question sparked a lively discussion among SEO professionals, clients, and agencies. Many business owners are in the same boat—wondering if their SEO strategy is really working.

Erica Varangouli, head of branded content at Riverside and a seasoned SEO expert, weighed in during the podcast, drawing on her 15 years of experience. 

Having worked on both the agency and client sides, Erica shared some valuable advice on how businesses can gauge the effectiveness of their SEO efforts.

So, what should you look for? Let’s break it down.

Do You Need SEO? The First Step Is Understanding Your Business Needs

Before assessing your SEO agency, it’s important to answer one basic question: Do you really need SEO? For most businesses, the answer is yes. 

According to Erica, if you’re marketing your business online, SEO is critical to being found by potential customers.

Take, for example, a small pizzeria in Italy run by Erica’s friend, Paolo. He’s already well-known locally, but with tourists frequently passing through, Paolo wants to ensure his business pops up when people search for pizza in his town. That’s where SEO comes in. But if Paolo’s already ranking high on Google Maps, does he need an SEO team to boost his presence further?

A good starting point is to do a quick search for your business and see how visible you are compared to your competitors. 

If you’re not ranking well or there’s room for improvement, consider hiring SEO expertise.

The Importance of a Tailored SEO Strategy

Once you decide to hire an SEO agency, the next step is onboarding, where the agency gets to know your business inside and out. This is critical. 

A strong SEO team won’t just jump into link-building or throwing keywords around—they’ll start by asking detailed questions about your business goals, competitors, and long-term vision.

As Erica points out, “SEO is not math. You don’t just always do the same things. You have to have a good understanding of the business, the industry, the competitors.” In other words, SEO strategies need to be personalized. 

If your agency offers a blanket solution—such as promising X number of backlinks per month without understanding your specific needs—that’s a red flag.

Effective SEO is about building a customized plan that fits your business, not a cookie-cutter approach.

Checking In: Is Your SEO Making Progress?

After a few months of working with your SEO agency, you might wonder how things are going. 

A good SEO team will keep you informed, providing regular updates and reports on their work, what’s working, and what still needs improvement.

Erica emphasizes that a good SEO team should regularly check in with you, whether through monthly reports, progress meetings, or quick check-ins. 

You should be seeing updates on metrics like organic traffic, keyword rankings, and the number of your web pages being indexed by Google.

But SEO takes time. You won’t see drastic changes overnight, and patience is essential. 

However, after a few months, you should see some positive trends and improvements. If you’re not, it’s time to ask your SEO agency some tough questions.

The SEO Audit: What Should You Focus On?

One of the first things your SEO agency might do is audit your website. This sounds good, right? Well, it depends. 

An audit can be incredibly useful, but if it consists of a long list of issues without a clear action plan, it will not do much good.

John Mueller explained it well in the podcast: “The more important part is that the SEO helps to prioritize with you. There are 500 things here, but here are the five you should focus on first because of your unique situation.”

In other words, a good SEO team will guide you through what’s important for your business right now. They won’t overwhelm you with technical jargon or a laundry list of fixes. 

Instead, they’ll help you tackle the most critical issues first, so you can see real progress without getting bogged down by unnecessary tasks.

Red Flags: When to Be Concerned About Your SEO Agency

Let’s face it, not all SEO agencies are created equal. Sometimes, the lack of progress is a sign that your team isn’t doing the promised work. So, how can you tell? Here are a few major red flags to watch out for and avoid SEO Scams:

No communication: If your SEO agency goes radio silent for weeks or months. Erica warns that no communication for an extended period—say two quarters—should raise alarm bells.

Generic solutions: If your agency offers cookie-cutter strategies without truly understanding your business, that’s a bad sign. SEO should be personalized and tailored to your specific needs.

No prioritization: If your agency simply gives you a long list of tasks without helping you understand which ones are most important, it might not be invested in your success.

If you spot any of these red flags, it’s time to re-evaluate your SEO relationship.

Green Flags: Signs Your SEO Agency is Doing a Great Job

On the flip side, what are the signs that your SEO team is doing everything right? One surprising green flag is when your SEO expert tells you not to focus on SEO for now. 

That might sound counterintuitive, but it’s a good sign when your team looks at the bigger picture and advises you on what’s best for your business overall.

“When someone in SEO tells you to look elsewhere, it might be a green flag,” says Erica. It shows that they’re not just focused on SEO metrics but on what truly matters for your business.

Another positive sign? Realistic promises and no SEO guarantees.

If your SEO team is being upfront about what’s achievable and not overpromising results, they’re likely being honest. SEO takes time, and quick fixes or guarantees to rank #1 overnight are usually red flags, not green ones.

SEO Is a Long Game—Patience Is Key

At the end of the day, knowing whether your SEO agency is doing a good job comes down to transparency, communication, and realistic expectations. 

SEO is a long-term strategy, and the right agency will guide you through the process step by step, helping you prioritize what’s important and keeping you informed along the way.

If you’re unsure about your SEO progress, don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s your business; you deserve to know if your investment is paying off. 

Remember, managed SEO services are about getting sustainable growth, not overnight success.

Key Takeaways

• Your SEO team should customize their approach to fit your unique business needs.
• Regular updates and transparency are key to understanding your SEO progress.
• Your SEO team should help you focus on the most important areas for improvement, not overwhelm you with minor issues.
• Quick fixes or guarantees are often signs of poor SEO practice.
• SEO takes time—focus on long-term growth, not short-term results.