What to look for in an SEO agency
- Transparent and clear pricing agreed up front
- SEO experience and expertise
- A proven track record of getting results with SEO
- Client reviews and testimonials that show the value of the SEO services
- A tailored SEO strategy, built around your business's specific needs
- The capacity to grow alongside your business
- A technology stack that improves your SEO performance.
Choosing the right SEO agency matters if you want organic traffic and other measurable results for your business. But how do you make the right choice if you do not know what to look for in an SEO agency?
Two things to look for in a reliable SEO agency are expertise and experience. Your SEO partner needs both to run successful campaigns. But however good it is at the work, it also has to be able to show its value through clear communication and effective reporting on SEO performance.
This guide helps you understand the main traits that set the best SEO companies apart.
12 things to look for in an SEO agency
With so many companies offering SEO services, often with inflated promises about what they can do for you, it is not easy to tell the real experts from those who just talk a good game.
The checklist below will help you pick out the best SEO agencies among those you are considering:
- Transparent pricing
- Experience and expertise
- Proven track record
- Client reviews and testimonials
- Specialist services
- A complete SEO strategy
- Culture and ongoing training
- Size and scalability
- Technology stack
- Certifications
- Awards
- Reporting and support.
1. Transparent pricing
You want an SEO partner with a transparent fee structure.
Avoid companies that do not share their rates openly: you risk running into hidden charges, and they may not be able to justify your marketing spend. Your potential partner should offer a clear, transparent fee structure, not one hidden behind jargon.
2. Experience and expertise
SEO is a complex process that keeps changing, which is why you should only work with agencies that have experience and expertise. The right SEO agency also has solid knowledge of, and experience working with, businesses in your sector, so that campaigns fit the standards and goals of that sector.
Visilay has more than 10 years of experience in the field, SEO specialists and expertise across many sectors (including energy, automotive and healthcare).
3. Proven track record
Your SEO agency should be able to show that it can deliver results through SEO, starting with its own.
Have a look at its website and at how it appears in search results. If its website is poorly optimised and does not rank well for relevant searches, that is not a good sign. You can also look at its backlink profile and organic traffic for more detail.
4. Client reviews and testimonials
When you make a long-term investment like SEO, the agency's word is not enough. You need to hear what its clients say.
Reading client reviews and testimonials on the agency's website or on independent review sites will tell you whether it keeps its promises.
At Visilay we have well-documented case studies and testimonials that show our transparency, responsiveness and technical expertise.
5. Specialist services
An experienced SEO agency offers a range of specialist services suited to your sector and to the growth of your business. It can combine different SEO services to give you a tailored strategy that works.
For example, if you offer local services such as healthcare or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), you should be doing local SEO. And for franchise businesses, keeping contact details consistent online is a priority.
6. A complete SEO strategy
Look for an SEO agency that can provide all the services you think will be most useful for increasing your online visibility, rankings and organic traffic.
A complete SEO strategy should also cover technical SEO, on-page and off-page work. It fits with wider digital marketing strategies, including paid ads, social media marketing and conversion rate optimisation (CRO).
7. Culture and ongoing training
An SEO agency's internal culture has a direct effect on the quality of service you receive. Look for signs of a healthy company culture, such as a dedicated in-house team of SEO specialists, ongoing training for the team and a client-first mindset.
At Visilay our company culture is rooted in continuous learning, collaboration and innovation.
8. Size and scalability
Your SEO agency needs the capacity, experience, systems and techniques to keep up with your growth. A scalable agency has a specialist team, proven success with businesses of different sizes and sectors, and the infrastructure needed to support your business as it grows.
9. Technology stack
A tech stack is the set of tools, software and platforms an agency uses to run and monitor SEO campaigns. A team with a well-integrated technology stack runs campaigns more efficiently, makes it easier to track real results and supports data-driven decisions.
So when you talk to an agency, ask which tools it will use for keyword research, technical SEO and competitor analysis. Those tools should integrate with your existing CRM, CMS and analytics tools.
10. Certifications
Certifications issued by third parties confirm an SEO agency's skills and credibility. Some certifications also show that an agency's team has a good working knowledge of the tools and platforms that help SEO campaigns succeed. Look for Google Premier Partner and Microsoft Advertising (Bing) Partner status.
11. Awards
Some awards and industry recognition point to a company's quality. They show that the company has been assessed by the leading technology platforms.
12. Reporting and support
Your SEO campaign is not complete without detailed performance reports. So work with an agency that has solid reporting skills and tools, like Visilay. We use platforms that integrate with our clients' existing technology to track and measure digital marketing results.
More resources to help you find the right SEO agency
We want to help you make the most informed decision about your SEO agency, so you get the most out of your organic traffic and online visibility.
That is why our website has several other resources to help you in your search for the best SEO agency:
- How to choose an SEO company for your business in 2025
- 21 questions to ask an SEO agency before working with it
- What does an SEO company do? (And how to choose one)
- What to expect from an SEO company
- Get a free SEO proposal from Visilay.
See what working with a good SEO agency means with Visilay
You now know what to look for in an SEO agency, but you still have to find one that meets all these criteria. You do not have to look far. Visilay ticks the boxes on this list (and none of the warning signs).
With our SEO services, you can increase the traffic to your website and turn it into revenue for your business. And if you need help with marketing beyond SEO, you will not have to go elsewhere: we are a full-service digital marketing agency and offer a wide range of services.
Want to work with us? Get in touch and start building your strategy today.
