SEO isn’t something you buy—it’s something you build. Many businesses think of hiring an SEO agency like purchasing a product,...
By ZenUp Team, Top 3% of Marketing Talent
Last Updated: February 26, 2025
SEO isn’t something you buy—it’s something you build. Many businesses think of hiring an SEO agency like purchasing a product, expecting fast, guaranteed results. In reality, SEO works best as a long-term strategy, requiring collaboration, ongoing adjustments, and alignment with your business goals.
A strong SEO agency combines technical expertise, strategic planning, and hands-on execution. However, your involvement is just as important. Your insights and feedback ensure SEO strategies stay aligned with your goals.
SEO isn’t a service you can set and forget. It’s a collaborative process that benefits from shared effort and ongoing refinement. This guide will help you choose the right SEO company and explain your role in building a lasting partnership.
Key takeaways:
A strong SEO strategy keeps your business relevant and delivers long-term value. Search Engine Journal emphasizes this, saying “SEO is the most viable, sustainable, and cost-effective way to both understand and reach your customers in key moments that matter.”
Outsourcing SEO lets you focus on your core business while experts manage the details. An SEO agency brings the right talent, tools, and strategies to help you reach your goals. It streamlines website management, resolves issues more efficiently, and improves ROI.
Yes, partnering with an SEO company can improve your search performance over time. Better rankings are important, but visibility should not be your sole focus.
SEO delivers a strong return on investment when approached strategically. Unlike short-term tactics like paid ads, SEO builds long-term value by improving your site’s visibility and attracting organic traffic. While results can take time, businesses that invest in SEO typically see an increase in both website traffic and conversions over the months. The ROI of SEO is often measured by tracking key metrics such as organic search rankings, leads, and revenue growth. It’s important to set realistic goals and work with an agency that provides transparent reporting, so you can track how your SEO efforts are impacting your bottom line.
A successful SEO campaign starts with a clear objective. For example, Si Quan Ong from Ahrefs shared how his team earned more featured snippets by refreshing content based on Ahref’s Also talk about report and an AI content gap analysis. With this specific goal and precise strategy, Ahrefs earned one featured snippet within a day and several more within five days. This quick result isn’t typical, but demonstrates the impact of a clear, targeted strategy.
So, is hiring an SEO agency worth it? In most cases, yes. SEO takes time, but it helps businesses gain more traffic, leads, and brand visibility.
Working with a reputable SEO agency comes with several advantages, such as:
Let’s break down these benefits and see how an SEO agency can support your business growth.
Agencies bring a team of specialists with expertise in different areas of SEO. This team-based approach offers a broader skill set and fresh perspectives, leading to more effective strategies than a single in-house hire. With an agency handling SEO, business owners can focus on what matters most: running their business.
One of the biggest benefits of working with an SEO agency is the depth of knowledge and industry experience it provides. SEO experts stay on top of algorithm updates, ensuring your business doesn’t lose traffic when Google makes changes.
SEO professionals constantly refine their strategies to stay competitive and deliver better results. Their broad industry experience helps avoid tunnel vision, ensuring an adaptable approach that delivers better ROI on search visibility.
SEO agencies use enterprise-level tools for competitive analysis, keyword research, and technical SEO audits. These tools help fine-tune strategies and improve visibility. For small businesses, the high cost of these tools can be a barrier, making it harder to compete effectively.
Working with an SEO agency gives you access to these tools without the steep investment. This allows you to track performance, analyze competitors, and refine your strategy—while also benefiting from expert guidance to maximize your results.
Sumrush competitor report showing visits of multiple competing sites
An SEO agency covers all aspects of search optimization to improve rankings and visibility. A strong SEO strategy includes:
A well-rounded approach improves your search visibility and enhances your user engagement rates. SEO agencies with dedicated resources can implement strategies swiftly and adjust as needed. This adaptability is essential for keeping up with search engine updates and market changes, ensuring long-term success.
You should bring in a team of experts when you’re looking to expand, revamp your website, or if your team lacks SEO expertise. If you need dedicated support to improve search visibility and drive steady traffic, outsourcing SEO can provide lasting benefits.
Here are common situations where hiring an agency makes sense:
SEO plays a big role in attracting organic traffic and building long-term visibility online. Let’s take a closer look at how an agency can support these business goals.
As your business grows, your SEO needs become more complex. Expanding into new markets and launching products requires an advanced approach. An SEO agency can provide the support to manage this challenge. However, it’s important to make sure the cost fits your budget and the expected return on investment.
Mid-sized and large businesses may spend $120,000 or more on a year-long SEO project. This typically includes technical SEO, project management, implementation of recommendations, and content strategy. If a full agency is out of your budget, consider hiring a skilled consultant, but be ready to handle implementation internally.
An SEO agency can help protect your search rankings during major website changes. Without expert guidance, a website migration can hurt visibility and traffic. Search engines may take weeks to recognize changes, so be patient throughout the process. Working with an SEO agency ensures a smooth transition and minimizes risks to your website and revenue.
Many businesses find in-house SEO challenging due to limited expertise, which can lead to poor results. SEO agencies offer the knowledge and experience needed to fill these gaps. However, successful collaboration requires time, budget, and clear communication.
Set realistic expectations. SEO takes time, and meaningful results don’t happen overnight.
An SEO agency should act as an extension of your team, aligning strategies with your business goals instead of applying a one-size-fits-all approach. To find the right fit, look beyond sales pitches and assess their methodologies, reporting practices, and reputation. Transparency, ethical SEO techniques, and clear communication are key indicators of a trustworthy agency.
Here’s what to focus on when evaluating an SEO company.
A reputable SEO agency follows ethical, white-hat SEO practices. Be wary of agencies that are vague about their methods or pricing, which could signal ineffective or risky tactics. Ask for case studies that showcase proven results and, if possible, request references from businesses in your industry to get a clearer picture of their track record.
Look for an agency that takes a tailored approach to SEO, ensuring their strategies align with your business objectives and target audience. If they avoid discussing their methods in detail, they may not be offering genuine long-term solutions.
Transparent reporting is essential for tracking SEO performance. A reliable agency should provide clear, actionable reports with well-defined metrics and an attribution model that shows how their efforts impact your business.
A good SEO agency will focus on KPIs that align with your business goals, such as lead generation, conversion rates, and return on investment (ROI), rather than just traffic or rankings. They should also track metrics like keyword performance, bounce rate, and user engagement to measure how well visitors interact with your content. Transparent reporting on these meaningful metrics ensures you can see how SEO efforts are directly impacting your revenue and growth.
Related to reporting, consider an agency’s level of engagement. An effective SEO partner doesn’t just hand over reports; they work with you to analyze results, adjust strategies, and ensure progress toward your goals. Reports should be both delivered and discussed.
Client testimonials and reviews offer valuable insight into an agency’s reliability and effectiveness. Agencies with strong client recommendations and a history of delivering results are more likely to be trustworthy partners.
When researching reviews, look for patterns. Consistent praise for clear communication, measurable improvements, and ethical practices is a good sign. If multiple clients mention unfulfilled promises or vague strategies, proceed with caution.
Don’t choose an SEO partner based solely on their website. Ask for a meeting to ask some questions. Asking the right questions can help you evaluate their expertise, transparency, and approach. A reputable agency should clearly explain their services, provide measurable results, and work as a true partner rather than just a service provider.
By asking these questions, you’ll get a clearer picture of whether an SEO agency is the right fit for your business. Here are good questions to ask before making a decision:
SEO includes many elements, from technical optimizations to content strategy and backlink management. Ask for specific examples of their services and how they align with your business goals.
A reliable agency should track and report key metrics like organic traffic growth, search rankings, and conversions. Avoid agencies that rely on vague promises or vanity metrics without data to back them up.
A report from GA4 of sessions by channel
Some SEO agencies focus on particular industries, while others take a broader approach. If they have experience in your field, they may already understand your audience and competitive landscape.
Reputable agencies should have documented success stories or client testimonials. Reviewing real-world results can help you gauge their credibility and effectiveness.
Some agencies provide recommendations but leave the implementation to you. Others, like ZenUp, take a hands-on approach to implement solutions with your approval. Clarify whether your account will be managed by an experienced strategist or passed off to a junior staff member.
When evaluating potential SEO agencies, look for warning signs that might indicate they are not trustworthy. Here are three mistakes to avoid when hiring an SEO company: promises of instant results, lack of transparency, and an overemphasis on technical SEO.
Let’s explore these red flags in more detail.
Transparency in SEO partnerships builds trust and keeps businesses informed about strategies and progress. Look for agencies that provide transparent reporting on their SEO efforts to allow for effective tracking of progress and results.
Beware of agencies promising instant results. Legitimate SEO requires time and consistent effort. A good SEO agency is upfront about its processes, pricing, and expected results. Transparency and integrity lay the foundation for a long-term, successful partnership.
If an agency promises quick, first-page rankings, it is likely using unethical practices. SEO is an ongoing process that adapts to search engine updates, user behavior, and business growth. A trustworthy agency will focus on sustainable improvements rather than quick fixes.
While it’s technically possible to rank quickly in certain cases, it’s rare and not typical for most businesses. For example, Keyword Chef’s founder published 45 articles between January and March 2022, and 95% of them ranked in the top 10 positions within 24 hours. However, such results are exceptions, not the rule.
A more realistic timeline is seeing noticeable progress in about three months, not 24 hours. As highlighted in a case study by Bloggers Passion, it took nearly three months to see top 5 rankings for their target keyword. In most cases, SEO requires a steady, patient approach. Expecting immediate results just sets you up for disappointment.
Chances are, your website will need a lot more work than publishing one amazing SEO-perfect blog article. A successful SEO strategy is built over time.
While technical SEO can make a big impact, it shouldn’t be the sole focus of your SEO strategy. A good agency will balance technical optimizations with other key elements like quality content, user experience, and audience engagement.
Content strategies play a vital role in SEO by aligning with user search intent and creating engaging experiences, which ultimately lead to higher conversion rates. Focusing too much on technical SEO can overlook these important areas, missing opportunities to connect with your audience and improve results in the long run.
For the best outcomes, your SEO strategy should integrate both technical and content-focused approaches to drive meaningful results.
A successful collaboration with an SEO agency begins with clarity in expectations and objectives. Set your goals together. SEO success is not just about hiring an expert, but instead working as a team to reach your objectives.
Effective collaboration requires open communication, where you share your industry insights and any changes in your business direction. Regular SEO audits are essential for tracking progress, but it’s important to be patient, as search engines can take up to a month to reflect changes.
SEO is an ongoing process that requires some flexibility. Strategies may need to be adjusted over time to improve results. Outsourcing SEO lets you focus on your business while professionals handle the details.
Setting specific SEO goals provides direction and focus for the overall strategy. Clear, measurable objectives ensure the SEO strategy aligns with business goals and allows for necessary adjustments.
Success can be measured through various metrics, such as organic traffic growth, increase in leads, and conversion rates. Regularly reviewing and adjusting SEO goals based on performance data allows for a more effective and targeted approach.
Ensure your budget supports both initial and ongoing SEO expenses. Budgeting for SEO should encompass both external service costs and any internal resources needed to support the initiative.
Organizations must be ready to invest financially and in manpower to sustain effective SEO practices.
A strong SEO partnership involves regular strategy discussions, performance reviews, and adjustments based on data. If an agency promises results without your involvement, they may not be taking a strategic approach. Transparent communication and reporting build a trustworthy relationship between the client and the SEO agency. Partnership ensures alignment with overall marketing efforts and supports better client-agency relationships. Establish effective communication methods early to ensure clarity and efficiency between clients and the agency.
Hiring an SEO company is starting a long-term partnership that shapes your business’s online success. The right agency doesn’t just improve rankings; it aligns with your goals, provides strategic insights, and continuously refines its approach to keep your business competitive.
Before making a decision, remember these key steps:
Look for an agency that offers expert knowledge, access to advanced tools, and a comprehensive strategy that covers technical SEO, content, and user experience. Evaluate potential agencies by assessing their methodologies, understanding their reporting practices, and reviewing case studies. Ask smart questions to reveal their expertise, and warning signs like vague strategies, unrealistic promises, or a narrow focus on technical SEO alone may indicate a poor fit.
A successful SEO partnership requires preparation, clear goals, open communication, and alignment on expectations. Instead of a one-time service, think of SEO as an evolving strategy that adapts to market changes and business needs.
Need personalized guidance? Get a free marketing plan from ZenUp today.
If you’re not fully satisfied, start by reviewing the agreed-upon goals and KPIs. Communicate your concerns and request a clear action plan for improvement. If issues persist, consider an independent SEO audit to assess their work. You may need to explore other agencies that align better with your needs–it’s better to cut your losses early rather than waste time with a company that can’t deliver results.
A reliable SEO agency should provide clear reports with measurable results, including organic traffic growth, keyword rankings, and conversion improvements. Look for data-driven progress, not just promises. If their updates are vague or overly technical without real insights, that’s a red flag.
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