Choosing an SEO company is a big decision for a small business. You are trusting someone with your website, your budget and often your reputation in Google. Get it right and SEO can bring in enquiries for years. Get it wrong and you can lose months of money, or end up with problems that take a long time to undo.
We hear a lot of stories from business owners who have been let down by a previous agency. This guide shares what we have seen go wrong, the questions to ask and the warning signs to look out for.
What Does an SEO Company Do?
An SEO company improves your website and online presence so that you appear in Google and other search engines when people search for what you sell. That usually includes keyword research, technical fixes, improving your pages, creating content, earning links from other websites and, for local businesses, your Google Business Profile. A good SEO company should also report on what it has done and what difference it has made.
If you are new to SEO, our guide on what SEO is explains each of these in plain English.
What Can Go Wrong: Stories We Have Heard
These are some of the problems business owners have told us about after leaving a previous SEO company. We share them so you know what to look out for.
No Reports
Some businesses had paid an SEO company every month without receiving a single report. They had no idea what work had been done or whether it had made any difference. If you are paying for SEO, you should always be able to see what you are getting.
Spam Pages
Other businesses found that their agency had added low-quality pages to their website, written to catch search terms rather than to help customers. Google’s spam policies describe “scaled content abuse” as “when many pages are generated for the primary purpose of manipulating search rankings and not helping users”. Pages like these can drag down the rest of a website.
Hundreds of Doorway Pages, and a Meaningless Number One
One company created hundreds of location doorway pages for a business, each one aimed at a different place. The agency then reported a success: the business was number one for a particular search term.
The problem was that nobody searched for that term. It had no search volume at all. Being number one for a search nobody uses brings in no visitors and no customers. Meanwhile, the hundreds of doorway pages put the website at risk, because Google’s spam policies class pages “created to rank for specific, similar search queries” as doorway abuse.
The lesson is to look at what a ranking is worth before celebrating it. A good SEO company reports on searches people use, the visitors those searches bring and the enquiries that follow.
Questions to Ask an SEO Company
Google’s own guidance on hiring an SEO suggests questions to ask, including:
- Can you show me examples of your previous work?
- Do you follow Google’s Search Essentials?
- What results do you expect to see, and in what timeframe?
- What experience do you have in my industry and my area?
- How will you communicate with me, and will you share every change you make?
From what we have seen go wrong, we would add four more:
- What will you do in the first three months?
- How will you report on results, and what will the reports include?
- How do you earn links to a website?
- Who will do the work, and who will I speak to?
A good SEO company will answer each of these clearly and without jargon.
Warning Signs to Look Out For
Google warns site owners about several things. Be cautious of any SEO company that:
- guarantees rankings: Google says “no one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google”;
- claims a special relationship with Google: Google warns against SEOs who allege a “special relationship” with Google;
- won’t explain what it does: you should understand what is being done to your website and why;
- sends unsolicited emails: many offers of quick SEO results come from spam emails;
- sells links: buying links breaks Google’s spam policies;
- reports only rankings: especially for search terms you have never heard of;
- promises results within days: SEO builds over months.
If you are still deciding whether to invest, our guide on whether SEO is worth it for a small business may help.
What a Good SEO Company Does
- Starts by listening: it learns about your business, your customers and your goals before recommending anything.
- Gives you a clear plan: with the quickest wins first and a sensible timescale.
- Explains its work in plain English: you always know what has been done and why.
- Reports on what counts: search traffic, enquiries and the searches people use, as well as rankings.
- Follows Google’s guidelines: no bought links, doorway pages or spam content.
- Is open about what SEO can and can’t do: including when SEO isn’t the right fit for your business.
Agency, Freelancer or Consultant?
You don’t have to choose a large agency. Small businesses often get on well with a freelancer, a consultant or a small agency, where you speak directly to the person doing the work. What counts more than size is experience with businesses like yours and a clear, open way of working.
What to Do If You Are Unhappy With Your Current SEO Company
- Ask for a full list of the work done: including any pages created and links built.
- Check Search Console: look at whether search traffic has grown and whether Google has flagged any problems.
- Make sure you own your accounts: your website, Google Business Profile, Search Console and Analytics should be in your name, not the agency’s.
- Get a second opinion: an independent audit can show whether the work has helped or harmed your website.
Choosing an SEO Company for AI Search
AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Google’s AI Mode now recommend businesses as well as answering questions. Google says there are “no additional requirements” to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, so a good SEO company’s work should already help you there. Be wary of anyone selling a separate “AI SEO” service without explaining exactly what it involves. Our guide on how to appear in AI search explains what helps.
Talk to Us
We are an SEO company for small businesses, based in East Grinstead and working across the UK. We give you a clear plan, explain our work in plain English and report on what counts for your business. Our SEO services for small businesses can be ongoing, project-based or one-off. If you want to know what SEO might cost first, see our guide on how much SEO costs for a small business.
FAQs
How Do I Choose an SEO Company for My Small Business?
Ask to see examples of their work, what they will do in the first three months, how they will report results and how they earn links. Avoid anyone who guarantees rankings.
What Should I Expect From an SEO Company?
A clear plan, regular reports in plain English, work that follows Google’s guidelines and open communication about what has been done and why.
How Can I Tell If My SEO Company Is Doing a Good Job?
Look at whether search traffic and enquiries from Google are growing, not just rankings. Ask for a list of the work done and check Search Console for any problems.
Should an SEO Company Guarantee First Place on Google?
No. Google says no one can guarantee a number one ranking. Treat any guarantee as a warning sign.