Questions to ask
What exactly will you do each month? Who does the work? Which accounts will be in my name? How will you report results? Can I talk to current customers?
Red flags
Guaranteed rankings. Secret methods. Very cheap monthly packages that promise hundreds of links. Wanting to own your domain, Business Profile or analytics. Refusing to explain what they changed. Cold emails saying your site has errors, with no specifics.
Ownership
You should own your domain, hosting, Business Profile, Search Console and analytics. Add the agency as a user. If they leave, you keep everything.
Reporting
Good reports are plain and show real data: Search Console queries, calls, leads and what was done. Vanity numbers without context are a warning.
Contracts
Prefer short or month-to-month terms and a clear scope. Understand what happens if you stop.
Common questions
Is cheap SEO bad?
Not always, but very cheap packages often mean automated or low-quality work. Ask what you get.
Should I hire locally?
It can help for communication, but quality and honesty matter more than location.
This guide is general information. Search engines change how they work and their guidelines; check Google's current documentation for your situation. Nobody can guarantee a ranking.