Key points
- You should own every account, and the agency should be a user
- Reports must list work done, not only charts
- Calls and leads matter more than ranking positions
- Be wary of anyone who will not explain their methods
Own your accounts
Your Business Profile, Search Console, Google Analytics and website should be registered to you. If an agency holds them, you cannot check their claims and you may lose everything when you leave.
Read the report like an owner
Look for calls, form submissions, direction requests and revenue. Rankings are a means to those. Google counts Business Profile calls and views inside your own account, so those figures cannot be inflated by an agency.
Questions to ask at your next review
- What did you complete this month, and where can I see it?
- Which pages or profile changes are you planning next, and why?
- How many calls and enquiries came from organic search and Maps?
- What happened to map coverage on our main keyword?
- Do I have owner access to every account you work in?
A good agency answers these without hesitation and welcomes them. If answers are vague, ask for read access to the task list. The work of SEO is visible: pages change, listings are corrected, posts go live, links appear. You should be able to see it.
Warning signs
Guaranteed first-place rankings, secret methods, reports full of jargon with no list of tasks, and contracts that lock you in for a year. We work month to month for that reason.
People also ask
Is buying addiction treatment leads legal under EKRA?
It can be, but how you pay decides it. EKRA makes paying for referrals to addiction treatment a federal crime, it covers private insurance, and in 2025 the Ninth Circuit confirmed it reaches marketing intermediaries. Paying per admission or per patient is where the risk sits, with penalties up to $200,000 and 10 years per occurrence. Have a healthcare lawyer review any lead deal. This is not legal advice.
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Is AS9100 certification worth it, and does it help a machine shop get found?
Only if buyers you want already ask for it. Owners report around $10,000 and eight months for AS9100, and it won't rank a shop by itself. It helps when aerospace, medical or defense buyers filter on it, and only if you publish it clearly: a certification page with scope and expiry, and a mention on every relevant capability page.
Read the full answer: Is AS9100 certification worth it, and does it help a machine shop get found? →
Does a commercial contractor need search visibility if work comes from bid boards?
Yes, but not for the reason most agencies sell. On a hard low-bid public job, price decides. Before that, someone has to invite you, prequalify you or put you on a bidders list, and they check your name online first. A site with real project pages, clear credentials and a correct Google profile is what gets you onto the lists where the bid is decided.
Can a law firm call itself best or specialist on its website?
Usually not in the way marketers want. Under ABA Model Rule 7.1, "best" is an unsubstantiated comparison that can mislead, and Rule 7.2(c) bars stating or implying you are a certified specialist unless an approved or ABA-accredited body certified you and you name it. You can describe the areas you practice in. Always check your own state's rules, which often differ.
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Does local SEO matter for a manufacturer that ships nationwide?
Yes, but for a narrower job than most shops expect. Your Google Business Profile ranks around your building, not across the country, so local search wins the buyers and engineers within driving distance of your plant. National work comes from website pages about your processes, materials and industries. Set up both, keep one profile at your real address, and don't stretch the service area to cover the country, because it won't change where you rank.
Read the full answer: Does local SEO matter for a manufacturer that ships nationwide? →