How to choose an SEO company you can trust

Last updated 12 October 2026 · By the XKey team

Should I hire an SEO company or do it myself?

Many small businesses can handle the basics themselves: a Google Business Profile, clear service pages, reviews and fixing the issues our free SEO check finds. Hiring help makes sense when you're in a competitive market, have a large or technical site, or simply don't have the time. See how much SEO costs for typical UK prices.

What questions should I ask an SEO company?

1. What will you do in the first three months? Expect a specific plan – fixes, pages, links – not vague "optimisation".
2. How will you get links? Good answers involve content, PR, local partnerships. Bad answers involve networks, packages or "500 links a month".
3. Which searches will you target, and why? They should talk about searches that bring customers, not just traffic.
4. What will you report each month? Search Console clicks, enquiries and rankings for agreed searches, explained in plain English.
5. Can I see results for similar businesses? Ask to speak to a client, not just see a screenshot.
6. Who owns the work? Your website, content, Google accounts and analytics should stay in your name.

What are the red flags?

• Guaranteed first place on Google, or rankings promised by a date.
• Cold emails saying your site has "serious errors" with no specifics.
• Secret methods they won't explain.
• Bought links, private blog networks or mass directory submissions – these break Google's spam policies.
• Long contracts with no way out if nothing improves.
• Reports full of rankings for searches nobody makes.

How can I check an SEO company's work?

Run their own website through our SEO checker and backlink checker – a company that can't look after its own site is unlikely to look after yours. Compare a couple of their client sites with the SEO comparison tool. Once you've hired someone, track progress yourself in Google Search Console and with free SEO monitoring.

Frequently asked questions

How long should an SEO contract be?

A rolling monthly contract, or an initial three to six months with a clear plan, is reasonable. Be wary of 12-month lock-ins with no break clause.

Is a freelancer or an agency better?

Either can be good. Freelancers are often cheaper and more personal; agencies have more people for content, development and PR. Judge the person doing the work.

What should I do if an SEO company bought links for my site?

Ask them to remove the links, and stop the work. In serious cases, Search Console's disavow tool can tell Google to ignore links you can't get removed.