The SEO industry has a trust problem. It’s full of agencies that charge $1,500/month for a monthly report and a few blog posts while ranking changes nothing. Knowing what separates legitimate SEO work from theater is what lets you make a good decision.
Red flags
Be cautious of any agency that guarantees specific rankings (no one controls Google’s algorithm), promises results in 30 days (meaningful SEO takes longer), refuses to explain what they’re doing, or uses jargon to obscure a lack of real strategy.
Green flags
Look for agencies that show you real results from past clients (not just logos), explain their process in plain terms, give you access to your own data and own any content they create for you, and are willing to start without a long-term contract.
Questions to ask before hiring
Who will actually be doing the work — the person selling you or someone else? Can you see examples of rankings you’ve improved for similar businesses? What does the first 90 days look like specifically? Who owns the content and links you build?
Price as a signal
$300/month SEO packages can’t deliver meaningful results — the economics don’t allow for the amount of work required. But high price doesn’t guarantee quality either. Expect to pay $800–2,500/month for legitimate local SEO, depending on your market and the scope of work.