What to Ask an SEO Agency Before You Pay: Google's Own List

Updated 2026-10-14 · by RankRight

RankRight writes these guides from Google's own documentation and published Singapore price guides; each figure links to where it comes from.

First: do you need one?

Google’s own answer for a small local business: you can probably do much of the work yourself, starting from its SEO starter guide (Google). It also says a good SEO can help, especially before a redesign or a new site. If you do hire, Google suggests you know the basics anyway, so you can spot a technique that is not recommended.

The questions Google suggests asking

From Google’s page on hiring an SEO (Google):

1. Can you show me examples of previous work and share some success stories?
2. Do you follow the Google Search Essentials?
3. What kind of results do you expect, and in what timeframe?
4. How do you measure success?
5. What is your experience in my industry?
6. What is your experience in my country or city?
7. How long have you been in business?
8. How can I expect to communicate with you?
9. Will you share all the changes you make to my site, with the reasons behind your recommendations?

Google adds a tenth that is really a test: see whether they are interested in your business. A good SEO asks what makes you different, who your competitors are and how your customers find you.

The warning signs Google names

• A guaranteed #1 ranking. Google says no one can guarantee one.
• A “special relationship” with Google, or a “priority submit”.
• Secrecy. A company that will not explain clearly what it intends to do.
• Asking you to link to them. Google says you should never have to.
• Link schemes, or submitting your site to thousands of search engines. Google calls these typically useless.
• Deceptive or misleading content created on your behalf: Google warns it can get a site removed from its index, and you are responsible for what you hire people to do.

On audits and tools

If an SEO offers an audit, Google says it should give you realistic estimates of improvement and of the work involved, and you should only grant read access to Search Console at that stage. Google also says it does not evaluate or endorse third-party SEO tools, which do not have its internal ranking data. A score from a tool is the tool’s opinion.

On AI search

If an agency sells “AEO” or “GEO”, Google suggests checking that the advice lines up with its official guidance on AI features, which says no special requirements, files or markup are needed. See AI Overviews and small businesses.

On price

Ask every agency to price the same scope on the same contract term. Published Singapore ranges are in what SEO costs in Singapore.

How RankRight answers them

• Changes: every change listed, without being asked
• Guarantees: none; Google says no one can
• Logins: none for the free check; read-only Search Console later if you choose
• Links: we never ask you to link to us
• Timeframe: Google says some changes show in hours and others take months; we re-check the same searches so you can see which

The free visibility check is a fair way to see how we work before you pay anything.