Essential Questions Startup Founders Should Ask Before Hiring an SEO Agency

• Chandala Takalkar
• Essential Questions Startup Founders Should Ask Before Hiring an SEO Agency
• Published: August 10, 2022

Contributors: Chandala Takalkar
Published: August 10, 2022

Summary

Choosing the right SEO agency is a critical decision for any startup aiming for long-term visibility and growth. By asking the right questions—from strategy and technical expertise to content and reporting—founders can ensure they partner with an agency that aligns with their goals, understands their industry, and delivers measurable results.

Hiring an SEO agency is a high-impact move for startup founders. But with the rise of AI-led marketing, it’s no longer just about technical SEO—it’s about strategic vision, scalability, and data-driven execution.

Whether building a SaaS tool, scaling a D2C brand, or entering a niche market, choosing the right SEO partner could be the difference between compounding traffic and flatline visibility.

Here are the 13 essential questions every founder should ask to ensure your chosen agency is built for modern, AI-powered growth.

1. What does your SEO performance look like?

Before trusting someone to optimise your site, check if they’ve successfully optimised their own.

Run a simple Google search for phrases like “SEO agency in [city]”, “SEO for startups”, or “technical SEO consultants”. If the agency doesn’t appear on the first page for any relevant terms—even their brand name—it raises concerns. Their website should be a live example of their capabilities.

Go further: ask them to show their Google Search Console data, top-ranking pages, and growth over time. A credible agency will be proud to walk you through their numbers and strategy.

If they’re not discoverable, what does that say about their ability to make you discoverable?

2. What AI tools or systems do you use for SEO today?

The SEO landscape has changed. Manual keyword mapping, content briefing, and performance reporting have been replaced by smart workflows powered by AI.

• Ask the agency how they use AI in their daily operations. Do they:

• Use AI tools for keyword clustering and intent-based topic research?

• Automate content briefs or outlines for faster execution?

• Predict SEO outcomes using traffic simulation tools?

• Run automated technical audits and schema checks?

If they only mention Google Sheets and basic SEMrush reports, you’re looking at an outdated workflow. In 2025, AI is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s foundational to scalable, cost-effective growth.

3. What’s your experience with SEO—and how have you evolved with AI trends?

It’s not just about how long an agency has been around, but how well they’ve adapted. SEO has seen massive shifts over the past few years—from the introduction of semantic search to the dominance of Google’s AI models like MUM and SGE.

Ask the agency:

• How long have they been running SEO programs?

• How have they changed their approach post-BERT, post-MUM?

• Are they currently adjusting their strategy for AI-generated results (like Google’s SGE)?

You want a partner who doesn’t just “do SEO”—one who understands the algorithms behind search and how AI is reshaping user behaviour.

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4. What’s your complete SEO strategy—from audit to execution?

SEO is not a checklist—it’s a comprehensive, iterative process. A capable agency should walk you through their approach across three major pillars:

• On-page SEO: How do they plan to research keywords, structure content, and map user intent? Do they use AI to generate keyword clusters or optimise content briefs?

• Technical SEO: Can they audit and resolve crawlability, site speed, schema markup, and mobile usability issues? What automation do they use to monitor site health?

• Off-page SEO: Do they rely on AI tools for backlink gap analysis, authority scoring, or content outreach prioritisation?

Ask for a sample roadmap or playbook from a recent client. It will give you a glimpse into whether their strategy is scalable—or stuck in 2018.

5. How do you approach backlinks and authority building?

Backlink quality is a key ranking factor, and building them the right way takes time, credibility, and consistency.

Don’t settle for vague answers like “we do outreach” or “we get you listed in directories.” Ask:

• What’s your process for identifying link-building opportunities?

• Do you personalise outreach with AI-powered tools?

• How do you assess link quality (DA/DR, spam score, topical relevance)?

• Can you show examples of high-quality links you’ve secured for clients?

If they mention forums, Fiverr gigs, or link exchanges—walk away. Modern backlink strategies require a mix of authority partnerships, PR amplification, and high-value guest content.

6. Can you get us to Page 1 in a month?

Any agency that says yes is either misleading you or using black-hat tactics that might backfire later.

Real SEO takes time. You may see early wins in long-tail or low-competition terms, but for competitive keywords, it often takes 3–6 months or more—even with AI-accelerated execution. A good agency will give you a phased forecast, not a blanket promise.

Also, ranking means little without conversions. Focus on how they plan to improve traffic quality and business outcomes—not just vanity metrics.

Explore Our AI-Led Growth Plans

7. Do you follow Google’s SEO guidelines and best practices?

Make this a non-negotiable. Ask them:

• Do you follow Google’s Webmaster Guidelines?

• How do you stay updated with algorithm changes?

• Do you use schema markup, Core Web Vitals, and mobile-first principles?

They should also be aware of the latest AI-driven updates from Google, including Helpful Content, SGE, and topic authority indicators. If their strategy ignores user experience, intent relevance, and content quality—they’re playing a risky game.

8. Are you aligned with Google’s latest AI updates like MUM or SGE?

The future of SEO is deeply integrated with AI—especially from Google’s side.

Your agency should be building content with multimodal indexing in mind (MUM), preparing content that can appear in AI snapshots (SGE), and aligning with structured data strategies to help search engines better understand your site.

If they’re still writing SEO content without factoring in AI-generated SERPs, you’ll be invisible in tomorrow’s search.

9. Have you worked in my industry before?

Search behaviour varies significantly across industries. Healthcare, SaaS, eCommerce, and B2B each have unique content structures, conversion paths, and keyword intent profiles.

Ask:

• Have you worked with startups in our industry?

• Can you show keyword strategies or content maps for similar companies?

• What worked (and what didn’t) in past campaigns?

If they haven’t worked in your vertical, they must at least show how they adapt their approach based on industry research and competitor insights.

10. What metrics do you track—and how do you report performance?

SEO success isn’t just rankings. A credible agency will track:

• Organic traffic growth

• Keyword position movement

• Page-level conversions and assisted conversions

• Cost per acquisition (CPA) vs SEO investment

Ask if they provide real-time dashboards, AI-powered insights, and clear action recommendations—not just monthly PDF reports.

Performance is about outcomes, not output. You need insights that help you make decisions—not vanity charts.

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11. Can you rank multiple pages for the same keyword/topic?

Yes—if it’s done strategically.

This involves:

• Keyword mapping across the funnel

• Topic clustering

• Internal linking

• Differentiated content formats (e.g., comparison pages vs blog articles)

Example: Search for “SEO calculators” and you’ll find multiple upGrowth URLs ranking on page 1—each tailored for different user intents, but connected by a shared topic. That’s how you dominate a niche.

12. How long do clients usually stay with you?

Churn speaks volumes. Ask:

• Who is your longest-standing client?

• How long do clients typically stay?

• Why do clients choose to continue working with you?

Agencies that deliver results tend to build long-term relationships. Look for 2–5+ year engagements, not just one-off campaigns.

13. Can you show case studies and client results?

A confident agency will show you:

• Before and after analytics

• Keyword position improvements

• ROI metrics

• Strategy explanations

Ask for:

• At least two recent case studies

• Relevant to your industry or growth stage

• With visible, verified outcomes

Explore:

• SaaS SEO Strategy

• SEO for Financial Services

• SEO for Ecommerce Growth

The Wrap

When you hand over the SEO reins to a third party or partner, you may not need to ask the team-specific questions we outlined in our earlier blog since it is up to the SEO agency to check in on their teams and ensure that things are flowing smoothly from a growth, marketing, and content perspective. 

However – handing over those reins requires a level of trust in your partner that can only come about when you know that the agency is knowledgeable and in full control of what they are doing. 

Your goals need to be well-articulated, and the agency should understand what you want to achieve with SEO and deliver on those parameters, keeping in mind your budget and timeframe. 

About the Author

Chandala Takalkar

Copywriter

Chandala Takalkar is a young content marketer and creative with experience in content, copy, corporate communications, and design. A digital native, she has the ability to craft content and copy that suits the medium and connects. Prior to Team upGrowth, she worked as an English trainer. Her experience includes all forms of copy and content writing, from Social Media communication to email marketing.