How to choose an SEO company in Richmond

Write down the services you want to grow, where you can deliver them and what a qualified inquiry looks like. A contractor may care about larger projects in a defined service area; a nonprofit may need people to find a particular program. Share those priorities before asking an agency for a package.

A useful conversation connects search demand with your capacity and customer value. Ask the provider to explain how its proposed pages and keywords support the work you want.

Which pages will they review or improve? What technical problems will they investigate? Is Business Profile work included? Who drafts content, approves it and publishes changes? Ask which tasks happen first and which require a separate development quote.

The proposal should identify the amount you will pay, included work, reporting frequency, responsibilities and contract terms. Compare equivalent scopes. Our SEO service page describes the areas we discuss when defining a project; your proposal determines what is included.

Ask for examples that identify the challenge, work, date range and measurement source. Estimated traffic, measured website visits, inquiries and signed work answer different questions. A useful case study explains the starting point and any limitations rather than displaying a large percentage alone.

Ask past clients about communication and implementation as well as results. Our pool-construction campaign distinguishes cumulative inquiries from monthly totals. Our client reviews identify an actual client and link to current public feedback.

Ask who leads the strategy, who implements changes and who answers questions. Request a clear approval process for publishing content. Confirm your business keeps appropriate ownership of its website and search accounts and that access can be removed when the engagement ends.

For an initial review, discuss the minimum account permissions needed. Google recommends read-only Search Console access at the audit stage. Use account invitations rather than emailing passwords.

A report should explain completed changes, comparable performance periods, qualified inquiries where measured and the next priorities. Ask how the provider handles missing data and ranking differences across location or device. A ranking dashboard alone does not establish revenue.

Be cautious about guaranteed first-place rankings or unexplained tactics. Google’s hiring guidance recommends asking about experience, communication, references and realistic expectations. An agency should be able to explain its recommendations and cite the relevant guidance.

Ask: What will you change first, and why? What is included in the price? Which claims can I verify? Who approves and publishes the work? How will we know whether it is helping the business? What remains mine if the engagement ends?

Source: Google Search Central: do you need an SEO?, checked October 11, 2026. This checklist is Garza’s guidance for comparing proposals. Read our local SEO guide and ranking measurement guide, or start with a free ranking review.