The questions every prospect should ask
Show me 3 case studies from clients in industries similar to mine, with real client names I can contact for references.
Who specifically will work on my account, and what's their experience? Will my strategist be senior or junior?
What does the first 90 days look like in concrete deliverables — not 'we'll improve your rankings' but specific work products.
What's your reporting cadence and what metrics will I see? (Real answers: monthly call, dashboard with traffic, conversions, ranking trends, and a written narrative of what was done.)
What contract terms — month-to-month, 6-month, 12-month? (Healthy answer: 3 or 6 month initial commitment, then month-to-month.)
Red flags in any SEO sales pitch
Guarantees of #1 rankings or specific traffic numbers without seeing your site first.
Refusing to disclose what tactics they use ('proprietary methodology' is often code for 'we don't want you to know we're doing PBN links').
12+ month locked contracts with high cancellation fees.
Promises of hundreds of links per month, especially at low prices (C$300/month for 'unlimited links' is always link spam).
No dedicated strategist — your account passed around between juniors and the senior shows up only at QBR.