Hiring a local SEO agency? Know exactly what questions to ask, what red flags to spot, and what results to expect before signing a contract.
Here's what nobody tells you when you start shopping for a local SEO agency: most of them will say the same things, use the same buzzwords, and show you the same types of case studies. The ones that are worth hiring will do something different, they'll tell you what they can't do, what timeline is realistic, and exactly what they'll measure.
After 9 years working in local digital marketing, first at an agency, then independently, I've seen the full range. I've seen agencies deliver real, measurable ranking results. I've seen others collect retainers for 12 months while doing nothing but sending PDF reports. Here's how to tell the difference before you sign.
A legitimate local SEO agency optimizes your online presence to rank higher in Google Maps, the Local Pack, and local organic search results. The core work includes Google Business Profile optimization, citation building and cleanup, review strategy, local link building, and on-page optimization for location-specific keywords.
What a local SEO agency does NOT do: guarantee specific ranking positions, "hack" the Google algorithm, or deliver results in days. Anyone promising otherwise is using language designed to close a deal, not set accurate expectations.
The 3-Signal GBP Audit framework I use with every new client covers the three areas agencies should address: profile completeness and accuracy, activity signals (posts, photos, Q&A), and review health (velocity, recency, response rate). If an agency can't tell you what they'll do in each of these areas, that's a gap.
📊 Flento Data: Among businesses that hired local SEO agencies in our analysis, those who received monthly deliverables tied to specific metrics (ranking, profile views, calls) saw 2.8x better outcomes than those receiving general "optimization" reports without specifics.
These questions will tell you within 20 minutes whether an agency knows what they're doing:
1. "What's your first 30 days of work going to look like specifically?" A good agency will walk you through a discovery audit, NAP consistency check, competitor analysis, and initial GBP optimization. Vague answers like "we get to work on your online presence" are a red flag.
2. "How do you measure results and what will you report to us monthly?" The answer should include Local Pack ranking position, GBP profile views, calls from GBP, website traffic from local search, and review count/velocity. If they only mention "impressions" or "reach," push harder.
3. "Who specifically will be working on my account?" Big agencies often pitch you with senior staff but hand your account to junior specialists. Ask who handles your account day-to-day and ask to meet them.
4. "Can you show me a client in my industry and market who's seen ranking improvement?" Case studies are easy to cherry-pick. Ask for a specific example they can walk you through, before state, after state, timeline, and what specifically they did.
5. "What happens if I cancel?" A trustworthy agency will explain their offboarding process cleanly. Be very wary of agencies that retain ownership of your GBP listing, lock you into annual contracts with high cancellation fees, or claim your "rankings will disappear" if you stop paying them.
⚠️ Common Mistake: Hiring the first agency that ranks well for "local SEO agency [city]." Their ability to rank themselves is somewhat relevant, but it tells you nothing about their performance for small businesses in your vertical.
Walk away immediately if you hear any of these:
"We can guarantee you'll rank #1 on Google." Nobody can guarantee this. Google hasn't published a formula. Anyone making this promise is either uninformed or deliberately misleading you.
"We use proprietary techniques that we can't share." Legitimate local SEO is not a black box. If an agency won't explain what they're doing and why, you have no way to verify the work is being done.
"You need to sign a 12-month contract to see results." Long-term relationships are fine. Contracts that lock you in before you've seen any results are not. Ask for a 3-month trial or a month-to-month agreement.
"We'll need admin access to your GBP to do the work." They need manager access, not admin/owner access. If they insist on owner access, that's a control issue you'll regret later.
"Results will be dramatic within the first month." Real local SEO improvement in competitive markets takes 3 to 6 months. A business that's been ranking poorly for years won't reverse in 30 days through legitimate tactics.
💡 Pro Tip: Google your potential agency's past clients. If you find complaints about ranking drops after stopping service, unexplained suspension of GBP listings, or billing disputes, that pattern matters more than any pitch deck.
Month 1 should always include a baseline audit. You can't improve what you haven't measured. A solid month 1 report includes:
Ongoing monthly deliverables should show:
If a monthly report doesn't include before and after numbers, it's not a deliverable, it's documentation.
🛠️ Action Step: Before your first agency meeting, pull your own GBP Insights data: profile views, calls, and direction requests over the last 90 days. This becomes your baseline and keeps the agency accountable to real numbers from day one.
Ask for 2 to 3 references you can contact directly, not testimonials on their website, but actual clients you can call. Ask those clients:
Look at the agency's own Google Business Profile. How many reviews do they have? What do clients say? An agency that can't maintain its own review profile has a credibility gap.
Check their work by running a quick search for their existing clients in their claimed specialty. If an agency says they specialize in healthcare local SEO, search for a few of their dental or medical clients on Google Maps. Are those businesses ranking well?
📊 Flento Data: Agencies whose clients had GBP profiles with 100% complete information and recent review activity in the last 30 days delivered 3.1x better client retention than those with incomplete or stale profiles.
Local SEO agency pricing varies significantly by market and scope, but here are reasonable benchmarks for US businesses:
Solo practitioner or freelance specialist: $500 to $1,500/month Best for: single-location businesses in less competitive markets. Lower overhead, more direct communication, narrower service scope.
Small agency (5 to 20 person team): $1,500 to $3,500/month Best for: businesses that need full-service local SEO including content, citations, and reporting with some dedicated account management.
Mid-size agency: $3,500 to $7,500/month Best for: multi-location businesses or competitive markets where comprehensive monthly output is required.
Be skeptical of prices significantly below these ranges. Local SEO done right is labor-intensive. A $299/month package will not include meaningful work, it's likely a citation submission tool wrapped in agency branding.
⚠️ Common Mistake: Comparing agencies on price before comparing them on scope. A $2,000/month agency doing real citation work, GBP optimization, and reporting is not comparable to a $500/month package doing only automated citation submissions.
Hire an agency if: you don't have time to learn local SEO, you're in a competitive market, or you have multiple locations. Local SEO has a learning curve and is ongoing work, it's not a one-time setup.
Do it yourself if: you're in a low-competition market, you have the time to invest 5 to 10 hours per month on GBP management and citation work, or you want to use a tool like Flento that automates the most time-consuming parts.
The middle path that I see work well for solo operators and small businesses: use Flento for the automation-heavy work (review requests, citation monitoring, NAP consistency) and invest 2 to 3 hours per week on your GBP directly. For most businesses outside major metro areas, this outperforms a budget agency.
Flento gives you agency-level local SEO capabilities without the retainer. The Business Listing Management Software handles citation auditing and consistency monitoring across 50+ directories. The Google Review Management Software automates review requests and tracks velocity. The Local Keyword Rank Tracker monitors your Maps position for the keywords that matter.
For businesses that do hire an agency, Flento gives you the independent reporting layer to verify the agency's work. Instead of relying entirely on the reports they send you, you can track your own GBP performance and ranking data.
✅ Done? See how Flento gives you independent tracking alongside any agency → [Try Flento free]
How long does local SEO take to show results? In most US markets, meaningful Local Pack movement takes 3 to 6 months of consistent optimization. Highly competitive markets (major metro areas) can take 6 to 12 months. Anyone promising faster results is either working in a low-competition market or overselling.
Can I do local SEO myself without an agency? Yes, for single-location businesses in low to medium competition markets. The core work, GBP optimization, citation consistency, review management, can be done with tools like Flento without a full agency retainer.
Should I sign a long-term contract with a local SEO agency? Avoid contracts longer than 3 months until you've seen measurable results. Month-to-month arrangements after an initial 90-day period are the most reasonable structure for both parties.
What should I own vs. what does the agency own? You should own your Google Business Profile (owner access), your website, your domain, and your review profiles. An agency should never hold owner-level access to your GBP or control your domain registration.
How do I know if my local SEO agency is actually doing the work? Review their monthly deliverables against measurable benchmarks, ranking position, profile views, calls, review count. Use Flento's Local Keyword Rank Tracker to independently verify ranking movement rather than relying solely on agency reports.
