12 Questions to Ask Before Trusting an "SEO Expert" in Derby

Last updated: 28 August 2026

Derby has no shortage of people calling themselves SEO experts, and no easy way to tell the good ones from the ones reading a script. Here are twelve questions worth asking before you sign anything, and what a genuine answer sounds like.

1. "Can you show me results for a business like mine, not just any business?"

Generic case studies prove someone can write a report, not that they understand your industry's search behaviour. A good agency has language for your specific sector, not a one-size story. See our case studies for the kind of specificity to expect.

Good answer: A specific, named example in a similar sector with a specific number, not "we've helped lots of local businesses."

2. "What exactly will I be able to see or check myself?"

If the answer is vague about reporting, that's often because there isn't much to report. You should be able to see your own rankings, traffic, and what work has actually been done, something our own SEO Scorecard is built to give you.

Good answer: A named dashboard, scorecard, or regular report you can access yourself, not "we'll send updates when there's news."

3. "Do you use the same tactics on every client, or is this specific to my business?"

A templated approach applied to every client regardless of industry is a red flag disguised as efficiency. Local SEO for a dentist and a scaffolding firm should not look identical.

Good answer: A specific explanation of how your industry and location shape the actual work, not a generic process description.

4. "What happens to my website and content if I leave?"

Some agencies build a website or content in a way that's hard to take with you, deliberately or not. You should own your domain, hosting, and content outright.

Good answer: "Everything is yours, we'll hand over full access with no strings attached."

5. "How do you measure success, rankings, traffic, or actual enquiries?"

Rankings for keywords nobody searches, or traffic that never converts, are vanity numbers. The honest answer connects SEO work back to enquiries and revenue, the whole point of Test & Measure.

Good answer: A clear line from the work being done to enquiries or revenue, not just "your rankings will go up."

6. "Can I speak to a current client, not just a testimonial on your website?"

Written testimonials are easy to cherry-pick. A willingness to actually connect you with a live client says more than any quote on a page.

Good answer: A yes, and a name, not hesitation or a redirect back to written reviews.

7. "What's included in the price, and what counts as an extra?"

A low headline price that turns into a stream of chargeable extras is one of the most common complaints about local SEO agencies. Get the scope in writing, see our own pricing for the level of detail to expect.

Good answer: A clear, itemised scope in writing before you sign anything.

8. "How long have you actually been doing this, for this kind of business?"

SEO changes fast. Agencies that have only worked with e-commerce may not understand a service-area local business, and vice versa. Longevity in your specific niche matters more than years trading in general, see who we are.

Good answer: Specific years and specific sector experience, not a vague "years in the industry."

9. "What will you do if my rankings drop, whose fault is it, and what's the plan?"

Google updates its algorithm constantly, and rankings will occasionally dip through no fault of anyone's. How an agency talks about that risk upfront tells you a lot about how they'll handle it when it happens.

Good answer: An honest acknowledgment that dips happen, with a clear plan for diagnosing and responding to one.

10. "Are you doing this work yourselves, or outsourcing it overseas?"

Neither answer is automatically wrong, but you should know. Outsourced work isn't inherently bad, but you deserve to know who's actually touching your site and content, see our team.

Good answer: A straight, specific answer either way, not a dodge.

11. "How will you make sure AI tools like ChatGPT can find and cite my business, not just Google?"

Search is changing fast, and an agency still only talking about traditional Google rankings is behind. If they can't answer this at all, that's worth noting, it's what our own GEO work is built around.

Good answer: A specific explanation of structured data, content formats, and citation-friendly pages, not a blank look.

12. "What happens after the contract ends, month to month or locked in?"

A long lock-in with no easy exit is a sign of an agency relying on contracts rather than results to keep clients. Good work should be able to stand on its own.

Good answer: Flexible, no long lock-in, "you can leave whenever you want, we'd rather earn it every month."

What to do with this list

We don't lock clients into long contracts and we're happy to answer every question on this list before you sign anything. Avon reached 2,500 page-one keywords working with us, ask us how.

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