How to tell if your SEO agency is doing its job

In short: an SEO agency doing its job tells you every month what it did, shows you changes you can see on your site, reports impressions, clicks and enquiries (not just rankings), and keeps your Google accounts in your company's name. By month three you should see more impressions for relevant searches; growth in clicks and enquiries usually takes longer. If you get no reports, have no access to your own data or were promised first place, it's time to ask questions.

Paying for SEO means paying for work you can't always see. Unlike an ad, there's no "on" switch, and results build over time. That makes it hard to tell whether your agency is making progress or just sending invoices. This guide gives you concrete criteria to judge it, even if you're not an expert.

1. Do you know what they did this month?

A good agency tells you every month, in plain language, what work it did:

• New or improved pages (with their URLs).
• Articles published.
• Technical fixes (speed, indexing, errors).
• Changes to your Google Business Profile.
• Mentions or links earned.

Test it: open the pages they say they improved. Can you see the changes? If the report says "on-page optimization" but you can't find any difference on your site, ask them to show you exactly what changed.

2. Does the report measure what matters to your business?

A useful report isn't a list of rankings for keywords the agency picked. It should show the whole chain:

• Impressions: how often you appear on Google.
• Clicks from Google.
• Enquiries: forms, WhatsApp clicks, calls.
• Sales or bookings, where they can be measured.

We explain each metric in how to measure SEO results.

3. Do you have access to your own data?

Google Search Console, Google Analytics and your Business Profile should be in your company's name, with the agency added as a user. That way you can check the data whenever you like and, if you ever switch agencies, you keep your history.

If the agency won't give you access, or the accounts are in its name, that's a red flag.

4. What should you see over time?

Every site is different, but a reasonable progression looks like this:

When	What's reasonable to expect
Month one	Audit, priorities and first fixes. Few visible changes in the numbers.
Months 2 and 3	More impressions for relevant searches; new pages indexed; map improvements if you're a local business.
Months 3 to 6	More clicks and the first enquiries attributable to Google, especially for specific searches.
After that	Sustained growth through content and reputation.

In very competitive searches, everything can take longer. What matters is that the trend is heading the right way, and that the agency can explain why.

5. Check it yourself in 10 minutes

You don't need to be an expert. In Google Search Console (see how to use it):

1. Open Performance, choose "Last 3 months" and compare with the previous period.
2. Check whether impressions and clicks are going up.
3. Look at the queries: are they searches that could bring you customers?
4. Under Pages, confirm your important pages are indexed.

If impressions haven't moved in three months and the agency has no concrete explanation, ask.

Red flags

• You get no reports, or only screenshots with no explanation.
• They only show rankings for keywords nobody searches.
• They promised first place or guaranteed results by a set date.
• "It's a secret" or "it's too technical" when you ask what they did.
• They buy links or sell "backlink packages": these can harm your site (see link building).
• The accounts are in the agency's name.
• A sharp traffic drop with no explanation or plan to fix it.

What to do if it isn't working

1. Ask for a meeting with concrete questions: what they did, what they measured and what they'll do differently.
2. Ask for access to Search Console and Analytics if you don't have it yet.
3. Get a second opinion: an independent SEO audit tells you what state your site is in and what's missing.
4. If you decide to switch, make sure you keep the accounts, the content and access to your site. See how to choose an SEO agency.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I wait before judging my agency?

About three months is reasonable to see the first signs in impressions and indexing. Judging clicks and enquiries usually takes longer, depending on competition in your industry.

Is it normal for rankings to go up and down?

Yes. Rankings shift from day to day. What matters is the trend over several weeks and across many searches, not a single day's position.

What should the monthly report include?

What was done, how impressions, clicks and enquiries changed versus last month, which searches and pages grew, and what's planned for next month.

Can I ask for the data even if the agency handles everything?

Yes. Your site's data is yours. A serious agency gives you access without any fuss.

Want a second opinion?

At SEO.CR, an SEO agency in Costa Rica, we review your site and your Search Console and tell you clearly what's working and what isn't. See our SEO audit or get in touch.