Local SEO Vendor Vetting Scorecard
Compare SEO consultants and agencies on evidence before you hire one.
Every SEO pitch sounds good on the call. This scorecard gives you the same fifteen questions to ask every vendor, shows what a good answer and a red flag sound like, and adds up the scores so you can compare up to three side by side on evidence rather than on who gave the best presentation.
- Format
- Printable PDF
- Length
- 4 pages
- Use it
- On each sales call
- Price
- Free
Free download
Get the Local SEO Vendor Vetting Scorecard
Three quick steps, then the PDF is yours to download. We'll email you a copy too.
- Printable 4-page PDF
- Instant download, plus a copy by email
- Plain language, no SEO background needed
- A next step for every weak row
Use it when
What the scorecard helps with
Step 4 of 4: hire the right help. Here is when this scorecard earns its place on your desk.
You're comparing two or three proposals
Each one describes the work and the price differently, and it is hard to compare like with like.
An agency has burned you before
One section covers who owns your Google Business Profile, Search Console, analytics, domain and content, which is the hardest thing to fix after you start.
The pitch sounds great but vague
If a vendor can't put an answer in writing, the scorecard tells you to score it 1.
You don't know what to ask about links
Five questions on how links are earned, whether any are bought, and whether you will get a list of every one.
What you get out of it
What you'll walk away with
- Written answers to the same 15 questions from every vendor, scored 1 to 3
- A total out of 45 per vendor, broken down by process, reporting, ownership, pricing and evidence
- A count of red flags heard, which stay red flags whatever the total
- Clear answers on who owns your accounts and content, before you sign
- A tie-breaker for close scores: choose on ownership and evidence
Who it's for
- Owners about to hire a local SEO consultant or agency
- Businesses reviewing their current provider at renewal time
- Anyone who wants every proposal judged on the same terms
Page by page
What's inside the scorecard
4 printable pages. Here is a look at each one.
Page 1
How to use it, a details table for up to three vendors, and the first questions on process, deliverables and reporting, each with a good answer and a red flag.
Page 2
Questions 5 to 15: how results are measured, your day-to-day contact, ownership of accounts and content, what happens if you part ways, pricing and contract terms, and evidence from similar businesses and references.
Page 3
The red flags that should make you walk away or ask hard questions, five questions to ask about links, and the scoring grid (9 per group, 45 in total).
Page 4
What to do if a row is weak: vague answers, low ownership scores, close totals, a high score with a red flag, or three vendors who all score low.
How to use it
Three steps, straight from the scorecard
- 01
Ask every vendor the same 15 questions, in the same order, and write the answers down.
- 02
Score each answer 1 (red flag), 2 (partly there) or 3 (good) in the vendor columns, then fill in the scoring grid.
- 03
Check the red flags and the links box before you decide. A red flag stays a red flag, whatever the total score.
Results depend on your market, your competition and your starting point. Nothing in this tool is a guarantee of rankings, traffic or revenue.
Free download
Ready to start? Get your free copy of the scorecard.
Three quick steps, then the PDF is yours to download. We'll email you a copy too.
- Printable 4-page PDF
- Instant download, plus a copy by email
- Plain language, no SEO background needed
- A next step for every weak row
Go deeper
Read the guide, or hand it to us
Want us to do this for you?
If you would rather have local SEO done for you, we will answer every question on this scorecard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about the scorecard
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